Selwo Aventura Safari Park
You can be magically transported off to the wilds of Africa at the Selwo Aventura Safari Park and it is a brilliant day out for all the family. It is worth saying at this point that is does take most of the day to see the park properly. Located 3km east of Estepona (km 162.5) Selwo Safari Park is also very easy to get to.
If you don’t have a hire car, you can catch the complimentary Portillo Selwo bus direct that travels from Malaga, but only on Friday and Saturday mornings, leaving at 8.45am and generally arriving at the park at about 10.30am stopping off at various locations along the coastal N-340 en-route. You can book your place on this bus by calling 902 19 04 82. You must make the booking a minimum of 12 hours in advance. For the return journey the bus leaves the park at 5.00pm and travels the route in reverse.
For the rest of the week you can use any of the many public transport buses that travel along the coastal N-340 (A-7) road and there is a bus stop at the Selwo junction. It is however a bit of a slog up the hill to get there if you’re walking once you have stepped off the bus!
If you are driving your own car, the signposting is very easy, once at km 162.5 (mid way between San Pedro and Estepona) turn off, go up the hill and you will come to the big parking area. If you are staying in a hotel in Estepona, Puerto Banus or Marbella then they will be happy to help you sort out your journey.
It is also worth knowing, that Selwo Aventura Safari Park is owned by the same company that operates Selwo Marina in Benalmadena and the Teleferico (cable cars) also in Benalmadena. If you are interested in all these excursions it is possible to purchase a group ticket at a greatly reduced price for all three trips (about 40% of the total cost), as opposed to paying per person each time.
For a family of four to Selwo Aventura Safari Park for example it will cost 22.50 E per adult and 15.50 E per child (children are from 3-7 years) so you’re looking at 76 Euros before you’ve even thought about lunch or souvenirs. You will not be able to take any of your own food into the park (many a time I have seen people eating their picnic in the car park having been turned back at the gate!)
Once in the park you will immediately be transported to the wilds of Africa. The park is roughly divided into several areas for example there is a botanical reserve with many wild and wonderful plants and trees, the wildlife preserve, with meer cats, red pandas (very sweet!), emus and iguanas to name but a few, freely wandering all around are peacock and peahens, chickens, ducks and various other birds.
You can see the central lake with swans and geese and in the distance the Zulu huts of the 3 star hotel there is on site! Also across the lake is the zip line for the abseil which the kids love.
As you walk through the paths there are very good eating and bathroom facilities around and you will naturally come to the beginning of the covered aviary. You can either walk through this up to the next point or alternatively you can go off-roading on one of a constant stream of safari trucks that pull up. This takes you off the beaten track seeing the wildlife at an even closer vantage point. If you walk through the aviary there are wonderful birds of paradise, toucans and birds of every description, flying and scratching around.
Once through the aviary you come to a vast expanse of parkland where, from the vantage point of a bridge, you can see the safari trucks wending their way through the buffalo, rhino, elephants, camels, gnu and Oryx to name but a few species. The pathway takes you pretty close to these enclosures too, with the chance to have a camel ride en-route if you fancy it (One of those things in life I think that once you’ve done it once, you don’t need to do again!)
The tigers are found right at the end of this area of the park and because of the design of their enclosure, it is possible to be fairly close to these magnificent beasts because of the glass used. From this point you can go on further in the safari jeeps and see even more animals, but for those on foot you will be pleased to see great restaurant facilities to have a cool beer and a bite to eat!
Selwo Aventura Safari Park really is a different day out here on the Costa del Sol and one well worth taking for all the family. If you are interested in staying at the hotel, they do have various packages on offer. Just call 902 19 04 82 for more information. (They do have English speaking operators)
Selwo Aventura Safari Park can be found at km 162.5 CN-340, Estepona.
Telephone: 902 190482Website: www.selwo.es