Zoo Negara, Malaysia's national zoo, is in Hulu Kelang (Ulu Klang) on the north-east edge of Kuala Lumpur, about 13 km from the city centre. It opened in 1963, covers about 45 hectares, and is open every day from 9 am to 5 pm. With small children, get there at 9 am, see the animals before the heat, catch the 11 am show and be back in the car by early afternoon.
Getting there
The zoo is near Wangsa Maju. The usual driving routes are the Duta-Ulu Klang Expressway (DUKE), the Middle Ring Road 2 (MRR2) and Jalan Genting Klang; Waze will choose between them depending on where you start. From PJ, expect the drive to take longer on a weekday morning than on a weekend. Our guide to KL traffic times shows the worst hours to avoid.
Put "Zoo Negara" into Waze or Google Maps as the destination, with Hulu Kelang, 68000 Ampang, in the address. The whole outing is well inside the 120 km a day that comes with a Grandpride rental.
A morning plan with kids
8.15 am. Leave PJ. Snacks, water bottles, hats and sunscreen go in the car the night before.
9 am. Arrive as the gates open. The first two hours are the coolest part of the visit.
9.15 to 10.45 am. Walk the main loop. The zoo is big for small legs, so bring the pram even if your four-year-old says they don't need it.
11 am. The multi-animal show. It runs at 11 am and 3 pm daily, and on Fridays the afternoon show moves to 3.30 pm. Show times can change, so check the zoo's own site the day before.
12 pm. Lunch, then decide. Small children who are flagging go home now. Older ones can stay for the 3 pm show, but the early afternoon is the hottest part of the day and afternoon storms are common in the Klang Valley.
1 pm. Back in the car with the air-conditioning on, and home well before the evening traffic.
What to pack
- A pram or a carrier for anyone under five.
- Water, more than you think. Hats, sunscreen and a small towel.
- A change of clothes for the youngest, and umbrellas for the walk back to the car if the sky turns.
- A plastic bag for wet or muddy shoes, so they don't go straight onto the rental's carpet.
Child seats are the law
Since 1 January 2020, children under 12 who are below 135 cm and 36 kg must use a child restraint in a private car. That applies in a rental too. Our guide to the child seat law explains which seats are approved. Whether Grandpride supplies child seats is CHECK: does Grandpride supply child seats with self-drive rentals, which sizes, and the charge; if not, bring your own and fit it before you set off.
Which car
A family of four with a pram and a cool box needs an SUV boot, not a coupé's. The Range Rover Sport, RM 2,000 a day, has room for the pram and the bags. If the grandparents are coming, an MPV seats everyone together: see the MPV list. Grandpride can deliver the car to your door; delivery is free within 10 km of the Section 13 showroom and RM 100 elsewhere in the Klang Valley.
If you'd rather combine it with another stop on the same side of town, Batu Caves by car is the other family morning out in north KL, best done on a different day so nobody's legs give out.
