zoologico de san martin

michaelgE1656JY

I went to this Zoo with a group of children from a home in Ambato, as part of some Charity work. It is such a fantastic place in an amazing location! You are in a valley not too far from the Volcano Tungurahua, and it holds amazing native species which we wouldn't normally get to see in Europe, certainly not in England. Some are almost within touching distance and others are in enclosures built into the valley. It's just brilliant and the children we were with really enjoyed it too.

rosalindb651

Good collection of species. Lots of up and down climbs on paths. Not for those who cannot walk up a flight of stairs without getting out of breath.

774amyd

I was a little concerned about visiting a zoo at all, as they can be upsetting if animals are not properly housed and looked after. However, in the most part this zoo had done a reasonable job - some enclosures could have been larger, but animals looked healthy. The main plus was the emphasis on conservation and education, and the fact that ALL the animals were from the region (no tigers, giraffes or elephants, for example!) and many of them rescued - this is how all zoos should be, in my opinion. The setting for the zoo was spectacular - set in the valley with amazing views, and many of the enclosures and walkways took advantage of the natural mountainous surroundings. There seemed to be a competitor animal park nearby, which had lions and other animals - something to deliberately avoid, I think - at least at the main zoo you feel your (modest) entry fee will be used in a worthwhile way for the welfare and conservation of Ecuadorian animals.

maria_falconi

A native ecuadorian and fond of animals, i was surprised particularly by the aviary since it showed some exotic species that I haven't seen in any other zoos in Ecuador. Well maintained and clean, highly recommended and inexpensive.

857gaill

Take a cab, it's a mile from center but well worth visiting. If you won't spend time in the Oriente (jungle) come here to see the tropical fauna, they even have Galapagos turtles and a lion, very vocal for us. Views over the Pastaza river, mountains rise all around. Inexpensive, as is the reptile museum right across the road, which also has many topical birds: macaws, flamingos, etc.

61hannahc

We went to the zoo mid-morning while waiting for the bus to Casa del Arbol at 2pm. It's a $1.50 taxi ride and a $2.50 entrance fee. The zoo is pretty small and each enclosure only has a couple of animals. We spent about 1.5 hours there, taking our time. It's not the best zoo I've been to but if you have a couple of hours before your next activity, it's a decent place to visit, and the views from the zoo walkways are very pretty.

clem81

$1.50 taxi from Banos and $2.50 entrance fee. Might have to call a cab to pick you back up in the evening.this zoo is small but worthwhile in many respects. Firsty they have several animals that I had never seen before in other zoos. The spectacled Andean bear, king vulture, Taira, canclon and mountain cat. Secondly it has a fantastic lookout onto the river below.CONS: multiple stairs, elevations and slippery stones makes it unsuitable for wheelchair or people requiring aid walking.

joeygirl5164

Kind of weird to see animals in enclosures in the jungle but the volunteers (young people from all over the world) explained that most of them were either abandoned/rescued pets or injured animals from the wild.Beautiful setting and lots of information.

jroihl

First you can't beat the cab fare of $1.50 to get there. Admission is $2.50 per adult.The zoo gives a good cross section of Ecuadoran animals including panther, tapir, peccari, ocelot , numerous birds including condor etc. All information was I Spanish which was disappointing. For the benefit of any mobility challenged, there are many stairs, and hills , and uneven ground in several places. There are beautiful vistas of the Rio Pastaza and valley below.There is a concession with food and tables and also a souvenir and handicraft shop and bathrooms at 2 sites.If you find the review helpful, please indicate below. Thank you.

HeatherR244

This is NOT the San Diego Zoo but it does a pretty good job showcasing the native birds and animales. This was good for us to kill a few hours in between breaks in the rain. You can take the Especial blue bus from the terminal in downtown Banos for 25 cents, returning the same way. We also went to the aquarium across the street. A bit rough but we enjoyed it.

manolaa2014

This small zoo has easy access via bus or a taxi from Banos, unless you want to go for a walk. The bus fare is sixty cents, the taxi $1.50. Outside the zoo there are typical places to eat providing Ecuadorian food. The zoo itself has paths but nothing is flat here, lots of steps and walking up and down hill. This is a rescue zoo where they house and care for some animals that got in trouble until they can be relocated to proper areas.

AStudebaker

The name of the zoo confused me as to its location, but it in what most visitors would consider Banos. A short and inexpensive taxi ride to get there. The cost to enter was reasonable, the birds and other animals nice. Cages were not overly large, animals appeared healthy. If you go, plan on walking and going up and down a lot of steps. The children loved it, the elderly or those with strollers may want to reconsider. Drinks and prepackaged snacks were available inside the zoo.

19dragon04

They have variety of animals, and they seem to be well looked after. It has a nice view, you can see the waterfall from the highest point. The highlight of the zoo for me were the bears, they were awesome, and I was not expecting them to be as big.The lay out of the zoo is also nice, lots of ups and downs, so you can get a good view of the river.

klaass45

This little zoo is located just outside town on a high cliff. The entrance fee $ 2,50 is not too much for what you get: an extensive part with birds, amongst which condors and Amazonian parrots and other beautiful feathered friends. The mammals part is also a great collection of animals from Ecuador: puma, jaguar, ocelot, various monkeys, and many other smaller mammals.This zoo is doing the most for the animals to keep them in good condition, but it stays a zoo with cages....Recommended if you don't visit the Amazone area to see the birds and animals in the wild and want to get an impression of the richness of the fauna in Ecuador as a whole.

Bodhisatva1

I am not a big fan of zoos in general. However, its a nice walk (30 mins) from Banos. The setting is gorgeous - on side of the pastaza river gorge that flows through banos. If you like zoos then you can see lots of south American animals in captivity. The zoo also has nicely documented signs in front of the galleries in English with a short description of the animals and their conservation state