The Red Panda Experience at Australia Zoo
We recently did the Red Panda Experience at Australia Zoo and it was amazing!
After the release of Disney Pixar’s Turning Red, my daughter became obsessed with both the movie and red pandas. So with her seventh birthday coming up, I thought the Red Panda Experience at Australia Zoo would make the perfect birthday present.
Keep reading to learn what to expect, how much it cost, where to stay and how to book. But first, here’s a sneak peek at our Red Panda Experience.
What to expect on the Rascally Red Panda Experience
You can expect to fall in love with a soft adorable red panda within minutes. Seriously, their little faces in the flesh are just adorable. Here’s what will happen on the day.
Make sure you have prepurchased your ticket for the Rascally Red Panda Encounter. Information on how to book is a little further down. You will need to arrive before the zoo officially opens to the public and the exact time will be emailed with your ticket confirmation.
Once you arrive, wait at the shop front in front of the Australia Zoo entry. A photographer staff member will come out and call out for people booked into the Rascally Red Panda Experience. Only four people can book in per encounter so the experience is far from crowded. We were a group of three and one other lady had booked in for the day.
At this point, you will be asked to sign a waiver and then you will be taken in through the entrance to scan you in before the general public. After that, a golf buggy will take you to the red panda enclosure to meet the zookeeper and the beautiful red panda.
Inside the red panda enclosure …
The zookeeper will give you a quick safety briefing on what not to do and you will be given a towel to put on your legs so the cute red panda can’t accidentally scratch you when he climbs on your lap. You will be directed to sit down on one of two wooden benches inside the enclosure.
The photographer takes pictures the whole time as this is part of the encounter while the zookeeper gives you some food and shows you how to feed the red panda. We learned that red pandas don’t seek out cuddles like a dog, but will happily tolerate a pat from humans because we are feeding them. The red panda is never forced to do anything he doesn’t want to do during the experience.
While the beautiful red panda is being fed and moving from person to person, you will get the opportunity to pat his luxurious red fur and look at his adorable face up close. This is obviously the highlight of the encounter! Red pandas are found throughout the Himalayan Mountains and are endangered so it’s a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with one of them.
You will be surprised at how fluffy they feel! The wonderful keeper will also teach you all there is to know about the red pandas. However, feel free to ask any questions you may have about them.
How old do you have to be for the Red Panda Experience
Adults can book in but children need to be at least six years of age for the Red Panda Experience. For those aged six to 14 years of age, a paying adult must accompany them. Additional non-paying guests will not be able to view the encounter.
Does the Red Panda Encounter include photographs?
A photographer takes photos for the majority of the experience and each person receives a fridge magnet photo of their encounter. You can pick this up from the photo lab near The Crocoseum in the zoo during the day.
How much does it cost and how do I book
Bookings for the Red Panda Experience are made directly through the Australia Zoo website on the Rascally Red Panda Encounter page. The encounter itself cost $99 per person however this does not (sadly) include tickets to Australia Zoo should you wish to spend the day at the zoo afterwards. Tickets to the zoo are $172 for a family of four or $59 per adult and $35 per child ages 3 – 14 years.
So for us as one adult and two children, the total costs for one epic day were:
- $297 for the Rascally Red Panda experience ($99 x 3)
- $129 for the Australia Zoo entry tickets ($59 + $35 + $35)
- TOTAL of $426
Was it worth it?
Despite the blow to my wallet, yes the Red Panda Experience was totally worth it. We had a fantastic day at the zoo making great memories while we celebrated a special occasion.
Where to stay
We stayed at the Beerwah Motor Lodge as it’s only a 2-minute drive to Australia Zoo. The room was surprisingly modern and had everything you would expect from a motel. Our room had two beds, an ensuite and some extra comforts such as a microwave and toaster. There is also a pool and a playground for the kids.
I thought it was great value for money and would stay here again.
How to get to Australia Zoo for your Red Panda Experience
Driving
Find Australia Zoo on Steve Irwin Way in Beerwah, Sunshine Coast Hinterlands. It’s around a 60-minute drive from Brisbane via the Bruce Highway. If coming from the north, you will turn off the Bruce Highway onto the Landsborough/Steve Irwin Way exit 188 on the left. Alternatively, if coming from the south, you will turn off onto Steve Irwin Way/Glasshouse Mountains (Tourist Route 24) exit on the left.
Get a great deal on car hire here.
Air
The closest airport is the Sunshine Coast Airport at Maroochydore. It’s around a 30-minute drive from Australia Zoo and has direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Cairns and Canberra year-round. The Brisbane domestic and international airport is around one hours drive from Australia Zoo.
Get a great deal on flights here.
Train
The Queensland Rail Citytrain runs between the Gold Coast, Brisbane and Beerwah. Australia Zoo has a courtesy coach that will pick you up from the train station at Beerwah. If the bus is not at the station when you arrive, call the zoo on 5436 2000. Bear in mind that some encounters will be too early in the day to take advantage of this courtesy coach.
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