Travel With The Zoo

Plan a Trip You’ll Remember Forever

If you crave an out-of-the-ordinary travel experience, travel with the Cincinnati Zoo! Our trips are adventurous, educational, intimate and fun. All our tours are escorted by zoo naturalists who are very knowledgeable, friendly and well-traveled. Come with us on an exciting wildlife adventure!

Questions? Please contact Christina Anderson at 513-487-3318 or email here.

2019-2020 Zoo Trips

Northern Tanzania – Sold Out

February 20 – March 8, 2020

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Travel to Africa in 2020 with Zoo Director Thane Maynard! Tanzania is the destination, and here we’ll spend over two weeks on a wildlife viewing odyssey, traveling among an array of superb national parks and other sites in search of big game, birds, reptiles, and more. Lake Victoria, the Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater, and Tarangire are some of the places we’ll visit, places whose names are forever aligned with images of timeless Africa. Leading this safari will be Thane Maynard, Director of the Cincinnati Zoo, and expert naturalists Michael O’Brien and Louise Zemaitis from Texas-based Victor Emanuel Nature Tours. Also joining the trip will be Thane’s wife, Kathleen Maynard. No one is more excited about spotting new species than Kathleen; and while Thane will tell tales of the many mammals we see, Kathleen will make sure not a single raptor goes unnoticed or uncelebrated! The trip will be limited to only ten participants.

Monarchs of Mexico

March 14 – 20, 2020

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Each year, millions of monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) make the journey from North America to Mexico’s Sierra Madre Mountains, flying thousands of miles to their winter home. The migration is one of nature’s most amazing phenomena. Stand amid the fir-covered mountains and witness this awe-inspiring spectacle firsthand as the monarchs flutter, dip, and swoop overhead. You’ll see countless butterflies roosting in the early morning, as well as in flight at midday, feeding on wildflowers, and drinking at streams.

Arctic Wildlife Safari

June 7-15, 2020 (Escorted by Dr. Erin Curry)

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Explore the frozen wilderness of Spitsbergen (Svalbard) on our Arctic Wildlife polar expedition cruise. We will venture to the edge of the north-polar ice cap in search of a wealth of wildlife—including polar bear, walrus, Arctic fox, reindeer, and a variety of whales and seals—in one of the High Arctic’s most pristine and protected environments. Here, at the dynamic boundary between implacable ice and bountiful sea, this wildlife cruise presents the rare opportunity to experience raw nature and incredible events seen by a lucky few. Whether it’s a calving iceberg, an incomparable sunrise or the otherworldly hush of a land where man is an infrequent visitor, an Arctic expedition cruise is one that you’ll remember — and savor — for a lifetime.

2020 June Kenya

June 12 – 24, 2020 (Escorted by Chad Yelton)

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This safari into the Kenyan bush is a dream wrapped in canvas, the narrative of which is shaped by the written accounts of Ernest Hemingway, Beryl Markham, and Karen Blixen, all of whom appreciated tented life in the bush. From your camp, watch the gripping action of predator and prey, and the delicate river dance of elephant, hippo, and crocodile. At dusk and dawn the sun dapples your tent with a myriad of colors and the night brings midnight blue skies, twinkling lights, and the calls of the wild. Experiencing the immortalized parks and reserves of Samburu, Lake Nakuru, and the Maasai Mara through canvas mark you as another explorer in whose footsteps someone else will follow.

2020 September South Africa

September 10 – 23, 2020

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South Africa The Garden Route: Beauty & The Beasts: Journey to the most inspirational spots in South Africa, where the great masterpieces of Mother Nature will leave you awe-struck and breathless. Of the world’s six floral kingdoms, the Fynbos kingdom in the Cape is the smallest and richest, with over 6,000 endemic species thriving in bursts of vibrant color. Feel your heart soar at the captivating majesty of prehistoric caverns, mountaintops, and towering giant forests. Lose your breath at the fearsome beasts of the great ocean depths, as you search for whales and great white sharks by boat. Allow peace to overtake you wandering rose gardens and idyllic shorelines. Chase the adrenaline rush as you seek out the nobility of the animal kingdom on a safari. Let the artwork of the natural world enthrall you.

2020 or early 2021 Antarctica

Nov 2020 or early 2021

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Coming soon…

India A Bounty Iconic Wildlife & Culture, featuring Holi celebrations (color festival) March 20 – April, 2021. (Escorted by Dan Marsh) More info