Truly a hidden gem. I can't believe it took seeing their capybaras on Instagram Reels to bring this place to my attention! It's in quite far-out Scottsdale, but worth the trip and a beautiful drive from Phoenix proper. The largest reptile sanctuary in the US, this place has plenty to see. I love supporting their work rescuing animals abandoned in the exotic pet trade. We visited for a twilight Croc Walk and the highlight here was the staff. They're passionate and informed, willing to answer questions about all the animals. I enjoyed petting some sweet snakes and feeding tortoises some lettuce. Overall, it's cheaper and more intimate than the zoo. I look forward to returning and bringing friends and family who are visiting Arizona. (Why did I only take good pictures of their least exotic animals?) read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

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This was our first time here and we were blown away! I have two sons ages 4 & 6 and they have not stopped talking about everything we got to see/do! Blythe was our tour guide and she was SO amazing, patient, sweet and so incredibly knowledgeable. I especially appreciated her kindness with my 6 year old who is a huge reptile fan and had a million questions a minute, Blythe is a true gem. I'm really appreciative of the way she interacted with my kids and made sure everyone could hear/see what she was talking to us about. We got to feed the tortoises, chickens, my boys got to hold snakes and see so many other reptiles, crocodiles, alligators and so many more awesome creatures! It's worth every penny, and the drive (for us.) I would recommend this, 10/10!! read more

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Oh, wow, we had some time off with family in town this past week and I was looking for activities that were both new to me and new to my visitors with small children. I've never heard of the herpetological sanctuary before, but it looked interesting enough. I was hum-ho about the entry price at first, it is quite the cost when you're bringing 8 people at ~$25 per person, but I decided to bite the bullet, every dollar goes to support the sanctuary after all. This was hands down the sleeper activity that no one was expecting. A few of the young ones in our group are into lizards and bugs so I thought they'd have an enjoyable afternoon. The sanctuary features a huge amount of rare reptilian rescues reside right here in our own city. Our tour was guided by Blythe, and she sure knew her stuff. She walked us through and talked about all the various turtles, tortoises, snakes, lizards, and the many crocodiles and alligators they have living right here in town. I was personally in shock at how many cool and even endangered species they have rescued here. During our tour I had mentioned one of the kids in our group were planning to acquire a lizard soon and Blythe let us on to the fact that they also adopt out the rescued reptiles and they in fact had a few of the exact geckos they were interested in. We left that day with a lot more reptilian knowledge than we came in with and a few weeks later one of their reptiles were rescued for a cost that was much, much less expensive than buying a $200 pet store gecko. Over all, I'm super glad we visited, as much as it painted me to take a $200 tour of the facility at first, it was worth every penny we spent for the experience. Your kids will love it here and you might just find that you yourself as an adult will enjoy the experience also. Who knows, maybe this is where you're going to find your own next reptilian friend to rescue. read more

What a cool experience! I'm not much of a reptile fan and I had a great time on the private tour. Our tour guide was very knowledge about the crocs, reptiles and animals; which was great because we asked a ton of questions. The private tour will get you 2 hours around the property. You are able to see a number of different crocs, snakes, tortoises, and the capybara! Meeting spud was the highlight of my experience. read more

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I took my 6 year old granddaughter to a field trip with her homeschool group that my daughter organized. Unfortunately, my daughter had complications during her pregnancy and was hospitalized after her baby was born preterm. They both remained in the hospital so I took my granddaughter to the outing for some normalcy. During her talk, Chelsea told the kids why we shouldn't kill rattlesnakes and my granddaughter shared that her mom ran over a rattlesnake. My granddaughter also shared with Chelsea that her mom and new baby brother were in the hospital at which point Chelsea told her it was Karma for running over the rattlesnake. Some people shouldn't been around children and clearly Chelsea is one of them. I am so horrified at her comment a 6 year old. Don't take your kids here!!!! read more

I had such a great time here! The staff are so knowledgeable and kind. There are so many amazing animals to view during the tour. And at the end we got to hold and interact with some! It was worth the cost by a long shot and really made my trip to Phoenix stand out. They're super kid friendly as well. read more

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What a fun place!!! The tour was so thorough and Blythe was such a great guide!! She's so knowledgeable and such a fun personality! So many fun critters and was so cool to be able to hold some of the snakes!! Can't wait to come back with our kiddos, this place is awesome! read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Holding the snakes - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

