Create a unique, once-in-a-lifetime Night Camp experience for your group! Our program allows you to choose what date, type of camp, sleeping location, and theme would be best for you. Perfect for school groups, birthday parties, family reunions or other gatherings for special groups.

A minimum of 35 participants is required for all Night Camps. Camps may be reserved Wednesday – Saturday night from October – May. Reservations require at least three weeks advanced notice. Advanced payment is required. Call 602.914.4333 to reserve your camp.

This year we have a MAXIMUM of 75 participants a night, so please have two dates in mind for groups larger than 75.

Standard Night Camp:

Experience the Zoo from dusk till dawn! Overnight night camps include guided trail hikes, animal encounters, engaging activities, games, and  a delicious pizza dinner, late-night snack and a continental breakfast. Best for campers ages 7 and up, you will have the unique opportunity to experience the Zoo when the nocturnal animals are waking up at night and the diurnal animals are waking up in the morning. The only question is will your campers wake up to the sounds of the coyotes yipping or the lions roaring?!

• Duration: Sleep over at the Phoenix Zoo! Camp begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 9:00am the next morning.
• Group Size: Groups require a minimum of 35 paid campers. One adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) is required for each 10 children that attend.
• Food: a Hungry Howie’s Pizza dinner, a snack and a light breakfast are all included in the price of camp.

Twilight Camp:

Visit the Zoo after hours but go to sleep in your own bed! This memorable experience will include guided trail hikes, ambassador animal encounters, hands-on activities, a healthy snack, and a souvenir water bottle. A Twilight Camp is perfect for younger campers, ages 5 and up.

• Duration: Camp begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 10:15 p.m. the same evening.
• Group Size: Groups require a minimum of 35 paid campers. One adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) is required for each 10 children that attend.
• Food: Hungry Howie’s Pizza and a snack are included in the price of camp.

Neely Events and Education Center

• Climate-controlled classroom
• Sleeps up to 75 campers in partitioned sections

Desert Tents

• Permanent concrete-floored canvas tents with ceiling fans
• Sleeps up to 75 campers in four separate structures
• Includes centralized outdoor fire pit (weather permitting)

The Phoenix Zoo is excited to offer a variety of Night Camp programs for you to choose from! The following programs are aligned to current Arizona State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. If you are booking a Custom Night Camp, you can also explore topics on our Girl Scout Camps Page for more ideas!

Desert Survival (Recommended for 3^rd-4^th grade): Desert animals have developed amazing abilities and methods to overcome the challenges they face in the harsh desert environment. Using the scientific inquiry process, and with a focus on local species, campers will examine the adaptations that allow plants, animals, and people to conserve water in the desert!

Food Webs (Recommended for 3^rd-5^th grade): Campers will come face-to-face with creatures of all different trophic levels. Using critical thinking and problem solving to learn about a food web model, campers will discover everything on Earth has an important place in our global ecosystem!

STEM at the Zoo (Recommended for 5^{th –} 8^th grade and above): Animals need food, water and shelter to survive, but what do they need to thrive? Observe for yourself the complex needs of animals and how the Zoo uses STEM to meet those needs. Using the engineering design process, campers will be challenged to design a new invention for an animal at the Zoo and discover just how YOU can care for native animals in your community.

Conservation (Recommended for 5^{th –} 8^th grade and above): Conservation work is an important & often difficult process that involves many interested parties. Campers will learn about conservation methods, as well as take on the role of an interested party to consider multiple perspectives when it comes to conservation.