Parque Natural de Cabárceno is an unforgettable experience for nature and animal lovers alike. Nestled in the beautiful landscapes of Cantabria, this massive park is unlike any traditional zoo. Spanning over 750 hectares, it’s home to a vast variety of animal species from all over the world — from elephants and lions to gorillas, rhinos, and giraffes. The best part? The animals live in semi-freedom, in large natural enclosures that closely resemble their native habitats. You can really tell they are well cared for, and their comfort is clearly a top priority.
One of the highlights of the visit is the cable car ride that stretches across the park, offering stunning panoramic views of the lush green surroundings and the animals roaming freely below. It’s a peaceful yet thrilling way to appreciate the sheer scale of the park and its beauty.
Whether you’re walking, driving through, or soaring above it, Parque de Cabárceno offers an immersive and respectful way to connect with wildlife. It’s perfect for families, photographers, and anyone wanting a deeper appreciation of nature. A visit here is both educational and awe-inspiring — truly one of Spain’s hidden gems. Highly...
Read moreThis place is genuinely one of the best attractions I've ever visited. The sheer size is astounding – you really need a car to fully experience it. The concept of moving from car park to car park to encounter different animals is brilliant. Highlights for me included having lunch with a view of the cheetahs, peaceful moments watching the bears, and a magical area with deer, goats, birds, and even monkeys all mingling as if in a nature documentary. Imagine Jurassic Park—but with real animals! This place is an unforgettable experience that gets you up close in a natural, immersive setting.
If you're visiting, I’d recommend starting with the cable car for an overview, and bringing your own lunch to save time. The food here is fairly priced, but why waste time searching for menus when there's so much to see? Also, a sunny day really brings out the beauty of the landscape.
Toilets are mapped out but not everywhere, so plan ahead if you’re with kids. My only suggestion would be clearer maps – I didn’t mind the occasional missed turn, as it just meant seeing the animals again. Highly recommend this...
Read moreHonestly, we were very dissapointed. The park is huge, lots of animals to see (well, some very difficult to see), but the way it is organised makes you waste a lot of time in the car and driving from one place to another. Plus, no clear/recommended trajectory, no clear indications, you get a map and there you go....we made 3-4 huge round tours to get to see the lions and the wolves - plenty of one-way streets and if you miss a turn you go round half the park again. Cable car was nice, but...only one was operational, and the wainting line was really long...probably if both lines are operational things are nicer. Otherwise...we loved the bears, and were impressed by how many elephants were roaming there. Food was good...but again not all facilities were open (although a lot of visitors), and very challenging to find a parking place near the restaurants. ... could be much better with some clearer indications and a proposed tour to follow to see the animals without turning in circles half...
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