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I read a lot of great reviews about the camp. Our son went at 14 with his friend, also 14. They both said there was a little hands on animal experience in the morning and the rest of the day was mainly crafts. Not what these teens were expecting, maybe ok for much younger kids who can enjoy crafts in light of expecting a focus on hands on animal experience. They said the minimal hands on experience part was really fun! read more

This place is amazing! You must book a tour in advance. We did the group tour and there was a small group of 5 total. Chelsea was our tour guide and she's awesome! The tour took just about 2 1/2 hours. In that time you will see a ton of animals and learn so much! It was super interesting and interactive. Really one of the best places I've been to. I love the overall mission of this place. If you are looking for any pet reptiles this would be the place to go. They also offer educational resources such as how to relocate a rattlesnake safely. The building with venomous snakes and anti-venom was such an interesting place and the guy who works in that area came out and chatted with us. I was able to learn a lot about the process of obtaining anti-venom which was pretty neat! I'll definitely be back as I'm sure each time is a different experience. You should add this to your list of things to do in the Phoenix area! read more

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Had such a wonderful time here. We did the private tour which was well worth it! Jordan was very knowledgeable and fun. We got to watch the Crocodile keeper do some feedings. We fed and pet many tortoises and Mr. Spud the capybara. We also got to hold little sweet coconut an albino ball python. Looking forward to their evening and halloween events! Definitely a hidden gem and would be a wonderful activity for families and children. read more

Completely blown away by our tour yesterday. Blythe was our guide and really went above and beyond with our group. She is an incredible multi taker, she was kind, informative and most importantly kept the attention of 2 handfuls of toddlers throughout the tour. At one point, my son fell and scraped his knee, and she immediately contacted another team member and requested a bandage and some neosporin. Thank you, Blythe for the amazing tour, you are truly a gem read more

Completely impressed with our tour. Jordan was great and extremely informative. She never seemed bothered by any of my 100 questions which I greatly appreciate. My family and I enjoyed our experience. So many different types of reptiles. We hope they continue to thrive and grow with the support of the public so they can continue to save more animal lives. This place is a must even if you don't have children. read more

I took my toddler to visit last year and I forgot to add a review! This place is amazing. Forget the phoenix zoo, make a reservation to take your kids here! The fact that it's educational, amazing care for the animals, and they let you get into the Galapagos tortoise enclosure!!!! Wow my inner child was soooo stoked!!! Snakes, crocs, lizards, you name it they have it. Such a special spot. Support them! Don't miss this place. Great experience!! read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - My two year old and the Galapagos tortoises!! - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

This place was honestly just so cool. If you're in the area, just do yourself the favor and book the tour. You get to see lots of cool animals and learn a lot about them! We were super lucky when we went, we had the best tour guide, Aries! She is super passionate about her job and extremely knowledgeable. read more

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Really, good experience! We got the private tour and got to pet the capybaras and the tortoises, along with the snakes and more! The tour quality was exceptional! We got a very nice young woman named Blay(sorry if I get the name wrong ). She was fenomenal the value of my tour was exceptional considering that we also got to see the lizards etc. read more

I have been wanting to visit Phoenix Herpetological Society for years now and I finally got to on my birthday! We attended a public sanctuary tour which fit our needs perfectly! Our tour guide was very friendly, answered all of our questions, and was mindful throughout the whole tour. It was a small-mid size group with 6-7 children and 6-7 adults. $25 for adults, $20 for children and seniors. Kids 0-3 are free. We got to see so many awesome critters! Tortoises, crocs, alligators, snakes, lizards, capybaras and such. The hands on portion were primarily in the beginning and end, allowing us to hold a tortoise and a snake, as well as pet some other reptiles. I loved learning about all of the animals, their stories, and how they came to the sanctuary. I love that they offer camps for the kiddos and trainings such as venemous snake training. I also found out that they have an adoption program as well. Glad we got to visit! The educational aspect allows for our community to feel less afraid and better understand animals that are commonly misconceived as "evil" or "bad." read more

I took my students here for a field trip and it was fantastic! Our guide Jordan was phenomenal. Engaging middle school students can be challenging, but they loved every moment. Students even had an opportunity to hold/touch a snake and lizard during the trip. What memories! read more

