Loro Parque

Source www.siesta.life

We are glad to welcome you again, true hunters of experiences, to go with you to the world's best show of dolphins, orcas and, of course, parrots in the amazing exotic Loro Parque.

Intrigued by the name? Then it's time to get to know the place better. But please don't forget your sunglasses and sunscreen, your camera or camcorder, and a spare set of change clothes, which will be useful if you intend to attend a water show with orcas jumping out of a huge pool and splashing water for many meters around.

Loro Parque occupies an area of 13.5 hectares and is located in Puerto de la Cruz, the oldest city and tourist center in the north of Tenerife. It is known primarily for its uniquely diverse parrot collection of almost 500 species of birds, including some of the rarest birds in the world that are no longer found in the wild.

"Parrot Park" - that's how the name translates - has also gained popularity over the past four or so decades with primates, wildcats, rodents, inhabitants of the deep sea and a company of penguins that appeared in 1999. A huge variety of divine orchids and other plant species will not leave indifferent the most sophisticated connoisseurs of the beauty of flora. Do you wonder who came up with the idea to collect so many natural wonders in one place? Meet its creator, Wolfgang Kiessling.

History of Loro Park

Businessman Wolfgang Kiessling comes from a powerful German family. He was an airline manager when he first came to Tenerife at the age of 33 and, having fallen in love with the island, decided to settle down here, choosing Puerto de la Cruz as his home. In order to make a living, the German first decided to create a real safari park, but calculations of the costs required for this entertainment forced him to abandon such an idea, giving preference to a more modest project - a parrot park, whose maintenance promises to be less costly.

According to guides, even at a young age Kissling wanted to have a beloved pet, and following his father's advice, he got a parrot. The idea of creating a parrot park, which over time has become a real business for the family and a full-fledged entertainment complex for visitors. It is due to this childhood hobby of his. In order to comply with local laws, Kissling had to purchase a hotel to which the park could be assigned. "Hotel Botanico," as the hotel is called, is located within the park and is still the home of the elderly businessman. The Kissling family also owns aquapark Siam Park water park worth 52 million euros, which ranks first among its largest European counterparts.

Why Thailand?

The entrance to Loro Parque in Tenerife is decorated in the tradition of Thai architecture. The "Thai Village" welcomes you with its six houses with gilded roofs, a tribute to the time and impressions Kissling had when he lived with his father in Thailand.

By the way, when the Thai queen visited the park, she expressed great pleasure at everything she saw, admiring these exotic structures.

Exciting shows and performances

As you enter the gates of the park, take the booklet offered to every tourist with a detailed chart and schedule of show programs for all tastes and ages. Note that the shows are arranged so that everyone can visit all of them in one day. Would you like to see right away the cute tricks of the colorful birds to whom the park owes its name?

The parrot show will be interesting for adults and children. If you look into the "Baby station" pavilion, you can watch the process of feeding the chicks.

Another place definitely worth seeing is Aqua Viva, where you can watch the development and growth of small jellyfish, learn about their diversity in the wild, and simply take photos of the beautiful aquariums with these sea creatures. All the aquariums are illuminated in red, blue or green, which makes the spectacle even more mesmerizing. There is also an aquarium with real predators - sharks. Small, but very real.

You will be unforgettable experience at the aquarium with a variety of marine life - sharks, rays, various species of tropical fish and other inhabitants of seas and oceans - especially if you walk through the transparent glass tunnel. A breathtaking spectacle!

The dolphins, sea lions and, of course, orcas are popular with tourists. Orcas show appeared here in 2006, when four orcas were brought from the American Sea World. At the moment there are six orcas and now this show is the hallmark of the park. Not every zoo can afford the content of such a show and it certainly deserves attention. It is difficult to describe here, you must see it - we definitely recommend you to visit it. A change of clothes or a waterproof cape, bought for 3 euros in advance, is useful for front row spectators.

The dolphin show is no less popular, in which some of the small children who sit on the left front rows (if you face the pool) will be lucky to ride in a small boat with a dolphin at the end of the show. The sea lion show is an interesting and very fun performance that includes interaction with the viewers.

Comical situations, jokes and mischievous antics of sea lions will not leave indifferent (and sometimes dry) visitors to the park. By the way, no two shows a day are the same. The program of each show is the same, but the composition of stunts will always be different - these are animals and they can both get tired and be in a different mood. That's why trainers act according to the situation and you can see different shows by visiting them for the second or even third time.

It's safe to say that without a visit to Planet of the Penguins, you won't feel like you're in the park at all. Depending on the time of year, the penguins may have polar night or polar day, which affects to the lighting in their abode. The pavilion with two hundred birds is something absolutely stunning. Just look at how much snow is produced daily for their comfort by special cannons! And how cold it is! Sit comfortably on the moving walkway and quietly watch these clumsy creatures with their funny babies in the water or on the artificial ice.

For children there is a special corner Kinderlandia with structures for climbing, running and jumping. Just be careful, you may have to forcefully drag the children out of this cool place to continue the tour.

Breaks between performances

Attending a show is not the only thing you and your children can see. Ask, what else is there to do with your time? Let's just take a walk along the paths of the park.

We will see the aviaries with animals and birds - gorillas and chimpanzees, lizards, capybaras and anteaters, tigers and jaguars, crocodiles and giant turtles, sloths and otters, crowned cranes, flamingos and pelicans.

Watching the funny meerkats is a pleasure.

A special pride of the park is the two red pandas, recently arrived from Britain, also called fire cats or bear cats. For the new inhabitants special aviary was built according to their way of life in the wild. You can take many beautiful photos with the animals in the background or make a short video about the zoo's other animals and their habits. A soothing walk through the botanical garden will allow you to admire plenty of orchids, stand in the alley of dragon trees, see a variety of cacti and palm trees. Those who go to the special part of Loro Parque - Jungle Ara will be lucky to visit the real jungle.