Tour Overview
Group Tours and Field Trips at the Duke Lemur Center are very similar to our Private Tours in structure, with engaging, knowledgeable guides walking your group around our tour path. A typical tour will include discussions of ecology, evolution, conservation, our mission, and, of course, our primate residents—including approximately 17 of the amazing lemurs that call the DLC home, representing at least eight different species! A Group Tour or Field Trip is a personalized version of our General Tour – visiting the same animals along the tour path, but with dedicated tour guides leading your group around the path. Whether you’re a corporate group looking for a fun team-bonding activity, a 4th-grade class looking for engaging examples of animal adaptations, or an undergraduate class diving deep into evolution and ecology, we’ve got you covered! Lemurs are undeniably cute, but they’re also fascinating, which presents incredibly engaging opportunities to discuss science in action, and we’d love it if you came to learn with us!
Please note that Group Tours and Field Trips do not go into the forested Natural Habitat Enclosures – all lemurs viewed will be in silos or indoor habitats (see more about the housing at the DLC in our Virtual Tour – video #3 is all about lemur housing). If you are interested in seeing the free-ranging lemurs in their forested habitats, you can click here to learn more about our Walking with Lemurs Tour!
Timing: This tour can be up to 90 minutes, but your guides will adjust that timing based on your group’s interests and preferences. We typically schedule Group Tours and Field Trips between 9:30 AM – 2 PM EST on Wednesdays and Thursdays in May – September. See detailed information on how to request your desired dates and times below under the “How to Schedule” section.
Can we bring our lunches? Unfortunately, we are a very small facility, and we cannot offer any space for eating lunch onsite. All groups should plan to only be onsite for check-in, the tour, and optionally visiting the gift shop before departing.
What about the rest of the year? From October – April, our lemurs live in winter-friendly housing to keep them cozy on chilly nights, which unfortunately limits our tour path and viewing areas considerably. If you are a Duke University or Durham Public Schools group, we may be able to schedule your group during our off-season (October – April). See “How to Schedule” section for more information on how to reach out.
Group Size: We can accommodate up to 45 people at one date and time by splitting the group amongst four tour guides and going different routes around the tour path. If you group is larger than 45 people, we are happy to look at scheduling multiples dates and times to accommodate everyone. Please note that the total number includes ALL people in your group (infants, children, teachers, chaperones, etc.).
Age Requirements: While there is no minimum age for a Group Tour or Field Trip, we find that this experience is best for children ages 5+. We are an active research facility, so the tour is very structured. If you have a younger and more active group, then a more traditional museum setting might be a better fit, since they would be equipped with exhibits designed for touching, playing, and generally getting your wiggles out.
Physical Requirements: This tour takes place predominantly outdoors, and involves walking through occasionally areas with full sun exposure. We do not schedule tours late on summer afternoons for the safety of our staff and guests. This tour is fully accessible. If anyone in your group will be bringing a service animal, please note that the service animal will not be able to enter the small nocturnal viewing area, since that is inside the housing building for our endangered small primates. The service animal will be able to attend all other portions of the tour, but we do ask for advance notice if your group will include a service animal, so we can notify our animal care staff in advance.
Reservations Essential
You must have a prepaid tour reservation to see the lemurs. 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.
All tour reservations can now be made online! Please continue reading below to learn more about our new registration system.
Cost
$12 per person (ages 3+), but there will be a minimum fee of $180 + tax for every date/time scheduled. If you have fewer than 15 people in your group, the cost will default to the minimum fee.
Children ages 2 and under are free, but they will still be counted in the total number for capacity/planning purposes.
How to Schedule
Before you attempt to schedule, please make sure you have thoroughly read through the details above. Have questions before you submit your official scheduling request? Email us at lemurgroups@duke.edu, and we’re happy to help.
How far in advance can we schedule? We can only schedule groups up to six month in advance. If your desired dates are more than six months out, please hold off on submitting your request.
