Rio Safari Elche - Safari in the Heart of Spain
Meet wild animals in their natural environment
Rio Safari Elche is a unique place where you can meet wild animals up close without leaving Spain. The park offers an unforgettable car safari through expansive enclosures where animals live in conditions closely resembling their natural habitats.
Rio Safari Elche is a zoo and entertainment park located in Elche, 30 km from Gran Alacant on Costa Blanca (35 minutes by car). The main attraction is a car safari through expansive enclosures with lions, tigers, giraffes, elephants, and zebras. Online tickets cost 22.50€ for adults and 17€ for children (3-12 years), and children under 2 enter free. The park is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, closed on Sundays. In addition to the safari, there is a walking area with sea lion shows (12:00 and 16:00), a monkey island, mini zoo, and playground. Parking is free. Plan 3-4 hours for a full visit.
What is the car safari like at Rio Safari Elche?
🦁 What you will see on safari
Predators
- • African lions
- • Siberian tigers
- • Leopards
- • Eurasian wolves
Savannah animals
- • African giraffes
- • Asian elephants
- • Plains zebras
- • Antelopes and gazelles
What else can you see at Rio Safari besides the car safari?
🐧 Walking area
- • Sea lions: Shows at 12:00 and 16:00
- • Penguins: Air-conditioned enclosure
- • Monkeys: Monkey island
- • Exotic birds: Walk-through aviary
🎭 Additional services
- • Animal feed: 2€ per portion
- • Photos with lions: 10€ (seasonal)
- • Mini zoo: Hands-on animal contact
- • Playground: For children
How much do Rio Safari Elche tickets cost in 2025?
ONLINE (-4€)
BOX OFFICE
SENIOR 65+
Important information
- • Safari only in your own car (windows must be closed)
- • Free parking
- • Prohibited: feeding animals (except with special feed)
- • Season: all year (Monday - Saturday)
- • Sunday: closed
How to best plan your visit to Rio Safari Elche?
Car safari
Drive slowly (max 10 km/h), stop by the animals. The safari takes 45-60 minutes depending on your pace.
With children
Kids love feeding the giraffes! Buy feed at the entrance. The playground is perfect for a break after the safari.
Best time
In the morning (10:00-12:00) the animals are most active. After lunch they rest in the shade.
💡 Our local tip
Plan your visit for the morning — the animals are most active then and temperatures are more pleasant. After the safari you can have lunch in nearby Elche and visit the famous Palm Park (UNESCO)!
⚠️ Safety rules
- • Do not leave your car in the safari zone
- • Windows must be closed near predators
- • Do not feed animals with food from outside the park
- • Children must always be supervised by adults
- • No smoking throughout the park
What facilities does Rio Safari Elche offer for families with children?
Rio Safari Elche is one of the most family-friendly places on Costa Blanca. The park has a spacious playground with a sandpit, swings, and slides, ideal for a break during your visit. On-site there is a restaurant with a children's menu (dishes from 6€) and a bar with drinks and ice cream. Toilets are available at three points in the park, including baby changing facilities. Pushchairs can be used in the walking area but not during the car safari. For the youngest visitors (3-6 years) the mini zoo is particularly attractive, where they can touch and feed goats, rabbits, and donkeys under the supervision of keepers. The park also has a first aid station with qualified medical staff.
What is the history of Rio Safari Elche and why is it worth visiting?
Rio Safari Elche was founded in 1983 and is one of the oldest zoos in the Valencia region. Over more than 40 years of operation, the park has grown from a small zoo to an expansive complex covering over 20 hectares. The name "Rio" refers to the Vinalopo river, which flows near the park. In 2010 the park underwent a major renovation, expanding the enclosures and introducing modern animal care standards. Today Rio Safari participates in European Endangered Species Programmes (EEP) and cooperates with conservation organisations. The park employs over 60 staff, including veterinarians and biologists. Approximately 200,000 visitors come each year, making it one of the most popular attractions in Alicante province. Notably, unlike many safari parks in Europe, Rio Safari Elche allows you to drive through in your own car at no extra charge.
What is worth seeing near Rio Safari Elche?
Rio Safari Elche is strategically located, allowing you to combine your visit with other attractions in the region. Here are the most interesting places nearby:
- • Palm Park in Elche (El Palmeral): The largest palm grove in Europe with over 200,000 palms, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Just 10 minutes' drive from Rio Safari. Tickets from 5€.
- • Basilica de Santa Maria: A Gothic basilica in the centre of Elche, famous for the annual Misteri d'Elx mystery play (UNESCO). Viewing tower entry 2€.
- • El Altet Beach: A wild, sandy beach 20 minutes from the park, ideal for relaxing after the safari. Free, with natural dune landscape.
- • L'Aljub Shopping Centre: The largest shopping centre in Elche with over 100 shops and a food court, 15 minutes from Rio Safari.
Rio Safari Elche photo gallery
Lions in their natural environment
You can hand-feed the giraffes
Safari in your own car
Plains zebras on the savannah
Asian elephants
Siberian tigers
Leopards resting in the shade
African antelopes
Hippos in the water
Rhinoceroses
Monkey island
Penguins in the air-conditioned enclosure
Sea lion show
Savannah animals at Rio Safari
The expansive grounds of Rio Safari
Gazelles on the savannah
Close encounter with wild animals
Rafał Prońko
Właściciel Brisa Alacant
Właściciel apartamentu wakacyjnego Brisa Alacant od 2023 roku, regularnie odwiedzam Costa Blanca i znam region z własnych doświadczeń. Wszystkie miejsca opisane na blogu odwiedziłem osobiście — zdjęcia i porady pochodzą z moich własnych wizyt. Pomagam gościom odkrywać najlepsze atrakcje regionu Alicante.
