Selwo Natural Park

Selwo Aventura proposes a great adventure in Africa on the Costa del Sol and make an exciting expedition for its wild territories.  All types of flora and fauna come together in this semi-open park where visitors may get up and close to the wildlife through an authentic safari. 

You can see on this map the different areas of the park. 

Photo credit: Tomas Alcala

Selwo Adventure is a unique animal, nature and adventure park, located in Estepona. 

The park covers more than 100 hectares and is home to more than 2,000 semi-free roaming animals from all over the world in recreated natural habitats. 

You can meet the most representative species of Africa such as lions, giraffes, hippos, rhinos, cheetahs, hyenas....

Known as the fastest animal in the world, the cheetah can run at full speed at over 100 km/h for 10 to 20 seconds.

Hyenas are extremely intelligent, They hunt in groups of 10 to 30 individuals, led by a dominant female.they can reach up to 50 km/h for more than 3 km.

The red Panda is principally nocturnal and solitary. It uses trees not only to feed, but also to escape from predators on the ground and to sunbathe in the winter.

The Hippopotamus can reach great speed of up to 30 km/h over short distances.  It is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often considered to be the most ferocious animal in Africa.

With some males exceeding 250 kg it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger.Until about 10,000 years ago, the lion was the most widespread large land mammal after humans. 

In addition you have "Territory Madagascar", the habitat of ring-tailed lemurs who enters the habitat of these mammals originating in the large African island.

Europe's largest walk through aviary with over 1000 birds of different species living in an enclosed valley.

 The park has a variety of adventure activities such as one of the longest zipwire in Europe, camel rides or the Path of the Hanging Bridges. There is also the Selwo Lodge Hotel if you wanted to stay for longer than a day and specific programs for younger as the Nature and summer camps.

Its a good idea to buy the tickets on-line as you can get a good discount. For more information visit: selwo.es/en/prices 

How to get there:

By car, you should take the exit located at Km. 162,5. 

Avenue Selwo s/n

A7 highway km 162,5

29680 Estepona - Málaga

GPS: 36.461818, -5.086251

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ADANA

Today I would like to talk about one of the saddest realities of Spain. And how an Estepona association struggle to change this reality. 

To our shame, Spain is the country with the highest percentage of dropouts pets in Europe. Each year, over 100,000 pets are kicked out of their homes (15.000 in Andalucia) . So in order to defend the rights of this creatures, ADANA was founded more than 25 years ago.  

ADANA (Association for the Rights of Abandoned Animals) is an animal charity on the Costa del Sol run by volunteers. Their aims are to promote love and affection for animals, to provide facilities for the shelter and care of abandoned, sick and injured animals whilst seeking new homes for them.  

The animal shelter, located close to “Los Pedregales” park, on a property owned by the local government and run by ADANA. Its open from Monday to Friday from 10:30 till 13:30 and Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 till 13:00. 

They have volunteers that attend the refuge daily, to feed to the animals, clean them and to take them for walks. It is a work that takes a lot of time and requires responsibility. If you have some time and wish to help, you will be welcome. They also need other volunteers, especially those with knowledge of construction, electricity, plumbing. But anyone with a desire to help is most welcome.

ADANA receives no funds from the government or local authorities. It can only continue its work through the donations the public make. In order to rise founds they also have a second hand shop in Estepona, an online shop ( https://goo.gl/du8LTO ) and a stall at the Sunday market in Sabinillas, run by volunteers.

Flight Buddies needed:

They have been successful in getting a number of our dogs adopted by people in northern European countries but need help getting the adopted dogs to their new homes and are looking for people travelling to those countries to help them by becoming "flight buddies". The cost of the dog's flight is paid for by the person who has adopted it so it would cost you nothing. All you would need to do is add the dog to your booking details. They would provide all the necessary documentation, health checks and equipment required in preparation for the dog to fly. 

The dog would be brought to you at the airport (usually Málaga) and their experienced volunteers would guide you through the check-in process and be on hand to assist you until the dog passes through security. The adopter would then meet you at the other end. 

Flights to the UK are excessively priced so dogs travel to the UK via dedicated Pet Taxis but we are always looking for people flying to northern European countries like Germany, Holland, Norway, Finland, etc. 

By agreeing to be a "flight buddy" you would be helping an abandoned dog make its way to a new home and life. 

So if you're travelling from Spain to somewhere in northern Europe and can help us by being a flight buddy please contact them.

This place has made me a better person. I encourage all of you to pass by to the shelter and have a look to the wonderful work they are doing.  

How to get there:

To get to the Pedregales park, you take the road towards Casares; it's actually marked "Casares por los caminos" at the roundabout on the A7 by the Estepona Industrial area (Poligono). You start by going down under the motorway, then after a few kilometres you come to the park on the right. The turn-off for ADANA from the Pedgregales road (Pista Colada de los Molinos a E) is about 200 meters before the official entrance to the park. You will see signs posted for ADANA at the turn-off.

GPS coordinates: 36.452788, -5.210153

More information at http://www.adana.es/en

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Estepona Street Art

I still remember the first time I came across a mural in the neighbourhood of "3 Banderas" a place that I visit several times per month to buy the meat to prepare our Argentinian BBQ's. At that moment I thought that it was the neighbours of that building who decided to paint it in that way. I didn't know at that time that this mural was one of the firsts in an ambitious project of Street art around the town of Estepona.

