Our Lemur Landing Gift Shop is typically open daily from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM EST and before and after all scheduled tours. We will have additional dates that we’re closed from time to time, so please check HERE to be sure of those.
Reservations Essential
Any guests must have a prepaid tour reservation in order to visit the Lemur Center. In order to keep the endangered primates that call the DLC home safe and healthy, we regret that we cannot accommodate any walk-in visitors in any capacity. Please continue reading below to learn more about each tour type and how to reserve your space. Full registration information is available in the links to each specific tour type below.
Limited Schedule
Thanks for your interest in visiting the Lemur Center! Because the DLC is first and foremost a non-invasive research center, we offer a limited schedule of tours compared to traditional zoos. We always do our best to open as many tours as we can, but we appreciate your patience and understanding if the tour you are hoping for is sold out, or only offered on certain days of the week. To help you plan, we’ve got a quick summary of when each tour option will typically be offered in our tour season (May-September), but please note that you should click on the links to see exactly what dates are available to make your reservation. All times listed are EST.
Tour registration dates are posted approximately two months in advance. We are able to release a full month of tours at a time. Tours are typically posted the first Tuesday of the month at 11:00 AM EST.
General Tours: Fridays from 5:00-7:00 PM, and Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. Registration for September is now available.
Private Tours: Mondays at 9:30 AM and 11:30 AM, occasional Wednesdays. Registration for September is now available.
Walking with Lemurs Tours: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 10:30 AM.
Behind the Scenes Tours: Available most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays at 1:30 PM. Please visit our tour page for full details. Registration for September-November is now available.
General Tour
The General Tour offers an overview of the Duke Lemur Center, its three-fold mission, and its residents—and allows guests to see at least eight species of the amazing lemurs that call the DLC home! This tour is ideal as an introduction to the DLC for all ages, and it includes loads of interaction and Q&A time with our trained educators, so whether you’re a returning lemur fan or a brand-new visitor, we’ll make your tour experience educational and unforgettable. Click here to learn more!
Private Tour
The Private Tour is a personalized version of our General Tour – visiting the same animals along the tour path, but with one dedicated tour guide just for you and your small group. This tour experience is perfect for any age range or familiarity with lemurs, since your tour guide can cater their delivery to your group’s interests and questions. Click here to learn more!
Please note that like our General Tour, the Private Tour stays on our public tour path, and does not include any time in behind the scenes or in our forested habitats. See below for more information on tours venturing into those areas.
Walking with Lemurs Tour
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk in the wilds of Madagascar, watching in awe as lemurs leap through the trees around you? No need to travel halfway around the world—the DLC’s Walking with Lemurs Tour is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have that unforgettable experience right here in the forests of Duke University! Click here to learn more!
Behind the Scenes Tour
Take a peek behind the animal care curtain of the Duke Lemur Center on this one-of-a-kind experience! You’ll get up close views of afternoon feedings and enrichment sessions, AND this is the only tour experience that offers any aye-aye viewing. Click here to learn more!
Safety Protocols for All Tours
Wearing a face mask is now optional for all visitors to the Duke Lemur Center, except those experiencing cold or flu symptoms.
