backstage adventures
Backstage Adventures
Each tour has a maximum capacity of 10 guests unless stated otherwise.
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a paid person 16 years of age or older.
Certain age restrictions apply.
Zoo admission is not included in tour price.
Visitas con guía turístico disponible en español de forma limitada. Llame a nuestro centro de llamadas al 602.914.4333 para consultar.
Equine experience backstage adventure
Spend some time with the horses at the Thunderbirds Charities Equine Facility. Come see the barn and meet the horses up close and personal.
greater one-horned rhino Backstage Adventure
Meet Chutti the Greater One-horned rhinoceros and his caregivers. Enter his barn to meet and help with his daily care routine.
Giant anteater
Backstage Adventure
Visit with one of the most unusual animals at the Zoo. Learn about all the fascinating adaptations and what it takes to care for this special animal.
Ambassador Animal resources Backstage Adventure
Travel behind-the-scenes to our newly remodeled Ambassador Animal Resources area to see what it takes to care for the many unique species of animals that participate in our Zoo shows and make media appearances.
Greater flamingo
Backstage Adventure
Mingle with our flamingos in this 30-minute adventure as you join the keepers right in the flamingo habitat! Enjoy this exclusive opportunity to go inside the habitat and feed these magnificent birds.
Asian Elephant
Backstage Adventure
Go behind-the-scenes and learn what it takes to care for the Zoo’s largest animal – the Asian elephant. Your adventure includes a tour of the elephant barn and up-close viewing opportunities with Indu our resident Asian elephant.
Stingray bay
Backstage adventure
Go backstage and learn what it takes to care for the Zoo’s cownose stingrays. Your adventure includes a tour of the behind-the-scenes area and an experience in the pool with the rays!
reptile
Backstage adventure
Your adventure includes a visit to the Galapagos or Aldabra tortoise enclosure where you’ll have a chance to meet and touch some of these friendly giants! You’ll also meet a reptile keeper and get up-close with other reptiles in our collection.
galapagos tortoise Backstage adventure
On this 30-minute adventure, you’ll enter the Galápagos habitat and meet, touch and feed some of these amazing giant reptiles! You’ll have the opportunity to learn all about them alongside one of our keepers.
Arthur L. and Elaine V. Johnson Native Species Conservation Center
Backstage Adventure
Join us on this exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour and see how the Phoenix Zoo cares for species of conservation concern in Arizona and around the world. Discover the challenges animal and plant species are facing and what the Zoo is doing to help.
explore our other tours:
$49 per person (Zoo admission not included)
A Discovery Tour is a 90-minute guided tour through the Zoo in one of our eco-shuttles.
You’ll be able to hop on and off the cart for closer viewing and for photo opportunities throughout the tour.
Discovery Tours only visit the guest viewing areas of exhibits and no behind-the-scenes areas.
*Each tour is not guaranteed to be private and has a maximum capacity of 12 guests. All Discovery Tours must be scheduled by calling our Reservations Department at 602.914.4333 or booking at Guest Services at the Phoenix Zoo.
$340 per person (Zoo admission not included)
Looking for the ultimate Zoo experience? A Premium Adventure is a fully custom experience for you and your party. Your adventure includes a 90-minute personalized tour of the Zoo and one Backstage Adventure. Each guest will also take home a souvenir photo and water bottle. Premium Adventures can be booked on your schedule (some restrictions may apply) and can be booked for groups of 1 – 10.
*Each tour has a maximum capacity of 10 guests. Premium Adventures are limited to same party groups only. All Premium Tours must be scheduled by calling our Reservations Department at 602.914.4333.
Guided tours are predetermined guide-led walking tours through one of our Zoo trails. You have the flexibility to choose from several different topics, each covering a wide span of animal and conservation sciences. Each guided tour is 45 minutes in length. Guided Tours are popular programs for school groups, so teachers and schools are encouraged to make reservations early. When making your reservation, please inform us of any cultural or religious aversions to any animal species or type of animal. We can adjust the tour to fit your needs. Please be sure to arrive early for your program, as extended time cannot be guaranteed past 10 minutes.
Duration: 45 minutes
Cost: $2 per person (Zoo admission not included)
Group Size: 10 minimum (groups larger than 25 may be split into multiple groups)
How to Book: Call 602.914.4333 (three weeks advance notice required for scheduling)
All tours occur in any weather condition.
Guided Tour Topics
What is an Animal (K-2
grades)
What makes an animal an animal? Through the
What is an Animal tour, students discover several characteristics of what
makes something an animal, what makes something a plant, and what makes
something non-living. A Phoenix Zoo instructor leads students on a tour of the
zoo’s Children’s Trail, highlighting the characteristics of living and
non-living, and the characteristics of animals and plants. The instructor
challenges students, through inquiry, to improve their observation and critical
thinking skills.
