Horticulture Tour
See a different side of the San Diego Zoo—its green side! Along with having one of the finest animal collections in the world, the San Diego Zoo is also a world-class botanical garden. Over 700,000 plants grace the Zoo’s grounds and create a peaceful landscape for our visitors to enjoy, and the perfect environment for our animal inhabitants. San Diego’s mild Mediterranean climate makes it possible to grow more different kinds of plants than almost anywhere else in the United States.
We’d like to share our garden and its rich history with you. Our Horticulture Department staff is available for private guided tours of the Zoo’s flora for your garden club, school, family, or other group. Each tour can be custom designed to fit the interests or needs of your group (minimum of 15 participants). For example, you can choose a tour that gives a general overview of the Zoo’s gardens and history; one that delves into a certain collection of plants, such as our ficus or palm trees; a tour through a specific garden area, perhaps Fern Canyon or the orchid greenhouse; or one that focuses on growing the bamboo and eucalyptus fed to the pandas and koalas.
It’s your tour—tell us what you’d like to see and learn, and we’ll make it happen! Horticulture Tours are 1.5 to 2 hours, depending on your preference. Reservations are required.
