School Group Night Camps
Create an unforgettable field trip
Our program allows you to choose what date, type of camp, sleeping location, and topic would be best for you. Begin planning your Night Camp experience in four easy steps below! The 2024-25 season is sold out, fill out a request form to start planning for 2025-26!
All Night Camps include:
Pizza dinner | Evening snack | Souvenir water bottle | Guided trail hikes | Activities/games | Up-close animal encounters | For overnight camps: Continental breakfast and admission to the Zoo the next day | Optional Stingray Bay experience
Pricing (per person):
Twilight Camp: $59
ZooLights Twilight Camp: $59
Standard Night Camp: $74
School groups receive 1 free chaperone per each 10 children
Build Your Night Camp
A minimum of 35 participants is required for all Night Camps. Camps may be reserved on any available Wednesday – Saturday night from October – May. Reservations require at least three weeks advanced notice. Call 602.914.4333 or click the request form below to reserve your camp.
Standard Night Camp:
Experience the Zoo from dusk till dawn! Overnight night camps include guided trail hikes, animal encounters, engaging activities, games, and a delicious pizza dinner, late-night snack and a continental breakfast. Best for campers ages 7 and up, you will have the unique opportunity to experience the Zoo when the nocturnal animals are waking up at night and the diurnal animals are waking up in the morning. The only question is will your campers wake up to the sounds of the coyotes yipping or the lions roaring?!
- Duration: Sleep over at the Phoenix Zoo! Camp begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 9:00am the next morning.
- Group Size: Groups require a minimum of 35 paid campers. One adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) is required for each 10 children that attend.
- Food: a Hungry Howie’s Pizza dinner, a snack and a light breakfast are all included in the price of camp.
Twilight Camp:
Visit the Zoo after hours but go to sleep in your own bed! This memorable experience will include guided trail hikes, ambassador animal encounters, hands-on activities, a healthy snack, and a souvenir water bottle. A Twilight Camp is perfect for younger campers, ages 5 and up.
- Duration: Camp begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 10:15 p.m. the same evening.
- Group Size: Groups require a minimum of 35 paid campers. One adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) is required for each 10 children that attend.
- Food: Hungry Howie’s Pizza and a snack are included in the price of camp.
ZooLights Twilight Camp: Available Wed-Sat nights from Nov 30-Dec 19*
Want to experience the magic of ZooLights with your class? We offer this special option during the holiday season only! Includes all the fun of a regular Night Camp and ends with your group exploring ZooLights at your own pace.
- Duration: Camp begins at 6:15 p.m. and ends at 10:30 p.m. the same evening.
- Group Size: Groups require a minimum of 35 paid campers. One adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) is required for each 10 children that attend.
- Food: Hungry Howie’s Pizza and a snack are included in the price of camp.
*Overnight camps are not available during this timeframe.
Desert Tents
- Permanent concrete-floored canvas tents with ceiling fans
- Sleeps up to 90 campers in four separate tents
- Includes centralized outdoor fire pit (weather permitting)
Neely Events and Education Center
- Climate-controlled classroom
- Sleeps up to 90 campers in partitioned sections
- Exclusive view of the sand cats exhibit
The Phoenix Zoo is excited to offer a variety of Night Camp programs for you to choose from! The following programs are aligned to current Arizona State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. If you are booking a Custom Night Camp, you can also explore topics on our Girl Scout Camps Page for more ideas!
Desert Survival (Recommended for grades 3 – 4) Desert animals have developed amazing abilities and methods to overcome the challenges they face in the harsh desert environment. Using the scientific inquiry process, and with a focus on local species, campers will examine the adaptations that allow plants, animals, and people to conserve water in the desert!
Food Webs (Recommended for grades 3 – 5): Campers will come face-to-face with creatures of all different trophic levels. Using critical thinking and problem solving to learn about a food web model, campers will discover everything on Earth has an important place in our global ecosystem!
STEM at the Zoo (Recommended for grades 5 – 8 and above): Animals need food, water and shelter to survive, but what do they need to thrive? Observe for yourself the complex needs of animals and how the Zoo uses STEM to meet those needs. Using the engineering design process, campers will be challenged to design a new invention for an animal at the Zoo and discover just how YOU can care for native animals in your community.
Conservation (Recommended for grades 5 – 8 and above): Conservation work is an important & often difficult process that involves many interested parties. Campers will learn about conservation methods, as well as take on the role of an interested party to consider multiple perspectives when it comes to conservation.
Overnight Night Camp is for students 7 years and above. For younger students, please select the Twilight Camp option.
A minimum of one adult chaperone (at least 18 years of age) for each 10 children that attend.
Once you reserve your date, you must complete and return a confirmation form within 10 school days to keep your reservation.
Minimum of 35 participants.
Camps may be reserved on available dates, Wednesday – Saturday night from October – May.
Reservations require at least 3 weeks’ advanced notice.
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
Plan your visit today!
The Phoenix Zoo is one of the largest non-profit zoos in the U.S., caring for over 3,000 animals, with nearly 400 species represented, including many threatened/endangered species.
