Loro Parque guide: opening hours, shows and getting there

Loro Parque is the zoo and aquarium in Puerto de la Cruz, in the north of Tenerife. It opens every day of the year from 9:30am to 5:30pm and is explored on foot over a full day built around four animal presentations (sea lions, parrots, dolphins and orcas). You can drive there and use its paid car park, or take the free train from the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. This guide covers the visit itself; if you are still deciding between Loro Parque and Siam Park, the water park in the south, start with the comparison of the two, linked in the tickets section.

All opening hours, prices and rules in this guide are those published by the park and by TITSA as of October 2026. They change with the season, so check the official website before you go.

What to see at Loro Parque

The park opened in 1972 as a parrot garden. According to its website, it now houses more than 400 animal species across outdoor enclosures, aviaries, an aquarium and several themed spaces. The route is a walking circuit through tropical planting; most of it is outdoors and some spaces are covered.

Animal presentations

These are the backbone of the day. Each one lasts about 20 minutes and the park recommends arriving a few minutes early, as the stands fill up. The times published in October 2026 are:

• Sea lions: 9:45am, 10:45am, 1:45pm and 2:45pm.
• Parrots: 10:25am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm and 4:45pm.
• Dolphins: 11:00am, 1:00pm and 4:15pm.
• Orcas: 11:55am and 3:15pm.

With this timetable you can see all four on the same day without rushing. A sequence that works: sea lions first thing, dolphins at 11:00am, orcas at 11:55am, lunch, then parrots in the afternoon. The park does not offer swimming or direct interaction with the dolphins; its FAQ explains this as an animal welfare decision.

Planet Penguin and the immersive spaces

Loro Parque groups several spaces under the name "immersive experiences", and they are worth not skipping:

• Planet Penguin: the penguinarium recreates the Antarctic climate with real snow, a large iceberg and hundreds of penguins. It is one of the most photographed spots in the park and is indoors.
• Aquarium: fish and corals from seas and rivers, with a shark tunnel you walk through.
• AquaViva: a room dedicated to jellyfish, with hundreds of illuminated specimens, blacktip reef sharks and tropical fish.
• Katandra Treetops: an aviary of Australasian birds with suspension bridges and dense vegetation, where rainbow lorikeets fly very close to visitors.
• Oceanía: an enclosure of Australian parakeets with no visual barriers.
• La Gruta: a space devoted to bats, seen from inside their habitat.

Parrots, gardens and Kinderlandia

The parrot collection is still the park's signature and has its own presentation. Among the gardens, Jungle Ara stands out, a humid area of fig trees, palms and waterfalls with macaws, as does the orchid house, with more than 200 orchid species according to the official website.

For children, Kinderlandia is the play area: trees to walk through, hanging bridges, a snake-shaped slide and a small rollercoaster, the Orca Train. Adults can have a coffee while keeping an eye on them.

Opening hours and how long to allow

• Opening hours: Monday to Sunday, 9:30am to 5:30pm. According to its FAQ, the park is open every day of the year without exception.
• Time needed: a full day. It is open for eight hours and, to see the four presentations, the immersive spaces and the gardens without rushing, it pays to arrive early and stay until mid-afternoon.
• Leaving and coming back: allowed; just ask for a stamp at the ticket office as you leave.

If you arrive at midday, prioritise the remaining presentations (orcas at 3:15pm and dolphins at 4:15pm, for example) and leave the covered spaces, which do not depend on a timetable, for the end.

Getting to Loro Parque

The park is on Avenida Loro Parque, in Punta Brava, west of the centre of Puerto de la Cruz and next to Playa Jardín.

• Free train: the park runs a free tourist train from Plaza de los Reyes Católicos, in the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. According to the official FAQ, it runs from 9:00am every 20 minutes and passes through some of the town's best-known streets. It is the easiest option if you are staying in town.
• By car: the park's own car park costs €7 a day. It cannot be booked in advance.
• By guagua (bus): TITSA line 343 links Costa Adeje bus station with Puerto de la Cruz bus station via both airports, a journey of about 100 minutes. From Puerto de la Cruz bus station, continue to the park on foot or on the free train from the centre. There are direct lines to Puerto de la Cruz from Santa Cruz and La Laguna; check timetables on the TITSA website.
• From the south: if you are staying in Costa Adeje, Los Cristianos or Las Américas, allow more than an hour and a half by bus each way. The Tenerife without a car guide explains how to combine lines and travel cards.

To explore the old town, Playa Jardín or Lago Martiánez afterwards, the Puerto de la Cruz guide covers the town.

Tickets, prices and the Twin Ticket

Loro Parque sells dated tickets on its official website and recommends buying in advance; you can also buy at the ticket office on the day. Prices vary by date and sales channel, so check the current rate in the official shop before buying. Indicative prices for both parks, side by side, are in the comparison Loro Parque or Siam Park.

