Has anyone done the VIP tour at the Taronga Zoo. Do you think it is worth the extra money, do you get up close with the animals?
Will be there in July and am thinking about doing it and would like feedback

We did the VIP tour, at least I think it's the same thing you are talking about. For a few dollars extra, we hired the personal tour guide, which is a retiree who volunteers at the zoo. We didn't get any closer to the animals, then if we walked around ourselves. He really didn't tell us much more then what we could have read off the signs.

He was a nice man though, and he enjoyed doing it. But I probably would just skip it and walk around on my own next time, because we ended up back tracking to some of the spots he rushed us at.

Hope I helped.

Amy

There was an article in the NY Times Travel section on Sunday about the Taronga Zoo. I didn't read it too closely but they may have mentioned the tour. You might want to check it out - you can probably read the article on the web.

Didn't do the VIP tour but you can see our Taronga Zoo pics online at http://www.sd4.com/australia/picbody...mp;m=1&s=3.

The article in the New York Times was enthusiastic about the zoo and made me glad we'll be there in August. No mention was made of the VIP tour however. The article said it was easy to get a bit lost in the zoo, but it didn't matter because everything was interesting anyway so it didn't matter what path you were on.

I read the NY Times article and when I went to the website they mentioned I found out about the VIPAussie tour. Sounds like it is a small group tour and it sounds like you get a little behind the scenes. Still curious if anyone has done this?

We did it in April. We enjoyed it. We got to hold a wombat, echidna, bushtail possum, dragon lizard, python, and a 2-headed lizard (it doesn't have 2 heads but the tail looks like a head). We had 2 ladies that were the best guides. They worked hard and pulled their strings to get us into most of the enclosures. They also took us to see the koalas up close before the "Picture with Koala" time. I got my best picture there. Also we tried to find the kangaroo rat, but it was hiding very well. My husband hates zoos because of the animals in cages, but we really enjoyed this one.

For something different...an insiders view of the zoo and a chance to meet a random group of locals try the "roar and snore" sleepover at Taronga zoo on weekend nights.

Have heard excellent reports of a fun educational night.