2026 VIP Tours

2026 VIP PUBLIC TOURS 

A complete schedule of our 2026  public tours appears below. If you want to receive announcements when new tours are added to schedule, sign up for our monthly Z-mail by clicking on the link below. Sign up for the Zoo Society’s monthly Zmail here.

About Public Tours

We organize our public and private VIP Tours to provide exciting, fun, and educational behind-the-scenes experiences for our guests. Private tours are nearly identical to public tours: they last about an hour, visit the same locations, and take guests close to the Zoo’s animals and their keepers.

Many tours sell out quickly, so we urge buyers to purchase their tour as early as possible. If, for some reason, a buyer cannot attend the tour they purchase, we follow a generous refund policy: 

How Public and Private Tours Differ

• The Zoo Society schedules all public tours on Saturdays. Up to 15 tickets are available for each tour, depending on the area being visited. Tour size and minimum age requirements are noted on the tour information provided below.

• Buyers schedule private tours on the date of their choice, and these tours may be scheduled on any day of the week. Tour prices cover zoo and tour admission costs for the tour group. 

Public Tour Refund Policies


• Buyers who cancel their reservations at least 14 days prior to their tour date can opt to receive a full refund or be placed in a future public tour scheduled during the same or the following year.  
• Buyers who cancel 2 – 13 days before the date of their tour can choose to receive a 50 percent refund or be placed in a future tour scheduled during the same or the following year.
• Buyers who fail to attend a tour or who cancel on the day before their scheduled tour are not eligible for refunds.
• If the Zoo Society cancels any public or private tour, buyers may choose to receive a full refund or be rescheduled for a comparable tour on a different date during the same or the following year. 

Private Tour Refund Policies

• If a buyer requests a tour date that the Zoo cannot accommodate, we provide a full refund.
• Buyers who cancel a private tour at least 4 days prior to the event can receive a full refund or be rescheduled for a comparable tour later in the same or the following year.
• Buyers who cancel a private tour 2 – 3 days prior to the event can receive a 50 percent refund or be rescheduled for a comparable tour later in the same or the following year.
• Buyers canceling on the day before or the day of an event are not eligible for refunds or rescheduling.
• If the Zoo Society cancels any public or private tour, buyers may choose to receive a full refund or to be rescheduled for a comparable tour on a different date during the same or the following year. 

Public tours are $115 per person for North Carolina Zoo Society Members.
Non-Members pay an additional $24 per person.

[View a list of our VIP Public Tours organized by month by clicking here.]