• Senior citizens can visit Johannesburg Zoo for free throughout October by showing their identity document at the entrance.
• Families can join the fun on 22 October when admission drops to R22, while visitors aged 60 and older still enter free.
Spring is here and Johannesburg Zoo is giving the city’s older residents a good reason to get outdoors.
Senior citizens aged 60 and older can visit the zoo for free throughout October.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo introduced the offer to mark Senior Citizens Month.
Visitors only need to show their identity document at the entrance to qualify.
The normal entrance fee is R135, while pensioners usually pay R81.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo Managing Director Thanduxolo Mendrew said the initiative gives older residents a chance to enjoy nature and spend time with their families.
“This Senior Citizens Month, we invite our older residents to enjoy the zoo at their own pace, reconnect with nature and create treasured memories with their grandchildren,” Mendrew said.
And the grandchildren can come along without breaking the bank.
On 22 October, the zoo’s R22 on the 22nd special will allow family members to enter for R22. Senior citizens will still get in free.
There is another special event planned for 27 October.
Senior citizens are invited to a #67Blankets celebration starting at 9am.
The programme will include unplugged music, grocery hamper giveaways, information stands from City departments and a #67Blankets community event.
A zoo shuttle will also be available to help older visitors move around the grounds and see their favourite animals more comfortably.
Visitors can bring a picnic, blanket or folding chair and turn the visit into a full day out.
The zoo is home to thousands of animals as well as gardens and green spaces.
It is open every day from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
With the school holidays underway, the October specials also give grandparents a chance to enjoy an affordable outing with their grandchildren.
The free entry for senior citizens runs until 31 October.
