It houses a wide variety of animal species, exhibiting the diversity of Peruvian fauna and other ecosystems around the world. The Legends Park is one of the two largest zoos in the city and in all of Peru. The other is the Huachipa zoo located on the outskirts of the city. This park, on the other hand, is only 8 kilometers from the center. It has an immense area divided into: animals of the coast, mountains, jungle, international animals as well as an area of huacas, an aviary, a farm and an immense botanical garden. Get to know this and much more about this charming place.
Description
Peru is one of the countries with the greatest biological diversity in the world. In this zoo you can see a sample of the great variety of animal and plant species that exist in Peru. Apart from the native Peruvian species, the park has an area called the International Zone where we find a great diversity of animals from the rest of the world.
The Lima Zoo
The Legends Park is the oldest zoo in the city of Lima since it was created in 1964. It has approximately 1,585 animals. Most are species rescued from captivity. Some of the most popular specimens are: the spectacled bear, the jaguar, the howler moni, the water buffalo, the giraffe, the Andean condor, the brown bear and more. All species are divided into 4 main zones: coast, mountains, jungle and international zone. In addition, the park has an aviary, a felinarium and a farm area. But the park offers much more than that. It also has an immense botanical garden, several huacas where up to 54 archaeological sites more than 2 thousand years old can be seen. Likewise, there is a 'mine - model', an 'oil museum', a 'site museum' and a replica of the famous tomb of the Lord of Sipán in the Lambayeque region. Finally, the park has an outdoor dining area, various games for children, horseback riding, an information center as well as everything necessary for a pleasant visit: parking, toilets, garbage cans and more.
Location
It is on Av. la Marina Cuadra 24, 7.7 km from the main square of Lima.
Attractions
The park is divided into 4 zones according to the characteristics of the animals they present, which are:
Coastal area
As its name indicates, this area of the park is made up of animals and birds that inhabit the coast of Peru. This area has swimming pools and aquariums where you can see marine species such as the famous Humboldt penguins. Other of the most popular species are: the Huallata, the booby, the pelican, the white-tailed deer, the horse, the gray seal, the coastal fox, the guanay, the flamingo, the chusco sea lion and the Tumbes crocodile . In the park there are approximately 27 specimens of the Humboldt penguin, a flightless bird that lives in the cold waters of Peru and Chile.
Mountain area
In the mountain area, different species that inhabit the immense Andes Mountains in Peruvian territory can be seen. The mountain area of the park has stairs and mountain-like slopes that resemble the Andean geography. The most famous species in this area are: the alpaca, the guanaco, the llama, the Andean fox, the Andean armadillo, the eagle owl, the great harrier, the pajonal cat, the mountain harrier, the vicuña, the puma concolor and Of course, the Andean condor, the second largest flying bird on the planet (only after the albatross).
Jungle Area
The jungle area is the one with the most diversity of species since the Peruvian Amazon is the vastest geography of Peru where a large number of species of mammals, birds, reptiles and more live. The park planted hundreds of trees that resemble the characteristic vegetation of the Peruvian jungle. The most representative animals of this area are: the snapping turtle, the iguana, the black motel turtle, the smooth-fronted caiman, the white caiman, the brown-cheeked toucanet, the blue-fronted parrot, the red-backed parrot, the painted parakeet, the black-headed parrot, the red-fronted parrot, the majaz, the golden añuje, the grison, the white-bearded marmoset monkey, the jaribou, the military macaw, the red and green macaw, the blue and yellow macaw, the white machin monkey, the black maquisapa monkey, the coati, the nine-banded armadillo, the Cuvier's toucan, the cock-of-the-rock, the anaconda, the two-toed sloth, the royal vulture, the peccary, the red deer, the yellow otorongo, the ronsoco, the giant otter, the ocelot, the tapir, the spectacled bear, the oncilla and more.
International zone
As its name indicates, the international zone is made up of animals from different parts of the world (which can be adapted to the zoo and city of Lima). Some of the most representative species of this area are: the black swan, the white swan, the American tortoise, the Moluccan cockatoo, the scrub bear, the red kangaroo, the ostrich, the emu, the meerkat, the dromedary, the Bactrian camel , the hippopotamus, the water buffalo, the Galapagos tortoise, the giraffe, the Grevy's zebra, the Grant's zebra, the brown bear, the American black bear, the sacred baboon, the macaque and more. It is worth mentioning that the felines from the international zone, as well as felines from the Peruvian jungle, are included in the park's 'felinario'. This special area is one of the largest of its kind in all of Latin America. It is a spacious place that complies with all security measures. There you can see the: tiger, jaguar, lion, Bengal tiger, otorongo and more.
Huacas
The park has up to five huacas where different constructions (temples, plazas, enclosures and more) have been discovered that date back approximately 2,000 years. All the huacas were part of the urban settlement called 'Maranga Archaeological Complex'.
- Huaca 34 – This is a mound-shaped platform on the top of which there are rammed earth and adobe buildings that functioned as enclosures in the Republican era. Its bases are still under investigation.
