Animal Encounters at Hamilton Zoo
Curiosity meets conservation
Get ready for an adventure unlike any other with Hamilton Zoo’s Animal Encounters! Immerse yourself in the wonderful world of wildlife as you get up close and personal with our incredible animals. From majestic big cats to playful primates, you will get face-to-face with some of our iconic animals and discover more about their diets, behaviours and habitats. From $39.00 per person, Animal Encounters are available to book for guests 5 years and older.
We take an Animal-led approach with our Animal Encounters, with no fixed regular schedule and allow them to participate voluntarily, overall to ensure their contentment and welfare. By booking an Animal Encounter, you are supporting vital conservation work. With 80% of your purchase going directly towards supporting the species both at Hamilton Zoo and in the wild.
Animal Encounter tickets
Standard Hamilton Zoo entry fee applies in addition to the price of the Animal Encounter.
All participants must be over the age of 5 years old. Children 5-15 years of age must have an accompanying adult (booked and paid) with them on the encounter. There must be at least one adult per every three children.
Porcupine Encounter
$39.00
Macaw and Agouti Encounter
$39.00
Tuatara Encounter
$39.00
Lemur Encounter
$59.00
Rhino Encounter
$59.00
Tiger Encounter
$99.00
Understanding our animal-first approach
Ensuring the wellbeing of our animals is our top priority at Hamilton Zoo. As we prioritise the natural behaviours and needs of our animals, we do not follow a fixed schedule for Animal Encounters.
Our approach allows the animals to participate voluntarily, ensuring their contentment and welfare.
General information
Standard Hamilton Zoo entry fee applies in addition to the price of the Animal Encounter.
Every Animal Encounter is unique and the amount of interaction will be led by the animals themselves to ensure their welfare.
All participants must be over the age of 5 years old. Children 5-15 years of age must have an accompanying adult (booked and paid) with them on the encounter. There must be at least one adult per every three children.
Please read our full terms and conditions before booking.
How to purchase an Animal Encounter as a gift
If you’d like to gift an Animal Encounter but aren’t ready to book a specific date, purchase a gift voucher instead. Simply enter the value of the encounter as the voucher amount in the 'choose your own value' field and complete your payment. Once done, you’ll receive a gift voucher that you can either print out or send directly to the recipient via email.
Please note: The entry fee is not included in the Animal Encounter price. For more details, see our terms and conditions.