Akumal Monkey Sanctuary & Rescued Animals
Akumal Monkey Sanctuary & Rescued Animals
Akumal Monkey Sanctuary & Rescued Animals
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
BOOK NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AND ENJOY THE LOWEST PRICES! Discover Akumal Monkey Sanctuary & Rescued Animals! We are a sanctuary dedicated to the welfare of wildlife that has been affected by human activity. Your visit allows us to continue our mission to rescue, rehabilitate and offer a safe home to more than 200 animals of 30 different species. Visit us and enjoy the exciting tours we have for you and your family, where you can tour the jungle on ATVs, swim in the crystal clear waters of the Rio Sagrado Cenote or discover colorful fish while snorkeling in the Yal-Ku cove. Our tours not only offer an unforgettable experience, but are also a way to support the work of our sanctuary. Every adventure you enjoy helps to maintain the well-being of the animals we rescue and care for. Reserve your spot today and live the adventure while contributing to a noble cause!
Duration: 1-2 hours
Meets animal welfare guidelines
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See what travelers are saying
- Julie SMargate, United Kingdom567 contributionsGreat if you love animalsSo we busted the monkey sanctuary while holidaying in Mexico. So many different animals not just monkeys , but monkeys of all kinds , goats pigs otters ostrich zebra and many more . Some have been rescued after getting electrocuted and losing a limb . Others have been taking In from hotels and other place . One word of advice wear long sleeve tops and trouser otherwise you will get Bitten alive by the mosquitoes. Our guide was excellent and very knowledgeable and it was a great morning out.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 4, 2023
- Brigitte and Fr... LReutlingen, Germany18 contributionsGreat place and great team to rescue animals and to save our planetvery good experience. Angel was a very knowledgeable and environment sensitive tour guide. He gave insights and unfortunately many sad stories of the various animals’ past life. Great to see these people working hard and motivated to rescue these creatures and sensitize visitors to be critical of animal shows, displays or attractions at the high cost of the animal's well beeing or even their life. Big thank you for the great work of the team there!Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 4, 2023
- Alyssa5 contributionsSo Amazing!!!My boyfriend and I wanted something unique and fun to do, and we came across an ad for the sanctuary, we had the greatest time ever! Angel was such a great guide and is clearly passionate about the work he does. 10000% worth the trip, you will love it!Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 16, 2023
- Christina5 contributionsA wonderful experienceA wonderful experience, Kary our guide was so helpful and informative. It was great to learn about the back stories of the animals and the work that the sanctuary does, you can tell that they really care about the animals here! I wish we could take our own photos when we held nana, but I understand why that wouldn't be possibleVisited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 6, 2023
- Lisa H1 contributionWe had a good time.Our tour guide Marco was wonderful and was informational and entertaining. He was very patient leading a group in both English and Spanish. I loved seeing all the wildlife and knowing that there is a place to take good care of all the discarded, injured or confiscated animals- not just monkeys. It was worth every penny. We got to pet goats, hold snakes and macaws, and even had a monkey on our heads. Even my teen son had a good time! Extra details- It was about a two hour tour.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 8, 2023
- APBC35 contributionsBrilliant ExperienceA brilliant tour with fantastic guide, Kari. Amazing to see the good work they are doing with rescue monkeys & animals. I can't recommend too highly. So interesting and great to support their good work.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 12, 2023
- Brenda HCalgary, Canada58 contributionsA must do!!!We all loved the fact that they rescue all kinds of animals including monkeys. it was amazing to see all of the incredible creatures there. As we were walking around, there were wild monkeys climbing the trees. Some of them had babies wrapped around their bellies. It was the most beautiful thing. Then we got to go and visit with one of the little residents. We got to see her up close. She went on our hands and our heads. It was an absolutely amazing experience.Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 13, 2023
- imoAnglesey, United Kingdom1 contributionEnjoyable educational visitThe explanation of the work of the sanctuary was excellent. Great to raise awareness of the issues of the pet trade. Although monkeys were the key reason to visit it was good to see other animals too especially the otters.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 17, 2023
- Vicki10 contributionsGreat trip highly recommendOh we had such a lovely time. Our guide Atziri was wonderful and taught us so much. I cannot recommend this place enough. Getting the chance to see and learn about the animals they care for and even getting to hold and stroke some was amazing. Keep up your great work everyone much love to you all. Thank you xxxVisited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 23, 2023
- Mark F3 contributionsGreat experience again at the Akumal Monkey SanctuaryThis was our third time to the Minkey Sanctuary, every time we see something new and learn more. Our guide was Angel who was truly awesome. We hope everyone gets the opportunity to have Angel as a guide and understand in that couple of hours what an amazing human being he is, someone who is making a positive impact on people and the world. We will be back again 😊Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 23, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Sarah B
Winchester, UK26 contributions
Dec 2019 • Family
This is a lovely place to visit but I wish it was just the cenote pool and underground cave here and not the monkeys and other animals .