Ready to schedule? Please copy and paste the template below into an email, and once you have filled out all information in as much detail as possible, send that email to lemurgroups@duke.edu.
Name of primary contact for your group:
Email of primary contact for your group:
Phone number of primary contact for your group:
Total number of people (please remember: all humans, no matter their age, count toward this total!):
Please list at least three Wednesday or Thursdays dates in May – September that would work for your group’s visit. (If you are a Duke or DPS group, you may inquire about dates in other months.)
Are there any timing restrictions between the hours of 9:30 AM and 2:00 PM for your group on any of your requested dates? (Reminder: your group will NOT be able to eat lunch onsite.)
Would you like your guides to focus on any particular themes or subjects during the tour?
We require payment prior to the start of your group’s tour. We will NOT start the tour without receiving payment, so please let us know which of the options below you prefer:
1- secure online payment portal
2- secure online payment portal + invoice for your records
3- invoice signed to confirm tour, followed by check in mail (MUST be received by us prior to scheduled tour date)
4- invoice signed to confirm tour, followed by check or credit card payment in person at time of tour check-in
Refunds and Cancellations
All tour registration fees are non-refundable, but you may reschedule to another date if we receive at least 48 hours’ notice.*
If you or any person in your group are experiencing any COVID symptoms, please notify us immediately, and we will work with you to reschedule or cancel your tour. COVID-related symptoms include any of the following: temperature over 100°F, atypical headache, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, cough, sore throat, muscle or body aches, runny nose (aside from typical seasonal allergies), change in taste or smell, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. This applies to guests who have been vaccinated as well as those who have not.
*If you need to cancel your tour due to illness and are not able to reschedule, we will make an exception to this policy and refund your tour registration fee.
If weather or other issues cause the Duke Lemur Center to cancel any tours, we will notify all schedules groups as soon as possible and offer a full refund of all fees.
Know before You Go
The tour will take place almost entirely outside, and we will operate rain or shine (within reason). If we encounter severe weather that prevents us from offering the tour safely, we will work with you to reschedule or refund your tour as needed.
We have a small gift shop with many unique items available for purchase.
Sections of the tour path are in direct sunlight, so we highly recommend that you bring sun protection (hats, sunscreen, light long sleeves, and/or umbrellas) as well as a water bottle.
Wearing a face mask is now optional for all visitors to the Duke Lemur Center, except those experiencing cold or flu symptoms.
Based on the parameters set by our expert animal care and veterinary team to keep the lemurs safe and healthy, we will not be housing any aye-ayes on the tour path. There are still many aye-ayes living happily and quietly at the DLC, but they will not be viewable on any of our General, Private, or Walking with Lemurs tours. We do have a wonderful and informative virtual tour video series featuring footage of the aye-ayes, and you are welcome to share that with your group before or after your tour.
Visitor FAQ
All visitors must have a reservation in order to visit the DLC—this includes the grounds and the gift shop, as well as any tour. A prepaid tour reservation is required to see the lemurs. To learn more about onsite tour options and how to reserve your space, please visit our tours homepage.
Gift shop: If you would like to make a reservation to shop in our gift shop separately from a scheduled tour, please contact us at primate@duke.edu. Alternatively, you are welcome to order gift shop merchandise for curbside pick-up or shop online.
The Duke Lemur Center is located in Duke Forest, less than 10 minutes from Duke’s West Campus. For our GPS address and directions to the Duke Lemur Center, please click here.
Nope! As cuddly as the animals may appear, our lemurs are wild animals. For the safety of the lemurs and our guests, no visitors are allowed any physical contact with the animals. However, we do welcome flash-free photography—the lemurs can be quite photogenic! (See the "Frequently Asked Questions" tab below for the best tours for photos.)
Do I need to schedule ahead to visit the DLC and see the lemurs? Yes, all tours are by appointment only. Please visit our tours homepage to make your reservation.
What is your weather policy? Tours will go on rain or shine with the exception of threats of lighting in the forecast. Please dress accordingly.
