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