The cave tour was really good and well worth the extra $10.
I can’t quite believe the animals are all rescue animals and even so the monkeys are still being kept in glass enclosures for their whole lives with long-standing signs outside suggesting they are not going to be moved again and indeed there is nowhere for them to go to that I could see.
It is essentially a petting zoo with parrots snakes and monkeys to be held for photographs which they try to sell you at the end.
Other animals are goats, pigs, one otter? Deer and a couple of zebra .
I would love to be proved wrong as the animals didn’t appear distressed or unhealthy.
But when I asked why the goats were there I was told by the guide ‘they are no longer wanted for entertainment purposes’.
No one explained why the otter was there either or how long it had been there by itself.
I would rather see signs of them trying to rehabilitate the monkeys to fend for themselves and be released back into the wild at some point not left in cages forever.
I see no reason for the other animals to be kept there , particularly the deer, boar, and otter other than to attract people to the zoo.
Also I was disturbed to find two very large tortoises in a glass cage in the ladies toilet , I wonder if they ever get let out of this confined space😞.?
The cave tour was really good and well worth the extra $10.
I can’t quite believe the animals are all rescue animals and even so the monkeys are still being kept in glass enclosures for their whole lives with long-standing signs outside suggesting they are not going to be moved again and indeed there is nowhere for them to go to that I could see.
It is essentially a petting zoo with parrots snakes and monkeys to be held for photographs which they try to sell you at the end.
Other animals are goats, pigs, one otter? Deer and a couple of zebra .
I would love to be proved wrong as the animals didn’t appear distressed or unhealthy.
But when I asked why the goats were there I was told by the guide ‘they are no longer wanted for entertainment purposes’.
No one explained why the otter was there either or how long it had been there by itself.
I would rather see signs of them trying to rehabilitate the monkeys to fend for themselves and be released back into the wild at some point not left in cages forever.
I see no reason for the other animals to be kept there , particularly the deer, boar, and otter other than to attract people to the zoo.
Also I was disturbed to find two very large tortoises in a glass cage in the ladies toilet , I wonder if they ever get let out of this confined space😞.?
Written January 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi sarahbZ940G! First of all, it's good that you really liked the experience of the Cenote Ma'ax ...
As for your comments on animals, goats and fallow deer, they were donated to the Sanctuary from a Hotel in the Riviera Maya that closed and could not take care of them ... and as for your question of if all animals are they rescued? Yes they are...
The otter, the pigs, the goats, the monkeys even the dogs ...
And although we still want them to be free in the Jungle, but many of them can never be reintroduced because they are so accustomed to human care that they don't know how to fend for themselves in their natural environment. However, here we strive to make the rest of their lives worthy.
We appreciate your visit and remind you that without you, none of this would be possible ...
Written January 20, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Foodie M
2 contributions
Feb 2022
This place is the worst tourist trap in Quintana Roo. It is NOT a sanctuary. They don't care about the animal's "well being" all the care about is about ripping off gringos (an any other tourist) at $80 EACH. We were 4 people so we were scammed out of $320 total.
The "interaction with the ONE monkey" was nothing but a routine of a circus monkey where they put a group of 23 people inside a cage then force the monkey to jump on each person 5 times (while they give it treats). And that's what the highlight of this "experience" is supposed to be.
