Make a date with your favourite primate.

Enjoy long summer nights as Zoo Lates are back! Thursday evenings, 4pm - 8pm, from 16 January to 6 March 2025 (excluding 6 February, Waitangi Day).

Gather your friends or whānau and experience the Zoo in a different light. It's a great chance to visit after work with mates, make it a date night or just to enjoy a stroll through the beautiful grounds.

Last admissions at 7pm. 

Zoo Lates Keeper Talk Schedule

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Zoo Lates Date Night Dinner

Book an exotic date night at the iconic Old Elephant House, our chefs will be serving up an exclusive two-course Zoo Lates menu.

Enjoy this delicious dinner followed by a stroll through the Zoo at dusk, an opportunity to see some of the animals at their most active time of the year.

Date Night Dinner + Zoo entry includes the two-course date night dinner and entry to Auckland Zoo for Zoo Lates (4pm-8pm) for one person. Bookings are essential, and bookings close the Thursday before the event or until sold out.

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Member Zoo Lates Date Night Dinner

Book an exotic date night at the iconic Old Elephant House, our chefs will be serving up an exclusive two-course Zoo Lates menu.

Enjoy this delicious dinner followed by a stroll through the Zoo at dusk, an opportunity to see some of the animals at their most active time of the year.

Annual Pass members receive 15% off with valid I.D. Bookings are essential, and bookings close the Thursday before the event or until sold out.

Zoo Lates Old Elephant House Date Night Dinners 2025

If you have allergies, intolerances, or any questions, please let us know. Requests for vegan and specific dietary requirements MUST be requested at the time of booking, as we cannot accommodate these requirements on the day.

Pre-booking is required, walk-ups NOT available on the day.

Old Elephant House Zoo Late Dinners are running on the following dates:

  • Thursday 16 January
  • Thursday 23 January 
  • Thursday 30 January 
  • Thursday 13 February
  • Thursday 20 February 
  • Thursday 27 February
  • Thursday 6 March

One session is available each day starting at 6.00pm and ending at 7.30pm.

Each session is 90 minutes long. Guests must be seated no later than 30 minutes after the start time of each session. Admission will not be granted if guests arrive after 30 minutes.
 

Booking cut-off dates for each Lates dinner event close on the following dates:

  • For event date 16 January, the last date to book is Thursday 9 January.
  • For event date 23 January, the last date to book is Thursday 18 January.
  • For event date 30 January, the last date to book is Thursday 23 January.
  • For event date 13 February, the last date to book is Thursday 6 February.
  • For event date 20 February, the last date to book is Thursday 13 February.
  • For event date 27 February, the last date to book is Thursday 20 February.
  • For event date 6 March, the last date to book is Thursday 27 February.

Any decreases in the number of guests after a booking has been made may result in the original confirmed guest number being charged.   

No changes in the number of guests to be catered for will be accepted after 5pm on each of the cut-off dates named above.

If you are a member, providing your Membership Number is compulsory.

 
Cancellation of the booking may, in Montana Group’s sole discretion, result in a cancellation fee as follows:

  • Cancellation within 7 days of the booking will incur a 100% cancellation fee;
  • Cancellation more than 7 days of the booking will incur a 50% cancellation fee;
  • No concessions will be made for cancellations due to Covid-19, and all conditions above will apply.  

 

The Customer acknowledges that:

  • Minimum orders may apply;
  • Menu content is always subject to change due to market or seasonal availability; and
  • Where, due to unforeseen circumstances (eg supplier shortage), Montana Group is unable to provide the agreed menu or Catering Services, Montana Group reserves the right to adapt the menu and Catering Services via email with the customer.
  • In the rare case that the Zoo is forced to cancel a session due to inclement weather, notice of cancellation will be provided within a day’s notice of a session. This is at the sole discretion of Zoo Management and all customers who have booked will receive a 100% refund.
  • All event tickets are seated in the Old Elephant House courtyard.
  • The Old Elephant House restaurant will be reserved on the day for walk-ups, but only with special Lates tapas, not the ‘a la Carte menu’.


All the event tickets are seated in the courtyard. If an infant (age 0 - 3 years) is attending, please ensure the infant ticket is checked on the order. 

If you require a highchair, please advise in the Special Requirements section of the booking form.

