Giraffes & the Rhino Savanna
Giraffes, ostriches and greater kudu share a wide habitat with mountain views, and black rhinos roam the Rhino Savanna. Look for cheetahs, meerkats and African painted dogs too.
African SafariReservations
760 201 1009
Desert Luxury Estates · Things to Do
The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens
A little wild, a world away from the everyday. Giraffes, rhinos and desert gardens, with the afternoon still free for the pool.
Your desert, discovered
Make room for a wild morning.
Giraffes against a mountain backdrop, black rhinos up close, and gardens that change how you see this landscape.
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens in Palm Desert brings a different kind of adventure to a Greater Palm Springs stay. Build a morning around the animals, leave room for a garden detour, and be back at your vacation home with most of the day still ahead.
The essentials
Living Desert tickets, hours & getting here
Choose your date first, then plan the rest of the day around it.
Admission
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult, 18+ | $44.95 |
| Youth, ages 3–17 | $34.95 |
| Under 3 | Free |
| Military, active & retired | $37.95 |
Prices can vary by date, and advance purchase is required, so confirm the total for your day in the official booking flow.
Choose a date & see current pricesOpening hours
- October 1 – May 31
- 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
- Last entry
- 4 p.m.
- June 1 – September 30
- 7 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- Last entry
- 12:30 p.m.
Open daily except December 25. In summer the zoo closes early afternoon, so make it a morning outing: arriving after lunch leaves almost no time.
Confirm hours & exceptionsGetting here
47900 Portola Avenue, Palm Desert, CA 92260, a short drive from homes in Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage and Indian Wells. Directions from your vacation home.
Parking & paying
Parking is free, with EV chargers at the south end of the lot. The zoo is cashless: bring a card or phone wallet (the third-party gift shops are the only exception).
Leave pets at home
Pets aren’t allowed in the zoo, and it asks guests not to leave them in the car. Staying in a pet-friendly home? Plan the morning with your four-legged guest settled back at the house.
Source: The Living Desert visitor information. Hours, prices and programs can change.
Wildlife, up close
Three regions. One remarkable desert day.
African Safari, Australian Adventures and Wild Americas give the visit a natural shape. Pick the animals your group most wants to see, then build a route around the day’s keeper talks and encounters.
Leave the first half-hour unhurried. Pause at a habitat, look past the animal nearest the path, and let it feel like discovery rather than a checklist. Animal visibility varies through the day.
No barriers on the walkabout
Bennett’s wallabies, emus, laughing kookaburras and bearded dragons, along a walkabout path with no barriers, so the animals may come for a closer look. Move slowly and follow staff guidance.
Australian AdventuresMeet the desert’s neighbors
Mountain lions, Mexican wolves, peccaries, desert bighorn sheep and a walk-through aviary, many of them animals of this region, which puts the landscape outside into context.
Wild Americas
Make it memorable
Choose your animal experience.
One special stop can be the centerpiece of the morning.
Giraffe feeding
A walk-up experience: buy it at the feeding station, no reservation needed. Use only the zoo’s food and follow staff directions, and have a camera ready.
$10 per feedingMembers $8
Oct–May: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Jun–Sep: 8 a.m. – noon
Oct–May: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Jun–Sep: 8 a.m. – noon
Rhino Encounter
Join the morning feeding routine of a critically endangered black rhino, with the team who cares for it. Daily at 8:30 a.m. for up to 10 guests. Ages 5 and up; under-16s need a paying adult. Admission is separate.
$60 per personMembers $55
Plus admission. Reserve ahead: sessions fill quickly.
Plus admission. Reserve ahead: sessions fill quickly.
Private Safari Tour
A two-hour tour with your own guide and private shuttle, including admission and giraffe feeding. Departs 9 a.m. (October–May) or 8 a.m. (June–September); minimum two guests, reservations required. Children under 3 are free.
Book well ahead: as of October 21, 2026, the zoo lists private tours as sold out through April 13, 2027.
From $99 per adult
| Non-member | Mon–Thu | Fri–Sun |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | $99 | $109 |
| Child | $69 | $79 |
Rats to the Rescue
Meet a HeroRAT, an African giant pouched rat trained to sniff out illegal wildlife products and help stop wildlife trafficking, with a live scent-detection demonstration. Same age rules as the Rhino Encounter.
$30 per personPlus admission. Reservations recommended.
Experience details checked October 21, 2026; availability and animal participation can change. Official experiences & reservations · 760-346-5694
Take the scenic way
The gardens deserve their own moment.