Because all they care about is money, they don't let you have your phone with you or take photos/video. They have a so called "photographer" taking a random snaps of you and if you want the photo, that'll be an extra $50 (which is absolutely insane, especially for Mexico). Other things you'll see is some more monkey in cages, a few goats, you get to hold a macaw and a small snake for 3 seconds for a photo... that's literally all. I'm ashamed I fell for this scam and contributed to the problem.
The guide will bs you for hours bashing other places for exploiting the animals that they "rescued" whilst they literally do the same. The pass the animals around large groups of people which causes them stress.
They also have a tiny cenote (which cost extra obviously) that is packed with so many people and you only have 30 min to "enjoy". This place is nothing but a tourist trap/scam. Avoid at all cost
The "interaction with the ONE monkey" was nothing but a routine of a circus monkey where they put a group of 23 people inside a cage then force the monkey to jump on each person 5 times (while they give it treats). And that's what the highlight of this "experience" is supposed to be.
Because all they care about is money, they don't let you have your phone with you or take photos/video. They have a so called "photographer" taking a random snaps of you and if you want the photo, that'll be an extra $50 (which is absolutely insane, especially for Mexico). Other things you'll see is some more monkey in cages, a few goats, you get to hold a macaw and a small snake for 3 seconds for a photo... that's literally all. I'm ashamed I fell for this scam and contributed to the problem.
The guide will bs you for hours bashing other places for exploiting the animals that they "rescued" whilst they literally do the same. The pass the animals around large groups of people which causes them stress.
They also have a tiny cenote (which cost extra obviously) that is packed with so many people and you only have 30 min to "enjoy". This place is nothing but a tourist trap/scam. Avoid at all cost
Written March 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jowad S
55 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
As in reading some of the previous comments i would call this more of a Zoo with donated animals. I respect it non the less. The idea behind a sanctuary like they have Elephant sanctuary will be misleading all the animals are caged. Was it worth the visit for me? Not really. Would i recommend anyone else who has seen actually sanctuariea in Malaysia or Thailand. No.
You get a quick 20 second picture chance with a Macau and 20 seconds with a Boa(snake) barely any time to take a picture. I did not even bother.
They will go into a capuchin monkey cage for a 15min photo session. These 15min are shared among 4 people so 3.5min each person. This does not include youre own phone for safety.... I think it has more to do with the photos they take them self to sell.
I have lots of videos with wild monkeys (Big and small) they are curious about the phone yes. But they won't take it and smash it into the ground. And since youre feeding him the whole time he wont even pay much attention to the phone. Seeing his caretaker signing him to go up or down shows its no longer wild.
As i wrote on the leaflet they ask you to fill in at the end. You need to work alot more on interactions. Or add feeding packages whatever you will. Pictures on here are abit misleading.
In the end i was eaten alive by mosquitos and left this place very underwhelmed.
On to the next sanctuary.
You get a quick 20 second picture chance with a Macau and 20 seconds with a Boa(snake) barely any time to take a picture. I did not even bother.
They will go into a capuchin monkey cage for a 15min photo session. These 15min are shared among 4 people so 3.5min each person. This does not include youre own phone for safety.... I think it has more to do with the photos they take them self to sell.
I have lots of videos with wild monkeys (Big and small) they are curious about the phone yes. But they won't take it and smash it into the ground. And since youre feeding him the whole time he wont even pay much attention to the phone. Seeing his caretaker signing him to go up or down shows its no longer wild.
As i wrote on the leaflet they ask you to fill in at the end. You need to work alot more on interactions. Or add feeding packages whatever you will. Pictures on here are abit misleading.
In the end i was eaten alive by mosquitos and left this place very underwhelmed.
On to the next sanctuary.
Written October 30, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Jowad S!
We are very sorry to know that your experience at the Sanctuary was not what you expected.
Our project is young and we work daily to be able to house more rescued animals every day and provide them with habitats that adapt to their needs.
The established times as well as the restriction of cameras and other objects in the habitat of the animals, are to ensure the welfare of the animals and are set out in the project approved by the corresponding authorities.
Let us remember that when visiting these types of places, the welfare of the animals is always sought above all else.
We hope you can understand and we appreciate your visit.
