Summer Animal Feedings and Tours
Visit our Summer Experiences page to see our tours and feedings listed in a daily schedule format.
Plan a visit to the Alaska Zoo this summer and join us for an Animal Feeding Experience, Guided Tour or VIP Tour! These opportunities are available May 27th through September 1st, 2024 on select days. See descriptions below. We also offer a free shuttle with advance reservations required.
Animal Feeding Experiences
Buy at the gate on the day you plan to visit.
Details: These 30-minute sessions involve going behind-the-scenes with a trained guide to feed an animal at the time of your choosing based on our options listed above. This is a great time to ask questions, appreciate these amazing animals up-close and take pictures. Price is $30 per person plus zoo admissions fees for ages 3 and up. Ages 2 and under are free. No reservations, just pay at the zoo entrance on the day you wish to do your feeding experience.
Animals: Feeding experiences will be held daily from May 27th through September 1st, 2024. Feedings will take place at 10:15am (caribou), 12:15pm (Bactrian camel & muskox) and 2:15PM (black bears). Animals are subject to change based on their needs.
Shuttle: You can ride to the zoo on our free shuttle if you reserve a seat online in advance. The feeding experiences are timed with the shuttle arrivals. The shuttle arrives at the zoo at the top of the hour, giving you time to pay for a feeding experience and zoo entry. View the shuttle schedule here and reserve a free ride!
Guided Tours
Buy at the gate before 1:15pm on the day you wish to take the tour. We will accommodate all guests.
Details: These 2-hour tours are a great way to learn the personal stories of the zoo animals, most of whom are orphaned or injured. Learn their names, natural history, favorite foods, personalities and more. Your guide will be a trained zoo staff member or volunteer with knowledge of the zoo and our unique history. There will be 2 stops behind-the-scenes at animal habitats of the guides choice, one of which will be at the polar bear habitat. Price is $70 per person (price includes zoo admission) for ages 3 and up. Ages 2 and under are free. The Guided Tours will be held on from 1:15-3:15pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only between May 27th and September 1st, 2024. No Guided Tours on Sundays through Wednesdays. The tours are purchased at the zoo entrance before 1:15pm on the day you plan to do the tour.
Shuttle: You can ride to the zoo on our free shuttle if you reserve a seat online in advance. The shuttle arrives at the zoo at 1:00pm and your guide will be sure to end the tour at the front of the zoo in time for you to catch the 3:10 shuttle. The next shuttle will leave the zoo at 4:10 so you also have the option to spend an extra hour walking the trails, visiting our Gift Shop or buying refreshments in our Coffee Shop. View the full shuttle schedule and reserve a free ride!
VIP Tours with Rich Capitan
Must be purchased in advance online.
The VIP tour includes:
2-hour, behind-the-scenes tour led personally by Education Director Rich Capitan.
VIP tours are held on Mondays only between May 27th and September 1st, 2024.
VIP tours begin at 8am, one hour before the zoo opens. The tour ends at 10am. You can catch the free zoo shuttle downtown if you reserve it in advance. It departs the zoo at 10:10am. View the full shuttle schedule here and reserve a free ride!
VIP tours are $1,000 for up to 4 participants, with the option to add up to 2 guests for $250 each.
Maximum of 6 participants allowed.
Participants must be age 9 or older.
Tour must be purchased in advance online at least 3 days before the preferred tour date.
VIP tour behind-the-scenes stops include a 30-minute polar bear encounter with a zookeeper and a 1.5 hour tour including behind-the-scenes stops at caribou and the commissary with your guide Education Director Rich Capitan. Stops may be added or changed as new animals arrive or if animals have health concerns. Each VIP tour participant will receive a $20 credit in the Zoo Gift Shop.
Tours are non-refundable. If you need to cancel, we can reschedule or convert your tour purchase into a zoo donation. The tour will not be cancelled for weather.
Email Rich Capitan here if you would like to discuss the tour with him before purchasing.