Where to Go: the 13 Best Farm and Petting Zoo Visits Worldwide

1.The Maui Butterfly Farm Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 446 reviews · 45 minutes (approx.) · from $49Our pick

Spend about 45 minutes at the Maui Butterfly Farm with a small group of up to 12. Guides such as Laura and Lara explain the butterfly life cycle, breeding, research, and conservation. You may handle caterpillars, butterflies, and praying mantises, then feed butterflies inside the flight house.

“This was such a great experience with my 3 1/2 year-old and eight month old. Our guide Lara was fantastic, the perfect amount of expertise mixed with casual vibes that made you feel right at home. We learned so much about the lifecycle of butterflies and my favorite part was getting a flower to catch the butterflies on.”

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2.Maui: Interactive Butterfly Farm Entrance Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 62 reviews · 45 min · from $49

Spend 45 minutes inside Hawaii’s only walk-in butterfly house with an English-speaking guide and a group of up to 10. See caterpillars and chrysalises, hold butterflies and praying mantises, learn about Monarchs, and discover how your visit supports Hawaii’s butterfly population.

“What a beautiful experience.The operators clearly care about educating the public about the amazing butterflies. I highly recommend this wonderful little tour.It is a GEM!!!”

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3.Private Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest,Butterfly Farm, Chocolate Tour bird watching

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 62 reviews · 9 to 10 hours (approx.) · from $130

Travel privately from Quito into Mindo’s cloud forest with a bilingual guide such as Francisco, Marco, or Christian. Feed hummingbirds, walk to waterfalls, visit a butterfly garden, eat lunch, and learn how Ecuadorian cacao becomes chocolate. Optional zip lining may fit the day.

“This was a great day trip with Francisco. Basically everything was great. Our 9 year old especially enjoyed the ziplining. It was a real treat to get to feed the hummingbirds. The chocolate tour was actually very interesting and educational in addition to being tasty. We always love a good butterfly garden, but one advantage of this one was there were LOTS of blue moros.”

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4.Half-Day Barton Creek Cave with Optional Zipline, Butterfly Farm Or Rock Falls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 45 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $120

From San Ignacio, MayaWalk Tours takes you by private vehicle to Barton Creek Cave, where you paddle beneath ancient crystal formations by canoe. Add jungle ziplining, a butterfly farm, or Big Rock Falls. Guides such as Damien and Eddie are known for warm, family-friendly service.

“Truly amazing experience! Guide was amazing! We truly enjoyed our time seeing some of the ancient history!”

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5.Kuranda: Quad Ride Bike and petting farm

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 19 reviews · 2 hours · from $126

Drive yourself from Cairns to KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm for a 60-minute guided quad bike ride through paddocks and rainforest tracks, followed by 30 minutes with the farm animals. Guides such as Kiara lead the ride, while Helen and Ken welcome you on the farm.

“Went with the family (son is 12) and the quad bike experience was so exciting! We could go uphill, downhill and into the woods. The farm grounds were beautiful and the animals looked well-tended and happy. Giving the animals carrots was fun too. Will definitely recommend to friends.”

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6.Nature Health Farms Alpaca Farm Petting Zoo Pahrump Death Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 16 reviews · 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.)

At Nature Health Farms in Pahrump, you can feed and pet free-roaming alpacas, meet ostriches, donkeys, pigs, goats, peacocks, and other animals, then explore antique displays, vintage vehicles, farm art, and a wedding chapel. Plan 30 minutes to 3 hours.

“The young tour guide you see in the picture was delightful. The canoe up in the tree in the front yard you see in the picture was funny. But the animals where nothing special, the "antiques" were nothing but dusty junk, and the "Hemp Farm" was non-existent. In fact, I was told by the owner that hemp was "too much work" and would never be grown on the property again. There is much bogus information on their website.”

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7.Penang Round Island Tour With Tropical Spice Garden & Entopia Butterfly Farm

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 15 reviews · from $91

Travel privately around Penang from George Town in an air-conditioned vehicle, stopping at the Esplanade, a batik factory, Tropical Spice Garden, and Entopia butterfly farm. Driver Mr. Ong is praised for his helpful commentary, while the gardens and butterflies make this a strong family outing.

“Was nice drive outside Georgetown. Mr . Ong was informative and helpful. Really enjoyed the butterfly farm.”

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8.Bird Park & Butterfly Farm Nature Include All Entrance Tour From Kuala Lumpur

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 7 reviews · from $74

Visit three peaceful Kuala Lumpur nature spots with private air-conditioned transport, hotel pickup, an English-speaking driver, and all admission fees included. Expect free-flying birds, close butterfly encounters, and more than 800 orchid varieties, with about 45 minutes at each stop.

“The birds walk and fly around freely. If you’re afraid of birds be prepared to experience them walking and flying around you calmly. The butterflies were amazing and the fauna was also amazing! It was so much fun watching and chasing them to get good videos and pictures. A must do event if you want to take a break from the city hustle.”

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9.Kuranda: 60 minute Guided Horse Trail Ride & Petting Farm

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 6 reviews · 3 hours · from $126

Spend three hours at KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm near Kuranda, including a one-hour guided horse ride through paddocks and rainforest tracks. Staff fit your safety gear, explain the basics, and match you with a horse before you visit the petting farm to feed goats, alpacas, sheep, and ducks.

“the staff were amazing and the guide was excellent and the horse ride was so beautiful, scenic and spectacular”

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10.Kuranda 60 minute Quad Bike Experience and Petting Farm

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 4 reviews · from $128

At Kur-Cow Barnwell Farm near Kuranda, you’ll ride a guided ATV through rolling farmland, forest, creek crossings, and rainforest. Helmets and vests are supplied, and your booking also includes the petting farm and horse stable. Linda can help with questions and local suggestions by text.

“Staff were so lovely and helpful. So many options for all ages. Beautiful property and animals are well cared for.”

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11.Bird Park & Butterfly Farm Nature Tour From Kuala Lumpur

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 3 reviews · from $34Best value

Ride in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver to three Lake Gardens attractions. See free-flying birds, thousands of butterflies, and more than 800 orchid varieties. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but entrance fees are extra.

“The bird park was better than the butterfly farm. The transport was very comfortable and acclimatized, The driver was very cooperative and offered to stop us in additional stops not included in our itinerary.”

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12.Kuranda 60 minute Horse Trail Ride and Petting Farm

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · from $128

Spend about three hours at KUR-Cow Barnwell Farm near Kuranda, with a 60-minute guided horse ride through paddocks and rainforest tracks, followed by time at the petting farm. Guide Emma has worked with both experienced riders and beginners. Horses include Cruiser, Sunny, and Traveller.

“Wonderful experience horse back riding with guide Emma. My mom and I were riding horses Cruiser and Sunny who were just lovely! Emma was very relaxed with us because we had informed her that we are experienced riders so we got Read more”

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13.Experience Reindeer Farm and Ranua Wildlife Park in Rovaniemi

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2 reviews · from $277

Spend about seven hours with a small group of up to eight, meeting semi-wild reindeer at a local farm before visiting Ranua Wildlife Park. You can feed the reindeer by hand, enjoy a buffet lunch, and walk a gentle 2.5-kilometer forest path with a guide such as Leo.

“Dass wir direkten Kontakt mit den Rentieren hatten, war für uns ein aussergewöhnliches Erlebnis. Auf der Farm haben wir viel Interessantes über Rentiere, Land und Leute erfahren. Leo war ein toller Reiseleiter, es gab keine Sprachbarrieren.”

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