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Join one of our Education staff members for a 45-minute tour of your choice. Our interactive tours include fun-filled facts, wildlife conservation information, and the inside scoop on our animals. The tours are designed for K-12th grades and special needs groups. Please look below to find the tour that's best for you!
Tours are offered Tuesdays through Fridays, August - May. Please call for available times. A program fee of $55 is charged for each tour reserved. All programs must be reserved two weeks in advance by calling the Education Department at 803.779.8717x1113 Monday through Friday between 9:00am and 4:00pm.
If you have any questions, please email Elisa Roberts. |
| AVAILABLE TOUR PROGRAMS (click each tour title for more information) |
| + Wild Weather (for grade K) |
| Have you ever seen a tiger in a parka or a flamingo in a rain suit? The weather can be wild so how do animals survive? Tour the Zoo to observe the changes in seasons and see how animals survive weather in the wild. |
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| + Leaf in Paw (for grades 1-2) |
| Do plants get up and walk around to spread seeds? Are koalas really that picky about the leaves they eat? Have you ever heard the story of the ant and the acacia? Tour the Zoo to find out how plants and animals go together like leaf in paw. |
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| + Tell Tail (for grades 3-4) |
| From blankets, to rudders, to signs, tails do more than just hang around! Tour the Zoo and look at it from a whole new perspective, the tail end. Find out how important this physical adaptation is for many behavioral adaptations! |
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| + Balancing Act (for grades 5-6) |
| Biotic and abiotic factors create quite a balancing act in ecosystems. Tour the Zoo to visit forests, marshes, grasslands, and oceans in just 45 minutes. Find out how unique these ecosystems are, how interdependence keeps ecosystems running, and what we can do to help maintain the balancing act. |
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| + Animal Behaviors 101 (for grades 6-12) |
| It takes more than good looks to survive in the wild. Animals have to out compete, outwit and out play to survive. Tour the Zoo with us to find out how behaviors help animals survive and what enrichment is all about! |
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| + Animals Around the World (for grades 6-12) |
| Around the world in 80 days? Explore the world's biomes with us in just 45 minutes. Your around-the-world adventure will take you to places like the grasslands of Africa, taiga of Russia and rainforests of Southeast Asia, but get you back in time for lunch. |
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| + The List: A Conservation Challenge (for grades 6-12) |
| Some celebrities make the "A" list; some animals make the "E" list. Making the list is great for celebrities, but not for animals. Tour the Zoo to see animals that have made the list and animals that have made it off the list. Find out what Riverbanks is doing to get animals off the list and to help prevent animals from making the list in the future! |
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| + Zoo and Garden Careers (for grades 6-12) |
| Are you interested in photography, art, retail, horticulture or guest services? Believe it or not, the Zoo might be the place for you! Take a tour with us where you'll see that it really takes teamwork and a lot of talented people to run the Zoo. |
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| Whether your group includes casual visitors or avid gardeners, young students or seasoned explorers, a trained horticulturist will help you develop a fun and interactive tour to fit your needs. |
| AVAILABLE TOUR PROGRAMS (click each tour title for more information) |
| + General Tour (for grades 6-12) |
| Participants will explore the 25 themed areas of the Garden as well as learn about the historical significance of the site. Explanations of plant combinations are given with emphasis on plants of interest. Plants with special conservation needs are highlighted. |
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Guided tours may be scheduled Monday-Saturday. |
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Tours must be scheduled in advance by calling 803.779.8717 x1799. |
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Tours last approximately one hour. |
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Tours cost $55 for a maximum group of 25. For groups of more than 25, you may split your group and pay for the number of tours required. |
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Experience Riverbanks Zoo through the eyes of the animal care staff. Walk on the “wild side” as you get an inside look at some out-of-sight places. Explore the animal hospital, take a peek inside the animal kitchen, and meet a live animal! Adventure Tours allow participants to marvel at the unique challenges of animal care and the amazing efforts that go into creating and sustaining a world-class zoo. This fun-filled tour ends with a tasty treat.
Join Us for an Adventure Tour today! |
