Pachamama Eco Park is a small botanical garden with rescued animals near Santa Maria. Calm, green and well kept, it’s ideal with kids or for a quiet break. Not spectacular, but pleasant and honest. Decent coffee helps.
When the landscape changes without warning
In Sal, green is usually a rare event. So when a place suddenly shows up with trees, shade and paths that don’t feel like they belong on another planet, something quietly resets in your head. Pachamama Eco Park – Viveiro Botanical Garden arrives like that: no fanfare, no inflated promises, just the feeling of this wasn’t in the script.
It’s not a big theme park. It doesn’t try to be. And that might be part of the charm.
A botanical garden with rescued animals
Pachamama is, essentially, a botanical garden with a small rescue-animal area. Native plants, impressive cacti, palms, succulents and flowers you don’t expect to find on an island famous for its dominant beige.
The animals — parrots, monkeys, donkeys, chickens, peacocks — aren’t here for entertainment, but because they can’t return to their natural habitat. That explains a lot… and it helps you view the place with more context and less snap judgement.
It works especially well for families with children, people who want a calm plan outside the hotel, or anyone who appreciates a walk without noise or hurry.
Walk, look around, and pause for a bit
The experience is simple: stroll along well-kept paths, read plant labels, watch the animals, sit down whenever your body asks. There’s no mandatory route and no stopwatch energy.
Many visitors say the same thing: one or two hours go by easily, especially with kids. The park is compact, but enough to keep you engaged without feeling like work.
There’s a café that keeps showing up in reviews — and not by accident. The coffee is surprisingly good, prices are reasonable, and it’s genuinely pleasant to sit somewhere without anyone judging you for “not consuming fast enough”.
Quiet, even when people are around
It’s rarely overcrowded. The vibe is calm, almost slow, with families, couples and visitors who seem to drop down a gear without noticing.
The park is well maintained, clean and designed for an easy walk. It’s also accessible: ramps, adapted toilets and roomy areas make it less exclusionary than many places on the island.
It’s not thrilling. It’s restful. And sometimes that’s exactly the point.
Expectations and sensitive eyes
One sensitive point appears in several comments: some animal enclosures feel small and, for certain visitors, difficult to see. Others mention older animals or ones that look fragile.
The team insists — and many reviews back this up — that these are rescued animals, some very old, receiving daily care and attention. Still, if you’re highly sensitive about animal welfare, this part may hit harder than expected.
It’s not a spectacular place. And if you’re chasing a “wow” moment, it probably won’t deliver one.
How to enjoy it for what it is
– Entry is around €5: some find it pricey; others find it good value. Set expectations accordingly.
– Great for cloudy days or when you want to leave the resort without complications.
– With kids, time stretches naturally; without them, 30–60 minutes may be enough.
– You can reach it by bike, though there are sections where you’ll need to get off and push.
A green pause on an arid island
Pachamama Eco Park won’t change your trip or your view of Cape Verde. But it does offer something uncommon in Sal: a green space where nothing urgent happens.
You leave calmer than you arrived, with decent coffee in your system and the feeling you’ve breathed a little differently. And on this island, that’s already something.
You’re not coming for excitement. You’re coming for shade. Sometimes, that’s enough.
