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What if the animals were the ones who ran
the zoo? Presumably, this wild government
would be built upon the support of fellow
creatures and fueled by the fame, attention,
and prestige of wide-eyed visitors. Naturally,
the most aspirational beasts would lobby for
a position in the Star Exhibit, and the lead star
would be elected Zoo Mascot.
In order to join the Star Exhibit, each species
must campaign its way up the hierarchy of
enclosures with the majority support of animal
voters or the help of the Zoo Keeper. And the
lead star will be the species that has earned the
most laurels from both raving fans and envious
rivals along the way.
Game by Reiner Knizia | Illustrations by Kwanchai Moriya | Graphic Design by Brigette Indelicato
Published by Nick Murray & Kyle Spackman | Edited by Jon Healey
How does one gain support and earn laurels?
Through crafty politicking, clever negotiations,
and ruthless schemes. There can only be one
Zoo Mascot, after all.
Where are you going? That is the ultimate
question of Zoo Vadis
.
WATCH THE
HOW TO PLAY
VIDEO HERE

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22
objective
Earn laurels as you navigate and negotiate your
animals into the Star Exhibit. The game ends
immediately once all the spaces in the Star Exhibit
are filled. Whoever has the most laurels at the end
of the game wins and is declared the Zoo Mascot,
but your laurels are worth nothing unless at least
one of your animals reaches the Star Exhibit.
components
1 double-sided board
42 animal figures (6 per species)
6 peacock figures
102 laurel tokens
(60x I, 4x II , 4x II Zoo Keeper, 3x II Peacock , 4x II Ability, 12x III , 9x IV, 6x V)
1 Zoo Keeper token
14 ability tiles
(2 per species)
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II II II I III IV V II
7 player screens Cloth bag
ZV ZV

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3
setup
1. Place the game board in the center of the play area
with the side face-up that matches your number of
players.
2. Place one peacock figure on each space of the game
board that depicts the matching number of players
for this game. Return any remaining peacock figures
to the box.
3. Place the “I” laurel tokens in a pile beside the game
board. Mix all other laurel tokens (values 2-5)
in the cloth bag. Randomly draw and place one
laurel token face-up from the cloth bag onto each
designated space of the board.
4. Stack the Zoo Keeper token face-up on top of the
laurel token that is directly below the Star Exhibit.
5. Each player selects an animal species and takes the
associated animal screen, two ability tiles, and six
animal figures. Stand your screen in front of you. Place
your six animal figures in front of your screen; your
animal supply should be visible to all players. Slot
your two ability tokens on top of your screen.
6. Each player takes two “I” laurel tokens from the supply
and places them behind their screen.
7. The player who most recently visited a zoo is the
starting player. (Or randomly select a starting player.)
1
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5
6
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Cloth bag

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44
gameplay
Play begins with the starting player, and turns proceed clockwise until the game end.
On your turn, you must take one action. Your options are the following:
Take an animal from your supply and place it on any open space in one of the four exhibits at the bottom of the
board. You cannot select this action if all of the four exhibits at the bottom of the board are already full.
Add an animal
to the zoo
Advance one of
your animals
Advance a peacock
Move the Zoo Keeper
These action options are detailed below.
III II
ADD AN ANIMAL TO THE ZOO

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5
ADVANCE ONE OF YOUR ANIMALS
Advance one of your animals from one
exhibit up a path to the next exhibit.
You cannot advance an animal unless:
Voting
Voting is the means by which you may obtain majority support to advance your animal. For each animal you have in
the exhibit that you are trying to leave, you get one vote. For each animal another player has in the exhibit that you are
trying to leave, they may offer one vote, or they may withhold their support. If you are in a one-space exhibit, getting a
majority vote is automatic. For three, five, and seven-space exhibits, you may have to get votes from other players and/
or peacocks in order to leave. Two votes are required to leave a three-space exhibit, three votes are required to leave
a five-space exhibit, and four votes are required to leave a seven-space exhibit.
Note: The vote requirement is determined by the number of spaces in the exhibit area, not the number of animals
actually in the exhibit. Your animal may leave the exhibit even before it is full of animals; all you need is the
required number of votes.

