Time to sign up for a guided tour!
The new school year has begun, and with students returning to the classroom, it is also the perfect time to explore opportunities to learn beyond the usual school environment. Riga ZOO offers both guided tours and educational sessions led by knowledgeable guides, combining animal observation with stories about nature, culture, species conservation and even issues relevant to society today. For those who would like to discover the zoo outside the learning environment, there are also special offers for birthday celebrations and adult groups – all that remains is to choose the one that suits you best.
From animal tales to tropical tricks
Riga ZOO offers a wide variety of guided tours for school groups, families, friends and work teams. Join the “Following in the Footsteps of Rīga ZOO Celebrities” tour to meet some of the zoo’s best-known residents and discover the stories behind them. On the “How Different We Are!” tour, you will explore the diversity of the animal world, while “Tropical Tricks” reveals how different species camouflage themselves, imitate others and use a variety of strategies to survive.
Rīga ZOO also offers the “Animals in Latvian Nature and Culture” tour, which is included in the “Latvijas skolas soma” cultural education programme. Guided by a zoo educator, pupils discover animals through Latvian city coats of arms, legends, folk tales and research-based activities.
A lesson can take place at the zoo too
Rīga ZOO also offers educational sessions for school groups, ranging from preschool children to students in Grade 12. These sessions are available with funding from the programme “STEM and Civic Participation Activities for Broader Educational Experience and Career Choice”. When choosing an educational session funded through the STEM programme, the participation fee is EUR 9 per pupil, including both zoo admission and the guide’s services.
A new addition to the programme is the role-playing activity “One World for All”, designed for students in Grades 10–12. Participants take on the roles of government representatives, local residents and nature conservation organisations, discuss real species conservation challenges and argue which decisions should be made. The activity is particularly suitable for biology, environmental science and social science studies.
Turn a birthday into an adventure!
A birthday at Rīga ZOO can become much more than a traditional party. Instead of gathering everyone around a festive table, turn the celebration into a shared adventure at the zoo. During the “Birthday at Rīga ZOO” tour, the guide adapts the route to the birthday guest’s interests, spending more time with their favourite animals and sharing stories about them. By contrast, the “Birthday Expedition” is particularly suitable for young explorers aged 7–12 – the birthday child and guests set off through the zoo with a guide, solving tasks, answering riddles and following clues along the way.
A tour that will give you plenty to talk about afterwards
When we talk about species conservation, there is one important question we should not leave out – how do those adorable baby animals actually come into the world? Reproduction is one of the key processes ensuring the survival of species, and over time each species has developed its own, often surprisingly unusual strategies. This is exactly what Rīga ZOO’s adults-only tour “Wildly Sexy” explores. The guide reveals just how unexpected animal partner selection, mating behaviour and reproductive strategies can be. The tour is especially suitable for groups of friends, work teams and other adult groups looking for a shared activity that is a little different from a conventional guided tour – and one that is certain to leave plenty to discuss afterwards.
How to book a guided tour or educational session
If you would like to explore the full range of Rīga ZOO guided tours and educational sessions and find the best option for your group, more information is available at www.rigazoo.lv/ekskursijas and www.rigazoo.lv/macibu-nodarbibas. Once you have made your choice, book your guided tour or educational session by emailing zooskola@rigazoo.lv or calling +371 22003212.
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