Zoos in Lima

The Parque de las Leyendas is Lima's traditional zoo. But it’s much more than that. It is located amidst a big part of Lima’s most extensive ancient city and is one of the most important pre-Hispanic complexes at the central Peruvian coast called the Archaeological Complex of Maranga. The park successfully manages to combine ecology, archaeology, education and relaxation.

While wandering around the extensive area you can't miss the pyramidal structures that served different ingenious civilizations as temples and burial grounds. In the Parque de las Leyendas are some very interesting museums like the Museo Ernst. W. Middendorf, displaying artifacts and mummies found in the different religious and ceremonial center's, the Museo Petroleo, offering an educational exhibition about the process of exploration, exploitation and the transforming of crude oil and its derivatives and finally the Museo Celestino Kalinosky with an amazing butterfly exhibition.

The Botanical Gardens inside de Parque de las Leyendas with over 3200 individual plants is one of the biggest in Peru.

The zoo itself is focusing on the Peruvian flora and fauna. It's divided into the three principle climatic regions of Peru: costa, sierra and selva (coast, highlands and jungle). Animals from all over Peru can be observed here. The coastal region is represented by pelicans, cormorants, sea lions, penguins and turtles; the highlands by llamas, vicunas, guanacos, pumas, condors and owls; the jungle by monkeys, jaguars, snakes, toucans, parrots, coatis and crocodiles.

The small area dedicated to the international animals houses animals like lions, giraffes, hippos, zebras, buffalo, bears, tigers and ostriches. There’s also a "baby zoo" for young animals.

The Parque de las Leyendas has been ill-reputed for many years, but improved the conditions for the animals immensely. While unfortunately some animals are still penned in small cages, others have already species appropriate enclosures or shelters. And the park is constantly working on enhancing the conditions by recreating step by step the natural habitat of these animals as far this is possible in a zoo.

Over all the Parque de las Leyendas is an ideal place to spend a day watching animals, learning more about the Peruvian history and ancient cultures or just relaxing and enjoying the cactus garden, picnic area, playground, horse riding, the unique flora and of course the food in one of the restaurants. It is an amazing natural treasure within the chaotic 8 million metropolis and a great chance to learn about Peru's rich biodiversity and Lima's ancient past.

• To really enjoy the park you should avoid going there on weekends as it might be too crowded!

Parque Zoologico Huachipa is a nice place for adults and kids to chill out and enjoy a day. Even though cages and enclosures seem to be small and the explanations of the particular animals are poor, the zoo is a nicely arranged refuge for over 2000 animals of more than 300 species. Next to the "international" animals are many indigenous Peruvian animals (monkeys, pelicans, vicuñas, lamas, different birds, parrots, crocodiles, fish, turtles and many more).

One of the newer additions to the zoo is the "Sea World". In three exhibition areas visitors can see penguins, otters, sea lions and pelicans. The penguin exhibition area includes incubators and special breeding facilities. In general the environment seems quite close to their natural habitat.

Parque Zoologico Huachipa has large natural and recreational areas, including small, clean and nicely maintained areas for the animals, gardens with over 600 species of exotic, native and endangered plants, a bonsai garden, a cactus garden and a garden for succulent plants.

Visitors can enjoy the picnic area, the restaurant, the small lagoon for a boat trip and kids will love a train ride around the zoo or the inviting playground with an interesting pirate boat.

• Traffic in that area is particularly problematic on weekends when everybody is leaving Lima for the weekend or coming back to work. So be patient when visiting on weekends!