EXAMPLE: You have two animals in a five-space
exhibit. Another player has one animal in the same
exhibit. The remaining two spaces in the exhibit area
are vacant. You want to advance an animal up to the
next exhibit. In order to move the animal, you need
three votes because it is a five-space exhibit. While
you have the most animals present, you must still get
the support of the other player. Otherwise, your
animal may not move from this area.
Note: If a player selects this action but is unable
to obtain the majority vote needed to advance
their animal, then they may attempt to advance
an animal in a different exhibit or select a different
action entirely.
Y
Y
?
Advance a peacock
Move the Zoo Keeper
III
V
ADD AN ANIMAL TO THE ZOO
You have the majority support of the
exhibit that you are trying to leave
OR
The Zoo Keeper token is on the path that
you want your animal to advance along
III

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66
Making Deals
Sometimes you can obtain majority votes by having
enough of your own animals in the exhibit. Other times
you will have to make deals with other players and/or
bribe the peacocks to get the required votes.
Players can trade laurels, promises of votes, promises
of moving or not moving animals or the Zoo Keeper,
promises to save or use animal abilities, or any other
promises referring to the current turn or future turns.
Promises that can be redeemed within the same turn
must be kept. All other promises may be broken or kept
at the player’s discretion.
EXAMPLE: You have two animals in a
five-space exhibit. One other player has
one animal in the same area. You need
three votes to move, so you make a deal
with the other player. You offer to give her
two laurels right away and to support her
with the vote of one of your animals later
(when the other player calls upon you).
The promise to hand over the two laurels
must be kept during your current turn. The
promise to give a supporting vote at a later
time may be broken.
Y
Y
Y
Y
N
N
ZV
ZV
II II
Negotiations and deals are allowed between any number
of players at all times during the game, even if none of
those players are currently taking a turn. No player is
ever forced to negotiate a deal with other players, much
less accept any offer.
Hint: Players who make more trades and deals are
generally more likely to win. You may be helping others,
but you are also helping yourself!
Bribing Peacocks In Your Exhibit
In order to obtain a vote from a peacock, you must bribe
it. Each peacock only accepts a bribe of a value “II” laurel
token or higher; giving up two “I” laurel tokens does not
suffice! Your paid bribe is placed in the game box.
You are allowed to bribe more than one peacock in the
same exhibit.
Y Y

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7
Collecting Laurels
When you move an animal from a three, five, or seven-
space exhibit, you may collect the laurel token along the
path the animal takes. Then replace it with another token
randomly drawn from the cloth bag. Place the new token
face-up on the laurel space on the given path.
The Tiger player takes the “II” laurel token.
A new token from the bag goes in its place.
Advancement Rules
The basic rules of advancing animals are simple:
• You can only advance your own animals
• You may never move an animal backwards (away from
the Star Exhibit)
• Animals must advance along paths (not tunnels) and
cannot bypass an exhibit
• An animal cannot advance into an exhibit that is
already full
• An animal may take any path leading up from an
exhibit, regardless of which space the animal occupies
in the exhibit.
In some cases, you will not be able to advance any of
your animals. This will happen when all of the exhibits
above your animals are full.
Normally, it does not matter which empty space you
place your animal on when entering an exhibit. However,
when entering the Star Exhibit, spaces should be filled in
numerical order, starting with space 1. This is important
for determining the winner of an end-game tiebreaker,
if necessary.
II
V
Keep all of the laurel tokens you earn and collect behind
your player screen, where they are hidden from the view
of other players.
You can also earn laurels by helping another player
advance an animal. Whenever an animal has needed
and gained votes from other players, those players
are rewarded with a “I” laurel token from the supply
for each vote they gave in support. These tokens are
granted in addition to any payments agreed between the
players, but only while supplies last. If the moving animal
garnered more votes than necessary, only the votes
needed for the majority earn tokens; the player who
moved the animal gets to decide who receives them.
Note: You are not allowed to make change with your
laurel tokens using “I” laurel tokens from the supply. But
you can try to negotiate with other players and make
change using their tokens.
II
III