Do I get to touch a lemur on the tour? Nope! As cuddly as the animals may appear, our lemurs are wild animals. For the safety of our animals and our guests, no visitors are allowed any physical contact with the animals. However, we do welcome flash-free photography – the lemurs can be quite photogenic!
I have a scheduled tour, but notice restricted access signs on Lemur Lane. If you have a scheduled tour or gift shop visit, please follow Lemur Lane past the restricted access signs until you reach our parking lot.
Can I take pictures during my tour? Yes, of course! Lemurs are extremely photogenic, and we encourage taking photos for personal enjoyment and to share online! Note, though, that photography is permitted only for noncommercial use and that photos should not be sold, reproduced, transferred, distributed, or otherwise commercially exploited in any way UNLESS the photographer has received permission from the Lemur Center and the Duke University Office of News and Communications. We also cannot allow professional photographers (or guests more generally) to set up tripods/monopods or alternate lighting. If you have questions, please reach out to us and we’ll be happy to clarify further.
Which tour is best for photos? Our Walking with Lemurs premium tour provides the best photo opportunities of our lemurs. Photos are still possible on our General Tour, but be advised that the lemurs will be in their indoor/outdoor housing areas (not free-roaming in the forest) and must be photographed through mesh wire. See the "Enclosures" section below to learn more about how the DLC's lemurs are housed.
Do lemurs make good pets? No. The Duke Lemur Center is against all trade in pet primates, and against the holding of any prosimian—lemurs as well as lorises, bush babies, and pottos—as a pet. There are many reasons lemurs should never be kept as pets, and this also is one of many reasons the DLC does NOT allow guests to touch our animals and why our staff do not touch the lemurs and lorises except when necessary for caring for the animal. This helps us avoid interactions and imagery in media that could promote the idea of lemurs as pets. Lemurs may be habituated to us, but in reality they are undomesticated, wild animals.
Our tours are exclusively outdoors. Please dress accordingly for weather.
Rainy days: Tours will go out rain or shine provided there is no lightning or thunder in the immediate area. Umbrellas are welcome. If you would like to reschedule your visit due to weather, please call (919) 401-7240.
Hot days: There are shaded areas along path, but some sections are in direct sunlight—so we highly recommend that you bring sun protection (hats, sunscreen, light long sleeves, and/or umbrellas). Water bottles are welcome and encouraged on the General Tour but cannot be brought into the forest on the Walking with Lemurs Premium Tour. In the interest of health and safety, we will not be offering access to any water fountains or selling any bottled water, so please be sure to bring your own.
Cold days: The lemurs are allowed outside access anytime the weather is 45 degrees or above. This does not guarantee that the lemurs will choose to be outside, however, as they always have access to indoor heated areas of their enclosures as well.
On cold or rainy days, some of our lemurs will choose to stay cozy in their indoor enclosures. While this is healthiest and best for the individual lemur, it does make it more difficult sometimes to see them on general tours! As we are first and foremost an educational, not entertainment, facility we will never “force” our lemurs to come out into public view. Our guides will do their best to show you as many species as possible and will share information about each lemur even if he or she isn’t visible on the tour path that day. We strive to provide a fabulous and educational experience for all visitors within the constraints of working with live animals.
We also stock an array of unique and highly giftable merchandise, perfect for lemur lovers young and old! Products range from cuddly lemur stuffies (including a sifaka and an aye-aye made exclusively for us!) to apparel, paintings by lemurs, and native Malagasy products.
If you would like to make a reservation to shop in our gift shop separately from a scheduled tour, please contact us at primate@duke.edu.
To purchase online or to arrange curbside pick-up, please visit our merchandise homepage.
The DLC has two types of enclosures: 1. Natural Habitat Enclosures (NHEs) and 2. Indoor Enclosures with Outdoor Yards. On Walking with Lemurs tours, guests will see lemurs in their NHEs. Our General Tours focus exclusively on the indoor/outdoor enclosures.
