Zoo de Castellar

About Zoo de Castellar

Zoo de Castellar is a privately run animal rescue centre about 1 km from Castellar de la Frontera, inside the Los Alcornocales Natural Park and some 15 minutes by car from Sotogrande. It began in 1998 to care for animals confiscated by the authorities from the illegal pet trade and opened to the public in 2002. Tickets, donations and sponsorships fund it, and it has its own veterinary clinic. Because it receives visitors, it is registered as a zoo.

The collection is varied rather than planned: Bengal tigers, lions, a black panther, fennec foxes, monkeys, an old sulcata tortoise, many birds and rescued farm animals. The walk-through aviary is the highlight for small children, who can feed parakeets by hand with food sold at the entrance. At set times keepers show visitors the veterinary clinic and its young animals. The circuit is short, shady and fine for pushchairs.

It opens every day of the year from 10:00 to 19:00. Online tickets in 2026 cost €25 for visitors 14 and over and €18 for children 2 to 13, with a reduced rate for pensioners and disabled visitors; under-2s go free. Annual passes start at €60. Allow about two hours. There are picnic tables, a small café and a shop at the entrance, and you may bring your own food. It is not a member of a zoo association.

In July and August go first thing or late in the afternoon. Book online at weekends, and bring a hat and water.

Zoo de Castellar in pictures

What you’ll find

• Animal encounterAnimal experienceBook
• AnimalsAnimal park visit (€18–€25, 10:00–19:00)Ticket
• Gift shopSouvenirsBuy
• Online ticketsOnline booking discountBook
• Picnic areaPicnicFree
• RestaurantsFood and drinkBuy
• Season passAnnual pass (€60)Apply

Nearby places to visit

The rescue centre lies in the cork-oak hills behind the Campo de Gibraltar coast. The walled hilltop village of Castillo de Castellar (5 km), above the Guadarranque reservoir, makes a good add-on for the same day. The nearest beaches are at Sotogrande and La Línea: Playa de Sotogrande (12 km), Playa de Torrecarbonera (11 km) and Playa de la Alcaidesa (11 km), all with gentle shelving sand. In summer, the slides and wave pool at Bahía Park (18 km) in Algeciras are a 25-minute drive away.