Loro Parque has been named the best zoo in the world by TripAdvisor. Twice. And while that kind of ranking is partly a popularity contest, spend a morning walking through the place and you’ll understand why people vote for it. The parrot collection alone — over 350 species — is the largest on the planet. The penguin habitat is a climate-controlled Antarctic replica with real snow. There’s a Thai-style village entrance that looks like it belongs in Bangkok, not the north coast of Tenerife. And then there’s the orca show, which is either magnificent or uncomfortable depending on where you stand on keeping killer whales in captivity.
The park sits in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife’s north coast, about 40 minutes from the southern resort areas where most travelers stay. It opened in 1972 as a parrot park with 150 birds and has grown into a full zoo, aquarium, and entertainment complex spread across 13.5 hectares. You can do it in four or five hours, but rushing through means missing the shows — and the orca, dolphin, sea lion, and parrot performances are half the reason people come.
Tickets aren’t cheap. A single adult entry runs around 40 to 52 euros depending on where you buy. But the combo ticket with Siam Park — Tenerife’s water park, owned by the same company — saves you a decent chunk compared to buying separately. I’ve gone through the ticket options so you can figure out which one makes sense for your trip.
In a Hurry? My Top Picks
- Best value entry (from $52): Loro Parque Entry Ticket — standard admission with access to all exhibits and shows. Straightforward, no frills. Book this ticket
- Best combo deal (from $92): Loro Parque + Siam Park Combined Ticket — if you’re doing both parks (and you should), this saves you around 15 euros vs. separate tickets. Valid for 14 days. Book this ticket
- Best with transport (from $115): Loro Parque + Siam Park with Transfer — combo entry plus bus pickup from southern hotels. Skip the rental car hassle for a day. Book this ticket
- In a Hurry? My Top Picks
- Single Ticket vs. Combo with Siam Park
- The 3 Best Loro Parque Tickets
- 1. Loro Parque Entry Ticket — from
- 2. Loro Parque + Siam Park Combined Ticket — from
- 3. Loro Parque + Siam Park with Transfer — from 5
- When to Visit Loro Parque
- Tips for Visiting Loro Parque
- What You’ll See Inside
- More Tenerife Guides
Single Ticket vs. Combo with Siam Park
This is the first decision you’ll face, and it’s simple math. A Loro Parque-only ticket costs around 40 to 52 euros. Siam Park on its own costs roughly the same. The twin ticket combining both parks runs about 66 to 92 euros — saving you 15 to 20 euros depending on the vendor and whether you add transport.
The twin ticket is valid for 14 days, so you don’t need to cram both parks into one day. In fact, don’t try. Loro Parque deserves a full morning and early afternoon (5+ hours to see everything and catch the shows). Siam Park is a separate full-day affair. Do them on different days.
If you’re only in Tenerife for a few days and water parks aren’t your thing, the single Loro Parque ticket is fine. But if you’ve got a week and you’re travelling with kids (or adults who act like kids around waterslides), the combo is the obvious play.
One thing to watch: some third-party sites sell “skip the line” tickets at a premium. Loro Parque rarely has serious queues at the entrance gate itself. The queues are for the shows, and no ticket type gets you past those. Don’t pay extra for a skip-the-line promise that won’t deliver where it matters.
The 3 Best Loro Parque Tickets
I’ve picked three ticket options that cover the main ways people visit Loro Parque: entry only, the combo with Siam Park, and the combo with hotel transfers. All three are through GetYourGuide, which offers free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead — useful if Tenerife’s weather decides to be unpredictable.
1. Loro Parque Entry Ticket — from $52
What you get: Full-day admission to Loro Parque | Price: From $52 per person | Validity: 1 day
This is the standard way in. You get access to every exhibit, every animal enclosure, and all four live shows (orca, dolphin, sea lion, parrot). The ticket is valid for the date you select, and there’s no time limit once you’re inside — stay from opening at 10:00 until close at 18:30 if you want.
At $52 (roughly 48 euros), it’s not a cheap day out. But consider what you’re getting: a world-class aquarium, a full zoo, a penguin habitat that cost 18 million euros to build, and four separate animal shows. Per-hour, the value is actually strong if you spend 5+ hours there.
Children aged 6 to 11 get a reduced rate. Under 6 is free. The ticket includes the free Loro Parque Express train from Plaza de los Reyes in Puerto de la Cruz centre to the park entrance, which is a nice touch since parking near the zoo is limited.