Our indoor/outdoor housing areas are specially constructed for the physical and mental health of our lemurs. Each family group of lemurs is housed within a large set of interconnected enclosures and has multiple indoor rooms available to them (heated and cooled, depending on season), which are connected to multiple outdoor yards. For example, a family of 4 lemurs has access to at least 4 ‘sets’ of indoor/outdoor areas, totaling 8 individual enclosures. Different doorways lead into and out of these areas, creating ample space for natural movement and play and giving the animals privacy — away from each other, or away from public view — whenever they desire it. These spaces also help facilitate lemur research (all non-invasive) and care by allowing us to temporarily close off individual rooms within each family’s set of enclosures. This flexibility is brilliant for managing breeding groups and especially new moms and infants, as infant survival rates are significantly higher when mother and baby are separated from the group for a few days and gradually reintroduced when the infant is less vulnerable. Wire fencing between enclosures allows these lemurs to be separate and safe, while also maintaining visual and olfactory contact with the rest of their family.
To keep our lemurs physically and mentally engaged, the indoor/outdoor enclosures are re-branched and re-furnished often to give them new layouts to explore, and special and varied enrichment activities are provided daily. These help promote natural behavior like foraging and promote not just physical health but also mental stimulation and all other aspects of the well-being of the lemurs under our care.
What will you see on each type of tour? Guests on our General Tours see only the outdoor areas of these enclosures. In warmer weather, a large number of our lemurs get to free-range in large forested Natural Habitat Enclosures while also retaining access to their indoor/outdoor enclosures. Guests can see lemurs in their NHEs on the Walking with Lemurs tour.
Wheelchairs, Canes, and Walkers
The DLC's paved tour path (used for the General Tour) and gift shop are ADA accessible. You are welcome to bring wheelchairs, canes, and/or walkers for these tours, although the presence of any novel object, especially wheelchairs, may occasionally affect lemur behavior and result in lemurs choosing not to cooperate as nicely on tours.
If you or a member of your group will be using a wheelchair, cane, or walker on your tour, please let the staff at Lemur Landing know when making your tour reservation.
Above, guests wander the summer tour path during an open house. The summer path is gently sloped, with brick pavers.
Service Dogs
We welcome service dogs on our General Tours, which are along the paved tour path described above.
Guests with medical restrictions or special needs, such as the need to be accompanied by a Service Dog on a tour, must let the staff at Lemur Landing know when making the reservation. Please be aware that, like all novel objects, the presence of a Service Dog may affect lemur behavior. If you have questions, please call us at (919) 401-7240 - we'll be happy to help!
According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, a Service Animal is “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.” Therapy dogs, emotional support dogs and companion dogs are not Service Animals as defined by the ADA. Because the DLC houses endangered primates, we cannot allow pets onsite.
If you have allergies, please be aware that the DLC keeps peanuts, peanut butter, and tree nuts onsite for lemur food and training rewards. If you are allergic to nuts, please tell the staff at Lemur Landing when booking your tour. Some tour types are more conducive to coming into contact with nuts than other tour types are.
For the safety of our lemurs and because the Duke Lemur Center has no pet accommodations such as dog-walking areas, we cannot allow pet animals anywhere on the DLC grounds – even inside your vehicle. For our lemurs’ health and safety and for your pet’s, please leave your pup at home. After your visit to the DLC, we recommend picking up your pooch taking him to one of these dog-friendly Durham destinations instead!
For a list of hotels and inns, restaurants and coffee shops, and fun things to do in Durham, please visit the Discover Durham website and the Durham Destination Guide.
For more places to visit on Duke's campus, check out these recommendations. The Duke Lemur Center is approximately 2.5 miles from Duke Chapel and Cameron Indoor Stadium, and approximately 3.5 miles from Duke Gardens and the Nasher Museum of Art.
Questions?
Please email lemurgroups@duke.edu. We’ll be happy to help!
