Self-Guided Field Trips

Visit Denver Zoo at your own pace with your students. A trip to the zoo offers life science learning experiences year-round with a variety of programs – including animal feedings and demonstrations – included in your admission.

Visits may be scheduled year-round Monday – Friday, during regular zoo hours. Keep in mind, April and May are the busiest months here at the zoo – consider planning a field trip in the fall or a tropical get-away to Bird World and Tropical Discovery (indoor exhibits) this winter!  

Add an Educational Program at the Zoo

Enhance your school group's field trip to the Zoo by adding a live animal encounter! Enroll your class in one of our standards-based classroom programs.

NEW in 2009!

Teachers and school staff enter the zoo for FREE on the day of your school visit!
Check out our new, convenient pricing below.

Discounted School Group Admission Rates

Ready to Reserve Your Field Trip?

• NEW! Register Online -- get confirmation within a business day!
• To register by mail or FAX, download a printer-friendly version of our Reservation Request form here.
• You may also email to us at registration@denverzoo.org to request that an email or paper copy of the form be sent to you.

Important Information and Field Trip Policies
Check out our Frequently Asked Questions or click on a topic below:

1. Is my group eligible for Discounted School Group pricing?
2. What’s the deadline for submitting my reservation request?
3. How does payment work?
4. Tell me about the new Field Trip Wristbands!
5. How can I help my adult chaperones prepare?
6. Can families use their Zoo membership for our school field trip?
7. Is financial aid available for our field trip?
8. What happens if we need to cancel or reschedule?
   
9. Where can I find curriculum activities to use before, during and after our visit to the zoo?
   
10. Can I visit the zoo ahead of time to plan our trip?
    
    

• Reserve visit at least 2 weeks in advance by submitting a Self-Guided Field Trip reservation request form
• Pay with a single form of payment (pre-pay by check or credit card, or pay at the gate in a single transac-tion for all students, adults and staff)
• Have a chaperone-to-student ratio of at least 1 adult for every 10 students (required for ECE- Grade 12)
• Have status as an accredited public, private, or charter school in session, a preschool following an academic curriculum, or other school-based program.

Any reservation requests for School Group Field Trips must be received no later than 2 weeks prior to the date of your intended visit. Requests received later than 2 weeks out are not eligible for Discounted School Group Rates and are subject to regular admission rates. Your Self-Guided Field Trip is confirmed when you receive confirmation from the zoo by email or mail. If you have not received confirmation within one week of submitting your request, please email us at registration@denverzoo.org.

For Online Reservations

When reserving a trip online, credit card payment is required at the time you make your reservation.

Be prepared with an exact count of your students, adult chaperones, and school staff when you make your online reservation. The Zoo recommends you estimate your numbers as accurately as possible; the counts you provide will determine the number of admission wristbands your group receives.

Denver Zoo recommends this option to expedite your entry into the Zoo!

For Registration by Mail or FAX

When submitting paper reservation requests, you may choose our Pre-Payment Option or Pay-at-the-Gate.

• For Pre-Payment with mail or FAX forms, your reservation request form must be received at least 4 weeks prior to your intended visit date. On your form, check the box to indicate you wish to pre-pay. After we receive your re-quest, a payment invoice will be mailed to you. You are responsible for submitting a check or credit card informa-tion to Denver Zoo by the deadline listed on your invoice (at least 2 weeks prior to your trip). After we receive payment, a packet with wristbands for zoo admission will be sent to you.
• For Pay-at-the Gate, your reservation request form must be received at least 2 weeks prior to your intended visit date. Check the box on your Reservation Request Form to indicate you do not wish to pre-pay. When you arrive at the zoo, please have an exact count of your students, teachers, and adult chaperone and be prepared to pay in one transaction (single credit card transaction or check). Please be aware that for reservation requests received after June 1, 2010, pre-payment will be required for all field trips to Denver Zoo.

After you make your reservation and pre-pay online, you will receive an email confirming your field trip (usually within one business day). At least one week prior to your scheduled visit, we will mail you a Field Trip packet containing: a field trip guide, reproducible handouts for chaperones, and ZOO WRISTBANDS that serve as admission tickets for every student, adult and staff member you included in your reserva-tion. Denver Zoo recommends you estimate your numbers accurately when making your reservation so that you have enough wristbands for all students, chaperones, and staff who might come.