Buy this if you’re only interested in Loro Parque and don’t plan to visit Siam Park. If there’s any chance you’ll do both, jump to the combo ticket below — it’s cheaper than buying separately.
2. Loro Parque + Siam Park Combined Ticket — from $92
What you get: Entry to both Loro Parque and Siam Park | Price: From $92 per person | Validity: 14 days
The twin ticket is the smart buy if both parks are on your list. At $92 combined versus roughly $52 + $44 separately, you save about $4 to $15 depending on the day and vendor. Not a massive saving, but it also means one purchase, one booking, no fussing with two transactions.
The 14-day validity window is generous. Visit Loro Parque on Monday, Siam Park on Thursday, no stress. Some people try to do both in one day — technically possible if you start at Siam Park when it opens at 10:00, leave by 14:00, then head to Loro Parque for the afternoon shows. But it’s exhausting, especially in summer heat. Split them over two days.
Siam Park itself is genuinely excellent. It’s been rated the best water park in the world by TripAdvisor for multiple years, and the rides range from lazy rivers to a 28-metre free-fall slide called the Tower of Power that sends you through a clear tube inside an aquarium full of rays and sharks. Whether that sounds appealing or terrifying says a lot about you as a person.
This is the ticket I’d recommend to most visitors. Even if you’re not sure about Siam Park, the price difference is small enough that having the option is worth it.
3. Loro Parque + Siam Park with Transfer — from $115
What you get: Entry to both parks plus hotel transfer | Price: From $115 per person | Validity: 1 day (transfer), 14 days (park tickets)
Same twin ticket as above, but with a bus service included that picks you up from designated hotel pickup points in the south of Tenerife (Costa Adeje, Playa de las Americas, Los Cristianos area) and drives you to Loro Parque in Puerto de la Cruz.
The drive from southern Tenerife to Puerto de la Cruz takes 45 to 60 minutes through winding mountain roads. It’s scenic but not fun if you’re unfamiliar with the roads, and parking at Loro Parque is limited and paid. The transfer eliminates all of that. The bus drops you at the door and picks you up at the end of the day.
The extra $23 over the standard twin ticket is reasonable for the convenience. A taxi each way would cost substantially more. The bus is air-conditioned and comfortable, and you avoid the stress of driving in an unfamiliar place after a long day at a theme park.
The catch: the bus operates on a fixed schedule, so you’re tied to their pickup and return times. If you’re the type who likes to arrive early and leave whenever, the standard twin ticket plus a rental car gives you more flexibility. But for families and anyone who’d rather not deal with logistics, this is the easiest option on the list.
When to Visit Loro Parque
Loro Parque is open 365 days a year. Gates open at 10:00 and close at 18:30 (last entry at 16:00). The animals don’t care what month it is, so the zoo experience itself doesn’t change seasonally. What does change: the crowds.
Peak season (July, August, Christmas/New Year): The park gets busy. Not unbearably packed, but the show arenas fill up faster, the restaurants have longer waits, and the paths between exhibits feel more congested. If you’re visiting during these months, arrive right at 10:00 when the gates open. Head to the far end of the park first — most people drift through exhibits in order from the entrance, so the back sections stay quieter in the morning. Circle back to the entrance-area shows in the afternoon when the initial crowd has spread out.
Shoulder season (April, May, June, September, October): The sweet spot. Warm enough to enjoy the outdoor exhibits comfortably, tourist numbers are lower, and you can walk up to most shows 10 to 15 minutes before start time and still get a decent seat. The Canary Islands have mild weather year-round, but spring and early autumn are particularly pleasant on the north coast.
Winter (November to March): Puerto de la Cruz is cooler and cloudier than southern Tenerife, averaging 18 to 22 degrees Celsius. Still perfectly fine for a zoo visit — you’re not standing on a beach, so overcast skies actually help. Crowds are at their lowest, which means you can take your time at every exhibit. The one downside: occasional rain on the north coast, and the outdoor shows can be affected by weather. Check the forecast the morning of your visit.
Day of the week: Weekdays are noticeably less crowded than weekends, especially Saturdays. If your schedule is flexible, aim for a Tuesday or Wednesday.
Time of day: The first two hours after opening (10:00 to 12:00) are the quietest. By noon, coach tours from the south have arrived and the park fills up. If you only have half a day, take the morning half.
Tips for Visiting Loro Parque
Catch the shows — all four of them. The orca show, dolphin show, sea lion show, and parrot show run at set times throughout the day, and they’re genuinely good. Not just “trained animal does a trick” performances — the orca show in particular is impressive regardless of how you feel about orcas in captivity. Pick up a show schedule at the entrance and plan your route around them. The arenas seat a few hundred people each, but popular shows (orca, dolphin) fill up 15 to 20 minutes early during peak season.