I took the "Public Venomous Snake Training" course with Cale just to learn more about Rattlesnakes and maybe how to relocate them should I find one in my yard out of fear of my pets/cats. I really wasn't sure what to expect but was both excited and motivated to learn what I could. But I found this class to be awesome for basic knowledge, understanding, and importance as a foundational course. It did leave me wanting more though which is a credit to how good this course was. After the classroom part, the handing part was dived into two (2) parts. The first, which I especially appreciated, was the opportunity to practice on a non-venomous Gardner snake with the snake tongs before working with a Rattlesnake. The Gardener snake was long, sleek and skinny and very fast. You really had to be quick and deliberate with the tongs to properly capture it and place it into a transportation container (think home depot bucket with screw-on lid). So when we got to the larger, fatter, heavier and, so much slower Rattlesnake, it was much easier despite increased mental stress working with a venomous snake for the first time. And Cale was right their the entire time with his own snake tongs ready to assist at ay moment he felt he needed to for the safety of the student(s) and the snake and to make sure neither slithered away from the area we were working in. I was so taken by this class, I bought my own Snake Tongs and bucket. So, as a result, lol, in less than a month later, after sharing my positive experience with a neighbor, I received a phone call from my 55+ HOA office to inquire if I was interested in helping with a reported Rattlesnake in a local resident's yard down the street. Feeling confident from my training in this course, and having the proper safety gear, I accepted the job and was able to safely capture a 2-1/2 foot Western Diamondback, transport it to a remote desert location, and safely release it in the same manor I caught it, with my snake tongs. My community is now one Rattlesnake safer and the rattlesnake can now more safely live out the rest of its life as nature intended. All thanks to Cale and this course at Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary. Attached is an image of where I found the snake, the snake in my transport bucket, and lastly, where I released it. I am even more ready for the next Rattlesnake call and anxious for future training/educational opportunities with Cale and with rattlesnakes. read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - My 1st Western Diamond Rattlesnake catch, relocate, and release after Public Venomous Snake Training with Cale - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

Jordan is the coolest tour guide I have ever had! She has a great sense of humor and was so good with the kids. The tour takes a little over 2 hours. I am deducting 1 star though because there's only 1 bathroom and that was a little inconvenient when everyone had to go and the tour had to be paused. Jordan was able to keep everyone occupied while we all waited for each other so kudos to her! read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

My mom and I booked a trip last minute and were looking for something to do and ended up deciding to book a tour and I had such an amazing experience. First of all we had an amazing guide and her name was Blythe and she answered every question we had with so much knowledge about the animals. She also made sure we were comfortable as well as the animals when we got a chance to hold them (she also was great with making sure the kids in our group were comfortable). I'm someone who's not a huge animal person but I had such an amazing time and I definitely would go back! I'd definitely recommend this place for anyone looking something fun to do. read more

So amazing, I'd highly recommend anyone to see this if they get the chance. Lots of reptiles and some mammals and a good amount of interaction with them. You do have to book either group or private tours so plan ahead. read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - 3-legged iguana - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

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We had an incredible time at their Croc Walk! There's so much that I could rave about from our experience, the staff were so friendly and so knowledgeable, the animals and exhibits were so cool, and you can just tell so much work and love goes into making this place special. So many staff helped make this an incredible night but I wanted to specifically point out Louis, Russ, Addie, Travis and Cassie! You can tell the people who work and volunteer here care and o can't recommend it highly enough. We'll certainly be back and with friends! read more

If I could give more stars I would certainly do so! Went on a private tour and added time with the resident capybaras! The tortoises were active, the turtles basking, alligators & other crocodilians watchful, snakes contained yet visible (shudder), foxes fluffy and sleepy... The list goes on and on. Though true mammal lovers, myself, my d-i-l and granddaughter had a marvelous time! Aries, our guide, was bright, pleasant, extremely knowledgeable and attentive to our bone-deep dread of creatures that slink, slither, and generally behave in behaviors painful to soft-shelled humans! Absolutely a great deal!! read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Spud the hungry Capybara! - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

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Great tour. A really wonderful place. The rescued animals are really loved and cared for. Chelsea our tour guide was terrific!!! Can't wait to go back again. read more

