Parque de las Leyendas is one of Lima's largest and most celebrated zoological and cultural parks, located in the district of San Miguel and administered by the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima. Founded in 1964, the park spans a vast area divided into themed zones representing Peru's three natural regions: the coast, the highlands, and the jungle, along with a dedicated international animals section. The collection comprises approximately 1,585 animals, many rescued from captivity, including jaguars, spectacled bears, Andean condors, howler monkeys, giraffes, and a century-old Galapagos giant tortoise named Samson. The park also features a large aviary, a farm area, and an extensive botanical garden. Uniquely, Parque de las Leyendas is built atop a pre-Hispanic archaeological site containing 54 huacas of the ancient Maranga culture, blending natural history with two millennia of Peruvian cultural heritage in a single remarkable destination.