Start at the back of the park. Most visitors enter and immediately start working through the exhibits nearest the entrance. If you walk past everything and head straight to the far end, you’ll have the gorilla habitat, the jaguar enclosure, and the Kinderlandia play area largely to yourself for the first hour. Work your way back toward the entrance as the rest of the crowd spreads out.
Wear comfortable shoes. The park covers 13.5 hectares with significant elevation changes. Some paths are steep. You’ll walk 8 to 10 kilometres if you visit every section. Flip-flops and fashion sandals will make you miserable by lunchtime.
Bring a light jacket. Puerto de la Cruz sits on the north coast, which catches more cloud and wind than the south. Even on days when it’s 28 degrees in Playa de las Americas, it can be 22 and overcast at Loro Parque. The indoor exhibits (aquarium, penguin habitat) are air-conditioned and genuinely cold.
Eat before you go, or bring snacks. The park restaurants are fine but overpriced for what you get. A burger and fries will run you 12 to 15 euros. If you’re on a budget, eat a big breakfast before arriving and pack a few snacks. There’s no restriction on bringing food in.
The free train from Puerto de la Cruz. If you’re staying in or near Puerto de la Cruz, don’t bother with a taxi. The Loro Parque Express runs from Plaza de los Reyes (in the town centre) to the park entrance, and it’s included in your ticket price. It runs every 20 minutes and takes about 10 minutes. Much easier than finding parking.
Getting there from the south. From Costa Adeje, Playa de las Americas, or Los Cristianos, you’ve got three options: rental car (45 to 60 minutes via the TF-1 motorway and TF-5, scenic but mountain roads), public bus (TITSA line 343, about 90 minutes, cheap), or the transfer included in the twin ticket package. The transfer is the most convenient. The rental car is the most flexible. The bus is the cheapest but slowest.
What You’ll See Inside
Loro Parque packs a lot into its 13.5 hectares. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights so you know what to prioritise if you’re short on time.
The Penguin Habitat (Planet Penguin): This is the one exhibit that surprises everyone. It’s an 18-million-euro recreation of the Antarctic, kept at sub-zero temperatures with real snow falling from the ceiling and a pool deep enough for the penguins to properly swim. The colony includes king penguins, gentoo penguins, and rockhopper penguins. There’s a moving walkway that takes you through the habitat behind glass, and the whole thing takes about 15 minutes. Don’t skip it. Even if you’ve been to Antarctica (which most of us haven’t), watching penguins dive and shoot through the water at close range is hypnotic.
The Aquarium: Over 12,000 square metres of tanks, including a walk-through shark tunnel and a jellyfish exhibit that’s one of the best-lit and best-designed aquarium installations I’ve seen anywhere. The sharks are the obvious draw, but the smaller tropical fish tanks and the coral displays are worth slowing down for.
The Orca Show (OrcaOcean): Four orcas (killer whales) in a large pool performing jumps, splashes, and synchronised swimming with their trainers. It’s spectacular as pure entertainment. It’s also the most controversial part of Loro Parque — keeping orcas in captivity is a heated debate, and the park has faced criticism from animal welfare organisations. The park argues their orcas are part of a research and conservation programme. Make your own call on this one. What’s undeniable is that seeing an orca launch itself 3 metres out of the water from 15 metres away is a visceral experience regardless of the ethics.
The Parrot Collection: This is where it all started, and it’s still extraordinary. Over 4,000 parrots from 350 species, making it the largest collection in the world. The free-flight aviary lets you walk among macaws, cockatoos, and lorikeets that are mostly unbothered by humans. The live parrot show features trained birds that do tricks, fly over the audience, and demonstrate problem-solving skills. Kids lose their minds at this one.
The Tiger Habitat: White tigers and Bengal tigers in a large enclosure with water features and climbing platforms. The white tigers are always a crowd favourite — they’re genetically unusual and striking to look at. Best time to see them active is feeding time (check the schedule board near the entrance).
Other notable areas: The gorilla habitat is excellent and often overlooked because visitors run out of time. The sea lion show is family-friendly and more comedic than the orca/dolphin performances. Kinderlandia is a play area for younger children that gives parents a break from animal exhibits. And the Thai Village entrance — modelled after traditional Thai architecture — is genuinely beautiful, not a cheap replica.