Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden®

Home of the world famous hippo Fiona. Family friendly Zoo committed to inspiring visitors with wildlife and saving species.

Add a VIP Animal Experience to Your Visit!

Get up close and personal with some of your favorite animals! We’re bringing you close enough to care with these special animal experiences. Book yours today!

VIP Animal Experiences

Little Blue Experience

Waddle on in to meet the world’s smallest penguin! Standing about a foot tall, our Little Blue Penguins are ready to make a big splash with this encounter.

During this semi-private experience, groups will go behind-the-scenes to meet a Little Blue Penguin from our colony.  A member from their care team will help guide this experience as you learn all about these pint-sized penguins.

Purchase Experience

Days/Times Available –Tuesdays & Thursdays at 2:30pm

Capacity – Up to 6 guests for each program; slots will be filled by units of 1.

Age Restrictions – 10 & up (Must be at least 15 years of age to attend experience alone)

Cost – $50 per person.

  • All participants will be required to wear a mask for this experience
  • Only ticket holders will be permitted to attend and view this experience.
  • For this experience, please plan to meet attendant in Roo Valley in front of the entry doors to the kangaroo yard.
  • Please arrive at the experience 10 minutes before the encounter time
  • This experience is non- refundable and tickets will be forfeited if your party is not present at the start time.
  • This experience is non- refundable and tickets will be forfeited if your party is not present at the start time.

presented by:

Feathered Flights Experience

Get up close and personal with some of the world’s most beautiful birds! Some of our feathered friends from the Ameritas Wings of the World Bird Experience will fly so close to you that you’ll feel a draft in this amazing private encounter!

Your group will be able to stand nose to beak on our bird stage, where the real magic happens! You will see our birds flying, climbing and showing off their natural behaviors! You will be able to take pictures, ask questions and interact with their care staff.

Register now, or purchase this experience upon your arrival to the Zoo. Spaces are limited.

Purchase Experience

presented by

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Days/Times Available – Wednesday through Sunday: 11am

Capacity – Up to 10 guests for each program; slots will be filled by units of 1.

Age Restrictions – 5 & up

Cost – $30 per person

Please note:

We ask that all participants are checked in 10 minutes prior to the experience time at the designated meeting location. At this time we will gather waivers, take temperatures and check in all ticket holders. Prior to start time, a group leader will escort all ticket holders to the experience. Children under 15 need to be accompanied with an adult ticket holder. Unfortunately, we do not accommodate for late arrivals. No call, no show are non- refundable and there is no admittance after start time. This experience begins promptly at the time of your ticket and is 20-25 minutes long.

  • This experience is non-refundable and tickets will be forfeited if your party is not present at the start time.
  • Feathered Flights experience meeting location is the amphitheater gate across from Lemur Lookout. There will be a sign that says Feathered Flights meets here.
  • Only ticket holders will be permitted to attend this experience.
  • Nuts are apart of our bird diet that will be present in the area of the program
  • All participants will be required to wear a mask for this experience

Cheetah Painting & Purrs

During this encounter, you will receive an up-close look at one of Cincinnati Zoo’s resident cheetahs.  You’ll learn all about these fast felines from their care team, and then watch as a cheetah creates a “purr”fect painting that you will walk away with!

Purchase Experience

Days/Times Available – Friday through Sunday 11:30am & 2:00pm (two a day!)

Capacity – Up to 10 guests for each program; slots will be filled by units of 1.

Age Restrictions – 10 & up (Must be at least 15 years of age to attend experience alone)

Cost – $75 per person

Please note:

  • Please arrive at the experience 10 minutes before the encounter time.
  • For this experience, please plan to meet attendant in front of the cheetah statue located at the Cheetah Encounter Running Yard
  • This experience is non- refundable and tickets will be forfeited if your party is not present at the start time.
  • Only ticket holders will be permitted to attend this experience.
  • All participants will be required to wear a mask for this experience
  • This experience is weather dependent. If the weather does not permit us to host this encounter outside, an alternate encounter will occur in an indoor location.  Guests will receive a premade painting and have a Q&A session with the cheetah care team and a cheetah ambassador. In cases of severe weather, we may have to reschedule or refund your experience.
  • Attendees without tickets will not be admitted or be able to watch this experience,  this includes children in arms or strollers.

Presented by:

Elephant Bath

During this private experience, groups will enter our historic elephant house to participate in the largest bath of their life! Learn all about how we care for elephants, while by working side-by-side with care staff to bathe the largest land mammal on earth!

Purchase Experience

Days/Times Available – Everyday @ 9:15am

Age Restrictions – Ages 10+ only (Ages 15+ to experience without an adult)

Cost – $200 for 2 Guests.

Capacity– This is a private experience for 2 people. You will have the option to add additional participants after purchasing, by contacting our experience team. (Up to 4 additional guests can be added)

* This is not an admission ticket, BUT along with your admission ticket, you will be admitted in early for this experience. After the bath, you are welcome to stay for the remainder of the day even if your admission ticket had a later entry time.

Please note:

  • Please arrive at the experience 10 minutes before the encounter time.
  • For this experience, please plan to meet attendant in front of the doors to the Elephant House (Vine Street Village side of the building)
  • This experience is non- refundable, and tickets will be forfeited if your party is not present at the start time.
  • Only ticket holders will be permitted to attend this experience.
  • All participants will be required to wear a mask for this experience
  • All participants must wear close- toe shoes
  • Attendees without tickets will not be admitted or be able to watch this experience,  this includes children in arms or strollers.

Behind the Scenes and Virtual Options

Behind the Scenes 

Virtual Experiences

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