Los Osos café and burger bar
What to order: a sandwich or burger at midday; if you are with children, arrive before 13:00
geocalia
Day itinerary · 43.36° N · 3.84° W
Sunday at Cabárceno: a drive-through safari a quarter of an hour from Santander.
You drive round the elephant, giraffe and bear enclosures of a former mine, ride the cable car and watch the birds of prey swoop. A quarter of an hour from Santander and an hour and a quarter from Bilbao.
Leaving from
Part of Cabárceno Nature ParkCantabrian Coast
Add to my trip
Total time8 h
By car30 min each way
WalkingLittle: by car between enclosures
DifficultyEasy
Cost€40–65 pp
Best timeAll year
With childrenYes; free up to age 3
With a dogYes, on a lead, with limitations
The plan
The day at a glance
Any part can be swapped for another without spoiling the day.
-
Leave Santander 30 min by car
enter by the north entrance, at Obregón
-
1
Cabárceno Nature Park by car and on foot
€25–45 adult depending on season; buy online
+34 942 318 950
- 10 min by car0,9 km
-
2
Birds of prey flying display
at 12:00; limited capacity
- 10 min by car0,2 km
-
3
Los Osos café and burger bar
burgers and pizzas · €; or a picnic at the picnic tables
Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno · +34 942 554 080
Café €Book - 10 min by car1,4 km
-
4
The gondola over the enclosures
included in the ticket; in winter, a single line
-
Back home
in Santander around 17:30
Approximate cost
About €35–45 per person
Adds up the activities and meals in the plan at their published prices; travel and accommodation not included.
The route
Cabárceno Nature Park by car and on foot
Cabárceno is the children's Sunday in Cantabria: a former iron mine with huge enclosures for elephants, giraffes, rhinos and bears that you tour in your own car, with a cable car above and a birds of prey display at midday. A quarter of an hour from Santander and an hour and a quarter from Bilbao.
The day, hour by hour
9:15 · Arrival. Enter by Obregón, the north entrance. The ticket office opens at 9:30; with the ticket bought online, you go straight in.
9:30 · Enclosure by enclosure. Elephants and savannah first: first thing the animals are most active. Park in each area and walk down to the viewpoints.
11:45 · Birds of prey. The display is at 12:00 at weekends; capacity is limited, so arrive early.
13:30 · Lunch in the bear area. The Los Osos cafeteria and burger bar, or a picnic at a picnic area. The restaurant is temporarily closed.
14:30 · Cable car. Included in the ticket. The elephant line lasts about 45 minutes and the rhino line, 15. Until 28 February 2027 they open alternately for maintenance.
17:00 · Leave. Before the animals are brought in, from 17:45.
Time6 h
Where to eat
Where to eat?
Lunch is half the plan: book before you set off.
Map
The stops, in order
With where to park at each one.
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Getting there
By car or without one?
When to go
When to go to Cabárceno Nature Park
All year. From November to March the ticket costs €25 for adults and €15 for children; on long weekends and in summer, €45 and €25.
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best timeGood timeLow season
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Go in the low season
From November to March, almost half the price and fewer cars.
- 2Bring food
With children, the picnic area is more comfortable than the burger bar queue.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How much does Cabárceno cost?
From €25 to €45 for adults and from €15 to €25 for children aged 4 to 12, depending on the season.
Is the cable car paid separately?
No.
Are dogs allowed in?
Yes, on a lead, but not in the buildings, the internal bus or the reptile house; on the cable car, in a carrier.
More plans like this
Other days of walking and good food
geocalia.com/en/spain/cantabria/cabarceno-nature-park/itineraries/sunday-with-children-at-cabarceno
Prices, opening hours and times are approximate: check them before you go. Each place has its own page on Geocalia.