When school is out, Safari Camp is in!

Provide the perfect adventure for your young animal fanatic! Camps feature animal experiences, zoo expeditions, and hands-on, camper-driven exploration. Escape the ordinary – go WILD with Safari Camp at Denver Zoo.

Summer Safari 2024 information will be available in late December – early January.

2023 Summer Calendar

Already registered? Click here to access the Parent Portal:

Things to know…

Campers must turn 5 years old by October 1, 2023

Parents/Guardians must register their own child to participate in Safari Camp and use their own Denver Zoo membership account to receive the Safari Camp early access. Registering for a camper other than your own child will result in dropped registration, or a minimum administrative fee of $50 each to transfer registration to the appropriate parent/caregiver account.
Campers must be registered for the grade level they will enter in Fall 2023. All camp curricula are designed based on Colorado Academic Standards and NGSS with specific activities appropriate for each developmental stage. Registering a camper for the wrong age/grade group will result in a dropped registration, or a minimum administrative fee of $50 to transfer registration to the correct camp. Transfers are not guaranteed.
Campers are not allowed to attend more than one camp with the same title. This prevents children from attending camp where they repeat the same curriculum and activities. Registering campers for camps with the same title will result in dropped registrations, or a minimum administrative fee of $50 to transfer registration to the correct camp. Transfers are not guaranteed.
Campers will need to bring:
1. Sack lunch + 2 snacks
2. Backpack
3. Water bottle
4. Safari Camp T-Shirt EVERYDAY (issued first day of camp)

Registration Information

Step 1 of Registration: Purchase a spot for your camper in the week and camp title of your choosing. No camper details will be filled out at this time.

Members must log-in with their email on record that is associated with their membership to receive early registration access. Click HERE to login, request password, or complete a membership look up. **Insider tip: log in to your account prior to registration opening to make sure you see your name, membership category, and expiration date in the upper right corner.
Have a major credit card on hand and ready to go. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and AMEX.
Complete your purchase. This step reserves your camper’s spot.

Step 2 of Registration: After purchasing a camp, click HERE to fill out general questions about your camper(s) in the Parent Portal, including a brief medical history, sign waivers, etc. Campers cannot attend camp until this step is complete!

Have the following information available for this step in the registration process:

Contact details including home and work addresses, and phone numbers for the parent/guardian that is filling out this information (and any additional parent/guardian)
Name, and date of birth of camper
Medical history for camper
Name, address, and phone number of camper’s physician, dentist, and preferred hospital
Name, address, and phone number of two emergency contacts
Name, address, and phone number of any additional people (must be over 18) who are authorized to pick up camper

2023 Costs

5-day Camps – $310
4-day Camp (July 3, 5-7) – $248
6-8 Grades “Conservation” Camps – $380
8th Grade Only “Animal Care 101” Camp – $380
Late Care – $60 for 5-day Camps, $48 for 4-day Camp

2023 Summer Safari Camps are available at the above rates for both Denver Zoo members and the general public. We appreciate your support!

Service and Accommodation Fees

Cancellation Policy: All sales are final, unless the Zoo must cancel the program. Exceptions can be requested in the case of family medical emergencies, severe illness or for required quarantine due to COVID-19.

Accommodation Fees: With advance notice, children may be dropped off or picked up during lunchtime (12:00-1:00 p.m.) at no charge, as campers are always in a pre-defined area during the lunch hour. At other times of the day, campers may be anywhere within the 80-acre Zoo property (or on a field trip), making late arrivals and early departures complicated, resulting in an $5 accommodation fee.

2023 Dates & Times

Running Weekly: June 5 – August 11,

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A limited number of Late Care spots are available for pre-registered campers. Late Care occurs from 4:15 – 5:30 p.m.

Reserve Late Care

Important Information

• Policies and Procedures

• Important Information PDF

• Illness Policy

Medication Administration Permission Form

If your child requires emergency, prescription, or over-the-counter medication during camp, a parent/guardian and the child’s physician must complete and submit a Medication Administration Permission Form two weeks prior to your child’s first day of camp. Any medication for a chronic illness such as asthma, allergies, or diabetes must be accompanied by a Care Plan written and signed by the child’s physician. Upon review of your camper’s forms, it may be necessary to meet with the parent/guardian to develop a Health Plan.

Accommodations for Special Needs

Campers of all abilities are welcome to register for camp. In order to meet our goal of setting all campers up for success, we ask that you please contact us if your child has any special needs of which we should be aware. We happily work with parents/guardians to make Safari Camp accessible to children with varying needs in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities act; however, we are unable to provide one-on-one or supplementary services. If your child needs to attend camp with his/her full-time care provider, special arrangements can be made, but must be scheduled several weeks in advance for security purposes. After undergoing a background check, the adult caregiver may attend at no charge.

