In southern Spain, you can feel the sultry breath of Africa — the distance between the two continents is only a few tens of kilometres. This is probably why giraffes and elephants look so natural in the scenery of the Costa del Sol. African animals and fauna from other parts of the world are gathered in the Selwo Aventura safari park.
It is near Estepona, a popular family resort on the Costa del Sol. If previously only hunters had the opportunity to observe the animals in their usual habitat, now you and your child can enjoy the animals and birds in the wild.
Selwo Aventura has an area of about 100 hectares. It is divided into three parts. African animals, including elephants, lions, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, camels and ostriches, populate Poblado Central (Central Village). One of the best ways to see savannah life is to climb the 100m high bridge. In the same part, there is a cave with nocturnal inhabitants: bats and owls.
As the name suggests, El cañón de las aves (Bird Canyon) is the kingdom of birds. But in addition to cranes, storks, pheasants, toucans and doves, some creatures look nothing like birds. For example, lynxes live here, and otters splash around in a separate pond.
Pórtico de la Naturaleza (translated as 'Gateway to Nature') is home to various exotic animals, from pandas and lemurs to kangaroo wallabies. There is also a mini-zoo where children can look closely at sheep, pigs, rabbits and poultry.
The safari park also hosts an exhibition of birds of prey and reptiles. If a child has long wondered who is more dangerous — the king python or the coral aspirate — at Selwo Aventura Zoo, they can get the answer and not put themselves in danger. Daily meetings are held in the park with experts who talk about the peculiarities of the life of lions, giraffes, hyenas and lemurs.
In addition to the animals, Selwo Aventura features exotic plants such as the bottle tree (ceiba), catalpa, rubber tree and carob tree. Is it any wonder that it is the Spanish dagger (one of the names of the yucca), the elephant's foot (a type of palm) or the swan's neck (aka agave lengthening) that can be seen among the plants?
Each part of Selwo Aventura offers a different adventure. Do you want to see the park from an unusual angle? Walk over the suspension bridges, fly on the high bungee cord, or try a camel tour. You can learn how to shoot an arrow or jump on the trampolines in the park. Children will be delighted to dip in the cooling jets of the mini showers. There is a café in the safari park. We recommend that you bring a supply of water.