Frequently Asked Questions about Rio Safari Elche
How much does a ticket to Rio Safari Elche cost?
An online ticket to Rio Safari Elche costs 22.50€ for an adult (13-64 years) and 17€ for a child (3-12 years). Box office prices are higher: 26.50€ adult, 21€ child. Seniors over 65 pay 17€ both online and at the box office. Children up to 2 years old enter free of charge and do not need a ticket. By purchasing tickets online on the official website riosafari.com you save 4€ on every adult ticket, which for a family of four means savings of up to 8€. Online tickets are valid for the selected date and do not require printing — simply show them on your phone at the entrance. The park accepts card and cash payments. It is worth buying tickets a few days in advance, especially during the summer season (June-September), when the park can be crowded. For groups of over 20 people, additional discounts are available after contacting the park reception by phone. The ticket price includes both the car safari and entry to the walking area with sea lion shows.
What animals can you see at Rio Safari Elche?
Rio Safari Elche is home to over 1,400 animals belonging to approximately 200 species from various continents. In the car safari zone you will see African lions, Siberian tigers, snow leopards, Eurasian wolves, giraffes, Asian elephants, plains zebras, antelopes, gazelles, Nile hippos, and white rhinoceroses. The walking area includes a monkey island with macaques and capuchins, a penguin enclosure in an air-conditioned pavilion, an aviary with macaw and cockatoo parrots, and a sea lion pool. In the mini zoo, children can meet miniature goats, rabbits, donkeys, and ponies. The park runs conservation programmes for endangered species and participates in European Endangered Species Programmes (EEP). Each species has an information board in four languages: Spanish, English, German, and French. In spring and summer the park regularly welcomes new baby animals. The park covers over 20 hectares, and the enclosures are designed to closely resemble the natural habitats of animals from Africa, Asia, and Europe.
Are there animal shows at Rio Safari Elche?
Yes, Rio Safari Elche holds daily sea lion shows at 12:00 and 16:00 in a special amphitheatre seating 300 people. The show lasts approximately 20 minutes and includes acrobatics, tricks, and educational presentations on the behaviour of these fascinating marine mammals. In addition to shows, the park offers interactive experiences: hand-feeding giraffes for 2€ per portion of special feed (available at the giraffe enclosure from 11:00 to 15:00) and photo sessions with lions for 10€ per person (available seasonally, mainly from April to October). In the mini zoo, children can touch and feed tame animals such as goats, rabbits, and donkeys, which is especially popular with families with young children. Animal trainers are happy to answer visitors' questions after each show, making the visit educational. It is worth attending the 12:00 show, as the audience is less crowded than during the afternoon session at 16:00.
How do you get to Rio Safari Elche from Gran Alacant?
From Gran Alacant to Rio Safari Elche it is 30 km, which takes approximately 35 minutes by car. The most convenient route follows the A-7 motorway towards Elche — take the exit marked 'Elche Parque Industrial' and follow the brown tourist signs marked 'Rio Safari'. Parking at the park is completely free and accommodates approximately 500 cars, so even at peak season there should be no problem finding a space. The safari is conducted exclusively in your own car — motorcycles and convertibles with open roofs are not permitted on the route. In the predator zone windows must be closed and the maximum speed is 10 km/h. GPS address: Carretera del Canales, Km 1, 03295 Elche. Alternatively, you can get there by public transport on bus line L1 from Elche bus station, but then you cannot take part in the car safari — only the walking area will be accessible. From Alicante city centre the route is slightly longer at approximately 40 km (30 minutes via the AP-7 motorway).
How long does a visit to Rio Safari Elche take?
Plan 3 to 4 hours for a full visit to Rio Safari Elche. The car safari takes 45-60 minutes depending on your pace and how many stops you make at the animals. The walking area with sea lion shows (20 minutes), monkey island, mini zoo, penguin enclosure, and exotic bird aviary requires an additional 1.5-2 hours. If you plan to feed the giraffes and have a photo session with the lions, add another 30-45 minutes. The park is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 15:30. The park is closed on Sundays. It is best to arrive at opening time at 10:00 — the animals are most active then, temperatures are lower, and crowds are smaller. After your visit, it is worth driving to nearby Elche (10 minutes) to visit the UNESCO-listed Palm Park. During the summer season the park is particularly crowded on Saturdays, so a weekday visit ensures a much calmer experience and better views of the animals.
Źródła i odnośniki
- Rio Safari Elche - Official website(dostęp: 2025-08-08)
- Rio Safari Elche - TripAdvisor(dostęp: 2025-08-08)
- Rio Safari Elche - Google Maps(dostęp: 2025-08-08)
- Ayuntamiento de Elche - Tourism(dostęp: 2025-08-08)
- EAZA - European Association of Zoos and Aquaria(dostęp: 2025-08-08)
Ready for a safari adventure?
From Brisa Alacant it is just a 35-minute drive to an unforgettable encounter with wild animals!
Nature and parks near Elche
After the safari, visit the nearby Palm Park in Elche — the largest palm grove in Europe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Closer to our apartment, the Clot de Galvany nature reserve awaits with flamingos and scenic hiking trails.