Regards
Written November 19, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SaraBPasquini
Arlington, VA133 contributions
Aug 2020 • Family
After reading the reviews we had high expectations for this place. In my opinion, it’s a glorified zoo with maybe a few rescued monkeys. The deer and goats and the 40 peso goat feed is the first red flag. I’m here to see rescued monkeys not feed goats. You are grouped into groups of around 10 or so. The guides are very good and have good jokes. When it’s time to lay with the monkeys they line you up and you get about 15 minutes or so with the monkeys which is SUPERCOOL. The snake and birds after that are literally quick photo ops. Then on your way out they try like crazy to get you to buy the $70 pictures. The holding monkeys was cool but otherwise gimmicky and overpriced.
Written August 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello! First of all, we want to thank you for visiting us, because thanks to those who visit us we can continue to keep the project running.
About your doubt, if we really are a sanctuary. WE ARE
Each of the animals that have arrived here has been rescued from illegal traffic or donated by people who kept them as pets.
Even the goats were donated by a luxurious hotel in the Riviera Maya that had them as decoration in their gardens and they had to close and they had nowhere to send these animals.
If you only wanted to spend some time with the monkeys you could also do it and don't do the visit to the rest of the Sanctuary.
The photographs are an optional service, if you do not want to acquire them it is not mandatory.
The bonding with monkeys is 15 minutes due to the provisions of the operating permit that we have with SEMARNAT (government)
I hope I have resolved your doubts, but if you have another I'm here to help you. Greetings.
Written August 24, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ShanVanAmerican83
1 contribution
Aug 2021 • Family
Let me start by saying that these animals are very well cared for. But like everything else in Mexico, expect to be nickel and dimed. The cost of your ticket is to be expected, but between tipping and then not being allowed to bring your camera into the monkey exhibit (which is the main purpose of this adventure), they will charge you $20 USD per picture or $70 USD for all photos that their photographer takes. This is on top of your ticket price. For our family of 6, we had already spent $300 in tickets! We were promised 2-3 hours if time and our tour was finished at 1 hour and 40 minutes.
There was one monkey in the play exhibit which is a previous movie monkey. Sweet little monkey she is! Pro tip: Bring in your camera even when they recommend not to. This monkey is only interested in the trainers snacks and nothing else. We could have easily taken pictures and not missed out on this once in a lifetime photo opportunity. Really bummed that this happened, as this soured our experience and view of this sanctuary.
I would recommend looking into “The Jungle Place” which offers more intimate monkey interactions and play time with rescued monkeys. They book up quickly and offer less days/times, so we weren’t able to book them, but they would have been our first choice. I would have gladly paid their prices knowing that the experience was more genuine and not out to squeeze me for every dollar.
There was one monkey in the play exhibit which is a previous movie monkey. Sweet little monkey she is! Pro tip: Bring in your camera even when they recommend not to. This monkey is only interested in the trainers snacks and nothing else. We could have easily taken pictures and not missed out on this once in a lifetime photo opportunity. Really bummed that this happened, as this soured our experience and view of this sanctuary.
I would recommend looking into “The Jungle Place” which offers more intimate monkey interactions and play time with rescued monkeys. They book up quickly and offer less days/times, so we weren’t able to book them, but they would have been our first choice. I would have gladly paid their prices knowing that the experience was more genuine and not out to squeeze me for every dollar.
Written August 22, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello ShanVanAmerican83, first of all, thank you very much for your visit, with your support you help us to continue working in favor of Wildlife.
We are very sorry to know that your experience at the Sanctuary was not adequate.
Many times people come and their main complaint is about the prices, but the truth is that the money you contribute as visitors helps us to provide our animals with food, medicine, and medical personnel and experts in animal care.
Thanks again for the visit.
Regards
Written August 30, 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
hinon413
2 contributions
Feb 2023
My two teenagers enjoyed their visit here (although did conclude, "It's basically a zoo") and our guide Karina was extremely kind and knowledgable. The animals are well-cared for. My issues are these:
1) It is not a sanctuary. It is a zoo. Some of the animals have been rescued, some are "on loan" from other institutions (like zoos), and some have been bred/raised in captivity. Literally none of them are free.
