That elephant pool does look pretty cool, once it opens. The larger animals in Basel zoo tend to look quite bored, there's not much stimulation for most of them.
I haven't been to Basel zoo, but the rainforest enclosure at Zürich is really impressive. There's a fair amount of building work going on at Zürich at the moment though, I think the old elephant enclosure is being turned into a new enclosure for the lions, so parts of it feel a bit "temporary".
The nearest to you is at Les Marécottes, but I've never been. Les Marécottes also has a wonderful natural swimming pool- which I'd love to visit. Certainly not the largest, but due to its closeness, geographically, worth mentioning.
I haven't been to Basel zoo but the new Elephant enclosure at Zurich zoo is great and a baby elephant was born in mid June so you might get a glimpse of the little 'un- the bear enclosure is quite big so you might not actually see them but somehow I took comfort that they had privacy. There is still work underway to improve the zoo and update the habitat for some of the other animals.
As a previous poster said, the rain forest is also a good spot to go.
Servion is nice when you have kids, with its huge playground and picnic places. But it's a much smaller zoo than Zurich and Basel. A lovely one though.
The elephant pool is now open and it is wonderful for the kids (and big kids). The snow leopard are also born (two of them), but last time we visited they were still inside (not in the public enclosure, whatever you want to call their cage). However, there is a (realtime) video link, so you can still see the babies with their mum.
As for the rainforest, it is very nicely done, and as someone from the tropics, I really feel at home there ;o).
I haven't been yet to the Basel Zoo, but I found the Zürich Zoo quite good. My favourites are the otters which are simply amazing. And if you are lucky enough to catch their feeding time, you will enjoy a really nice spectacle.
Has anyone been to Zürich Zoo recently? I heard there should have baby otters now, but unfortunately haven't had time to go to see, so wonder if it is indeed so.
My daughter (15) has been enjoying the last week+ of her "holiday pass" w/transport w/in all ZVV zones and other goodies included (really good value for 24sfr), while her brother (12) has been going back to school.
Zürich Zoo kept her entertained for two full afternoons (and provided a week's worth of Instagram ). She really raved about the elephant pool as the animals can be seen from all perspectives and varying distances. There was plenty of other wildlife about in the enclosure. She also reported on tigers and penguins, mouse deer and silky hens...no otters though. The goats were quite interested in her handbag - scent of a cousin there
The rainforest enclosure is really great, and depending on time of day and weather can have shifts in "mood and atmosphere".