If you feel your infant (age 0 – 3 years) can eat the kids’ meal, you may order the meal separately. Please put a note in the Special Requirements box at the checkout and our bookings coordinator will send you an email and payment request link for the extra kid’s meal order for your child. Please note that an infant ticket must be booked on your order as a pre-condition. The additional kid’s meal cost $25.00 (or $21.25 if they are a member) and this would be add this to the infant ticket ($0 general admission).

The Infant (0-3 years) tickets do not include food, but are important for seating arrangements.

For children under four (who would qualify for the free infant ticket to the zoo) we recommend that you self-cater and bring food to the restaurant for the children.

However, if you have a child that is 2 or 3 years old and you’re confident that they will eat the Kid’s meal option, you can pay for an additional kids meal for $25 and add this to the infant ticket ($0 general admission). Please put a note in the Special Requirements box at the checkout and our bookings coordinator will send you an email and payment request link for the extra kids meal order for your child.

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Auckland Zoo Lates 2025

Bring your favourite primate to the Zoo, Thursday evenings, 4pm - 8pm, from 16 January to 6 March 2025 (excluding 6 February, Waitangi Day).

Zoo Lates Food

Te Puna

Get the Te Puna Special: pizza, fries, and a drink, all for $25! Plus, our usual range of food and drink are also available.

Open until 8pm

The Watering Hole

If you’re after summertime staples, you will find burgers, fries and ice creams at the Watering Hole.

Open until 7pm (weather dependent)

Korimako café

Located opposite the band rotunda, this pop-up café offers American hot dogs, takeaway coffee and scoop ice cream.

Open until 7pm (weather dependent)

The Old Elephant House

The Zoo Lates Date Night Dinner must be booked in advance, or coffee and special Lates tapas is available for walk-ups!

Open until 7pm

The Lookout café

Located in Te Wao Nui, The Lookout offers coffee, cold drinks, and a range of Kapiti ice cream.

Open until 7pm (weather dependent)

FAQs

You can buy Zoo Lates tickets online here.

Tickets are also available at the gate, however we recommend purchasing online to save time.

Please be advised that for Auckland Resident tickets, proof of residency will need to be shown upon arrival at Auckland Zoo. Forms of acceptable ID are a utility or rates bill, an Auckland Libraries card, Council pool or leisure membership card, or Auckland student I.D.

Your Zoo Lates ticket is able to be used from 4pm on the relevant evening you have a ticket for.

For example, if you have a Zoo Lates ticket for 23 January, you can use it to enter the Zoo from 4pm on 23 January until the last entry time at 7pm.

As Zoo Lates are special events, they require their own tickets to be purchased. You can buy tickets online here.

If you are already in the Zoo having entered using a general admission ticket (or annual pass membership, etc) earlier in the day, you are welcome to stay and continue enjoying the Zoo when Zoo Lates are on.

Entry is free to Zoo Lates for all Auckland Zoo Annual Pass Members. Just show your membership card for free entry.

Yes you can. If you are already in the Zoo having entered using a general admission ticket (or annual pass membership, etc) earlier in the day, you are welcome to stay and continue enjoying the Zoo when Zoo Lates are on.

Yes! The below on-site venues are open:

Te Puna café has a $25 special: pizza, chips & drink deal, plus all the usual hot and cold café food (dine-in or takeaway).

Old Elephant House restaurant is serving a gourmet dining experience - bookings required. A special Lates tapas menu and coffee is available for walk-ups!

The Watering Hole café* offers takeaway burgers, hot chips, cold drinks and scoop ice cream.

Wētāpunga café has refreshing cold drinks, ice blocks from the freezer and cabinet food.

Korimako café* offers American hot dogs, takeaway coffee, cold drinks and scoop ice cream.

The Lookout café* offers coffee, cold drinks, and a range of Kapiti ice cream.

*Open hours weather dependent.

Yes, we have a range of hire items available at our information centre (pushchairs, wheelchairs, mobility scooters and umbrellas). We take bookings in advance for these items on 09 360 3805 or email reservations@aucklandzoo.co.nz

Yes, the whole zoo is open with the exception of our Kiwi habitat, "Te Pō / The Night" which closes at 5.30pm.