- The Huaca San Miguel – This huaca functioned as a warehouse and administrative center during the so-called 'Regional Kingdoms and Lordships' (1100 A.D. – 1450 A.D.). There are platforms, sidewalks, storage buildings, corridors and stairs.
- The Tres palos huaca – Also called ‘Huaca Pando’ or ‘Huaca La Campana’. It was a temple and observatory that stood out for its pyramidal shape. In addition to being part of the Maranga culture, it was also used by the Incas and even the Spanish.
- The Huaca La Cruz – This huaca served as the administrative center. It is located in the camping area. Archaeological evidence indicates that it was built approximately 700 years ago.
- The Cruz Blanca huaca – It served as the administrative and religious center of the Maranga culture. It has ramps, stairs, squares and niches. It is open to entry to the general public.
Aviary
In this area of the park, also called 'Bird Interaction Center', you can appreciate and interact with a diversity of birds from Peru and the world. The place is well equipped to enjoy the spectacle of colors, feathers and the music of the birds. Highlights include: the Brown pigeon, the wild duck, the peacock, the zebrite, the Australian parakeet, the guinea fowl, the rulrul partridge, the fan pigeon, the California partridge, the red rorella, the hooded pigeon, golden pheasant and more.
Farm Area
As its name indicates, various domestic animals are gathered here to form a 'mini-farm'. It is a very favorite area for children as it is also allowed to interact with animals. They stand out: the rabbit, the chicken, the pig, the alpaca, the duck, the cow, the donkey, the llama and even the guinea pig.
Botanical Garden
The park of legends has an immense 47-hectare botanical garden whose tour can take up to 1 hour. In total it groups 1,531 exotic and native species (belonging to 127 families). It highlights its fern garden, its bromeliad garden, its vulnerable plant garden, its cacti, its collection of conifers, its collection of agaves and more. It is worth mentioning that the park authorities also usually carry out research, workshops for children, adults and exhibitions related to the botanical world.
Games and other services
The park also has an artificial lagoon of 30 thousand square meters. There it is possible to ride pedal boats and appreciate a replica of the archaeological site of Machu Picchu, symbol of Peru. Likewise, the park has an area for mechanical games for the little ones in the house. There are free games as well as more sophisticated ones for adults such as 'the maze of mirrors', 'the forest of storytelling trees', 'the house of surprises' and more. The park also has a replica of an underground mine, an oil museum (sponsored by the company PetroPerú) and a site museum called 'Ernst W. Middendorf' (a German doctor, anthropologist and traveler who lived several years in Peru where he carried out diverse studies). Finally, the park has all the necessary services for a comfortable visit such as: camping area, parking, toilets, etc.
Entrance fee
These are the prices for the entrance ticket to the park of legends:
- General admission for ages 13 and older: 15 Peruvian soles.
- Admission for children from 3 to 12 years old: 8 Peruvian soles.
- Admission for seniors from 60 years of age and older: 4 Peruvian soles.
- Admission for people with disabilities with a Conadis card: free.
Opening Hours
The park of legends remains open from Monday to Sunday (including holidays) from 9 in the morning to 5 in the afternoon.
How to get?
From the Miraflores district you can get to the Legends Park by taxi service, the cost of which is approximately $10 (a 40-minute trip on average). Another economical option is to take the buses on the 'OM 18' line that will take you along La Marina Avenue and leave you near the Legends Park. The cost of the trip is less than 1 dollar and takes approximately 1 hour.
History
The history of the Legends Park begins in 1964 with the founding of the 'Las Legends' park by conservationist Felipe Benavides Barreda. At the beginning of the seventies, the 'Jardín de Barranco' zoo was closed, whose animals (more than 400 species) were donated to the new 'Parque Las Leyendas' located in the district of San Miguel and under the administration of the Government of Peru. Its name refers to a wall with ten Inca and pre-Inca legends illustrated by the artist Sabino Springett. Today only the texts of these narratives are preserved in the so-called 'Patio of legends'. As the years went by, the population preferred to call the place 'Park of Legends'. Since the beginning of the new century, the Municipality of Lima is the institution that manages the park. Throughout its history, the facility improved considerably. Today it has various areas not only for animals but also for insects, butterflies, felines, a botanical garden and more. One of the most beloved and historic species is the giant tortoise called Samson, which comes from the Galapagos Island and is more than 100 years old.
More information
Parking in the park costs 5 Peruvian soles for linear motorcycles, 10 Peruvian soles for cars and trucks, and 15 Peruvian soles for minibuses and buses. The park of legends is a very popular place for Lima families. Most come with their own plates of food. However, there is also food for sale within the park. Take advantage of your visit to the Legends Park to discover other nearby tourist attractions. One of them is the Palomino Islands where you can see sea lions and Humboldt penguins in their natural habitat. The other zoo in Lima is the 'Parque de Huachipa', located on the outskirts of the city, in the Ate Vitarte district. This park is also large and has many species of animals. The entrance fee is 12 Peruvian soles, from Monday to Friday and 14 Peruvian soles, on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
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