I have to be honest, after watching Blackfish we ummed and ahhed about visiting Loro Parque with the kids.

On the one hand, we were uncomfortable with what the documentary showed us about the Orcas there and we don’t really believe that they (or any animal) should be kept in captivity.

On the other hand, whether we like it or not, they are there. I’d rather they were well funded and well cared for, than euthanised because they don’t have the cash to care for them anymore. This actually happened to the animals in the zoo in Benidorm recently.

So, after much deliberation we decided to go ahead and make a family trip to Loro Parque in Tenerife.

If you plan to visit too, here’s what you need to know…

What Is It?

Loro Parque (or Loro Park) is a zoo located in Puerto De La Cruz, Tenerife. It’s famous for it’s Orcas and it’s dolphin, sea lion and parrot shows. The animals are all housed in clean, well maintained and relatively spacious enclosures, designed for good viewing.

With a huge range of animals ranging from white tigers, panthers and alligators to monkeys, gorillas and our personal favourite, the two toed sloth (seriously, I bet they give the BEST hugs!), you can easily spend a whole day here admiring nature’s most beautiful beasts. 

There are also plenty of cafes, a play park for kids under 10 and a small roller coaster (which costs an additional 1 Euro per person).

How to Get There

If you’ve got a car it’s a fairly straight forward drive with motorway pretty much all the way. You can either opt to pay 4 Euro to park in the Loro Park car park, or head round to a road named Calle Ucanca where there is plenty of street parking. It’s about a 7 minute walk to the gates from here.  If you’re staying in Puerto De la Cruz then you can always hop on the free Loro Park train which departs from the centre, near the sea front. Alternatively there is no shortage of coach trips available for those of you staying in Los Cristianos or Las Americas.

How Much Does It Cost

In short, a lot. This was by far our most expensive family trip in Tenerife. The cheapest option is to buy online in which case you’ll pay approx 30 Euro per adult and 20 euro per child.

But be prepared to spend more once you arrive. As you walk through the gates you’ll be approached by someone selling a guided “behind the scenes” tour for an additional 10 Euros each. You’ll then be offered a big glossy full park guide (I didn’t see how much they were), before you make your way through to queue up and have your picture taken with some parrots. This beautiful photo will then be waiting for you at the exit – for just another 7.50 Euros. The spending opportunities don’t end there. There’s cafes, sweet shops, souvenirs stands and face painters dotted all over the park.

The food is fairly expensive and not very high quality. We paid 30 Euros for 3 margherita pizzas, 1 salad and a portion of chips. If you’re travelling with a celiac or anyone with allergies, I would recommend taking a packed lunch and eating in one of the picnic areas. In fact, I’d probably recommend doing that anyway, allergies or not.

What To Take With You

Comfy shoes, lots of water, sun cream, your camera and cash. Lots and lots of cash.

Don’t Miss

The shows. Orcas are rare and it’s likely they won’t be held in captivity much longer so make sure you see their show. My personal favourites were the sea lions and the parrots. Make sure you visit the penguin planet too.

Don’t Forget

To take 3 Euros in cash with you to the orca show so you can buy a poncho if you end up sat in  the splash zone like we did. Money saving hack – Don’t wear it, spread it out flat like a blanket and you can cover 3 of you with one poncho and save yourself some cash.  

Other Important Stuff You Need to Know

Kids tickets are only up to age 11. Outrageous I know! My 12 year old son is still very much as child, if they’d like to debate that with me then I will happily lend him to them for a week and they can see for themselves…

So that’s my family review of Loro Park. If you’re planning a holiday to Tenerife then check out my other Tenerife blog posts…  

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