By 1808Delaware
A trip to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has always offered the chance to encounter animals from around the world. A growing collection of guided tours and custom experiences now gives visitors an opportunity to move beyond the public exhibits and explore the stories, conservation work, and professional animal care taking place behind the scenes.
From traveling through the Zoo aboard a private cart to visiting its animal hospital and learning about efforts to protect endangered manatees, the experiences are designed to reveal parts of the Zoo that most guests never see. “I’m SO glad that I did that!” is a reaction Zoo staff members say they frequently hear after visitors participate in one of the programs.
The current lineup includes the new Zoo Insider Tour, the Manatee Conservation Center Tour, the Animal Wellness Experience, Wild Encounters, and experiences at Jack Hanna’s Animal Encounters Village. Seasonal programs are offered alongside year-round favorites, giving visitors different ways to explore during summer, winter, and the months in between.
A Private Journey Through the Zoo
One of the newest options is Zoo Insider: A Guided Wildlife Tour, a two-hour experience offering close-up access to four featured animal areas.
Visitors travel through the Zoo on a private cart while guides share stories about individual animals, their personalities, the care they receive, and the conservation programs connected to their species. The tour is not limited to observing animals from familiar public viewing areas. Each stop includes a special opportunity that may involve entering part of a habitat, visiting a private animal-care space, or helping provide an animal with a favorite treat.
Those encounters allow participants to notice sights, sounds, behaviors, and interactions that can easily be missed during a traditional Zoo visit.
Because animal care remains the priority, the precise experience may vary from one tour to the next. Seasonal rotations, weather conditions, and the daily needs of the animals all help shape each outing. That flexibility is part of the attraction. Even returning visitors may experience a substantially different tour the next time they participate.
Lions, Otters, Sloths, and Tortoises
The featured areas on the Zoo Insider Tour rotate every few months.
During May and June 2026, tour participants visited areas associated with cougars, sloth bears, donkeys, and elephants. For July, August, and September, the scheduled animals are lions, Aldabra tortoises, river otters, and sloths. Each presents a different opportunity to learn about animal behavior, habitat needs, daily care, and conservation.
The rotating schedule also means the tour can remain fresh throughout the year rather than becoming a fixed presentation repeated in precisely the same way each day. The Zoo Insider Tour is available daily at 3:00 PM. Participants must be at least 10 years old, and the cost is $250 per person.
Looking Beyond the Exhibits
Other experiences offer a closer look at specific areas of the Zoo’s work.
The Manatee Conservation Center Tour explores efforts to care for and protect one of the world’s most recognizable endangered marine mammals. The Animal Wellness Experience introduces visitors to the veterinary expertise, facilities, and coordinated work required to care for a large and varied animal population.
Wild Encounters and Jack Hanna’s Animal Encounters Village provide additional opportunities to meet animal ambassadors and learn how their individual stories connect with broader questions involving wildlife, habitats, and conservation.
Together, the programs reflect a shift from simply seeing animals to understanding them.
For many visitors, a regular Zoo trip may involve choosing favorite exhibits, following a familiar route, and stopping for photographs along the way. These guided experiences add another layer by introducing the people, decisions, and conservation programs behind what guests see. They also offer something increasingly valuable at a large attraction: a smaller, more personal experience shaped by conversation, access, and moments that cannot always be predicted.
At the Columbus Zoo, the next visit can now become more than a day among the exhibits. It can become a journey into the work and stories that make those exhibits possible.
