Rostock's award-winning Darwineum houses one of Europe's most celebrated great ape exhibits — a stunning tropical rainforest habitat home to gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees. A world-class wildlife experience just 25 minutes from the pier.
What to expect
The Darwineum is the centrepiece — a vast, climate-controlled tropical rainforest where great apes move freely through multi-level habitats while visitors observe from walkways at canopy level. Beyond the primates, the zoo's Polarium showcases polar bears in a stunning Arctic habitat, while the African savannah exhibits feature giraffes and zebras in wide open paddocks. With over 5,000 animals across beautifully landscaped grounds, a half-day here never feels rushed. The zoo's strong conservation and breeding programmes add genuine purpose to every encounter.
Good to know
Take the S-Bahn from Warnemünde to Rostock Hauptbahnhof (approx. 22 min, EUR 3–4 each way), then tram or taxi to the zoo (10–15 min). Allow a minimum of 3–4 hours; a full morning and early afternoon is ideal to allow comfortable return before all-aboard. Pre-purchase tickets online at zoo-rostock.de to avoid queues. The zoo is open year-round, 9 am–6 pm in summer.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Rostock — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.
More to do in Rostock
- Berlin in a Day: Private Guided Shore Excursion from Warnemünde
- Berlin & Sachsenhausen Memorial: History Shore Trip from Warnemünde
- Rostock & Warnemünde Private Half-Day: Hanseatic City & Seaside Village
- St. Mary's Church Rostock: Astronomical Clock & Gothic Masterpiece
- Warnemünde Beach & Lighthouse: The Classic Baltic Seaside Morning