Take a walk on the wild side and enjoy an adventure to remember and cherish. Our Animal Encounters are private, behind-the-scenes experiences allowing guests to get up close and personal with amazing animals with big personalities. Our expert animal keepers will share fascinating information about the animals and what it takes to care for them.
Do More!
Penguin
Meet our feathered friends!
Penguins from Africa? Birds that can’t fly? Join us on this delightful encounter to learn all about some of our most charming, feathered friends. Discover the amazing adaptations that help these magnificent birds thrive while you sit among the colony of the Caldwell penguins.
Tuesdays and Saturdays
Inside the penguin habitat
all year around
Time: 10:30 a.m.
Price: $150
Bear
Bears! Up close!
Learn all about our resident black bears, Timber and Tyler, through this exciting, behind-the-scenes adventure. You’ll see a special training session one of our expert keepers while learning what it takes to keep our bears happy and healthy. You’ll even have an opportunity to feed these beautiful black bears their favorites treats.
Wednesdays and Saturdays
April, through the last Saturday of September
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Price: $125
Tortoise
Giant Aldabra Tortoises!
Get up close and personal and step into the home of our Aldabra tortoises! Learn all about our trio and what makes these massive reptiles unique. Our reptile care specialists will share fascinating facts about these truly gentle giants while you get to give them soothing back scratches and tasty treats.
Thursdays and Sundays
April, through the last Sunday of October
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Price: $125
Know Before You Go
The Penguin Encounter is indoors and not normally impacted by inclement weather. Bear and Aldabra Tortoise Encounters are outdoors. If inclement weather is a possibility, please call the zoo before you arrive. We may still hold the encounter in certain weather conditions. If we cancel the encounter due to inclement weather, we will notify you and offer you the choice of rescheduling or receiving a full refund.
- Encounters are booked as a group with a capacity of up to 4 people.
- All Participants must be 6 years of age and older.
- Participants under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (21+).
- Please arrive at the appropriate Penguin, Bear or Aldabra Tortoise habitat 15 minutes prior to the start time of your encounter.
- For everyone’s safety all participants must be respectful and follow all instructions.
- No food and drink are permitted within the encounter area.
- Please silence all electronics and flash photography is not allowed during the encounter.
- Closed toed shoes should be worn to any animal encounter.
- Please note that some encounters include stairs.
- Inquire about any handicap or wheelchair access prior to booking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Participants must be at least 6 years old. Participants under age 16 must be accompanied by an adult (21+).
- For your safety and comfort, please wear closed-toed shoes.
- You may bring a camera, but flash is not permitted.
- You may bring a cellphone, but please place it on silent mode before the encounter begins.
- No food or drink is allowed in the encounter.
Direct contact with any of our animals is not guaranteed and will be at the discretion of the keeper.
Bear encounters include a slight incline on dirt/grass and requires participants to stand during the duration of the encounter (stairs if keepers include a view into the bear’s indoor space)
You may bring a stroller part of the way. However, for the Penguin Encounter you will be required to leave the stroller in a public area when you go behind the scenes. Please keep valuable personal belongings with you, rather than leaving them on a stroller.
No, zoo admission must be purchased separately.
Yes, show your ticket for the encounter to the keeper before the encounter begins.
Guests are welcome to attend solo. However, the cost of the encounter remains the same regardless of how many people (up to 4) participate.
Participants must arrive at the designated location at least 15 minutes before the time the encounter is scheduled to begin. Due to the nature of encounters, late participants cannot be accommodated. Reservations for late participants or no-shows will be forfeited without a refund.
The care for our animals is a top priority. Sometimes surprises occur. Therefore, it could be necessary to postpone or cancel an Animal Encounter. The zoo may cancel an encounter at any time and for any reason without prior notice. If this occurs, we will refund the full amount of the encounter fees.
Reservations are only valid on the date booked. Once a reservation is made, encounter fees are non-refundable. If a request to change the date is made at least two weeks before the date booked, it may be possible for the zoo to reschedule the encounter, but rescheduling is solely in the zoo’s discretion.
