Tours

View Tour Schedule/ Schedule Tour Today!

Thousands of people visit IEAS for guided tours each year; we have been repeatedly acknowledged by the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex media as one of the best kept secrets!

There are regularly scheduled tours each weekend and we offer weekday tours almost everyday Monday through Friday at 11am as well. (Please note -- There will be no tours offered on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day 2011, as well as New Years Day 2012.) Weekday tours can be reserved by calling the IEAS office at 940-433-5091. Likewise, groups (10 or more people) are welcome with advanced notification. IEAS has hosted corporate, school and civic groups on an ongoing basis year-after-year.....just call the office to get your group en route to a very convenient and memorable experience. Come see for yourself the benefits of our Emotional Enrichment Program!

The tours usually last at least an hour and a half to two hours. The overall route measures about 6/10ths of a mile which is on gravel paths that wind around the habitats. Wear comfortable walking shoes! There are a couple of gradual hills and a several sets of steps. The directions to the Sanctuary have proven to be the most convenient making use of highways versus back roads and/or shortcuts. For those of you using a GPS navigation device, please enter the following address as your destination: PR 4245, Rhome, TX 76023.

Please take a minute to read the "Rules and Suggestions" at the bottom of this page which include:

Children under seven years of age are not permitted on tours.
We will not allow visitors to leave pets in their vehicles.
Please wear the proper attire (walking shoes). You will be walking along the gravel path for about 2 hours.

Make a Reservation

To make a reservation to visit IEAS and see more than 60 exotic animals, simply fill out our online tour reservation form. Also, please be sure to provide an email address, if one is available, so that we can email you a confirmation upon receiving your request.

Conservation education TOURS FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS

School teachers are encouraged to plan field trips for school children in the third grade and up. IEAS has so much to offer and can make a morning spent touring the Sanctuary a unique, worthwhile, interesting, and exciting experience for students of all ages. We are working with teachers to try and provide as much educational information as is appropriate for each grade level regarding species that are endangered or nearing extinction in the wild.

Weekday tours can be arranged throughout the school year with advance notice. Simply call the office Monday thru Friday between 8a.m. and 4p.m. and talk with our Office Manager, Trish, about when you would like to bring your classes out.

The staff will divide your class into groups of 10-12 students each. For larger numbers, we will request that your school provide chaperones (parents or other teachers) to help. Parking for buses is available.

The Conservation Education Tours for schools and other groups are available at a discounted donation rate of $5.00 per child. This rate is applicable for public, private, or special education schools, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Science Clubs, and other special groups for children.

IEAS will also make appearances at our local schools to give presentations to the students. We have visited schools to talk about conservation and have attended "Career Days" to talk about Zoo Keeping as a career. Please call our office at 940-433-5091 for more information on this opportunity. Also see some of the students thank you letters below!
Can't come to us or have a Kindergarten through 2nd grade class? With the help of technology, we are able to provide virtual tours to schools across the United States using Skype! With a weeks notice, we will be able to set up a Skype tour that fits your lesson plan. Once again, please call our office for details.

Rules and Suggestions

The minimum donation suggested is $20 per adult and/or $10 per child.
Donations can be made at the Sanctuary on the day of the tour. All donations are tax-deductible.
Children have to be at least seven years old. Children under 7 are not permitted on Sanctuary tours.
We will not allow any visitors taking a tour to leave pets in their unattended parked cars.
All tours begin at their scheduled times unless there are thunderstorms or any prevalent weather that would risk injury to any visitor.
Dress smart -- comfortable walking shoes!
Bring water in the hot months
Please tell us in advance if anyone would be more comfortable taking the tour in a vehicle.
No red cowperson hats! No umbrellas! No feeding the animals!
Cameras are welcome -- but these are not solely photographic tours....No tripods! No elaborate lenses!
Leave the backpacks in the car...
...and just let the animals enjoy having you visit them as much as you will enjoy walking throughout their seventeen acre sanctuary.
Overnight stays are also available at MD Resorts - call the office for more information.

Please see our Tour FAQ if you have any additional questions!

Bear Orphanage is Now Open to the Public

Bear Orphanage opened up for public tours in Spring 2010. Bear Orphanage consists of two 5-acre habitats that provide for the mental and physical well-being of the bears as well as an exciting, educational experience for all those who visit. The black bears in Bear Orphanage live in an all natural setting. Each habitat features a forest and meadow area, a pond, and dens, which are all part of the natural ecosystem for the bears.

The tour will travel along the nature trail which surrounds the habitats. We also have two observation decks built along this trail that will allow you a wonderful vantage point from which to view these magnificent animals in a natural setting. So come out today to see all of the amazing bears who call IEAS home.