Shangfangshan Forest Animal World
上方山森林动物世界Sprawling forest zoo with spacious animal areas, big cats, elephants, primates and red pandas.
苏州市虎丘区吴越路南200米
200m south of Wuyue Road
Tiger Hill, Suzhou
08:30–17:00 Ticket sales end 16:00
Set at the foot of Shangfangshan beside Shihu Lake, Shangfang Mount Forest Animal World is Suzhou's main zoo — but it feels very different from the cramped city zoos many people may have experienced in China.
Long-term Suzhou residents may remember the old Suzhou Zoo near the old city. When that closed in 2016, the animals were moved to this purpose-built 67-hectare forest zoo, around 20 times the size of the old facility. The new zoo was designed around different animal habitats, with eight main animal areas spread through the landscape.
That makes it potentially worth considering even for families who aren't normally keen on zoos. It's sprawling, green and requires plenty of walking, with animal areas distributed around the wooded site rather than everything being packed tightly together. There is also a 3 km sightseeing-bus circuit with nine stops if little legs start getting tired.
The zoo houses more than 100 species, including Asian elephants, South China tigers, Siberian tigers, African lions, golden snub-nosed monkeys, giraffes, zebras and numerous birds. It's also involved in conservation and breeding work, most notably through its South China tiger breeding base.
Contact
Call 0512 6818 9838For Younger Children
The Forest of Elves petting area 精灵之森萌宠乐园 adds a more hands-on element for younger visitors. The area was upgraded in 2025, with improved habitats and opportunities to see smaller animals at closer range.
Suzhou Scene Tip
Wear comfortable shoes. The sprawling layout is one of the zoo's strengths, giving the animal areas considerably more room than Suzhou's old city zoo — but it also means you'll cover a fair distance. Families with younger children can use the sightseeing bus to break up the walking.