Visitors

Wildlife Parks by Distance 0-30 Minutes Away From Hamburg

You don’t have to venture far from the city centre to see wild animals. Here are our favorite wildlife parks in and close to Hamburg.

Walking in Hirschpark Wildgehege

Wildlife parks in and around Hamburg

Intro text: While Hamburg’s larger metropolitan region is home to many exciting wildlife parks, there are also some wonderful options closer to home. Even within the city limits, there are places where visitors can spot local wildlife like deer, foxes and owls. So, if you’re a bit short on time but still want to be one with nature, here are some parks to consider. 

Hirschpark Wildgehege Deer Park
Address: Elbchaussee 477, 22587 Hamburg
Distance: In Hamburg Nienstedten

The Hirschpark in the Nienstedten district of Hamburg can be found on Hamburg’s list of monuments, with its history dating back to the 17th century. It still lives up to its name (which means ‘deer park’) today. Several varieties of deer have been in what is probably the most beautiful park on the Elbchaussee avenue for centuries.

Klövensteen Wildlife Preserve
Address: Sandmoorweg 160, 22559 Hamburg
Distance: In Hamburg Rissen

With its 580 hectares (well over five million square metres!), Hamburg's Klövensteen forest is the largest recreational green area in the district of Altona. Only about 18 kilometres from the city centre, the forest serves the community in many ways. It has a game reserve, the Klövensteen forest school, the Schnaakenmoor nature reserve, a forest playground on the Klövensteenweg and several spots for grabbing a bite to eat.

Industrious visitors in autumn will also find that they can help keep the animals of the park fed throughout the winter. Collecting containers are set up for acorns and chestnuts at entrance areas. Rangers dry these goodies, which then serve as popular additional feed for the animals throughout the colder months. So, if you want to do some good for the wildlife, you may have a new calling as a hardworking nut collector! Just remember not to bring any outside food for the animals, as this wouldn’t be part of their natural diet and can make them ill. 

Niendorfer Gehege Park
Address: Bondenwald 108, 22453 Hamburg
Distance: In Hamburg Niendorf

Animal lovers are at home in the Niendorfer Gehege park. The area has plenty of bridal paths and can be easily explored on horseback, so you may see riders passing by, and the park is a favourite for dog enthusiasts as well. The extensive dog run area in the Niendorf enclosure offers plenty of space for four-legged friends to run and play, so visitors will surely meet plenty of pooches. But the park’s highlight is of course the local forest animals: deer, foxes and hares frolic in the game reserve at the former forester's house, and with a little luck you can see eagle owls, cuckoos and woodpeckers in the treetops.

Wildpark Schwarze Berge
Address: Am Wildpark 1, 21224 Rosengarten
Distance: approx. 0.5 hours from Hamburg*

The expansive Wildpark Schwarze Berge is home to lambs, goats, badgers and raccoons, just to name a few. The wolves are a favourite attraction for most visitors, and the falconry demonstrations, which take place daily, are particularly exciting. In addition to the 8,000-square-metre playground, the park’s petting zoo is very popular with children, where visitors can pet and feed a variety of friendly animals, including West African pygmy goats.

Wildpark Lüneburger Heide
Address: Wildpark 1, 21271 Nindorf-Hanstedt
Distance: approx. 0.5 hours from Hamburg*

This beloved wildlife park in the Lüneburg Heide promises adventures in nature with animals native to the local ecosystem, like wolves and bears, as well as some more rare and exotic residents, like Siberian tigers, musk oxen, griffon vultures, snow leopards, elk and wapitis. All told, the park is home to around 1,200 animals from 140 species. QR codes on the enclosure signs provide detailed information about the animals directly on your mobile phone.

*The distance refers to the travel time by car

Wildlife Parks Under 30 Minutes Away