The zoo wildlife park umm al quwain is a private wildlife facility in the Al Kabir area of Umm Al Quwain, home to more than a thousand animals across African and Arabian enclosures since it opened in 1998. It sits inside a wider category of UAE wildlife attractions that includes Dubai Safari Park, Emirates Park Zoo, and Al Ain Zoo, but it is the smallest and quietest of the group, which is exactly what sets it apart.
Most weekend plans in the UAE default to the bigger parks in Dubai or Abu Dhabi. This one gets a fraction of that traffic, and the visit feels different because of it.
Location and founding of the zoo wildlife park umm al quwain
The park opened in 1998, part of the emirate’s broader push to build tourism beyond fishing and trade. It sits away from the city center, in the Al Kabir area of Umm Al Quwain, close to Dreamland Aqua Park.
It has expanded a few times since opening, adding new habitats and visitor facilities without growing into the scale of its Dubai or Abu Dhabi counterparts.
Animals you can see at the zoo wildlife park umm al quwain
The animal list runs deeper than most visitors expect for a park this size. On the big cat side: lions, cheetahs, leopards, and the Golden Tabby Tiger, a variant that’s genuinely hard to find on display anywhere in the region.
The primate corner has monkeys, baboons, and Habouba, the park’s resident orangutan. The aviary holds macaws, flamingos, ostriches, and peacocks. The reptile house has pythons, tortoises, and crocodiles. On the herbivore side, giraffes, Arabian oryx, and a few deer species round things out.
The park is also split into an African enclosure and an Arabian enclosure, so a single visit covers two distinct ecosystems rather than one.
Facilities and visitor experience
Feeding sessions cost extra, usually AED 5 to AED 10 per bucket, and this is where the smaller crowd size makes the biggest difference. You get closer to the animals than you would at a bigger park mid-afternoon on a weekend.
Camel and horse rides are available for kids, priced separately from the entry ticket. On-site amenities include restrooms, food outlets, and a souvenir shop, with a giraffe cafe expected to open soon.
Ticket prices and operating hours
General admission is AED 25 per person. Infants under one year and people of determination get in free.
Hours change with the season to keep the animals comfortable. From October to June, the park is open 8am to 8pm on weekdays and until 10pm on weekends. From July to September, it shifts to 3:30pm until 8pm on weekdays, again with a 10pm close on weekends. It’s open every day, public holidays included, and tickets are sold only at the counter, not online.
How to reach the zoo wildlife park umm al quwain
From Dubai, the drive takes about 45 minutes over roughly 45 kilometers. Take the E11 Sheikh Zayed Road north, then switch to the E55 Al Shuwaib Highway, which leads into Umm Al Quwain. The route is well signposted, and there’s parking on-site.
Coming from Sharjah or Ras Al Khaimah, the drive is shorter still. Public transport this far north is limited, so a car or taxi is the practical choice.
How it compares to other UAE zoos
Dubai Safari Park is the closest thing to a direct competitor, but the comparison stops at “both have animals.” Dubai Safari Park covers over 119 hectares and holds around 3,000 animals across themed zones, which usually means four to six hours to see properly. Emirates Park Zoo in Abu Dhabi is smaller and more hands-on, built around close encounters with camels, elephants, and giraffes, similar in spirit to what the zoo wildlife park umm al quwain offers.
Al Ain Zoo is the outlier at 400 hectares, the largest in the country, but also the furthest from Dubai for most visitors. If the goal is a half-day trip without the walking or the crowds, Umm Al Quwain’s zoo sits in a different category entirely from Dubai Safari Park or Al Ain Zoo. It’s closer in feel to Emirates Park Zoo, just an hour closer to Dubai.
Best time to visit and tips for families
Go early if you want the animals more active and the heat more bearable, especially between May and September. Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends, which matters if you want time at the big cat and primate enclosures without waiting.
Bring cash. Feeding sessions and camel rides are charged separately from the ticket, and card payment isn’t guaranteed at every stall.
Other attractions near umm al quwain worth combining with your visit
Dreamland Aqua Park is just down the road if you want to add water slides to the day. For something quieter afterward, Mangrove Beach in Umm Al Quwain is a short drive away and makes a good way to wind the day down.
If you’re still putting together your wider UAE plans, our things to do guide covers more spots worth adding to the list.
Final Thoughts
The zoo wildlife park umm al quwain fills a specific gap in the UAE’s zoo lineup: small, affordable, and close enough to Dubai for a half-day trip without the four-hour commitment that Dubai Safari Park or Al Ain Zoo demand.
Pair it with Dreamland Aqua Park or Mangrove Beach and it becomes a full day out. If Umm Al Quwain has never made your list, this is a decent reason to add it.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
Yes, it stays open daily, including public holidays, 0though hours shift depending on the season.
General admission is AED 25 per person. Infants under one year and people of determination enter free.
The drive covers about 45 kilometers and takes roughly 45 minutes via the E11 and E55 highways.
No, tickets are sold only at the counter on arrival.
Expect lions, cheetahs, leopards, a Golden Tabby Tiger, primates including an orangutan, giraffes, Arabian oryx, and a mix of birds and reptiles.
Yes, the park offers camel and horse rides along with feeding sessions, making it a family-friendly stop for most ages.