What the park sets out as of October 2026:

• Children: under-3s go free and children aged 3 to 11 pay the child rate. There is no large-family discount.
• Canary Islands residents: special rate on proof of residence with a certificado de empadronamiento (registration certificate), DNI or NIE.
• People with a recognised disability above 60%: special rate, processed only at the park's information office with the certificate and photo ID. It does not apply to online purchases.
• Groups: special price from 20 people, on prior request.
• Refunds: the park does not refund tickets but, according to its FAQ, they do not expire and can be used on a later visit. This applies to general tickets bought on the official website; the Twin Ticket and tickets from resellers, including the booking card on this page, have their own validity, so check the conditions before paying.

How the Twin Ticket works

The Twin Ticket combines one visit to Loro Parque and one to Siam Park. It does not carry the holder's name: at your first entry you are fitted with a wristband that cannot be removed and that links you to the ticket. To enter the second park, you show the Twin Ticket QR code while wearing the wristband. It is valid for 15 days from the first visit; if those conditions are not met, entry is refused. It is worth it if you plan to visit both parks during your stay.

Eating at the park

Loro Parque lets you bring your own food and has several picnic areas, which is unusual among large parks and handy with children. Inside there are restaurants, kiosks, cafés and beer bars with pizza, children's menus and vegan options; according to the park, there are also products suitable for coeliacs (ask at each outlet).

• Restaurants: 11:00am to 4:30pm.
• Kiosks: 9:30am to 5:30pm.
• Payment: card or cash in shops and restaurants.

Eating before 12:30pm or after 2:30pm avoids the busiest queues, which coincide with the gap between presentations.

Accessibility and rules

The park presents all its areas as accessible and offers:

• Wheelchairs: free loan with a deposit, refunded on return.
• Mobility scooters: €15 a day plus a deposit, booked in advance with photo documentation.
• Pushchairs: €5 a day plus a deposit.

Scooters and pushchairs are booked by phone three days ahead (the number is on the official website). There is free Wi-Fi throughout the park.

Rules worth knowing before you go:

• Pets are not allowed. Accredited guide and assistance dogs are admitted, with at least one day's notice and veterinary documents checked by the park's team.
• Scooters, roller skates and bicycles are not allowed inside.
• Feeding the animals or throwing objects at them is forbidden.
• Professional photographic equipment needs prior authorisation.

Tips for your visit

• Arrive at opening time. The enclosures are quieter first thing and you have time to reach the 9:45am sea lion presentation.
• Plan the day around the presentations. On arrival, check the day's timetable, which may differ from the published one.
• Comfortable shoes and sun protection. This is the park's own advice: you walk a lot and almost everything is outdoors.
• With small children: a hired or your own pushchair makes the route easier. Kinderlandia works as a break mid-morning or mid-afternoon.
• With cloud or rain: the north is cloudier than the south, especially in winter. The aquarium, AquaViva, Planet Penguin and La Gruta are covered, but most of the route is not; in persistent rain, change the day. Alternatives in what to do in Tenerife when it rains.
• Weekdays outside school holidays are usually quieter than weekends and July and August.

The debate about cetaceans in captivity

Loro Parque keeps orcas and dolphins and includes them in its presentations. Animal protection organisations criticise the captivity of large cetaceans and call for alternatives such as marine sanctuaries; the park defends its education, research and conservation work, channelled through the Loro Parque Fundación, and bases its policy on the five principles of animal welfare it publishes on its website. The Best Tenerife does not take sides: the full context is in the animal welfare section of Loro Parque or Siam Park. If you would rather see cetaceans in the wild, the whale and dolphin watching in Tenerife guide explains how to choose an authorised trip.

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for Loro Parque?

A full day. The park is open for eight hours, from 9:30am to 5:30pm, and the four presentations are spread across the morning and afternoon. With less than five hours you will have to choose between presentations and immersive spaces.

Is there free transport to Loro Parque?

Yes, from the centre of Puerto de la Cruz. The park's train leaves Plaza de los Reyes Católicos every 20 minutes from 9:00am, according to the official website. From other parts of the island you first need to reach Puerto de la Cruz by car or bus.

Can you bring food into Loro Parque?

Yes. The park allows you to bring your own food and has several picnic areas. Inside there are also restaurants, kiosks and cafés with children's menus and vegan options.

How much is parking at Loro Parque?

The park's car park costs €7 a day as of October 2026 and cannot be booked. In high season, arrive early.

Can you leave Loro Parque and come back in?

Yes. Ask for a stamp at the ticket office as you leave and you can return on the same day.

How long is the Twin Ticket valid?

Fifteen days from the first visit. To enter the second park you must show the Twin Ticket QR code and the wristband fitted at your first entry.

Keep planning

• Siam Park guide: rides, height limits and getting there
• Tenerife with kids: activities, beaches and tips by age