2025 - Elephant

Elephant Tour Details

2024 Tour Dates
March 22,  April 12,  May 10, June 21, September 20, October 11

Tour Time and Meeting Place
1:15 p.m. Guests gather at the Stedman Education Center to board a bus that will transport them to the Elephant Barn. The Stedman Education Building is the two-story, glass and concrete building facing Lot D in the North American parking area.

Minimum Age
12 years old – Children younger than 18 must be accompanied by a paying adult.

Tour Overview
This tour usually ends around 2:30 p.m. A private bus transports guests from the Stedman Education Center to the off-habitat elephant barn to meet with zookeepers to see how they train and manage the elephants. Guests also tour the elephant barn and usually visit a non-public viewing area behind one of the elephant habitats.

ADA Status
Not accessible to guests in wheelchairs or using motorized scooters. This tour also involves walking over uneven terrain and up a somewhat steep incline. Please note mobility issues on the tour order form so we can be prepared to assist guests if necessary.

Important Health and Safety Restrictions

Safety Note
To accommodate the needs of our guests and staff, we limit the number of people attending this tour to 16. Guests may not approach or try to touch any of the Zoo’s elephants and must remain at least 6 feet away from them at all times. Elephants can be dangerous animals, and guests are required to follow all safety instructions issued by the animal keepers or tour guides.

Current Health Requirements
Guests are not currently required to wear masks or gloves to participate in this tour. However, the Zoo may implement additional health measures (e.g., requiring guests to wear gloves) if new or more serious medical hazards emerge to threaten the well-being of our animals, guests, or staff. 

If we change the medical restrictions noted on the tour after selling tickets to the program, we will email ticketholders about these changes and will also report them in the following paragraph. Ticketholders who cannot accommodate these introduced changes can receive a full refund for their tour purchase or, if they prefer, may sign up for an alternate tour with acceptable health restrictions.

Original Health Requirements Are Unchanged
The Zoo Society has not adjusted any health requirements since first posting information on this tour.