Toronto Zoo Camping Review: Is the Serengeti Bush Camp Worth It?

Did you know you can camp at the Toronto Zoo?

I had no idea Toronto Zoo camping was even a thing until a couple of years ago. I was looking for unique vacation ideas in Ontario at the end of the summer when I stumbled across it.

Camping overnight at the Toronto Zoo is one of the most unique family experiences in Ontario. During our stay at the Serengeti Bush Camp, we got to sleep right inside the zoo, enjoy behind-the-scenes tours, and have an adventure in the zoo after hours.

The camping experience includes a stay in an African bush tent, complete with raised cots, plus all meals. It really is an easy way to test out a camping trip with kids without all the usual stress of a traditional tent campsite.

If you’re wondering whether Toronto Zoo camping is worth the price, here’s exactly what to expect.

Toronto Zoo Camping at a Glance

⭐ Worth it? Yes
💲 Price: $127.43 to $136.28 +HST/ per person
⛺ Sleeps: 4–8 people
🍽 Included Meals: Dinner + breakfast
🎟 Zoo admission: Included
👧 Best for: Kids 6+
😴 Comfort: Basic camping
🚿 Showers: No
⚡ Electricity: No

Is Toronto Zoo Camping Worth It?

For us, absolutely.

The behind-the-scenes tours and private after-hours access to the zoo, makes this experience much more than just a camping trip. Zen loved every minute of it, especially the nighttime scavenger hunt and getting so close to the giraffes.

If we had stayed in a nearby hotel, it would have cost at least $150/night, plus two admission tickets to the zoo would have cost me around $100. Plus the cost of meals. So, $300 for the two of us to stay at the Toronto Zoo camp overnight, with admission to the zoo, behind-the-scenes tours, and two free meals was more than reasonable.

That said, this isn’t for everyone.

The cots are basic, there aren’t any showers, and you’ll probably hear wildlife throughout the night. If you’re expecting a luxury glamping experience, you’ll probably be disappointed. But if your family loves animals and you’re looking for a unique overnight adventure in Ontario, I think it’s well worth the price.

Who Is Toronto Zoo Camping Best For?

I’d recommend it for:

Families with kids ages 6+
Animal lovers
First-time campers who want an easier introduction to camping
Families looking for a unique Ontario getaway

It may not be the best fit for:

Very light sleepers
Families used to luxury accommodations

* Personally, I chose not to bring Brie because I knew the sleeping conditions wouldn’t work well for her. After experiencing it myself, I know that was the right decision. The noise and sleeping setup would have been too much for her.

Toronto Zoo Overnight Camp Overview

The Toronto Zoo camp offers two experiences for families, plus a special night just for adults:

Family Nights: for ages 6 and up
Jr. Nights: geared towards ages 2–5
Adult Nights: for ages 19+

What’s Included In the Toronto Zoo Camping Experience:

One night accommodation in an authentic African bush tent with cots for 4-8 people.
Buffet breakfast and dinner, plus campfire s’mores!
Two special behind-the-scenes guided tours and animal experiences
A fun, after-hours scavenger hunt in the zoo.
A one-day admission ticket for your arrival or departure day (parking not included).

Where is the Toronto Zoo Serengeti Bush Camp

The Serengeti Bush Camp is located right inside the Toronto Zoo, tucked behind the Simba Safari Lodge restaurant in the Africa section. Guests staying at the Toronto Zoo camp don’t park in the main parking lot. Instead, you park for free in the administration building parking lot and take the Zoomobile to the campsite.

Timeline of the Toronto Zoo Camping Family Night

4:15 pm: Arrival at the administration parking lot
4:30 pm: Zoomobile ride to the Bush Camp
5:15 pm: Guided tour and behind-the-scenes experience in the African Savanna
7:00 pm: Buffet dinner at the Simba Safari Lodge restaurant
8:45 pm: Scavenger hunt in the closed zoo
10:00 pm: Campfire and s’mores
11:00 pm: Bedtime
6:45 am: Wake-up time!
7:00 am: Buffet breakfast at the Simba Safari Lodge restaurant
8:00 am: Private African Rainforest Pavilion tour
9:45 am: Zoomobile ride back to the parking area
10:00 am: Departure (or use your free admission to explore the zoo on your own)

How Much is the Toronto Zoo camp?

It is actually surprisingly affordable. Rates are charged per person, for one night:

$127.43+HST (up to age 12).
$136.28 +HST (ages 13+).

Packing Tips for Your Toronto Zoo Camp Adventure

Bring a portable charger: There are no electrical outlets available to campers at the bush camp, so you will want to pack a reliable power bank.
Pack your own bedding: Only a cot is provided, so you need to bring your own pillows and either sleeping bags or blankets.
Don’t forget a flashlight: Bring a flashlight for walking to the washroom at night because the paths get incredibly dark after hours.
Pack warm layers: Bring a sweater or a light jacket in case it gets cool at night.Even in summer, it can feel chilly once the sun goes down.
Leave the snacks at home: Outside food is not allowed inside the campground. I highly recommend you follow that rule unless you want an up-close animal encounter through the night. During our visit, we saw a skunk right at the campsite, and some raccoons in the zoo after dark.

