BACKSTAGE ADVENTURES & TOURS
EXPLORE THE ZOO LIKE NEVER BEFORE
Make your trip to the Phoenix Zoo special with an experience catered to you! Select one of our amazing Backstage Adventures to get up-close and personal with some of our biggest animals. See where they sleep and learn directly from their keepers and in some cases, you might have the chance to feed them.
Do you want to explore the Zoo with expert tour guides that can cater the experience directly to your interests? Then the Discovery Tours are a great option for you. Want a Discovery Tour and a Backstage Adventure? You can take it a step up with a Premium Adventure!
Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by a paid adult 16 years of age or older.
BACKSTAGE ADVENTURES
See the Phoenix Zoo like never before! Get a unique behind-the-scenes look of the animals and their habitats by participating in one of our Backstage Adventures. Experiences are offered daily and can last from 30 minutes to an hour. Book a visit with your favorite animal today!
Must be booked two weeks in advance.
scroll through to Explore your options below!
EQUINE EXPERIENCE
Spend some time with the horses at the Thunderbirds Charities Equine Facility. See the barn and meet the horses up close and personal.
GREATER ONE-HORNED RHINO
Meet Chutti the greater one-horned rhinoceros and his caregivers. Enter his barn to meet the big guy and help with his daily care routine.
AMBASSADOR ANIMAL RESOURCES
Travel behind the scenes to our Ambassador Animal Resources department to see what it takes to care for the many unique species of animals that serve as ambassadors in our animal presentations, on outreach trips and in the media.
GREATER FLAMINGO
Mingle with our flamingos in this adventure as you join the keepers inside the flamingo habitat! Enjoy this exclusive opportunity to go inside the habitat and feed these magnificent birds. Hope you like the smell of shrimp!
STINGRAY BAY
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
Visit the Galápagos or Aldabra tortoise enclosures 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.
Galápagos TORTOISE
On this adventure you’ll enter the Galápagos habitat, 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
Join us on this exclusive tour to see how the Phoenix Zoo cares for species of conservation concern in Arizona and around the world. Discover the challenges that animal and plant species face and what the Zoo is doing to help.
GIANT ANTEATER
Go behind the scenes with this special 30 minute adventure at the night house of the giant anteater. You’ll meet a zookeeper and learn what it takes to care for this special creature and if the animal chooses to, you’ll get to see one up close!
Tours
$49 PER PERSON (ZOO ADMISSION NOT INCLUDED)
Discover the Zoo on this guided tour through the Zoo on one of our eco-shuttles. You will 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 do not offer viewing of behind the scenes areas.
Scroll through to see dates and times.
All tours occur in any weather condition.
Duration: 60 minutes
Group Size: 1 – 12
How to Book: Call 602.286.3800 or visit Guest Services at the Phoenix Zoo
Duration: 90-120 minutes
Group Size: 1 – 10
How to Book: Call 602.286.3800 or visit Guest Services at the Phoenix Zoo
All tours occur in any weather condition.
$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 60-minute Discovery 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.
All tours occur in any weather condition.
$5 PER PERSON (ZOO ADMISSION NOT INCLUDED)
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. 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.
Subject to availability. Does not include behind-the-scenes viewing areas.
Duration: 60 minutes
Group Size: 10+ (groups larger than 25 may be split into multiple groups)
How to Book: Call 602.286.3800 (three weeks advance notice require scheduling)
Plan your visit today!
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.
Plan your visit today!
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.