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88
Peacocks are known to roam freely throughout the zoo
or into various exhibits at their leisure. This is because
they are not dangerous to guests or animals.
Advance a peacock from one exhibit up a path to the
next exhibit. Peacocks follow the same advancement
rules (see page 7) as other animals with the following
exceptions:
• Peacocks may always leave an exhibit without the
majority support of the other animals, thus no votes
take place. There must still be an empty space in the
exhibit the peacock is advanced to.
• Peacocks never collect laurel tokens when they
advance. However, each time you advance a
peacock, you get a “I” laurel token from the supply.
Details are sparse on how exactly the animals grew in
intelligence and gained control of the zoo. All we know
is that only one human employee has been allowed to
stay: the friendly old Zoo Keeper.
Move the Zoo Keeper to any other laurel token on
the board. Stack the Zoo Keeper on top of the laurel
token that you have moved it to.
ADVANCE A PEACOCK
MOVE THE ZOO KEEPER
Peacocks may advance into the Star Exhibit, possibly
blocking out other players, and this may even trigger
the game end.
Normally, advancing a Peacock counts
as your action. However, if you collect
one of these special tokens when one of
your animals advances from one exhibit
to the next, you may advance a Peacock at the end of
your turn as a one-time bonus action. (Don’t forget
to collect a “I” laurel token for moving the Peacock!)
Because your animal is advancing, only you can
collect this special laurel token and only you can take
the bonus action of Advancing a Peacock. This feature
is not transferable, but how you use it (which peacock
you advance, and where) is of course negotiable. If
the token is traded away thereafter, the feature does
not activate again.
Normally, moving the Zoo Keeper counts
as your action. However, if you collect
one of these special tokens when one of
your animals advances from one exhibit
to the next, then you may move the Zoo Keeper at the
end of your turn as a one-time bonus action. Because
your animal is advancing, only you can collect this
special laurel token and only you can take the bonus
action of Moving the Zoo Keeper. This feature is not
transferable, but how you use it (where you move him
to, if at all) is of course negotiable. If the token is traded
away thereafter, the feature does not activate again.
The Zoo Keeper has two effects on play:
• The Zoo Keeper’s presence on a path means that
an animal may advance along that path without the
majority support from the exhibit they are leaving.
• The Zoo Keeper covers the laurel token, so a player
advancing an animal along that path does not
collect the laurel token as they pass by. Note: You
may always look at the token underneath the Zoo
Keeper at any point during the game.
II
II
II
II
IV

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9
ADVANCE A PEACOCK
MOVE THE ZOO KEEPER
animal abilities
The following rules apply to using your animal ability tiles:
• You cannot transfer your ability tiles to other players. They are your animal’s abilities!
• You cannot apply the power of your own ability tiles to yourself, only to other players.
• You may even apply the power of your own ability tiles to a peacock, but only when another player is advancing
the peacock. The active player retains the right to accept or reject your power when advancing a peacock.
• It is possible for multiple players to use ability tiles in a single turn.
• After one of your ability tiles has been used, remove the tile from on top of your screen and lay it behind your screen.
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• When another player takes their turn, they can ask you — or you can offer —
to use your ability tile. In addition to whatever you agreed as compensation
from the other player, if any, you always receive the number of “I” laurel
tokens from the stock indicated on your ability tile (0, 1 or 2). Note that
generally weaker abilities come with more “I” laurel tokens so that you can
offer the use of weaker abilities even for free to other players and still be
rewarded. Stronger abilities should give you plenty of opportunities to
demand lucrative compensation from the other players.
Hint: Make sure that your ability tiles get used, and try to gain maximum
benefits from them.
1
1
Normally, you can use your ability only twice during the entire game (once for each tile). However, if you
collect one of these special tokens when one of your animals advances from one exhibit to the next, then
you may immediately recover one of your used ability tiles by slotting it back on your screen. Because
your animal is advancing, only you can collect this special laurel token token and only you can recover
one of your ability tiles. This feature is not transferable. If the token is traded away thereafter, the feature does not
activate again.
Details and clarifications for the animal abilities are provided on the animal screens and at the end of this rulebook.
These tiles grant 1 or 2 “I” laurel tokens
respectively to the owner when used.