Crazy Classification: Arizona Animals (K-2 grades)
Mammal, bird or reptile? How do you know what type of animal you’re looking at? Through the Arizona Animals Guided Tour, students discover the five major traits that scientists use to categorize animals. A Phoenix Zoo instructor leads participants on a tour of the Zoo’s Arizona Trail, classifying desert vertebrate species. The instructor challenges participants with interactives and inquiry to improve their observation and critical thinking skills.
Crazy Classification: Rainforest Animals (K-2 grades)
Mammal, bird or reptile? How do you know what kind of animal you’re looking at? Through the Rainforest Animals Guided Tour, participants discover the five major traits that scientists use to categorize animals. A Phoenix Zoo instructor leads the tour of the Zoo’s Tropics Trail, classifying rainforest vertebrate species. The instructor challenges participants with interactives and inquiry to improve their observation and critical thinking skills.
Crazy Classification: Children’s Trail Animals (K-2 grades)
Mammal, bird or reptile? How do you know what kind of animal you’re looking at? Through the Rainforest Animals Guided Tour, participants discover the five major traits that scientists use to categorize animals. A Phoenix Zoo instructor leads the tour of the Zoo’s Children’s Trail, classifying rainforest vertebrate species. The instructor challenges participants with interactives and inquiry to improve their observation and critical thinking skills.
Desert Discoveries: Exploring Arizona (3-5 grades)
Food, water and shelter are hard to find in the Sonoran Desert. Avoiding predators and scorching temperatures are just some of the challenges living organisms must face. Through the Exploring Arizona Guided Tour, participants explore and learn about several desert animals along the Phoenix Zoo’s Arizona Trail by comparing and contrasting their habitats and adaptations. Utilizing manipulatives, a Zoo instructor will guide small discussion groups to uncover how various Arizona animals survive in the harsh extremes of our local ecosystem.
Desert Lives: Exploring AZ Native Plants & Animals (6-8 grades)
Food, water and shelter are hard to find in the desert. Avoiding predators and scorching temperatures are also the challenges desert plants and animals must face. In Arizona, there are four deserts, each one unique and presenting different trials. Through the Exploring Arizona Guided Tour, participants explore and learn about several desert animals along the Phoenix Zoo’s Arizona Trail by comparing and contrasting their habitats and adaptations. A Zoo instructor will guide discussion groups to uncover how various Arizona animals survive in the harsh extremes of our state deserts.
Dynamic Deserts: Exploring Desert Conservation (9-12 grades)
Conservation in the desert requires a unique understanding and perspective of one of nature’s harshest, and often misunderstood, biomes. With scarce resources and fierce competition, life in the desert has adapted creative techniques for survival. During this tour, a Zoo instructor will lead participants on the Arizona Trail while exploring different adaptations from our resident plants and animals, and the impact humans play on this surprisingly rich and diverse ecosystem.
More Than a Zookeeper (10-12 grades)
How many people does it take to run a zoo? There’s a lot of work going on every day at the Phoenix Zoo that many never even notice. Throughout the More Than a Zookeeper Guided Tour, participants will view the zoo from a different perspective. A zoo instructor will lead the group in discussions and an activity, while exploring some of the jobs necessary to run a successful zoo and conservation program. Participants will discover the importance of the Phoenix Zoo’s role in conservation while uncovering STEM career opportunities along the way.
Enriching Experiences: Exploring Behavioral Enrichment (K-12)
Movies, music and video games provide us with hours of entertainment, but what does a zoo do to keep a monkey from getting bored or a zebra from being stressed? Behavioral Enrichment! By providing mental and physical stimulation through naturalistic settings and environmental enhancements, managed setting animals’ lives are greatly improved. The benefits include increased natural behaviors and healthy, stress-free individuals. The Enriching Experiences Guided Tour provides participants with the opportunity to explore and learn about different types of behavioral enrichment used by the Phoenix Zoo through comparing a variety of exhibits and species. Utilizing manipulatives, a Zoo instructor will facilitate observations and discussions to discover some of the intricacies involved in the behavioral management of managed setting animals — making life more stimulating for the Zoo’s animals and guests alike!
Custom Guided Tours are designed based on your specific interests and needs. Our trained Zoo staff works with you to create a completely customizable 60-minute educational walking tour of one of our Zoo trails – covering the exhibits and topics you are interested in.
Subject to availability. Does not include behind-the-scenes viewing areas.
Guided Tours are popular programs for school groups, so teachers and schools are encouraged to make reservations early. When making your reservation, please inform us of any cultural or religious aversions to any animal species or type of animal. We can adjust the tour to fit your needs. Please be sure to arrive early for your program, as extended time cannot be guaranteed past 10 minutes.
Duration: 60 minutes
Cost: $5 per person (Zoo admission not included)
Group Size: 10 minimum (groups larger than 25 may be split into multiple groups)
How to Book: Call 602.914.4333 (three weeks advance notice required for scheduling)
All tours occur in any weather condition.
that's zoo we are
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
