Kolmården Wildlife Park, known locally as Kolmårdens Djurpark, opened on May 27, 1965, on the shores of Bråviken bay near Norrköping, Sweden. Conceived in 1962 by Ulf Svensson to revitalize the local municipality, the park grew from an initial collection of 210 animals into Scandinavia’s largest zoo, now spanning roughly 1.5 square kilometers (370 acres) of forested Swedish coastline.
Today Kolmården blends wildlife conservation with theme-park thrills, housing about 85 animal species and drawing around 720,000 visitors a year. Its safari area is traversed by the world’s first cable car safari, a system converted from a drive-through route in 2011, while Scandinavia’s first dolphinarium has hosted marine shows since 1969. The park is a member of both EAZA and WAZA, reflecting its role in international conservation programs.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Kolmården, near Norrköping, Sweden
- Operator: Parks & Resorts Scandinavia AB
- Opened: May 27, 1965
- Size: About 1.5 km² (370 acres)
- Species: About 85 animal species
- Annual visitors: About 720,000
- Signature attraction: Wildfire wooden roller coaster (RMC, opened 2016)
Safari, Sea Life, and the Cable Car
Kolmården’s safari section lets visitors ride overhead in gondola cars above free-roaming animals via the world’s first cable car safari, launched in 2011 as an upgrade to the park’s original drive-through safari route. Scandinavia’s first dolphinarium, opened in 1969, remains a park centerpiece, and in 2006 Kolmården recorded Sweden’s first-ever gorilla birth, a milestone for the park’s conservation work as an EAZA and WAZA member.
Wildfire and the Thrill Side of the Park
Beyond its animal collections, Kolmården operates a genuine thrill-ride lineup. Wildfire, a Rocky Mountain Construction Topper Track wooden coaster that opened in 2016, stands about 183.8 feet tall, reaches roughly 71.5 mph, and runs 3 inversions across a track of about 4,150 feet — making it, at the time of its debut, the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in Europe. It was RMC’s first installation outside North America. The park also runs the Dolphin Express family coaster in its Marine World area, opened in 2009.
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Kolmården Wildlife Park FAQs
Where is Kolmården Wildlife Park located?
It sits on the coast of Bråviken bay near Norrköping in southeastern Sweden, roughly a two-hour drive from Stockholm.
What is Kolmården’s cable car safari?
It’s the world’s first cable car safari, a gondola system installed in 2011 that carries visitors above the park’s safari animals; it replaced an earlier drive-through safari route.
Does Kolmården have roller coasters?
Yes. Its main coaster is Wildfire, a Rocky Mountain Construction wooden coaster that opened in 2016 and was, at launch, the tallest and fastest wooden coaster in Europe. The park also has the smaller Dolphin Express coaster, opened in 2009.
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Photo: Zoostar / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.