Kolmarden Wildlife Park

Scandinavia'S Largest Zoo, Set On A Forested Hillside Above The Sea, With A Cable Car Safari Over The Animal Enclosures, A Dolphin Show And The Wildfire Wooden Roller Coaster · Kolmarden, Ostergotland County

Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Kolmardens djurpark) sits on a steep forested hillside above Braviken bay, about 30 km north-east of Norrkoping, and is often described as Scandinavia's largest zoo. It opened in 1965 and has grown into a full day out that is part zoo, part theme park: the Safari cable car, Safarigondolen, carries visitors in open gondolas over large enclosures of big animals; the dolphin show has long been its most famous act; Bamse's World, built around Sweden's favourite comic-strip bear, is aimed squarely at small children; and the Wildfire wooden roller coaster, said to be one of the tallest and fastest wooden coasters in the world when it opened, draws thrill-seekers who may never look at an animal. Tigers, gorillas, bears and many other species live in themed areas spread across the slope. It is a strongly seasonal park, with its main season roughly late spring to autumn. The honest caveat: tickets are expensive, the site is hilly with a great deal of walking, and on July days queues for the gondola and the coaster can be long.

Kolmarden, on the north shore of Braviken bay, about 30 km north-east of Norrkoping, Kolmarden, Ostergotland County, Sweden

The main season runs roughly from late April or May to September or October, with daily opening in summer and weekend-only or reduced days at each end; winter opening is limited or absent, and some areas and shows may be closed outside high summer - check the park's own calendar for the exact dates and daily hours before travelling. Tickets are sold online, often with day-by-day pricing, and the Safari cable car and some shows may need a timed slot or a separate booking in peak weeks. Getting there: SJ trains reach Norrkoping from Stockholm in about 1 hour 15 minutes and from Linkoping in about 25 minutes; from Norrkoping, Ostgotatrafiken buses run to Kolmarden in roughly 30-45 minutes, more often in summer. By car it is signposted off the E4 north of Norrkoping, with large paid car parks. Arrive at opening in July to beat the queues.

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