Inside Look Tours

Don’t miss out! This limited-time opportunity takes you on a spook-tacular seasonal adventure around the San Diego Zoo. Our wildlife care experts will guide you through this 2-hour “fang-tastic” experience where you’ll discover some of nature’s most mysterious tricks and get up close as intriguing wildlife munches on their favorite creepy-crawly treats. Prepare to spend some time with animals that slither, swoop, and squirm!

See our giraffes up close! Learn how we care for these gentle giants here at the Zoo, and how we are supporting their survival in the wild. This 90-minute adventure also includes a tour around the Zoo with stops to visit some of our other wildlife up close!

This special tour is guaranteed to thrill and amaze! During your Surprise tour, your guide will escort your group to a variety of locations throughout the Zoo, to see our wildlife up close and share stories of wildlife care and conservation. No two tours are ever the same! This tour includes special experiences at two different animal habitats, and can include areas not accessible to the public.

Early morning tours are now available! Enter the Zoo before it opens for the day and start your tour early by booking the 8:30 a.m. Inside Look Surprise Tour!

Start your day with an educational adventure for the whole household! Get exclusive access to our polar bear habitat, just as the bears set out to explore their territory in the morning. Learn how we care for these charismatic bears here at the Zoo, and how we are supporting their survival in the Arctic. This 90-minute adventure also includes a tour around the Zoo with stops to visit some of our other wildlife up close!

Get an inside look at our hamadryas baboons! Meet with a wildlife care specialist to learn about the fascinating social life of these charismatic primates, how we care for them here at the Zoo, and how we are supporting their survival in their native habitats. This 90-minute adventure includes a unique view of the baboons from a special viewing area, and a tour around the Zoo with stops to visit some of our other wildlife up close!

Are you a fan of foxes? Do you wonder about wolves? During this cart tour, you will meet our wild canines up close and learn how San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance works to conserve canid species all over the world. Your guide will escort you around the Zoo to enjoy special experiences with a variety of animals and learn how our conservation partners enlist domestic dogs to help us protect wildlife worldwide.  

This tour includes opportunities to meet some furry friends up close. We cannot guarantee which animals you will see on a particular day, but you might see a wolf, singing dog, maned wolf, or fennec fox. 

During this 90-minute tour, your guide will escort you around the Zoo in a deluxe cart, stopping to enjoy special experiences featuring our lions, tigers, and bears! Enjoy a talk with a wildlife care specialist and learn about how we care for some of the world's largest cats and most charismatic bears, at the Zoo and around the world. We cannot guarantee which wildlife guests will see on any particular day, but depending on availability, you may see Malayan tigers, African lions, sun bears, sloth bears, Andean bears, or grizzlies.

Enjoy a special up-close view of our African penguin colony! This tour includes private viewing of the penguin beach and nesting area. You’ll get an inside look at how we care for these unique birds, and learn about how we are working to conserve them in their native habitats. Enjoy other unique wildlife experiences as you tour the Zoo with one of our knowledgeable guides!

For all ages.