Family Outdoor Activities In Cyprus

With magnificent forest parks, fabulous bird-watching, impressive picnic and camping sites and exciting theme and water parks, Cyprus offers myriad choices for families to enjoy the great outdoors.

Theme & Water Parks

Take a magical voyage through the lakes, oceans and rivers of the world at the Ocean Aquarium in Protaras and try spotting the 400 different species of marine life that thrive here.

The Ostrich park and the delightful petting zoo at The Flying Ostrich Park in Avgorou village is a favorite family pastime.

Spend a day at the Camel Park in Mazotos village, where you can learn all you can about a day in the life of a camel. The highlight of the day spent here could very well be feeding and riding the camels.

The Ostrich Wonderland Theme Park, 25 minutes away from Lefkosia, is among the biggest of all ostrich farms in Europe. Spend a day with these gigantic birds and learn all about their habits.

Enjoy a fun-filled day at the Cyprus Donkey Sanctuary, situated 36 km away from Lemesos. With more than 100 donkeys at this sanctuary, you can pick and choose the ones you'd like to ride on.

The Pafos Bird and Animal Park is home to an assortment of interesting animals and birds including giraffes, gazelles, iguanas, parrots, flamingos, ostriches and eagles.

Spend the day with the family at the spectacular Agia napa water park, which is impressively designed with a Greek mythology-based theme. Or choose from any one of the other exciting water-parks including the Protaras Waterpark in Paralimni, the Water World Waterpark in Agia Napa, the Fasouri Water Mania Waterpark in Lemesos and the Aphrodite Waterpark in Pafos.

Forest Parks

Troodos National Forest Park, with it's 800 plant species, 80 different species of birds and plenty of camping sites, picnic sites and nature trails enclosed within an 93 sq km expanse is the perfect place to spend an adventurous day with the family. Natural black pine is abundant in this area, which has been designated as a protected area especially with regards to birds.

Cavo Gkreko, Athalassa National Forest Park, Paedagogical Academy National Forest Park, Rizoelia National Forest Park and Tripilos - Mavroi Gremmoi Nature Reserve are some of the other magnificent forest parks that offer plenty of opportunities for climbing, cycling, bird-watching, picnicking, diving, swimming and hiking along nature trails.

Bird-Watching

Different seasons offer different bird-watching opportunities, making Cyprus a bird-watchers paradise. Permanent feathered residents of this area include the Scops owl, Cyprus pied wheatear, kestrel, Cyprus warbler, crested lark and the coal tit. In December Cyprus plays host to many migratory birds including ringed plovers, coots, sea gulls, lapwings and sandpipers whereas spring brings the herons, egrets and glossy ibis. Autumn is the perfect time to marvel at the greater flamingoes that migrate in thousands from their homes in Africa.