In the last three years, the façades of buildings in the streets of Estepona went from being simple dwellings to be seen as canvases in which artists can exhibit their works. Nicknamed as 'Route of Murals' brought 25 large-scale paintings, a number that will continue to rise in the near future.

This initiative put the city at the spotlight of national artistic scene. In January 2014, five terraced buildings became the largest vertical mural of Spain. 'Fishing day', created by the artist Jose Fernandez Rios, became the emblem of this route and not only for its size but also for its composition. Only watching it from an exact point of the opposite street you can view entirely the fisherman catching his prey.

Thematic are mixed and they are many styles. From hyperrealism  to abstract subjects, from nature to music, colors to black and white. Both local and international artists (including Erin Aman whose work is featured in San Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City), have left their signature on the buildings of our city.

Fortunately, the works will not end with this paintings as it seems that there are many artists demanding "a piece of city" to make their art. It's look like Estepona is becoming step by step in an outdoor museum.

Where you can find the paintings:

If you decide to have a look to all of them, the best is to park near Estepona Marina and walk from there (The first one you will find is "La casa de la buena gente"). It will be a 5 kms walk and you can combine it with the visit to the orchidarium as there are 4 paintings (including "Fishing day") in a 500mts range from there. You will end  near San Jose school (with Azul y Plata),  so you can walk down to the sea side and chill out in one of the beach bars before you start your way back to the port 2.5km).  

Here you have a video from Estepona town hall with the highlights of this murals. 

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Sierra Bermeja

Beyond serving as a superb backdrop for Valle Romano Golf complex, Sierra Bermeja is a great place to spend an unforgettable day.

Surrounded by fresh air, ancient trees and possibly the best views of the Costa del Sol, with an average height of 1,000m (its highest point being 1,450m), covering 1,236ha. It is an area that has undergone major volcanic activity; the rocks are rich in the olivine mineral. Rainwater has oxidized the iron and magnesium present in the rocks and the iron oxide has coloured the rock reddish-ginger, a hue that gives the sierra its name.  

The sierra's most notable tree is the Pinsapo (Spanish fir), which only grows in Andalucía in this area and the neighboring  Serranía de Ronda. This botanical jewel is only found in half a dozen places in the world. You will also find maritime and Austrian pines, cork and kermes oaks, junipers and yew trees. There are some species of Mediterranean scrubland such as rosemary and dwarf fan palms.

There are not dangerous animals in the area, but you can find mountain goats, the roe deer and the Egyptian mongoose. Less visible are the otters and wild cats. Raptors nest in the many sheer slopes and include booted eagles, Griffon vultures, sparrow hawks and eagle and long-eared owls.

Once you get close to the summit, you will find "Refugio de los Reales". During the day, you can buy drinks and snacks here (but just in case, bring your own food as I can’t guarantee it will be open when you get there).  

Nearby you will find a recreational area with picnic tables. There is also a car park and a short walk leads to the mirador point from where you can enjoy breathtaking views.

Footpaths:

There are tree hiking trails that are marked (Los Realillos, Paseo de los Pinsapos and Salvador Guerrero), of medium difficulty so it is recommended to wear appropriate clothing and footwear. Please keep in mind that the temperature is often 10° less than the waterfront, so think about whether you want to take something warm. Best time to visit is Spring and Autumn. 

How to get there:

You can drive to near the top of Sierra Bermeja in under an hour. Take the road signposted Genalguacil from the traffic lights on the Estepona inner bypass (Avda de Andalucia), near the Mercadona supermarket. This is the MA 557.

About half an hour after leaving Estepona you will reach "Peñas Blancas" pass. Turn left following the sign up to "Los Reales" (36.504643, -5.188839) . The tarmac road is old, however a 4x4 vehicle is not necessary.

From Peñas Blancas pass the road also leads down to Jubrique and to Genalguacil and on to the Gaucin – Ronda road. In this way one can make an enjoyable half day drive from Estepona up to Sierra Bermeja and then returning by Gaucin and Manilva or by Ronda and San Pedro .

The shelter (El Refugio) GPS coordinates: (36.482422, -5.200806)

I hope you can enjoy this wonderful spot of Estepona!

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Estepona Orchidarium

Housed in a modern-style building with a 30-metre-high central glass dome and a tall waterfall, is the centrepiece of the new 15,000 m2 Estepona’s “Central Park”.

The orchidarium is the biggest in Europe and accordingly, has more than 4,000 different species. Is the home of vegetable specimens from all five continents, coexisting within the same space.  Divided into two areas of 1000 m2 separated by a bamboo forest, you can find beside others the flower “Ylan Ylan” (Cananga odarata) , a very famous flower among high-end perfumers, like Chanel or Dior. 

But there is not only flowers and plants, also you will find some small tenants who will help to control unwanted pests and insects. The Phelsuma Klemmerii is a daytime Madagascar gecko that loves bamboo forests. Its only 10 cm length but looks very nice with his bright colors skin.

Next time you visit Estepona you cannot miss this place to enjoy with your family. A mixture of colours, fragrance and sensations that will surprise you.

On this one minute video you can find out the radical transformation of the area.

The opening hours are from Tuesday to Sunday from 11-14h & 18-21h. On Fridays and Saturdays the botanical garden is open from till 23h.  It is closed on Mondays.

There are public parking spaces near by the garden.

The address is:

Parque botanico-orquidario Estepona

Calle Salvador Dalí, 22

29680 Estepona

GPS: 36.429650, -5.146814

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