| The Rio Safari Elche - Sitting amongst | | | | rides and animal shows. The most fun to |
| over 4,000 palm trees on the road | | | | feed are the giraffes, who are very |
| between Elche and Santa Pola is the | | | | gentle and graceful and do enjoy a nice |
| amazing animal park, the Rio Safari | | | | juicy carrot (or three!) - they will |
| Elche. Children and adults alike will | | | | take one from your hand, using their |
| certainly enjoy a day out at this fine | | | | long tongue. |
| Costa Blanca tourist attraction, one of | | | | The goat pen is sometimes open for |
| the best places to visit in the whole | | | | visitors to go inside and carrots may be |
| region. | | | | on sale at the entrance for feeding |
| Located conveniently on the road from | | | | them. However the goats can be a little |
| Santa Pola to Elche (CV-865) it is well | | | | over-enthusiastic at the sight of a |
| signposted and easy to find. Before | | | | carrot, so a little care is needed. |
| making the trip it could be well worth | | | | There are a great selection of different |
| your while to visit your local tourist | | | | animal species on show at the Rio Safari |
| office as there are usually discount | | | | Elche and these include, buffalo, |
| vouchers to be found or even "children | | | | antelope, deer, crocodiles, llamas, |
| go free" vouchers. Pick up a leaflet and | | | | camels, emus, osriches, giraffes, lions, |
| a map while you are there. | | | | tigers, jaguars, chimps, monkeys, |
| The Rio Safari Elche has other | | | | prairie dogs, swans, goats, a hippo and |
| facilities apart from just the animal | | | | an elephant. There is also an excellent |
| park - the swimming pool is open during | | | | bird house with a good variety of |
| the hot summer months, so take some | | | | parrots and other species, plus there is |
| towels and swimming costumes (and | | | | an aquarium and reptile house with many |
| especially suntan lotion!) and enjoy a | | | | species of fish, lizards and snakes. |
| cooling dip while you are there. Tabled | | | | Over the last year or so the Rio Safari |
| picnic areas are provided, so you can | | | | has been undergoing some refurbishments |
| take your own snacks and refreshments | | | | and improvements which have helped to |
| (though refreshments are available on | | | | make your visit even more entertaining |
| site). | | | | and enjoyable. The park is trying to be |
| A unique part of the whole experience of | | | | more up to date and attractive and this |
| the Rio Safari Elche is the 'train' ride | | | | will surely attract even more visitors. |
| through the park. The train takes | | | | So there you have it - the Rio Safari |
| visitors in with the animals (not the | | | | Elche, a great place to spend a day |
| lions and tigers!) and offers some great | | | | during a trip to the Costa Blanca in |
| photo opportunities. Also included in | | | | Spain and a unique experience unlike any |
| the ticket price is free entry into the | | | | other. Take a day out to wander amongst |
| animal shows - these include a sea-lion | | | | the four thousand palm trees and to |
| show, an elephant show and a parrot | | | | enjoy the many species of animals. |
| show, all with commentaries in Spanish | | | | Situated between Elche and Santa Pola |
| and English and all worth visiting and | | | | just off the CV-865, The Rio Safari |
| highly entertaining. | | | | Elche is well signposted and easy to |
| Feeding the many animals is one of the | | | | find. |
| most enjoyable parts of the whole Rio | | | | This article on the Rio Safari Elche was |
| Safari Elche experience and you can do | | | | written by Steve Locke who lives in Cabo |
| this whilst walking through the park | | | | Roig on the southern Costa Blanca. He |
| during free periods between the 'train' | | | | writes articles for his local newspaper. |