ACCESS TO AWE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Scholarships are available through Denver Zoo’s Access to Awe Scholarship Fund.

Scholarships will only be awarded for one week of camp per child.

Scholarship Information

CONTACT US

Questions or concerns? Contact us at safaricamps@denverzoo.org

2023 Program Information

Weekly Programs For Kindergarten Through 8th Grade

Kindergarten and 1st Grade

**Campers must turn 5 years old by October 1, 2023

My Wild Home

Explore the diverse places and habitats that animals and people call “home.” Travel to plains, mountains, rainforests, deserts, and oceans all without leaving Denver Zoo! Discover where children from other cultures live, learn, and play, and find out how we are all connected.

My Animal Planet

There’s no need to trek across the planet when the coolest creatures call Denver Zoo home! As a wildlife scientist, you’ll investigate animal characteristics – what makes a mammal a mammal, how reptiles are different, and more! Explore how animals survive, and thrive, and what makes them unique!

Nature Play the Zoo Way

Your camper will have an unbe-LEAF-able week connecting with animals and the natural world in Denver Zoo’s nature play camp! Young explorers will engage their sense of wonder and discovery as they literally dig into nature on the Zofnass Barclay Family Nature Play Trail; climb under bushes, find bugs, balance on stumps, and get their hands dirty. This camp is sure to ROCK – come play with us!

2nd and 3rd Grade

Wildlife Champions

Who’ll come out on top? Is it an elephant by a nose? An orangutan swinging into first place? In these games, we’ll examine physical advantages and adaptations, behaviors, and habitats to discover why some animals thrive while others can’t compete. No doubts about it – this camp is a winner!

Animal Expeditions

Pack your bags for a zoo-wide animal expedition! Learn about diverse ecosystems, cultures, and animals from around the world. What wonders might you discover?

Nature Play the Zoo Way

4th and 5th Grade

World Wildlife Investigators

The game’s afoot…or a-hoof! Hot on the Denver Zoo trail, campers will conduct their own investigations to get to the bottom of real animal mysteries. Gather evidence by observing creatures from around the globe and uncovering the connections they have with us and each other. Can you crack the case?

6th and 7th Grade

Conservation Camp

Join Denver Zoo in its commitment to save wildlife in this special camp. Meet conservationists at Denver Zoo and delve into the challenges, successes, and partnerships to save animals like bison, Lake Titicaca frogs, and big horn sheep. Then take your knowledge on the road! Do your part to build a world where wildlife thrives by participating in REAL field conservation in Colorado. One or two days of this camp involve field trips doing conservation work in the Denver metro area.

6th through 8th Grade

So, You Want to Work at a Zoo

Does your camper dream of one day working in a zoo? There are a plethora of opportunities, but where to begin? From animal care and horticulture to field conservation and education, the roles at Denver Zoo are as diverse as the more than 3,500 animals we care for. Explore some of the many careers that work towards saving wildlife every day.

8th Grade Only

Conservation Camp

Animal Care 101

In this special week of camp, students entering 8th grade will interact directly with Denver Zoo’s animal care staff! Our team of Animal Ambassador zookeepers will teach campers the ins and outs of how they care for and train (small) animals. Campers will discover how keepers set goals for their animals, and how to create fun enrichment that helps our animals show off their impressive, natural behaviors. If your soon-to-be 8th-grader is curious about working at a zoo someday, this camp will demonstrate what caring for the animals is all about!

Safari Camp Safety Measures

Denver Zoo follows local, state and federal guidelines when developing its programs, including the CDC Community Level prevention tool and COVID-19 Guidance for Children’s Day Camps. Additionally, Safari Camps collaborates with a contracted health professional to ensure best practice for camper health and wellness. Denver Zoo may adjust COVID-19 related policies or requirements of staff, volunteers, campers and families and will communicate those updates accordingly.

Face Coverings: Face coverings are recommended indoors for staff, volunteers, and campers.
Group Size: Camp groups will be set as recommended by CDPHE for children’s day camps as it relates to total group numbers, room capacities with social distancing, and/or any additional updates as they become available.
Physical Distancing: Children and staff will maintain physical distance as recommended by CDPHE for children’s day camps, as much as possible.

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What people are saying

“My child will be attending your summer camp as long as she can. Her brother will be attending when he is 4.5, just like his sister. This camp is one of the best experiences ever!”

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