Draped across a lushly planted hillside above Los Cristianos, Jungle Park — also known as Las Águilas — is one of southern Tenerife's most enjoyable animal attractions, a jungle-themed zoo and botanical park famous for its free-flight bird shows and a hair-raising toboggan run back down to the entrance. With over 500 animals, from eagles and big cats to penguins and crocodiles, all set among waterfalls, palms and thick greenery, it's a family day out that mixes spectacle, nature and just enough adventure. For anyone staying in the busy southern resorts, it's an easy and rewarding change from the beach.
The famous bird shows
The park's signature draw is its free-flight displays, and they're genuinely impressive. In the birds of prey show, eagles, hawks, owls and vultures wheel and swoop low over the audience in a natural amphitheatre, while a separate exotic bird show brings on colourful parrots, macaws and hornbills. Seeing these birds fly free, sometimes just above your head, is the moment most visitors remember, and the shows are cleverly timed so you can catch the main ones without too much backtracking. Check the day's schedule when you arrive and plan your route around it.
Arrive early and grab the show times. The day is built around scheduled displays, so getting there near opening gives you the best chance of seeing them all and beating the midday heat on the exposed slopes. Pick up the show timetable at the entrance and work out your loop before you set off up the hill.
Photo: stephen jones · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · converted
Big cats, penguins and more
Beyond the birds, Jungle Park packs in a lot of wildlife across its jungle-themed grounds. You'll find big cats including tigers and white tigers, plus lions, along with crocodiles, meerkats, monkeys, penguins and a variety of other creatures dotted along the winding, densely planted paths. The lush landscaping — waterfalls, streams, dangling vines and tropical foliage — does a lot to create the "jungle" atmosphere and makes the walk between enclosures a pleasure in itself. It's as much a botanical stroll as a zoo.
The toboggan run
One thing sets Jungle Park apart from Tenerife's other animal parks: the toboggan. After winding your way up through the park, you can ride a bobsleigh-style toboggan run back down the hillside — a fun little burst of adrenaline that children (and plenty of adults) adore, and a memorable way to end the visit. It's an unusual extra that adds a dash of theme-park thrill to what is otherwise a nature-focused day.
Lots of walking on slopes. The park is built into a hillside, so expect a fair amount of climbing on paths and steps in the sun. Wear comfortable shoes, bring water and sun protection, and bear in mind it can be tiring for very young children or anyone with mobility issues. Buggies are manageable but hard work on the steeper sections.
Tickets and opening hours
Jungle Park is open daily, typically from mid-morning to late afternoon, with the animal shows running at set times through the day. As with all such attractions, prices and timetables change from season to season, so treat any figure you read online as a guide only. Booking dated tickets online in advance is usually cheaper than paying at the gate and can save queueing — always confirm the current prices, opening hours and show times on the official Jungle Park website before you go. Look out too for combined tickets and free bus transfers from the resorts, which the park often bundles in.
Check for the free park bus. The park frequently runs a free shuttle from the main southern resorts. If you're staying nearby it can save the cost and hassle of driving or a taxi — ask when you book, and confirm the pick-up points and return times.
Getting there
Jungle Park sits on the hillside just above Los Cristianos, a short hop from the main southern resort strip. With a hire car it's a quick, well-signed drive with parking on site; without one, the free park bus or a short taxi ride does the job easily. Its location makes it simple to combine with a morning on the beach or the harbour at Los Cristianos, or to slot into a wider tour of the south of Tenerife.
Make a run of it
Southern Tenerife is thick with big attractions, so Jungle Park slots neatly into an activity-packed holiday. If your crew wants water-slide thrills on a separate day, the world-famous Siam Park is only a short drive away and regularly rated among the best water parks anywhere. Between an animal-and-birds day here and a soaking at Siam, you've got two of the south's standout family days sorted. For more options, see our full list of things to do.
Is it worth it?
For families and animal lovers, Jungle Park is one of the more enjoyable attractions in the south — the free-flight bird shows are the real highlight and genuinely memorable, the jungle setting is attractive, and the toboggan adds a dash of fun you won't find at the island's other zoos. A few honest caveats: it isn't cheap once you add up a family's tickets, and the hillside walking in the sun can be tiring, so it works best as a planned half or full day rather than a casual drop-in. As with any park featuring big cats and captive animals, standards and enclosures are worth judging for yourself. Go in the morning, plan around the show times, and most visitors leave happy.
Eagles overhead, tigers in the greenery and a toboggan ride to finish — Jungle Park is southern Tenerife's most fun mix of wildlife and adventure.