Frequently Asked Questions About Tours
- How do I schedule a tour?
- Do you have access for visitors with disabilities?
- What is your tour path like?
- What should I wear?
- Can I take pictures or video?
- Will I get to touch an animal?
- Can I walk around on my own?
- What do you do if there's bad weather?
- Are tickets refundable if I missed my tour?
- Do you have public restrooms?
- Do you offer discounted or free tours to support my school/church/other group's raffle or fundraising efforts?
Our public tours are available Saturday and Sunday all year, as well as select holidays, with seasonal offerings and events. Personal Tours, Group Tours, Wild Field Trips, and specialty tours are available by advance booking Wednesday through Sunday all year.
Reservations are required for all of our tours, field trips, and private experiences, as well as for many of our events.
We at the Animal Park welcome all guests, and while our Visitors Center is ADA compliant, our tour path is not wheelchair-accessible. The following is provided to assist you in your planning and visit:
- The Visitors Center area, including patio, gift shop, Education Room, and restrooms, is ADA accessible.
- A cement parking area adjacent to the Visitors Center is provided for the first two guest vehicles with disability plates or placards.
- Our outdoor tour path is gravel and dirt, and is not safe for wheelchair use. Instead, we offer complimentary seating on golf carts for mobility-impaired guests. Please call 336-421-0883 to reserve at least 5 days in advance to ensure availability; we are not able to guarantee cart and driver availability unless reserved in advance.
- Please note the weight limit of our carts is 350 pounds for all guests and driver.
- Guests joining a tour via our golf cart will have the option of using the rear-facing bariatric-sized bench seat or a single-person forward-facing seat.
- Guests may not operate Animal Park golf carts.
- Only Animal Park golf carts are permitted to operate on the premises. (No other personal motorized vehicles are permitted.)
- Service animals are not permitted on tours, but may wait with an adult at our picnic shelter during your tour.
- Companion and emotional support animals are not permitted on the property.
- We do not permit any animal to be left in a vehicle on Animal Park property while a guest is on a tour.
Our tour path is about 3/4 of a mile and is surfaced with crushed rock and gravel. For safety reasons, we cannot allow children's wagons in the park, and we encourage child sling carriers over strollers.
The Animal Park is a mostly outdoor facility that was built, first and foremost, with the care and well-being of our animal residents in mind. We have an unpaved, gravel tour path that is about 3/4 of a mile, and you may be walking in muddy areas. Open-toed shoes or heels are not recommended. Please check the weather before your visit, and dress appropriately for the temperature.
Yes! We encourage you to bring your camera. If you want to capture images at an even closer range, without visible fencing, consider scheduling a Photo Safari with an experienced escort who will take you to places you cannot go on other types of tours.
Guests are not permitted to touch or handle our animals at any point on their tour. We are serious about safety; any visitor who touches or makes an attempt to touch any of our animals will be asked to leave without a refund.
The Animal Park at the Conservators Center was created, first and foremost, to meet the needs of our residents. You will see wild animals up close (as little as 5 feet away). That means we always require guides or docents to ensure the safety of our residents and our guests. Also, our tours are fun! You will learn a lot from your guide, who has been specially trained to lead your tour, share great stories, and answer your questions.
We periodically offer Self-Guided Safari days and other events that allow you to wander our facility at your own pace and talk to docents stationed throughout the park to ensure safety and answer questions. Check our website and social media accounts for dates.
Our tours are rain or shine; we do not generally cancel for light rain, and we have umbrellas for loan. However, in the event of dangerous weather, we will do our best to determine whether tours will be cancelled 24 hours prior to the start time. If you have a reservation, you will receive an email and a phone call/voicemail via the contact information you provided. In the event of cancellation, you may transfer your reservation to an alternate day. Tickets are non-refundable.
We appreciate your understanding that you will need to keep an eye on the forecast and dress for potentially unpredictable weather when you visit us.
We are NOT able to refund ticket purchases.
Restrooms are available at our Visitors Center. We do not have scheduled bathroom stops during our tours, but if you need to step out, let your guide know and we can accommodate you.
The Animal Park at the Conservators Center is a nonprofit organization. In order to provide high-quality care for our residents, we depend on every dollar we earn through our award-winning tours and programs. We appreciate your understanding that we are therefore unable to provide free tour tickets.
Know Before You Go
Accessibility, Safety, and Pets
The Animal Park is not wheelchair accessible; however, accessibility accommodations are available for visitors with mobility issues. Please note that we are not able to allow unauthorized vehicles, including scooters or motorized wheelchairs, in the park. Find more information about disability accommodations and access in the Tour FAQ on our Plan Your Visit page.
If you are planning to visit the Animal Park, please take a moment to review your confirmation email and text to complete our online tour waiver. Waivers will also be available in the gift shop for visitors to complete during check-in.
For safety reasons, the Animal Park cannot allow visitors to bring pets on site. Any visitor who brings an animal to the Park will be asked to leave immediately. No animals may be left unattended in a vehicle.