Behind the Scenes at Columbus Zoo

The Columbus Zoo has 10,000 animals located in six distinct regions. No wonder we see something new and exciting each time we are there. How lucky are we to have such an AMAZING place right here in Columbus? We absolutely love visiting the zoo and are fortunate to be able to visit frequently throughout the year.

Right now, with the girls being nine months old, we sort of just wing it. We don’t make a plan, just go when we can and stay as long as we can – which is a fun experience in itself. A few visits ago, I checked out the website to see if there were any nursing spots {hoping we could stay just a bit longer} and while on the website, I stumbled upon a few really cool things I totally forgot the zoo offers! While I am not going to go into detail on all of them {Go explore their website — it’s amazing}, I want to focus on one – Wild Encounters.

A few years ago, I took my nanny kids to the Zoo and we did EVERYTHING! I think we spent 8+ hours there and never got bored. Our favorite part of the day was the Discovery Reef Wild Encounter.

So what are the Wild Encounters Tours? They are guided, behind the scenes tours of a few select spots throughout the zoo. A unique and fun way to see the Zoo the way the keepers do! You can chose between Discovery Reef, Manatee Coast, Giraffe Barn and the Animal Health Center.

As I mentioned, we chose the Discovery Reef tour. Below is what I wrote about our experience in 2016.

“It was AMAZING to see what was hiding right behind the tide pool touch area. We learned about the food that they feed the animals. The process they go through getting it ready for the animals. We saw where the tide pool animals live. We saw projects they were working on. We learned where the fish come from and how they got here. All of this was amazing. The icing on top of the cake? Climbing up and getting a top view of the 90,000 gallon tank! It was an incredible view. Around the rail were pictures of each fish that lives in the tank, along with a few facts. Our tour guide was amazing. She answered every question the kiddos had and was very patient. They absolutely loved it. Once we were down, we thought we were done with tour. Nope! She took us out to the tide pool touch area, explained a few things and then moved on to the small tanks out front.” – Me, 2016

Important Info

Cost per Person
Members: $25
Non-Members: $30
Tour price does not include Zoo admission.  

You can book your time slot and location here.

Current Wild Encounters Schedule (tours are offered daily)
Additional tour times available in the summer.

TIME	LOCATION
11 a.m.	Animal Health Center
1 p.m.	Giraffe Barn
2 p.m.	Manatee Coast
3 p.m.	Discovery Reef

When you register for your tour, they will give you the meeting spot. You may or may not have already noticed, but there are tour signs near each location.

The ideal age range for these tours is 5 years and older and tours last approximately 45 minutes.

Tickets must be purchased for all guests attending the tour.

Children age 17 and younger must be accompanied by a paid adult.

Please call  (614) 645-3488 for questions regarding Wild Encounters Tours and/or check the website.

I haven’t gone on one of these tours in a few years, but I can still remember how much fun we had. The kids and I loved seeing the day-to-day work that goes into taking care of all of the animals in Discovery Reef. The kids loved being able to have personalized attention to ask any and all questions. While a bit nervous, I liked getting to view the tank from above! That thing is massive!

I highly suggest going on one of these tours. While the price has increased $10 in the past few years, I still think it is totally worth it. Whether you have kids or just love animals — its perfect for all ages!