National Tiger Sanctuary
National Tiger Sanctuary
5
08:30 - 17:00
Wednesday
08:30 - 17:00
Thursday
08:30 - 17:00
Friday
08:30 - 17:00
Saturday
08:30 - 17:00
Sunday
08:30 - 17:00
About
National Tiger Sanctuary is a non-profit, rescue facility that currently cares for a variety of big cats, including bengal tigers, lions, leopards, mountain lions. Visit our big cats from three feet away Wednesday through Sunday. We offer a variety of tours and educational programs. Photography and questions encouraged, National Tiger Sanctuary is an educational campus dedicated to bringing awareness to the environmental conditions and their effects on the earth's ecosystems. Our mission is much bigger than just caring for our furry friends; we believe that through education we can all have a positive impact on the environment!
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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5.0
752 reviews
Excellent
663
Very good
65
Average
8
Poor
9
Terrible
7
Renita E
Luverne, MN71 contributions
Emily was a great tour guide! Very cold and snowy morning and we were so glad they were open! It was great hearing the stories about the tigers and seeing them up close and watching them get snacks. 14 & 16 year old kids thought it was very cool too. Animals seem very well taken care of and loved.
Written 25 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Trisha O
Nixa, MO1 contribution
Jan 2023
You will NOT regret going here! It's like 10000000% better than the zoo at seeing lions and tigers upclose, moving, playing, roaring, and eating. AMAZING!!!!! Worth every dime. My kids and family were in awe the entire time.
Written 3 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Krista W
1 contribution
Oct 2022 • Couples
The feeding tour was incredible! It was amazing to get up close and personal with these majestic and beautiful animals! The people who work there are so dedicated to the cause and extremely knowledgeable which enhanced the entire experience for us. Highly recommended!
Written 6 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Peggy K
Chesterfield, MO101 contributions
Nov 2022
This was my third time visiting the Tiger Sanctuary and it was as amazing as always. Our tour guide, Emily, was very knowledgeable. She had a lot of information and background on each of the big cats that we saw, and she was able to answer all of our questions. It was very cold the day we went but that turned out to be good. I've never seen the tigers with so much energy. They thrive on cold weather. It's obvious that these animals are very well cared for. It's very safe, the cats are behind 2 fences, but you can still get close enough to get some good pics through the fences. This is a must see when you're in Branson.
Written 16 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Herb
4 contributions
Nov 2022
We came across this place serendipitously on the way home from a vacation in Branson, MO. I was impressed with what they were able to do for big cats that had no other home. The staff give the cats a life that is better than at some smaller zoos I've seen. We were not there during any of the official tours but were allowed to wander around and take pictures of the animals. This is not the Bronx Zoo, so expectations may have a lot to do with some people's experiences. The cats were in good shape and seemed contented. You can buy framed artwork created by some of the cats in the gift shop.
Written 6 November 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Bigcat27
1 contribution
Aug 2022 • Family
You pay to see what you would think is all of the big cats, but you only get to see a handful! I thought this would be the highlight of my vacation but it was silverdollar city witch wasn't that great. We upgraded from the awareness tour to the feeding tour and pretty much was swindled out of $30 for the same tour and was ushered out of the tour as soon as the guide was finished telling us about approximately 8 cats, for the prices that are required they have to do better, or that Sanctuary will be extinct.
Written 14 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
SlyC830
Fenton, MO248 contributions
Amazing gem of a location. So perfect for learning about caring for wild animals that have been rescued from various conditions. We have been here twice... once as a general tour and this time as a behind-the-scenes tour, and each time has been amazing. I would go here yearly if I could. My teenagers thoroughly enjoyed themselves also.
Written 24 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MDH
1 contribution
Mar 2022 • Friends
This is a worse than a zoo. The animals are kept in small, unnatural enclosures and a real “sanctuary” wouldn’t let you feed raw chicken to hungry animals (they were forced to “show up” for food in their past lives too…horrible).
Tigers LOVE the water in the wild yet these poor guys can’t even get a shallow pool put into their enclosure. The smaller cats are in cramped enclosures where they are so stressed that they continue to pull out their own hair (the handlers say that’s from their past circumstances, yet many of the cats have been there for years)….odd to me.
Anyway, if this establishment is truly for animals “best interest”, they should really invest in some enrichment for these poor souls who could use a little extra love after what they’ve been through.
Please stop letting the public toss chicken wings at them…similar to tiger cub letting…it’s unnatural and cruel.
If you need a true sanctuary to compare to, look up PAWS (Performing Animals Welfare Society). They also rescue big cats. Read about how they spend their money and how their animals are treated. Startling comparison.
Tigers LOVE the water in the wild yet these poor guys can’t even get a shallow pool put into their enclosure. The smaller cats are in cramped enclosures where they are so stressed that they continue to pull out their own hair (the handlers say that’s from their past circumstances, yet many of the cats have been there for years)….odd to me.
Anyway, if this establishment is truly for animals “best interest”, they should really invest in some enrichment for these poor souls who could use a little extra love after what they’ve been through.
Please stop letting the public toss chicken wings at them…similar to tiger cub letting…it’s unnatural and cruel.
If you need a true sanctuary to compare to, look up PAWS (Performing Animals Welfare Society). They also rescue big cats. Read about how they spend their money and how their animals are treated. Startling comparison.