2) The price is EXTREMELY high. Even for this area, which is expensive, this was by far the most expensive thing we did - by a long shot. It bothered me that I booked a ticket advertised as $65 USD pp but on my credit card statement it worked out to be more like $75 pp (When I asked about this, the company rep tried to blame it on the "exchange rate that day," but I was in Mexico for over a week and it wasn't that volatile!). Since you are basically walking on pathways looking at animals in cages, to even call it a "tour" (and to charge prices as if it is a tour) is a stretch.
3) The biggest selling points are the animal "experiences," which include moments of having a snake, a parrot, and a monkey sit on your lap/hand etc. During these brief experiences, a professional photographer is snapping pictures. Since you cannot keep your phone during the monkey experience, and of course that's the part that everyone is most entranced by, to me I felt a bit manipulated to buy the photographs.
4) The guides talk about the monkey experience as if the monkeys are going to interact with you, but in actuality you are holding very still, while a very good trainer has the monkey sit on your head, and your lap. Treats are the reward, and the reward for the paying customer is, in part, the opportunity to later purchase photos of this. Some of the monkeys we saw during our visit had been "rescued" from a magician who did kid birthday parties. I couldn't help but wonder - isn't a monkey doing tricks a monkey doing tricks? Who is to say which environment the monkey prefers?
IN SUM: Honestly, it was the only thing we did during our recent trip that kind of left me with a bad feeling. They are certainly doing a good job at marketing. Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped it completely.
1) It is not a sanctuary. It is a zoo. Some of the animals have been rescued, some are "on loan" from other institutions (like zoos), and some have been bred/raised in captivity. Literally none of them are free.
2) The price is EXTREMELY high. Even for this area, which is expensive, this was by far the most expensive thing we did - by a long shot. It bothered me that I booked a ticket advertised as $65 USD pp but on my credit card statement it worked out to be more like $75 pp (When I asked about this, the company rep tried to blame it on the "exchange rate that day," but I was in Mexico for over a week and it wasn't that volatile!). Since you are basically walking on pathways looking at animals in cages, to even call it a "tour" (and to charge prices as if it is a tour) is a stretch.
3) The biggest selling points are the animal "experiences," which include moments of having a snake, a parrot, and a monkey sit on your lap/hand etc. During these brief experiences, a professional photographer is snapping pictures. Since you cannot keep your phone during the monkey experience, and of course that's the part that everyone is most entranced by, to me I felt a bit manipulated to buy the photographs.
4) The guides talk about the monkey experience as if the monkeys are going to interact with you, but in actuality you are holding very still, while a very good trainer has the monkey sit on your head, and your lap. Treats are the reward, and the reward for the paying customer is, in part, the opportunity to later purchase photos of this. Some of the monkeys we saw during our visit had been "rescued" from a magician who did kid birthday parties. I couldn't help but wonder - isn't a monkey doing tricks a monkey doing tricks? Who is to say which environment the monkey prefers?
IN SUM: Honestly, it was the only thing we did during our recent trip that kind of left me with a bad feeling. They are certainly doing a good job at marketing. Knowing what I know now, I would have skipped it completely.
Written March 2, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NJMom751
New Jersey29 contributions
Aug 2021
I thought this was a nice experience. You can take photos everywhere but with the monkeys. The price for their photos was a little steep but I believe you can negotiate it. I chose not to. The young lady who was our tour guide was very enthusiastic and seemed very proud of the place. She was eager to share information and answer questions. The animals appeared well cared for and comfortable when staff entered their cages. I had some mixed feelings about the monkey experience in the cage. There were a lot of people in the cage and the monkeys seemed anxious, but I guess it's a trade off to earn the money to keep a place like this going. Be prepared to let your hair down in the cage and remove pony tail holders in the Mexican heat and don't wear any jewelry as you will have to remove everything that could tempt or distract the monkeys in the cage. We brought a small bag to place our things in and I tossed a comb in it. We were coming up on a hurricane and the staff seemed intent on preparing cages that to make sure that the animals were protected from the storm. Also, no one seemed pushy about buying things which was nice, because you could relax a bit.
Written January 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, we appreciate your visit to the Sanctuary, remember, with your visit you help us to continue working in this project of care and rescue of wildlife.
Greetings. Thanks alot!!
