BIOPARC Valencia is an incredible immersive zoo that specializes in showcasing African fauna. It is located within the Jardín del Turia. The park’s architecture is designed to minimize the visual impact of barriers between visitors and animals. This offers the animals ample space in their reconstructed natural habitat. A visit to BIOPARC Valencia will feel like a real safari in Africa. In this article, you will find out what to see and what makes this park so special.
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About BIOPARC Valencia
BIOPARC Valencia is a modern zoo that focuses on preserving African wildlife. Visitors can step into the animals’ habitats but can also choose to remain unseen. Although you don’t enter the animal enclosures, the park’s design and tour route create an immersive safari experience. During your visit, you can stroll along the paths surrounded by lush vegetation and spot the animals in their natural habitats.
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The entrance to BIOPARC Valencia is a fantastic sight to behold. The ticket office is located behind a giant metal and wood sculpture of an elephant, which adds to the place’s scenic beauty. To enter the zoo, you must walk across an elevated walkway over part of the Jardin del Turia.
The tour areas are reconstructed just like the original natural environments. The animals live in social groups typical of their species and other compatible species, just as they do in nature. Along the route, several sighting points allow you to enjoy a unique experience that can only be appreciated in nature.
During my visit with my son, we had the opportunity to observe lions, hippos, rhinos, and lemurs up close. All it took was a bit of patience to wait for them to come closer. The park’s purpose, impressing visitors with the beauty of the natural world and raising awareness for its conservation, is fully achieved.
Focus on animal welfare
As in all modern zoos and aquariums, at BIOPARC Valencia, animal welfare and respect have priority. You think to be closer to the animals, but the park’s architecture keeps visitors far from the animals, so you can’t disturb or invade their space.
Respect is paramount, so visitors cannot interact with the animals or offer food during the visit. The BIOPARC biologists feed the animals according to the needs of the different species and monitor them with constant veterinary care. The areas where the animals live are designed to ensure their well-being, with outdoor spaces for the day and indoor spaces with heating and a solarium for the night.
Animals at BIOPARC in Valencia
The environments of BIOPARC Valencia recreate the nature of the African continent in 100,000 square metres within the Jardin del Turia. Following the tour route, you can pass through equatorial forest, savannah, extensive wetlands and Madagascar.
The areas faithfully recreate natural habitats. One of the main features of BIOPARC is the multi-species enclosures where different species of animals live together, just like in nature. This division into areas stimulates and enriches the animals and gives visitors a more realistic picture of nature.
Madagascar
The Madagascar area reproduces the fauna and flora of the Indian Ocean island in its different environments, including one dedicated to flamingos and one to lemurs. The Lemur area is a natural island, similar to the one at the Zoom Torino Park in Turin, Italy. The animals are free to move around among the visitors (who do not have to interact with them). You should take advantage of this area because BIOPARC Valencia is the only place in Spain where you can walk among lemurs.
African Savannah
Just like the natural savannah, the savannah of the BIOPARC Valencia includes different environments with different animal species. Lions, elephants, zebras, giraffes and rhinoceroses live in the habitats of the large grassy prairies, the baobab forest or among the high rock formations and dry environments.
Equatorial Forest
The equatorial forest is home to the most fearsome predators, such as the leopard, and numerous reptile species, including the impressive royal python. The African forest environments include wooded areas and a swamp where the animals go to water.
Wetlands
The wetland areas have been recreated as awe-inspiring caves to see animals above and below the water, among hundreds of fish species. In this area of BIOPARC Valencia, you can see hippos, crocodiles and giant turtles.
Activities in BIOPARC Valencia
BIOPARC Valencia offers a lot of activities throughout the day. Unfortunately, the guided tours and meetings with biologists are only in Spanish. You need to know the language to follow the explanations.
In these meetings, the BIOPARC biologists explain the threats and conservation status of the different species, as they do in all zoos. If you speak Spanish, I recommend you attend because these meetings help you get to know the host animals better.
BIOPARC Valencia with kids
The BIOPARC in Valencia is a perfect place to visit with children. It is surrounded by greenery, a dedicated play area, and activities for the little ones. Together, you can experience a mini safari in Africa.
The animals are truly immersed in nature. When there are just a few visitors, the park is so quiet that you can even hear the sound of waterfalls. Although I am always conflicted about visiting a park with animals in captivity, it is reassuring to know that the animals cannot live free in the wild, and the park promotes conservation projects.
For children, visiting a zoological park is a beautiful and educational way to get to know and learn to love all animal species. It is essential to explain that the animals are not there ‘for display’ but have a history behind them that does not allow them to live free.
Finally, BIOPARC Valencia has several services for families, such as bottle warmers and children’s menus in restaurants. My son and I enjoyed the playground in front of the bar. He played, and I enjoyed Spanish beer before resuming our park tour.
Practical tips for visiting the BIOPARC in Valencia
The visit to BIOPARC Valencia takes about three and a half hours, but you can also stay all day. We arrived in the morning and stayed until late afternoon. BIOPARC closes at sunset, so its schedule is variable. Due to weather conditions or lack of light, some animals may not be in the outdoor areas in the late afternoon.
You should avoid weekends or school holidays to organise your visit because there may be many people. In such cases, although there are several animal observation points, you risk finding yourself in the middle of the crowd. However, since many visitors are cruise passengers returning to the ship after lunch, BIOPARC is much less crowded in the afternoon, even on Saturdays.
Where to eat at BIOPARC Valencia
At BIOPARC Valencia, there are many food points at meagre prices. At the time of my visit, the children’s menu cost only € 6.50. There are no picnic areas, but plenty of benches in the park to sit or eat on.
One problem with the picnic areas and the benches is that a lot of people smoke in the park, and it sucks. In Spain, unfortunately, people smoke almost everywhere. Also, there are no drinking fountains, only plastic water bottle dispensers, so you must refill your bottle in the BIOPARC toilets.
I was very disappointed because we cannot promote ecological behaviour if we continue to create avoidable waste such as plastic bottles. I hope this will change, and BIOPARC will be equipped with water fountains because it is a lovely park.
Ticket for BIOPARC Valencia: prices and purchasing details
Tickets for the BIOPARC in Valencia at the time of writing cost €26.90 for adults and €21 for 4-year-olds and up. Unfortunately, they aren’t included in the Valencia Tourist Card. You can buy tickets at the park’s ticket office, but I recommend buying them online so you don’t have to queue and find the best price.
How to reach BIOPARC Valencia
Depending on your hotel’s location and how much you want to walk or cycle, you can reach the BIOPARC Valencia via a pleasant walk or bicycle ride through the Jardin del Turia park.
The BIOPARC can also be reached by several public transport. Buses and metro lines stop around the Nou d’Octubre bridge. Google Maps can check the most convenient stop according to your location.
If you’re travelling by car, the BIOPARC Valencia has a private pay car park for cars up to 2.20 metres high. If you’re moving with a campervan, check your measurements.
BIOPARC Valencia
Avenida Pío Baroja, 3
46015 València
Where to stay in Valencia
Valencia offers a variety of accommodation options, including hotels, pensions, and flats. If you’re looking for a luxurious stay, MYR Palacio Vallier Hotel has a terrace, restaurant, and bar. BONNIES Suites & Spa Valencia offers apartments near Valencia Central Market with a kitchen and shared spa. Helen Berger Boutique Hotel is a lovely boutique hotel with breakfast and is near the Turia Gardens.
I recommend visiting the BIOPARC because it is a fantastic destination to experience during a trip to Valencia. Please let me know in the comments if you have already been there or if this article has inspired you to plan your journey.