Our Toronto Zoo Camping Experience

We arrived at the administration buildings a good half hour before we needed to be there. Luckily, we weren’t the only ones to get there early, so we talked to a couple of other families while we waited. Before it was time to load our stuff onto the Zoomobile, we were able to go inside the building to use the washroom.

Then, we boarded the tram and made our way through the backlot area of the zoo. One of the Bush Camp guides joined us for the ride, giving us a great guided tour on the way. The path to the camp Zoo takes you through the backlot areas and even some of the main zoo spaces.

Checking Out the Serengeti Bush Campsite

When we arrived at the Bush Camp, we had a bit of time to check out the campground and unpack.

Honestly, the campground is pretty small and basic. There are two sets of tents. Each set is set up in a circle around a campfire with logs and rocks to sit on. There’s also a pavilion with picnic tables off to the side, where we would gather before our tours or adventure.

Each of the bush tents is set on a raised wooden platform that extends out the front. This gives you a small porch with a couple of chairs to relax in. To the side of the tent, there is a post with a sign showing the name of the tent. Ours was called “Mamba”.

There was also a basket with our tent name on it on one of the chairs. The guides warned us that wildlife roaming within the zoo grounds might be attracted to some scented products. Because of that, they instructed us to put all our toiletries in the basket. These are stored overnight to avoid any unwanted visitors in the tents.

What Are the Toronto Zoo Camping Tents Like?

The inside of the tent is pretty cramped. Our tent had four cots, and each one came with a thin half-inch foam mat on top of it.

Zen and I folded up one of the cots on the left side of the tent. We then put our luggage on the other extra cot so we had a bit more space. We also took the foam mat off the extra cots to double up on the ones we were sleeping on. Definitely use this trick if you want to get any sleep during your camping at the Toronto Zoo experience!

What Are the Bathrooms Like?

After helping everyone find their tents, our guides showed us where the washrooms were located. The campsites are separated from the zoo by a gate. Interestingly, the washrooms campers use are actually just the standard public washrooms inside the zoo. They are located just outside the gate on the side of the Simba Safari Lodge. Since these are regular zoo washrooms, there are no showers.

Then we had a bit of time to sit and relax. Despite being inside a busy zoo, the campsite felt surprisingly peaceful. You still hear the zoo around you, but it’s calm in a way you don’t really expect from a place like this.

Behind-the-Scenes Animal Experience #1

Once we were all settled in, our guides called us to gather in the pavilion to get ready for our first activity.

This first guided tour takes place inthe African Savanna,in the evening, while the zoo is still open. It includes a mix of public zoo areas and staff-only spaces. This tour happens in the evening for a reason. The behind-the-scenes portion of the tour includes feeding time with some of the animals!

The giraffes were the absolute highlight for us. Zen loved being up so close to them.

The tour is pretty long, just under two hours, and while you see a lot, it never feels rushed. We were able to take our time viewing all the animals in the public areas while learning interesting facts. Our guides did a great job of presenting the information in an engaging way, so it wasn’t boring for the kids. While I was happy just walking around and seeing all the animals, Zen was really into learning about them.

What Is the Food Like at Toronto Zoo Camping?

Back at camp after the tour, it was finally time for dinner.

Dinner is served pretty late, around 7:00 pm, since they wait until the zoo is closed and serve it at the Simba Safari Lodge. The dining area across from the restaurant overlooks the white rhino exhibit, which gave us something to watch while we ate.

While the dinner is advertised as a buffet, I really wouldn’t call it that. It’s served buffet-style, but there isn’t a huge selection of options. The menu during our visit was chicken breast, pasta, hash browns, corn on the cob halves, salad, and dinner rolls.

What are the Gluten-Free Options at the Zoo Camp?

I had let them know ahead of time that I needed gluten-free options. When we arrived, the staff gave me a veggie burger on a gluten-free bun. I was a bit confused by this since I assumed the chicken would be gluten-free. Fortunately, the staff serving the food confirmed to me that it was. I guess the burger was just a substitute for the pasta and the normal bun. They also confirmed I could eat the hash browns and corn.

It was a good thing the chicken and hash browns were gluten-free, because the veggie burger was definitely not for me. I took one bite, then tossed the patty to the side and just ate the bun. However, the rest of the food was great. Zen went back up for more corn, and I went back up for more of those hash browns.

For dessert, we got to choose between ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. I obviously had a popsicle.

Scavenger Hunt in the Zoo

Before our stay, I had no idea what the evening activity would be. As it turned out, it ended up being the best part of this experience for us.

Imagine doing an in-the-dark scavenger hunt in a closed zoo!

We started by gathering in the pavilion. Our guides handed out a map and a set of clues to each group. The hunt takes place entirely in the African Savanna section of the zoo. It is pretty much just one straight path, and the map shows where each animal is located.