Written January 18, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JSlep
Clifton Park, NY113 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
Where to begin. In the beginning felt I was in a USA mall petting zoo from my youth, led past a series of goats and a poor deer sitting in a bathtub with flies laying eggs in it’s ulcerous leg.
Then to the first of the poor monkeys who were help in typical 1960s undersized cages with few diversions or objects to develop their curiosity. Poor bored things reaching out to the visitors for mercy.
Perhaps it was the overall fake tone of the presentation or the obvious money grabs throughout the gift store, including the plea for 20% tip on a massively overpriced tourist trap.
I’m sure the owners will come back with a statement of the high cost of feeding 150 animals. At 75$/person they can feed each of those animals steak and lobster with just 100 visitors a day!! Clearly they had 10 times that when we visited on a slow day in February.
Then to the first of the poor monkeys who were help in typical 1960s undersized cages with few diversions or objects to develop their curiosity. Poor bored things reaching out to the visitors for mercy.
Perhaps it was the overall fake tone of the presentation or the obvious money grabs throughout the gift store, including the plea for 20% tip on a massively overpriced tourist trap.
I’m sure the owners will come back with a statement of the high cost of feeding 150 animals. At 75$/person they can feed each of those animals steak and lobster with just 100 visitors a day!! Clearly they had 10 times that when we visited on a slow day in February.
Written February 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello, we appreciate your comments, the reality is that yes, the animal shelters are not entirely large, far from it, this is because day by day there are more, there are already almost 250 animals of 40 different species that we give a home, it is not only the high food costs, it is also the medical care, among other actions that are carried out for their correct well-being.
Our main fundraising strategy is through tours, since we do not have any type of support.
Written March 1, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Nate F
Innisfail, Canada11 contributions
Feb 2020 • Family
This was a fantastic experience for my family and I. A guided educational tour with some mixed in Mexican humour. Myself, my wife and two young boys (3.5 yrs and 10 months), did this approx 2 hour tour of all of their rescued anaimals. They do a great job of showing why it’s important to not support some excursions and sidewalk sideshows that you encounter all over the world. My 3 year old boy had a blast, getting a chance to feed goats, deer hold parrots and snakes(with me of course), and then the grand finale of the Brown Faced Capuchins who sit on your head and eat sunflower seeds. My only advise would be to bring a camera, bug spray (it’s in the jungle and fully outdoors) and plenty of water. They take pictures along the tour, but don’t charge as bad as some other excursions for the pictures they take for you. I can’t quite remember the pricing, but it was somewhere between 35-50usd which included everyone in my family, not just per individual. Go support them. They do great things there and was well worth it.
Written March 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, NateF98! Thank you very much for your visit and for sharing your experience with everyone.
We are happy to know that you had an incredible time at the Sanctuary and to know you're happy about the job we are doing!.
We're happy to know your babies enjoy this too!
Again we thank you because with your visit you help us to continue working on this care and rescue project.
Regards!
Written June 17, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ebmaverick85
25 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
One of the best zoo like experiences I’ve encountered, in Quintana Roo. My toddler loved interacting with the various animals. I would definitely recommend this, especially if you’re vacationing in the area. Just read my review to prepare yourself for a good experience.
My only complaints took place post tour. First, being separated from the Spanish speaking members of our group to be brought in this room and asked to complete a survey and provide a tip, which I complied with but felt odd about. I tipped $100 MXN cause our guide was very knowledgeable and nice, however the time I spent in this room completing the survey delayed me from getting my photos and a taxi, in a timely manner.
Then, I was directed to the photo purchase area and was disappointed by the quality of photos taken during the monkey encounter. Most animal encounters can be photographed with your personal camera/phone, however no cameras/phones (actually nothing can be brought into the monkey encounter area, even people were asked to remove eyeglasses, headbands, and ponytail holders). Upon reviewing my groups photos I found only 1 that was worth buying (totaling $15 USD), then their staff offered to give me a discount on all photos taken ($30 USD), in order to get more money for photos. I explained that most of the photos were just bad (my face was cropped or not even facing the camera in several photos due to during my encounter with the monkey our tour guide was attempting to give me instructions, so all the photos were a mess), thus not even worth buying. Also, I’m still waiting to receive the link to download my one photo. So glad that this is not my toddler’s first time at a zoo like this and he has photos with exotic animals, or I’d be upset.
