Chimpanzee

Chimpanzee Tour Details

2024 Tour Dates
April 6, June 8, August 10, October 19

Tour Time and Meeting Place
3 p.m. Guests meet in the lower viewing area at the Chimpanzee habitat in the African section of the Zoo.

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

Tour Overview
This tour usually ends around 4 p.m. During the tour, guests venture behind the Chimp’s outdoor habitat to access an elevated platform that provides viewing and photography opportunities unavailable to the general public. Next, guests circle to the back of the Chimpanzee’s night quarters to watch zookeepers conduct a training session with one of the Zoo’s Chimpanzee troops. Finally, guests enter the Chimpanzee barn to see how keepers encourage and train the chimps to participate in their own care.

ADA Status Restrictions
The elevated viewing platform is not accessible to guests with balance or mobility issues that would interfere with climbing a narrow staircase. Other tour activities are ADA accessible, but we ask guests to note any mobility issues on their tour purchase form. We want to be prepared to offer assistance on the bumpy path to the chimp barn.

Important Health and Safety Restrictions

Safety Note
To accommodate the needs of our staff and guests, we limit the size of the group attending this tour to 10 people. Guests may not approach or try to touch a Chimpanzee and must remain behind the protective barrier separating them from the animals. Although this tour is ADA accessible, guests need to walk short distances over uneven terrain. Please note mobility issues on the tour order form so that we can be prepared to assist guests if necessary.
 Guest should also practice caution when ascending the stairs to the observation platform.

Current Health Requirements
Guests must wear masks to go inside the barn. Masks are not required for guests while they remain outdoors. However, the Zoo may need to implement some 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.