Written 27 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mark G
Saint Louis, MO1 contribution
Apr 2022
Great tour for a great cause. The animals were awesome and so well taken care of, coupled with an outstanding staff made for a wonderful experience for my wife and I. Hope to return soon. Mark and DIana
Written 6 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
NANCY B
Champlin, MN2,888 contributions
Apr 2022
Excellent tour provided by Sa'Dia. She was so informative and provided so many facts and details about each and every animal at the sanctuary. It was truly a great experience and I hope to visit again. This was my 3rd visit in less than 2 years.
Written 5 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dazzle930
Oskaloosa, IA106 contributions
I’m confused? Hours say closed on Mondays, but open on Memorial Day?
National Tiger S
Saddlebrooke, MO1 contribution
Occasionally we are open on Monday holidays, including this Memorial Day. These dates are announced in our monthly newsletters and on our social media pages. So yes, we will be open.
Briana L
Memphis, TN20 contributions
Trying to decide if it is better to book a morning tour or afternoon? We are taking the dinner train the night before so my first thought is a later tour, but thinking the tigers might be more active on the 10 a.m. Can anyone share their time slots and experience? Thanks!!
National Tiger S
Saddlebrooke, MO1 contribution
We always suggest the tour times based on weather as well. Whenever the weather is the coolest or mildly rainy the cats tend to be most active. If you take a feeding tour, the food incentive will typically always encourage activity from the animals no matter what time of day it is.
Do you actually get to feed the tigers on the you feed tour?
Amy C
Saint Joseph, MO67 contributions
Yes. You are between 2 fences. You put the food in a tube and push it through to the cats.
schleincandice
Cedar Rapids, IA
What is the average amount of time a visitor spends at the sanctuary?
National Tiger S
Saddlebrooke, MO1 contribution
Thank you for your interesting in National Tiger Sanctuary!
We have different tours that vary in length. The shortest and most basic tour is our Awareness Tour. It lasts around 45 minutes to an hour. Our Feeding and You Feed Tours last around an hour to an hour and a half. We also have Behind the Scenes which is about 3 hours and the Day with the Director which is our longest tour of 5 hours. We have an expanded gift shop where one could spend some time browsing. So it all just depends on how long you would like to spend with us.
CHRISZAmerica
america26 contributions
How far is it from the stip in Branson?
National Tiger S
Saddlebrooke, MO1 contribution
National Tiger Sanctuary is 12 miles north of 65 and the strip!
Bobbie W
14 contributions
Is there a gift shop onsite?
National Tiger S
Saddlebrooke, MO1 contribution
Bobbie,
Yes, we do have a gift shop where you can purchase t-shirts, stuffed animals, and many other souvenirs! Please let us know if you have any further questions. Thank you!
Sincerely,
Abbie
can i hold a cub?
Thank you for your interest in NTS! We do not have any opportunities for the public to have contact with our animals. The only time it would be legal for the public to touch a big cat would be a cub. Cub handling is known as Pay To Play and many cubs used die as a result of the stress, lack of sleep, and disease they encounter during excessive handling. That's why you never see AZA zoos or sanctuaries participating in Pay To Play. Instead, you see cub handling at roadside zoos and for profit businesses that just use animals to make money - regardless of the cost to their health. Part of our mission to help educate the public about Pay To Play, because we know people want to do the right thing once they know the truth! Anywhere that lets the public hold baby animals is not contributing to conservation or education - they just care about making a buck.
In light of that, we do have an opportunity to get up close and personal with big cats like never before! Our cats can be seen from only three feet away, and people tell us all the time that they've never been so close to a big cat in their life!
Sincerely,
Abbie
OpenMind01
Owasso, OK
What is the price?
Fatimah M
Iowa City, IA52 contributions
There are several levels of tours. The basic tour is an awareness tour. Adults $25, seniors 55+ $20,kids 3-12 $12. Second step is the feeding tour where you go with the guides as they feed some of the cats. Adults $35, seniors $30, kids $17. Third level is the you feed tour where you get the chance to give the cats a treat. The fee is a straight $60 for all ages. That is as far as my son and I have gone but they also have a behind the scenes tour ( 3 hour walking tour $125 each person. Then there is a day with the director, my one day goal) $250 a 6 hour walking tour. They also have a tigers by twilight by the light of the moon. $40, $35 and $20. No matter what tour you choose the cats are beautiful and the fee helps cover the cost of the Sanctuary. Since they eat about 2K pounds of chicken leg quarters a week any tour is greatly appreciated.
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National Tiger Sanctuary | Saddlebrooke | UPDATED February 2023 Top Tips Before You Go (with Photos) - Tripadvisor
Frequently Asked Questions about National Tiger Sanctuary
- National Tiger Sanctuary is open:
- Wed - Sun 08:30 - 17:00
- We recommend booking National Tiger Sanctuary tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 2 National Tiger Sanctuary tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near National Tiger Sanctuary:
- (4.72 km) Bear Creek Lodge
- (3.01 km) Misty Mountain RV Park
- (12.94 km) Emory Creek Victorian Bed and Breakfast
- (5.88 km) Private, gated manor on 17 acres just minutes from Branson, MO
- (14.42 km) Bull Creek Rv Park
- Restaurants near National Tiger Sanctuary:
- (2.27 km) Taquerio El Camino
- (10.62 km) Tequila's Mexican Restaurant
- (4.64 km) Bear Creek Wine Company and Brewery
- (13.76 km) Missouri Ridge Distillery
- (7.52 km) Gateway Cafe