We were lucky to have Jordan as our tour guide and she did an amazing job with our group of 8. We had two energetic boys and a cautious girl and she did a fantastic job keeping everyone engaged while sharing great facts that the boys are still telling everyone they can! She was patient and answered all the kids' questions as well as all the adult questions. We were able to have a chance to hold a snake at the end of the tour and that was definitely a highlight for the kids. If you want a great tour, make sure to book with Jordan! (Whether you have kids or not!) you could tell she has a passion for all these animals and as a boy mom that's not exactly excited about snakes and reptiles, she had me engaged in seeing all the animals and even petting a lizard! (I wasn't ready for the snake yet). Thank you Jordan for an amazing tour! read more

We enjoyed a private tour with our fantastic tour guide, Blythe. Wonderful facility with a huge range of reptiles, as well as a few mammals. Tour guide was friendly and highly knowledgeable. Highly recommend!! read more

We did a private tour over the weekend and we all loved it. Blythe was a great guide with TONS of information and so much love and care for each animal she introduced us to. I loved hearing the stories - although some were absolutely heartbreaking - about the animals, how they came to stay, and their current attitudes. With so many animals, this is a tour that I could take many more times. read more

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My husband and I always try to do "experiences" together in place of presents, so my husband took me here as my birthday present today! I can't believe we hadn't even heard of this place until a couple months ago. There are TONS of animals at this sanctuary, and some are even up for adoption! We had fun feeding and holding the tortoises, seeing my favorite animal (an otter!), capybaras, massive crocs, and terrifying venomous snakes! Our tour guide was Andrew, he was super knowledgeable and made our tour engaging. Definitely worth coming out here and so glad we checked it out! read more

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Seriously way more interesting than I anticipated. They take what they do to heart and genuinely care for these critters. I'm not into snakes and lizards and tortoises but I had a great time! Our guide is so passionate about her work. It was hugely educational. I'll be back and bring my adult boys. They'll love it. read more

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I enjoyed my trip to the phoenix herpetological society. I was able to see many animals there-- a huge variety of snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles, alligators, and also...CAPYBARAS! I always feel a bit sad to see animals in captivity however many of these animals were taken to this location after being illegally owned or in neglectful or abusive situations, and it seemed that there were many volunteers onsite caring for them, which was good to see. Pros: Friendly and informative tour guide: Our guide was very patient with everyone's questions, and had a wealth of knowledge and genuine passion when discussing the animals. He went at a good speed, and provided a good amount of context for each exhibit. The tour guide allowed us to handle and interact with most of the non-venomous animals, though to feed the capybaras and have time interacting with them, you need to book a private tour. We still got to see the capybaras up close, which was a lot of fun! Variety: There were more animals than I expected, honestly. The amount of snakes particularly was pretty astounding. The different types, colors, and geographic diversity of the snakes was really impressive, too. Small groups: Our tour was about 20 people, which was a good size. I liked that only registered tours could pass through-- the space was not that big and so having the tour groups organized allowed for the experience to feel much more calm and intimate. On our group, there were folks of all ages, from really little kids all the way up to senior citizens. There were couples on the tours as well. Ease of scheduling online: Scheduling online was easy though I did have to schedule about a month in advance to get the time that I liked. Convenient location: Located in North Scottsdale/North Phoenix, this makes a great and unique trip outside of Phoenix and outside of the hustle and bustle of old town Scottsdale Cons: Prepare: Not so much a con but a warning, especially to folks who are from out of town and doing this tour-- please be hydrated and prepared for the heat! The herpetological society provides information about how to best be prepared with your ticket confirmation online, however I think many folks overlook this. We watched a woman pass out and hit her head while we were there, just due to the heat. Much of the tour is outside, with smaller portions inside, so I would bring a water bottle and wear sunscreen if you are coming May-October months. Another note: (which is more of a pro to me but worth noting) is that the tour ran longer than an hour. It started a few minutes late, and in total was about 80 minutes long. The time flew by, but just an FYI for those visiting on a tight schedule. read more

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Just got done with our private tour with Blythe! We could not recommend her enough! She is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and she also made the tour very engaging! We paid to interact with the capybara, which has been a lifelong dream of mine, and it was well worth the money! Overall our entire experience with this establishment was so pleasant and I would definitely come back and recommend it to others! Again, thank you Blythe for the amazing tour! read more

