Hanover Zoo: Sambesi Expansion with “Hot Air Balloon” & Edu-Camp

(eap) At Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover (Engl.: Hanover Adventure Zoo), several new features can be discovered this year: the expanded African-themed area “Sambesi” has recently opened to visitors, featuring a new viewing platform, an interactive camp, a new petting meadow and a new ten-metre-high play structure.

Cameroon sheep on the new petting meadow. © Foto: Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover Designed as a hot air balloon with a red-and-white striped envelope, the climbing structure realised by Berliner offers suitable challenges for a wide age range. While younger children can clamber and balance close to the ground on the new play structure (model “Lunia L”), particularly adventurous explorers can continue further upwards via numerous ropes all the way into the balloon itself. Those wishing to take a break from play and refocus on the zoo’s animal inhabitants can pet goats and sheep on the newly fenced meadow area right next to the new play structure.

At the interactive camp, exciting insights into the animal world are conveyed. © Foto: Erlebnis-Zoo Hannover Zebras, gazelles and antelopes in the “Savannah” habitat can now be observed from a new perspective via a viewing platform. A white ranger van serves as a photo motif for shared memories. As an additional educational offering for children, Hanover Zoo now also features an interactive camp: through exploring, experiencing and engaging, children can discover current animal and species conservation topics in a vivid way. For all zoo visitors – and especially adults – there is also the new spontaneous guided tour format “Ask the Scout”. In 30 minutes, zoo scouts take visitors on a short journey of discovery centred around a selected question. The offer is aimed at anyone wishing to learn something new in a short time – spontaneous registrations are said to be possible up to 15 minutes before the start.

In addition to these new features, Hanover Zoo will welcome several new and endangered animal species over the course of the season, host a variety of events and present animal showcases (cf. Park Report 2025/26, available in the current EAP March/April issue). “We are very much looking forward to a season with many new attractions and experiences,” says Zoo Managing Director Andreas M. Casdorff. “2026 is full of surprises; there is something new to discover all year round.” ■