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1010
ending and winning the game
The game ends immediately when all the spaces in the
Star Exhibit are filled.
At this point, all the players who have at least one animal
in the Star Exhibit compare the number of laurels that
they have collected. The animal species that has collected
the most laurels is declared the winner and becomes the
Zoo Mascot.
In the event of a tie for victory, the tied species that
reached the Star Exhibit first wins. Remember: The spaces
in the Star Exhibit are filled in numerical order, making it
simple to keep track of who arrived there first.
CLASSIC / BEGINNER VARIANT
This variant is recommended for those who wish to play the original, simpler design, Quo Vadis?, or for those who are
novice negotiators.
• Do not play with the animal ability tiles. Instead, leave them in the box.
• If a player collects a “II” laurel token with an animal ability symbol, simply treat it as a regular “II” laurel token.
• Although peacocks were not in the original design, this new element tailors the game board to all player counts.
We strongly recommend that peacocks still be used for this variant.
EXAMPLE: Tiger advances into the last empty space of the Star Exhibit (space 5) and the game ends
immediately. Now Rhino, Crocodile, and Tiger reveal and compare their laurel tokens. Rhino has 24 laurels.
Both Crocodile and Tiger have 28 laurels. Although Armadillo has 31 laurels (the most of any species), they
did not advance into the Star Exhibit, so they are disqualified from victory. So Crocodile and Tiger are tied
for 1st place, but Crocodile wins the game because they entered the Star Exhibit before Tiger. Crocodile is
officially elected Zoo Mascot!

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11
PUBLISHER’S NOTE (NICK MURRAY)
With over 700 games published worldwide, Reiner Knizia has become one of the most influential and revered
designers in the board game industry. One of his earliest notable games was Quo Vadis?, an elegant design
of Roman senatorial politicking first published in 1991. Roughly 30 years later, I kept hearing hobbyist gamers
revere Quo Vadis? when discussions of “underrated games” or “hidden gems” or “games you wish would be
reprinted” came up. So I tracked down an old copy and instantly fell in love with this cult-classic negotiation
game. When I approached Reiner with the desire to bring back Quo Vadis?, I realized that we had a golden
opportunity to help it reach its full potential.
Rather than slap a new coat of paint on the design and call it a day, I researched the 30 years of data, feedback,
and reviews of Quo Vadis? to uncover everything that fans loved most or wished could be improved about the
game. After sharing my analysis and recommendations with Reiner, he set out to develop a refined version of
his creation. The design he came back with not only hit every one of our key development goals, but it quickly
became one of my favorite games to play, ever. Along with the incredible talents of illustrator Kwanchai Moriya
and graphic designer Brigette Indelicato, we proudly present Zoo Vadis and hope it will “bring enjoyment to
the people,” as is Reiner’s mantra.
Knizia purists can rest assured that all changes to the original design have been developed, tested, and
approved by Reiner Knizia. Zoo Vadis retains the elegant political gameplay that fans have come to love while
introducing many innovations and modernizing the game by:
• Enhancing the 3-player game and tailoring the board to all player counts through neutral
figures: roaming peacocks
• Widening the player count with a second game board for 6-7 players
• Expanding the possibilities for strategic negotiation with asymmetric animal abilities
• Increasing tactical opportunities with new special laurel tokens
• Broadening the appeal of the theme and presentation with vibrant zoo art by Kwanchai Moriya and
Brigette Indelicato
• Enlivening the production with chunky animal figures and functional player screens
WHY “ZOO VADIS?”
Zoo Vadis is an evolution of Reiner Knizia’s cult-classic negotiation game, Quo Vadis? “Quo Vadis?” is Latin and
roughly translates as “where goest thou?” or “which way are you going?” This question is explored throughout
the game — where and how far will you advance in the zoo … and how will you vote?
©2023 Bitewing Games LLC. All rights reserved.
©2023 Dr. Reiner Knizia. All rights reserved.
Authorised Représentative: Asmodee Group 18
rue Jacqueline Auriol Quartier Villaroy
BP 40119 78041
Guyancourt Cedex – France
Imported and distributed in the UK by:
Esdevium Games Ltd – trading as Asmodee UK
6 Waterbrook Road Alton Hampshire GU34 2UD
want to stay
in touch?
Subscribe to regular updates at
bitewinggames.com/subscribe