PLEASE NOTE: Wristbands are non-transferable, non-replaceable tickets for admission into the zoo. Denver Zoo is not responsible for lost or missing wristbands.

In the event you have extra paid wristbands, you may use them for future school group visits to the zoo until July 1, 2010, or you may return unused wristbands to the zoo without penalty for a full refund. How-ever, you will not be able to order additional wristbands once your reservation has been made. Students and adults who do not have wristbands on the day of your visit will have to stand in line and pay at the Gate upon arrival.

To expedite your entrance to the zoo, please ensure that every student, adult chaperone, and staff mem-ber is wearing their wristband prior to arrival at the Zoo.

If your reservation request form is received more than 4 weeks before your intended visit date, you have the option to pre-pay for your field trip and receive wristbands for your group by mail. (You may also choose to pay at the Gate with a single form a payment and receive your wristbands upon arrival.)

If your reservation request is received LESS than 4 weeks before your intended visit date, you must plan to pay at the Gate with a single form a payment and receive your wristbands then.

Reservations received LESS than 2 weeks before your intended visit date do not qualify for Discounted School Group Rates.

• One adult per 10 students is REQUIRED for all groups (ECE-Grade 12).
• School staff are admitted for free with staff ID.
• One adult per special needs student is admitted free.
• Additional adults and children entering the zoo before or after the school group must pay full admis-sion price when they arrive, or they may use their membership for themselves only.
• Chaperones must be at least 21 years old.
• Chaperones must stay with their assigned group at all times.
• Adults bringing younger siblings/babies in strollers are welcome but may NOT be counted as chaper-ones and must pay full admission prices or use their Memberships. Extra children are subject to full admission prices.

Member adults chaperoning a field trip can enter through the Membership window with their Membership card and appropriate identification.

Member adults bringing additional children or younger siblings are not considered Field Trip chaperones and cannot be counted toward the 1:10 required ratio

Member students attending the trip cannot use their Membership for field trips and will need to pay the same fees as their classmates.

Limited scholarship funds are available for self-guided field trips that take place August-March. To apply for schol-arship funding, fill out an application for Denver Zoo’s Red Apple Scholarship. This application also serves as your field trip reservation request; no addi-tional reservation form is required.

Scholarship applications currently are being accepted for self-guided field trips taking place August 2009 – March 2010 only. However, scholarship funds are awarded for educational programs (classes, assemblies, workshops) that take place August - May. Enroll your class in an educational program and make the most of your time at the zoo!

If you must cancel or reschedule a reserved field trip, kindly give Denver Zoo as much notice as possible. Call the Education Department at (303) 376-4808 or email registration@denverzoo.org to cancel or reschedule your visit.

If you need to cancel your trip, full refunds can be given without penalty if you return the entire quantity of zoo wristbands within two (2) weeks of your original visit date.

You may also choose to keep your zoo wristbands, as they can be used for your next school group visit or given to other groups in your school until July 1, 2010. Note: wristbands may not be used for individual children or families to visit the Zoo.

If you have ordered more wristbands than you need, unused paid wristbands may be used on your next school group visit (until July 1, 2010) or returned to Denver Zoo for a full refund if received within two (2) weeks of the date of your visit.

To return extra paid wristbands, please stop by the Guest Relations office on the day of your visit to pick up a “Wristband Return Envelope and Form.” Complete the form and include your unused wristbands in the sealed envelope, which you may leave with Guest Relations or mail in. Your refund will be processed within 10 business days of receiving your request. You may also download a "Wristband Return Form" here and return your bands by mail.

Denver Zoo Education has animal lists, maps, activities, curriculum guides, and scavenger hunts to enhance your visit to the zoo. Visit our Online Teacher Resource Center to access these materials, free for download!

Come to Denver Zoo and see all we have to offer! You can visit the zoo any time to plan your school field trip. Download our educator’s planning coupon and bring it to the zoo (along with your school ID) to receive free admission to Denver Zoo. Click here to print your free planning coupon.