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Explorer Tours offer flexibility for local teachers. You, the classroom teacher, will lead your students on an educational excursion through our gardens and Nature Discovery Center. You can teach your students about science, art, history and more! A garden guidebook is available for use.

Please contact Paula Stout at (409) 670-9113 or pstout@shangrilagardens.org to schedule your classes.

  • ALL teachers must register with the Shangri La Education Department prior to facilitating a Self-guided Tour for their students. Scheduling is how we stagger bus drop-offs and pick-ups, restroom breaks, and use of garden space. We are not a facility designed to accommodate large groups at one time. Students participating in onsite curriculum-based programming take priority with scheduling and use of space.
  • Prior to the scheduled program date, the teacher(s) is encouraged to come out to Shangri La Gardens and plan your Self-guided Tour.
  • Self-guided Tours are for garden experiences only. Outpost Tours (via boat) are NOT available.
  • The maximum time for your Self-guided School Tour is 3 hours. We recommend a minimum 1 ½ hours. We can schedule two time slots per day (morning and afternoon).
  • Shangri La Gardens does not offer lunch accommodations for Self-guided School Tour groups. The City of Orange Lions Park (about 5 minutes away) is an excellent location for a picnic lunch.
  • You must provide a student to adult chaperone ratio of 10 to 1.

Thank you for sharing Shangri La Gardens with your students. As we are learning to be kind to our earth, let's also remember to be kind to each other. While you are visiting with your students, we may be engaging other students or families with our onsite programming. Please do your best to not interrupt or be a distraction to these groups. Also, please be mindful that there may be school buses picking up and dropping off at the same time you are picking up or dropping off your students.

Download Teacher Booklet