Lastly, yet most disappointingly was requesting a return taxi. I would definitely recommend having pre-arranged transpiration to avoid expensive taxi fees. I took a moto taxi from the Akumal city area for $50 MXN, my taxi request to Cenote Dos Ojos totaled $800 MXN, so I ended up requesting a taxi back to the Akumal city center for $150 MXN, after an very awkward exchange where I repeatedly explained I wasn’t paying $800 MXN to leave their place nor walking anywhere.
Blatantly attempting to collect tips, sell unworthy photos, and overcharge tourists - rubbed me the wrong way, so much!
My only complaints took place post tour. First, being separated from the Spanish speaking members of our group to be brought in this room and asked to complete a survey and provide a tip, which I complied with but felt odd about. I tipped $100 MXN cause our guide was very knowledgeable and nice, however the time I spent in this room completing the survey delayed me from getting my photos and a taxi, in a timely manner.
Then, I was directed to the photo purchase area and was disappointed by the quality of photos taken during the monkey encounter. Most animal encounters can be photographed with your personal camera/phone, however no cameras/phones (actually nothing can be brought into the monkey encounter area, even people were asked to remove eyeglasses, headbands, and ponytail holders). Upon reviewing my groups photos I found only 1 that was worth buying (totaling $15 USD), then their staff offered to give me a discount on all photos taken ($30 USD), in order to get more money for photos. I explained that most of the photos were just bad (my face was cropped or not even facing the camera in several photos due to during my encounter with the monkey our tour guide was attempting to give me instructions, so all the photos were a mess), thus not even worth buying. Also, I’m still waiting to receive the link to download my one photo. So glad that this is not my toddler’s first time at a zoo like this and he has photos with exotic animals, or I’d be upset.
Lastly, yet most disappointingly was requesting a return taxi. I would definitely recommend having pre-arranged transpiration to avoid expensive taxi fees. I took a moto taxi from the Akumal city area for $50 MXN, my taxi request to Cenote Dos Ojos totaled $800 MXN, so I ended up requesting a taxi back to the Akumal city center for $150 MXN, after an very awkward exchange where I repeatedly explained I wasn’t paying $800 MXN to leave their place nor walking anywhere.
Blatantly attempting to collect tips, sell unworthy photos, and overcharge tourists - rubbed me the wrong way, so much!
Written July 18, 2023
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Hola tengo un chanchito de 4 años pero se ha vuelto muy difícil tenerlo quisiera ver si lo puedo donar a su parque?
Written May 23, 2024
Hola tengo un chanchito de 4 años pero se ha vuelto muy difícil tenerlo quisiera ver si lo puedo donar a su parque?
Written May 23, 2024
Are there any sea turtles there?
Written March 14, 2024
This particular adventure does not include any ocean swimming. So no, no sea turtles. They have one tortoise that has been rescued, I believe. It is absolutely a great experience to try; you get to interact with rescued monkeys, parrots, and more! The team is phenomenal and very knowledgable, and the Cenote you get to visit is private, quiet and so clean and well maintained! Trust me, it's an excellent experience!
Written March 15, 2024
Can you take your own pictures or do you have to buy yours? What is the cost?
Written August 24, 2023
Can you take your own pictures or do you have to buy yours? What is the cost??
Written August 24, 2023
Cual es el costo de la entrada? Quisiera ir mañana sab
Written April 14, 2023
Bonjour est ce praticable avec une poussette ? Et peut on facilement commander un taxi sur place pour rentrer à l’hôtel ?metci d’absence
Written November 12, 2022
A stroller is fine around the "zoo" but not inside the cages. Please know, when we were there in June, the mosquitos were horrible. If you take a small child, I would advise no exposed skin and as much bug repellant as they will tolerate. Even the repellant they sell at the sanctuary wasn't enough. I would go as far as suggesting mosquito netting over the stroller. We called Oscar to transport our group +52-984-197-2665.
Written November 14, 2022
Can you rent water shoes there if doing the combined sanctuary and cenote tour?
Written November 13, 2021
Hi! No, we don't rent water shoes, but the boutique sells them!
Written December 27, 2021
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