Inside: Get up close and personal with giraffes at the Greenville Zoo in Greenville, SC with their new feeding platform. We got to visit and have all the details!
Ever wanted to feed a giraffe and get a selfie in front of the cool creatures? You can do that at our very own Greenville Zoo. Thanks to private donations, the Jim and Janice Cordes Giraffe Encounters is now complete and ready for guests!
Watch! Feeding Giraffes at the Greenville Zoo
🦒 The Giraffe Feeding Platform at Greenville Zoo
Giraffes are the tallest animals on Earth, standing up to 14–19 feet tall! And here’s a fun bonus: they’re herbivores, so families can relax — there’s no raw meat involved when feeding these gentle giants.
During your visit, giraffes might stroll up to the feeding platform to snag a snack from guests — think crunchy biscuits or leafy greens. It’s a cool way to get eye-level with these amazing animals!
🖐️ The Giraffe Feeding Experience
The Jim and Janice Cordes Giraffe Encounter at the Greenville Zoo is just as awesome as it sounds. Families can step onto the special feeding deck and, if the giraffes are feeling friendly, hand-feed one right from the platform!
🕒 When Can You Feed a Giraffe?
The giraffe encounter typically runs Fridays through Sundays during:
- 10:00–11:30 am
- 1:30–3:00 pm
BUT (and this is important), the experience depends on:
- Weather
- Staff availability
- Whether the giraffes feel like coming over!
When you arrive at the zoo, check at the front gate to see if the feeding platform will be open that day. And remember — this is a one-of-a-kind animal experience, so it’s worth being a little patient!
Cost of Giraffe Encounters at the Greenville Zoo
Purchase tokens for $5 or $4 for members. 
Giraffes participate voluntarily — your token grants access to the deck, but the giraffes choose whether or not they want to eat.
If the giraffes choose not to eat that day, and you have already purchased a token you can bring it back another day.
Summer Tip: If the heat index is 100 or up, the encounter will close early or not open.
The Greenville Zoo is primarily community-funded, so every encounter helps support the care of the animals and upcoming improvements. We recommend considering a membership, so if you miss the Giraffe Encounter one day, you can easily head back another day.
The zoo is currently home to Masai giraffes Miles and Autumn, who are part of the Species Survival Program. Many baby giraffes have been born at the Zoo in the past ten years, including Kiko, Kellen and Providence.
💬 Have you tried feeding a giraffe yet?
Keep exploring with our full Greenville Zoo guide for more family-friendly tips.
Greenville Zoo
150 Cleveland Drive, Greenville
