“The Gardens” of Cabárceno are located in the northwestern corner of the park, north of and above the elephant savanna. This area covers a stretch of hillside filled with hollows, small ravines, and countless winding paths that meander among rocky outcrops and through dense, varied vegetation. The entire landscape creates an attractive labyrinth of trails for visitors to enjoy. There are also designated rest areas with benches and bridges, along with viewpoints offering scenic vistas of the southern mountains and the elephant enclosure.

This is an area with many entry and exit points, but the most convenient access is by passing the Grevy’s Zebra enclosure and driving up the road to its right. There, a sign indicates the access to this area, and right where the road forks, there’s a parking area from which you can walk into the gardens. It’s important to note that this area isn’t heavily signposted; the idea is to “get lost” and enjoy the surroundings.

This expansive natural area within Cabárceno had been disused for decades and has recently been rehabilitated to become one of the park’s many natural and scenic attractions. The area is a genuine surprise for those discovering it for the first time, as well as a perfect complement to visiting the animal enclosures. This gem, in addition to being a place to stroll, unwind, or rest in the shade of a tree, conceals within it a true ecosystem of trees, both native and from other parts of the world. This includes oaks (cajigas), birches, beeches, pines, chestnuts, cork oaks, willows, magnolias, catalpas, bamboo, and hollies. Furthermore, the environmental recovery of this zone has been completed with the planting of aromatic plants.

Another attraction of this area is its viewpoints. One of the most common stops for those visiting Cabárceno is the Mirador del Rubí (Ruby Viewpoint), from which, on clear days, you can enjoy an impressive panoramic view of Santander and its bay—a spectacle not to be missed. However, this is not the only viewpoint in Cabárceno. In the gardens area, there are two others almost as impressive as the Rubí: the first, the Mirador de Los Elefantes (Elephants Viewpoint), is located above the tunnels of the old mines. The second, the Mirador de Perdices (Partridges Viewpoint), is situated on the hiking trail next to the Grevy’s Zebra parking lot, offering incredible views of the elephant enclosure and the village of Cabárceno.

It’s important to highlight that the access slopes to this entire area have been adapted and smoothed to make it accessible for people with reduced mobility. A ramp has been installed at the Mirador de Los Elefantes (Elephants Viewpoint) to facilitate this access.

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