If you want to see wild animals in their natural habitat, Bioparc Valencia is a must. Eugene Costello recently visited with his daughter…
If you want to see wild animals in their natural habitat, Bioparc Valencia is a must. The organisation prides itself on recreating habitats and environments that are as close to the animals’ natural habitat as possible, and it makes for a wonderful experience.
The Bioparc is at the farthest end of the diverted Turia riverbed, its westernmost point. Nearest Metro is Nou d’Octubre. What they have achieved is nothing short of remarkable. As well as seeing magnificent beasts up close and personal, there is a full schedule of events. These include films at the on-site cinema and spectacles feeding animals, beloved by children.
At the entrance is a large, hollow wooden sculture of an elephant, standing guard. “Oh, look, it’s a Trojan Elephant,” I quipped to my daughter. She rolled her eyes.
Out of Africa
The park has four main areas, beautifully landscaped and with meandering walkways to follow. The largest of these is the dry African Savannah. Expect to see rhinoceroses, zebras, hyenas and ostriches. Next in size are the African Wetlands, home to giraffes, antelopes, gazelles, meerkats and lions. There is an area they call the Baobab Forest, where you will encounter a magnificent troop of a dozen African elephants. The area called Madagascar is home to playful lemurs, and is where you will find the Kitum Cave, home to hippos and crocodiles. And the Equatorial Forest is where you will get up close and personal with pythons, otters, leopards and gorillas.
It is a fantastic day out and supports the work of the Bioparc Foundation that seeks to ensure as natural a habitat as possible for the animals. The site covers an area of 100,000 square metres and is home to a thousand animals across 150 different African species. The climate is not dissimilar to much of Africa so it is as close to the real thing as possible.
Fun for all the family
There is free admission for children under four, and if you live in Valencia, the annual pass means you can visit regularly and represents excellent value. We went on a sunny Sunday in April and the only issue is that the park had big crowds. This meant long queues at the cafeterias and some queues for the best vantage points to see the animals. It is therefore advisable that you try to visit on a weekday when it is less crowded. All in all, a wonderful experience, a must-see, and it supports the important conservation work of the Bioparc Foundation.
• Bioparc Valencia, Avenida Pío Baroja, 3, 46015, Valencia; spring/summer hours, 10am – 8pm, autumn/winter, 10am – 6pm; open 365 days of the year; tickets, €28,90 – 30,90 per person; annual pass, €65 per person, €50 per child aged 4 – 12; https://bioparcvalencia.es/en/