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1212
animal ability clarifications
HYENA - Allow an additional action to move the Zoo Keeper.
The other player may move the Zoo Keeper before or after taking their regular action. +
ZV
ZV
1
TIGER - Allow an animal moving over the Zoo Keeper to collect the laurel.
After the other player collects the token, replace it with a new token from the bag.
Remember: You may always look at the token hidden under the Zoo Keeper.
MARMOSET - Allow a moving animal to collect a different laurel token from the board.
When a player is advancing over a laurel token, this lets them collect a different token. After the
other player collects any laurel token from the board, replace it with a new token from the bag.
CROCODILE - Allow an animal to advance again after it enters a 1-space exhibit.
When another player moves an animal into a 1-space exhibit, this ability allows the player to
move the same animal again, like a normal advance. This ability can even be used on a player
who took an “Add an animal to the zoo” action by adding their animal to a 1-space exhibit at the
bottom of the board.
IBIS - Allow a moving animal to enter a full exhibit.
This ability applies to exhibits of all sizes. The ability is often used most effectively to allow a
second animal into a 1-space exhibit.
Important: No more than one extra animal may occupy an exhibit at any time. Note that the
other player must be able to move the animal into the new exhibit in its own right — this ability
does not give the other player any votes to advance. Adding an animal to an exhibit in this
fashion does not change the number of votes required to leave the exhibit. When another animal
later leaves the exhibit, the additional animal takes its place, and the exhibit is still full. Crocodile’s
ability can be combined with this ability.
ARMADILLO - Allow an animal to advance through a tunnel without majority support.
This ability allows the other player to use their turn to leave an exhibit from which a tunnel
originates without the majority support from the exhibit. The animal moves to the exhibit
at the end of the tunnel, provided there is an empty space. Crocodile’s ability and/or Ibis’ ability
can be combined with this ability.
RHINO - Allow a moving animal to move any second animal with it.
Note that the other player must be able to advance the first animal in its own right. This ability
does not give the other player any votes to advance the first animal. It merely allows the other
player to move any second animal from the same exhibit together with their first animal. The
second animal may belong to the other player, to a different player, or even to the Rhino player.
It may also be a peacock. The owner of the second animal usually benefits, but in any case,
cannot refuse and does not collect a laurel token for advancing. The use of this ability requires
two empty spaces where both animals are moved to.
Ibis’ ability can be combined with this ability, but remember that no more than one extra animal
may occupy an exhibit at any time. Crocodile’s ability can be combined with Ibis’ and Rhino’s,
but the second animal would be left behind in the 1-space exhibit unless a second Crocodile’s
ability tile was used. Armadillo’s ability can also be combined with Rhino’s ability.

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