ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS

Take a walk on the wild side, literally!

Enjoy these awesome animals up close - just you and your family or friends! Take a walk with our drop-dead gorgeous tigers as one of our professional photographers captures this special, once in a lifetime moment.

Timing and Days:

• Tiger Walks are held 7 days a week.
• Tiger Walks are conducted from 8:30am - 9:00am. Participants must meet at Australia Zoo Admissions at 8:00am.

Package Includes:

• A professional Australia Zoo Photographer to capture the action.
• Three photos per person (two 4"x6" and one 8"x6"). Discounted photo packages available.

Price and Guest Limit:

• $500 for 3-4 guests or $400 for 1-2 guests.
• Maximum of 4 participants per walk.
• Minimum age of participants is 15 years.

Access to Australia Zoo:

• As Tiger Walks are held prior to opening hours, guests are required to be at Australia Zoo's admission gates 30 minutes prior to the encounter, where they will be greeted and escorted into Zoo premises.
• Entry into Australia Zoo is not included, however, a 20% discount off entry is available if the group wishes to visit the zoo after their experience.

Bookings:

• Bookings must be made in advance through the Australia Zoo Information and Tour Desk on (07) 5436 2002 or email via our contact form

Please Note:

• The Tiger Photo Session may be cancelled if the weather is bad. The encounter will be rescheduled for later that day or the next available date.

Terms and Conditions

1. A 50% deposit (non-refundable) is required upon booking. This deposit is also non-transferable if cancellation is within 48hrs of Walk.
2. Big Cat Encounters are available to participants who are 15 years of age and above only.
3. Enclosed shoes and either long shorts or pants may be worn during the encounter.
4. Clothing should be fitted (not overly baggy) and must be neutral in colour.
5. All participants must agree to follow all instructions given by the handlers at all times.
6. As these walks primarily form part of the Big Cats exercise, it will not be a formal session. That is, whenever the Big Cat stops – everyone stops. This time will then be utilised for photo opportunities.
7. Final numbers must be confirmed a minimum of 2 days before the encounter date.
8. Participants must be fit and healthy and able to walk without assistance at a reasonable pace over rough terrain for 30 minutes.
9. Participants must have full motor skill capacity and have no limps, wheelchairs or walking aides.
10. It is essential for the safety of our guests that all participants must be able to squat/kneel down and stand back up quickly without assistance. (This is due to the possibility of cats rolling over toward the guests.)
11. Participants may be asked to cease the encounter at any time for whatever reason at the handler’s discretion.
12. Please ensure that your hands are clean prior to beginning the encounter.
13. No personal items or food are permitted to be taken on the encounter, including cameras. Mobile phones if taken must be turned off.
14. Please remember that Big Cats are predatory animals and are quite capable of exercising their natural instincts.
15. Do not under any circumstances attempt to roughly handle the Big Cat.
16. The Big Cat can be patted on the back only; please do not touch their heads, faces or any other body parts.
17. Australia Zoo does not take any responsibility for any injuries that are received. First Aid will be called if required.
18. An Australia Zoo photographer will be present during the walk to capture the action.
19. Guests are welcome to wait at admissions for their photos or take advantage of our 20% off Big Cat Entry Discount and collect their photos from the Fujifilm Photography lab on the same day!
20. The Big Cat Encounter will be cancelled if weather is bad. The encounter will be rescheduled for later that day or the next available date.

Animal Encounter Enquiry Form

We need your name, email address, which Encounter you're interested in, and anything else you can tell us about your trip to Australia Zoo! If you know what day you're coming, and your preferred Encounter is available, we'll contact you to confirm the booking, or we can give you details of alternative available Encounters.