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Behind-the-Scenes & Front-of-Scenes Tours
Front-of-Scenes Tours Tour Calendar Behind-the-Scenes Tours
Sneak Peek Tours
1-hour Tour
$40 Members
$65 Non-members (includes the price of Zoo admission)
This experience includes a behind-the-scenes peek into the back of house animal areas and a meet-the-keeper experience with an expert from the Zoo's animal care team. You may choose one of the following animal sections: Aquarium, Birds, Children's Zoo, or Commissary. Animal sections in italics are available for guests with disabilities. If you or a member of your group has special needs, please contact us so we can make accommodations where possible. Service animals are not permitted on any behind-the-scenes tours.
Important Tour Information
- Please wear closed-toe shoes for the commissary tour and dress appropriately for a tour of refrigerated and freezer areas.
- Tour meets at Sarofim Court.
- This is a guided walking tour; guests will not board a tram or other vehicle.
- Tour is for guests ages 8 and older only. A ratio of 1 adult for every 2 children is required.
- For safety reasons, service animals are not permitted on behind-the-scenes tours.
- Reservations are required for all tours.
- Registration closes 3 weeks (21 days) before the tour date or when the maximum capacity of 6 persons is reached. To register, please contact Group Reservations at least 3 weeks prior to your date choice, at 713-533-6500
- Cancellations must be made 7 days in advance or payment will be forfeited. All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to group.reservations@houstonzoo.org.
- Tours may be cancelled due to animal emergencies or minimal enrollment. Tours require at least two registered participants.
Premiere Tours
1-hour Tour
$55 Members
$80 Non-members (includes the price of Zoo admission)
This experience includes a behind-the-scenes peek into the back of house animal areas, a meet-the-keeper experience with an expert from the Zoo's animal care team, and an up-close and personal animal experience. You may choose one of the following animal sections: Birds, Children's Zoo, Giraffes, Hoofed Stock, Natural Encounters Aquatic Exhibits, Primates, or Reptiles. Animal sections in italics are available for guests with disabilities. If you or a member of your group has special needs, please contact us so we can make accommodations where possible. Service animals are not permitted on any behind-the-scenes tours.
Important Tour Information
- Please wear closed-toe shoes on the primate tour.
- For your health and safety, we will ask that all guests put on a face mask that we will provide while touring in any primate (monkey and ape) area. This keeps our primates and visitors safe from any colds or germs or, in the case of the organutans or chimpanzees, the very remote possibility that they may spit or throw things. For this reason, it is recommended that casual and easily cleaned clothes be worn for your tour.
- For the Tropical Bird House tour, staff will meet you at the main entrance of the Zoo at tour start time. All other tours will meet at Sarofim Court at tour start time.
- This is a guided walking tour; guests will not board a tram or other vehicle.
- Tour is for guests ages 8 and older only (12+ for Primates). A ratio of 1 adult for every 2 children is required.
- For safety reasons, service animals are not permitted on behind-the-scenes tours.
- Reservations are required for all tours.
- For Natural Encounters, Giraffes and Primates tours, online registration closes 24 hours before the tour date or when the maximum capacity of 6 persons is reached.
- For Birds, Children’s Zoo, Hoofed Stock, Natural Encounters Aquatics Exhibits, and Reptiles tours, online registration is not available. To register, please contact Group Reservations at least 3 weeks prior to your date choice, at 713-533-6500. Registration closes 3 weeks (21 days) before the tour date or when the maximum capacity of 6 persons is reached. (Children's Zoo and Natural Encounters Aquatic Exhibits are limited to 4.)
- Cancellations must be made 7 days in advance or payment will be forfeited. All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to group.reservations@houstonzoo.org.
- Tours may be cancelled due to animal emergencies or minimal enrollment. Tours require at least two registered participants.
Star Treatment Tours
1-hour Tour
$90 Members
$135 Non-members (includes the price of Zoo admission)
This experience includes a behind-the-scenes peek into the back of house animal areas (with the exception of the Cat Training Window), a meet-the-keeper experience with an expert from the Zoo's animal care team, and an unforgettable up-close and personal animal experience with the Zoo's most prestigious animal ambassadors. You may choose one of the following animal sections: Cat Training Window, Cheetah Walk, Elephants, Meerkats, Rhinos, or Sea Lions. Animal sections in italics are available for guests with disabilities. If you or a member of your group has special needs, please contact us so we can make accommodations where possible. Service animals are not permitted on any behind-the-scenes tours.
Important Tour Information
- Please wear closed-toe shoes for the Meerkat and Sea Lion tours.
- For the Cat Training Window and Cheetah Walk tours staff will meet you at the main entrance of the Zoo 15 minutes before tour start time. All other tours will meet at Sarofim Court at tour start time.
- This is a guided walking tour; guests will not board a tram or other vehicle.
- Tour is for guests ages 8 and older only (18+ for Cheetah Walk). A ratio of 1 adult for every 2 children is required.
- For safety reasons, service animals are not permitted on behind-the-scenes tours.
- Reservations are required for all tours.
- For Cat Training Window, Cheetah Walk, Elephants, Rhinos, and Sea Lion tours, online registration closes 24 hours before the tour date or when the maximum capacity of 6 persons is reached. (Cheetah Walk is limited to 2, and Elephants and Sea Lions are limited to 4).
- For Meerkats tours, online registration is not available. To register, please contact Group Reservations at least 3 weeks prior to your date choice, at 713-533-6500. Registration closes 3 weeks (21 days) before the tour date or when the maximum capacity of 6 persons is reached.
- Cancellations must be made 7 days in advance or payment will be forfeited. All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to group.reservations@houstonzoo.org.
- Tours may be cancelled due to animal emergencies or minimal enrollment. Tours require at least two registered participants.
Vet for a Day Experience.bmp)
8:00am - 11:15am
Monday - Friday
$300 for Members (for a party of 2)
$350 for Non-Members (for a party of 2)
$50 for one additional person
Important Tour Information
- Please wear closed-toe shoes.
- To ensure the safety of our guests and animals, participants must be 16 years or older and must be accompanied by an adult if under 18 years of age.
- For safety reasons, service animals are not permitted on behind-the-scenes tours.
- Maximum of three persons per experience.
- Reservations are required. Reservations must be made at least 3 weeks in advance.
- Cancellations must be made 21 days in advance or payment will be forfeited. All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to group.reservations@houstonzoo.org.
- Tours may be cancelled due to animal emergencies.
Please contact tours@houstonzoo.org with questions.
The African Forest Up-Close
- This tour meets at the entrance to The African Forest.
- This is a guided walking tour; guests will not board a tram or other vehicle.
- This tour is recommended for guests ages 8 and older. All persons must purchase a ticket, including infants and toddlers.
- Cancellations must be made 7 days in advance or payment will be forfeited. All cancellations must be made in writing and sent to group.reservations@houstonzoo.org