Wandering around the zoo in the dark was such a unique experience. Zen absolutely loved it. She was also really into doing the scavenger hunt. She had no problem figuring out which animal each clue referred to, and she loved racing ahead to find them. Once you got to the correct animal, you found a container with your next clue inside.

At one point, while we were walking around, we heard something rustling nearby. Another family standing near us pointed their flashlight toward the noise. Sure enough, a raccoon was trying to break into a garbage can. We left it alone and went the other way to continue on our hunt, and saw another one a bit later too.

Once we found all the clues, the last one directed us to head back to camp. When everyone returned to the pavilion, the kids worked together to crack a code and unlock a treasure chest. Inside was everything we needed to make s’mores at the campfire, which one of the guides had already started.

Sleeping in the Zoo: What It’s Really Like

After the campfire, Zen and I sat on our porch to relax for a bit before heading to bed. That’s when I saw a skunk walk right up to the extinguished campfire. It was probably looking for some leftover crumbs from those s’mores. Luckily, one of the guides was still out cleaning up, so I let him know. He calmly scared it away.

Once we were inside our tent, I was a bit nervous about the actual wildlife in the zoo. The tents aren’t secured to the floor. So, realistically, the skunk or raccoons we saw could get in if they really wanted to. Luckily, we had followed the rules and didn’t bring any food inside. Plus, anything we had that was scented had been locked up for the night in our basket.

But the wild animals weren’t what kept me up. Trying to sleep on a cot with a couple of thin mats was the real challenge.

I hadn’t camped in a tent since I was a teenager (we’re more of a glamping type of family). And to be perfectly honest, I won’t be doing it again after that night. It took me a couple of hours to get comfortable enough to fall asleep. I was glad I didn’t try to bring Brie, because I know there is no way she would have been able to sleep on those cots.

Despite the rough night’s sleep, it was still neat to be sleeping inside the Toronto Zoo.

Waking Up In the Zoo

Jungle music played in the morning to wake us up, but I had set an alarm to get up before the wake-up call so I could get ready before the bathroom got busy.

Breakfast was also served buffet-style at the Simba Safari Lodge. For gluten-free options, I was able to eat the scrambled eggs, bacon, and fresh fruit. There was no substitution for the pancakes or toast, unfortunately. There was also milk, juice, and coffee or tea available. The breakfast was decent. It wasn’t anything to get overly excited about, but we had no complaints.

We had about an hour to eat and get ourselves ready before our last activity of the Toronto Zoo camp experience.

Behind-the-Scenes Animal Experience #2

By 9:00 am, we were off to our last tour of the day. This time, we got to explore the empty zoo before the public gates opened. This tour started with a special animal demonstration, and then we moved into the African Rainforest Pavilion for another educational tour.

The highlights here for us were definitely the gorillas. And, of course, Zen was thrilled to see another hippo!

Once again, our guides didn’t rush us. We had plenty of time to view all the animals at our own pace. Being able to check out this entire area without the usual daytime crowd was a huge bonus to our sleeping in the zoo adventure.

What Happens After Checkout?

Once we were back at the bush camp, we had a bit of time to pack up.

Zen and I already had all our stuff ready to go, so we took advantage of being inside the zoo before it opened to the public. We went to watch a few animals again, one last time. Then it was time to load up into the Zoomobile and head back to the administration building.

We opted to visit the zoo after our overnight stay. From the administration building, we drove around to the main parking lot. We then spent the rest of the day exploring the areas of the zoo we hadn’t seen with the camp on our own.

It was a nice way to wrap up the experience. You don’t feel rushed out, and you still get a full day to explore at your own pace.

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Final Thoughts: Toronto Zoo Serengeti Bush Camp

Overall, spending the night in the zoo was an amazing experience. Zen absolutely loved it. Being able to see the animals without the usual crowds, plus the behind-the-scenes experiences, was perfect for her. While not all the kids got much out of the educational aspect of the tours, Zen really enjoyed it.

For us, the Serengeti Bush Camp was well worth the cost.

I’m still surprised by how affordable the experience was. For under $150 per person, you get to camp for the night with two meals and a snack included. You also get a fun evening activity, a private tour in the closed zoo, and a second tour with behind-the-scenes experiences. Plus, the price includes free admission to the zoo for either your arrival or departure day.

If your family loves animals and doesn’t mind one night of basic camping, I think Toronto Zoo Camping is well worth the cost. The private tours, after-hours access, and chance to sleep inside the zoo make it an experience that’s hard to find anywhere else in Ontario.

Just come prepared for a true camping experience. Bring extra padding for the cots, pack warm layers, and don’t expect luxury accommodations. If you do, I think you’ll have an amazing time.

Have you stayed at the Toronto Zoo camp? Let me know how your stay went on my Facebook post, and don’t forget to follow me on Facebook to see more attractions and city guides across Ontario and Canada, or check out my TikTok for some visual inspirations!