More than 50 desert gardens hold roughly 1,200 plant species, from the Chihuahuan Desert and Baja California (look for the whimsical boojum tree) to East Africa, Madagascar and the Mojave and Colorado deserts around you.
Slow down for the shapes, textures and changing light. For couples or anyone with a camera, a garden stop is a lovely counterpoint to the animal habitats.
Want to add a trail?
Hiking trails are open 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., October 1 – May 31, inside the zoo grounds. Check access on the day; zoo admission in summer doesn’t mean the trails are open.
Discovery Loop · 0.5 mile
A flat, sandy, 15-minute stroll.
Adventure Loop · 1.5 miles
Relatively flat with gentle inclines, climbing to broad views of the San Andreas Fault and through a desert wash.
Wilderness Loop · 5 miles
A real hike: 736 feet of elevation gain, steep inclines and rock scrambling. Start early, carry water, and give it its own time.
Official trail details, seasonal access & map · More hikes in our Greater Palm Springs hiking guide
An easy day out
A morning at the zoo. An afternoon your way.
Our suggested first visit, not a zoo schedule.
Start at opening
Tickets ready on your phone, the free app downloaded for its GPS map and today’s schedule, and your first habitat chosen before you set off.
Give your favorites the first hour
Go where your group is most excited. If giraffe feeding is on the list, fit its window into the route early.
Mix discovery with a pause
Follow your interests into a second region, slow down in the gardens, and stop for water or a snack before anyone needs one.
Leave a little energy for later
Finish with one more favorite, then lunch in Palm Desert or back to the pool for a lazy afternoon.
Make the plan fit your group
With little ones: pick two or three priorities and an easy exit. A shorter, happy visit beats seeing everything.
With several generations: agree a meeting place, book any shared experience first, and ask about mobility needs before you arrive.
For couples: add an extra garden stop and keep lunch unhurried.
Check the forecast before you leave; it decides your timing and how much walking to plan. Our Palm Springs weather guide.
Ready for the outdoors
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A hat and sun protection
- A refillable water bottle
- A charged phone for tickets and the map
- A light layer for a cool winter morning
Food & family stops
Bighorn Cafe overlooks the bighorn sheep habitat, Crash Cafe does quick snacks and drinks, Kookaburra Cafe sits in Australian Adventures, and Thorn Tree Grill serves burgers and hot dogs. For kids: the Oasis Splash Pad (pack a change of clothes), Goat Kraal, model trains and the Endangered Species Carousel.
Comfort & access
Wide paved paths suit strollers and wheelchairs; the nature trails don’t. Strollers, wheelchairs and scooters can be rented at the entrance, first come, first served. The Living Desert is a Certified Autism Center with free sensory resources. Only trained service dogs are permitted.
Current dining, family activities, accessibility, map & policies · Guest Services 760-346-5694
The Living Desert FAQs
Is The Living Desert in Palm Springs or Palm Desert?
Palm Desert, east of Palm Springs in the Greater Palm Springs area. Use 47900 Portola Avenue for directions from your vacation home.
How long should we spend at The Living Desert?
We suggest 3–4 hours for a relaxed first visit. Your pace, the weather and any booked experiences decide the rest, and the longer trails deserve time of their own.
Do we need to buy tickets in advance?
Yes. The zoo requires advance purchase. Use the official booking calendar to check your date and the final price.
Is giraffe feeding included in admission?
No. It’s a separate walk-up purchase at the feeding station ($10 per feeding for non-members). The Private Safari Tour includes it.
Is it worth visiting without children?
For anyone who enjoys wildlife, gardens or an unhurried outdoor morning, we think so. The Rhino Encounter, the gardens and the Adventure Loop make an adult day of it.
Can we visit in summer?
Yes, but early. From June 1 to September 30 the zoo opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 1:30 p.m., and the hiking trails’ published season ends May 31. Plan around the forecast and keep the outing short.
Can we bring our dog?
No: pets aren’t allowed, and the zoo asks you not to leave them in the car. Only trained service dogs are admitted, and you should tell the admissions staff on arrival.
Can we combine it with the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway?
You can, but we’d give them separate days if your stay allows: a zoo morning in Palm Desert and a mountain outing in Palm Springs each deserve room. Our Aerial Tramway guide.
Stay a little closer
Your Palm Desert home base.
Make space for the outings you love and the downtime that makes a vacation feel like one. Explore Desert Luxury Estates homes in Palm Desert, minutes from the zoo, and let our concierge team help plan the days out.
Planning source: The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Prices and hours checked October 21, 2026; confirm current details before your visit. Desert Luxury Estates is not affiliated with The Living Desert; booking is with the zoo.
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