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My family and I recently visited their facility and we loved it, we were not prepared for just how many reptiles and animals we would see. Just the tortoises alone our guide said they have 600+ on the property along with snakes, lizards, raccoons, and more. We were lucky and our tour group was on the smaller side, only 18 people in total so we were able to spend a bit more time looking at everything. Our guides were very friendly, full of information and happy to answer any questions we had. We would 100% visit again because seeing all of the animals that close was a crazy experience, they also have amazing learning programs and more. They actually came to the retirement home where I work on two separate occasions and all of the residents and staff loved it, that is how I knew about their facility and programs. Some of the spots aren't completely wheelchair friendly, but their site did mentioned calling them ahead of time to see if they can make arrangements. Bring water with you, dress comfortably and be prepared for lots of walking and awesome animals. Our experience was 100% worth the cost to get in. read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

Sammie was so great and knowledgable. I took my two children here on a field trip and it was such a fun experience. There are so many cool animals and our tour guide Sammie was the best! This place is a hidden gem and I would 100% recommend visiting. read more

We've attended the Halloween events at PHS for the past few years and my kiddo has always had a blast. It's a great educational and interactive experience as the staff will get out some common and rare reptiles and amphibians as part of their petting zoo. It's always fun to see all the kids dress up in their cute costumes as well. This year they had a not so spooky house, a game area, scavenger hunt, and a costume contest. It is really cool that they open up the rescue to the public during these events so you can see a lot of the animals they have on site. There were also alligator and crocodile feeding demonstrations for those that want the full reptilian mukbang experience. All the staff are so friendly and you can tell they really are passionate about reptile rescue and education. read more

We visited here with our family and did a group tour. They have so many animals and each with unique stories. They have a lot of venomous snakes, alligators, crocodiles, tortoises, and even capybara! The tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable and we never felt rushed. We would highly recommend the tour as it was a lot of fun! read more

This was an amazing experience. The tour guide really taught us a lot. I got to hold a snake, and turtles. They have rare species of crocodilians that have very amazing stories. I got a piece of snake shed from the gift shop and we got to pet a lizard. This sanctuary in the desert is great for anyone who loves reptiles, mammals, or just want's to go here! You can ask questions to the tour guide and they will be happy to awnser you. read more

Phoenix Herpetological Society - Giant green anaconda! - Community Service/Non-Profit Near Me

A beautiful sanctuary. The tour is a must! You see a variety of reptiles including bearded dragons, tortoises of all sizes, crocodiles, and much more. The gift shop also has some pretty amazing things in there, I've been to the sanctuary for multiple events they host and I've loved it all. The staff is well educated and very kind. Definitely recommend to everyone! read more

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Staff was very knowledgeable and able to answer any questions while still making the tour fun. Amazing facility filled with incredible creatures. read more

I jumped on the tiktok trend and decided to give this place a visit along with my partner. The whole experience was wonderful. Booking a tour was easy and quite affordable given the times. Our tour guide, Sammy, was personable, professional, and encouraged everyone- from the kids, to the teens, to the adults to ask questions. Bronty was another tour guide that did a phenomenal job, for many kids stayed behind and asked her questions. They seem genuinely interested and I give her kudos for piquing their interest. The facility is kept well and all their animals are cared for, if not spoiled. It truly is a great family outing or a great date idea. The staff overall were enthusiastic about their job and ready to help at any given moment should anyone ask. My partner and I had a blast! Thank you so much Phoenix Herp Society for a grand time! read more

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Andrew was a fantastic tour guide and really made this tour a great experience. You could tell that he really cares for and loves these animals and he was happy to answer our (numerous) questions. With the private tour, we had the opportunity to hold and interact with a variety of snakes, reptiles, turtles, and tortoises, as well as a few mammals. I've never had the chance to be so close to so many different types of alligators and crocodiles and it was interesting to hear how many had been rescued. We also paid for the unique opportunity to feed one of the capybara (with the other on "timeout" due to bad behavior), which was a lot of fun. Overall, this tour and visit really exceeded our expectations, and Andrew deserves a lot of credit for making it so worthwhile. read more

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