Petting Tiger Cubs at Pai Pai
Updated June 2023: Petting tiger cubs is a unique shore excursion in Ensenada. But local websites are confusing, so here is some on-the-ground info from our local tours team, as well as alternative ways to see animals and nature in Ensenada.
Where can I pet tiger cubs in Ensenada?
As of June 2023, there is one option to pet tiger cubs and take photos with big cats, lemurs, monkeys. Pai Pai Eco Animal park previously, the same owners did have animals near La Bufadora at Habana Banana Restaurant, but they were removed in June 2023.
Pai Pai is an eco animal park on the way to Bufadora. They have tiger cubs, monkeys, falcons, barn animal petting (they call it interactions), and photo-only options. In the last years, they added in the park activities such as zip lines, ATVs, tequila tasting, and horseback riding.
Those other activities are well suited for kids, but adults will find more fun at other ATV, Horseback riding, and Zip Line locations. We like the Zipline and canopy tour at Las Canadas and ATV on the mountains.
The Habana Banana restaurant is on the strip of flea market vendors between the parking lot and La Bufadora. It is a bit touristy and creates a fun environment for kids. The monkey logo and slide down the stairs are kinda fun. Previously the offer animal interactions, but stopped in 2023 due to some bad press.
I don’t work directly with either place, so prices and options may change. We do offer private excursion tours to Pai Pai and other places, making safe transportation and bilingual driver guides and a back-to-ship guarantee.
How much to pet tiger cubs?
Based on the current website at Eco Animal Park Pai Pai, $88usd for adults and $70 for the least expensive package including feline interaction Spanish pricing and by request. This package also includes monkey interaction, farm animals, horseback riding, and some other stuff. The website is a bit unclear and we have seen package prices have changing discounts and prices.
Our private transportation Pai Pai Excursion is $37 each for groups of 4. We don’t have packages with entrance to Pai Pai since they have many offerings and make price changes/discounts often. We recommend you arrive and pick the package that works best for your family. They take credit cards and have a pretty good computer system.
Previously, Habana Banana was reportedly charging $25 for one person to interact and $10 for each additional person. Viewing through glass is free. They no longer offer this option.
Is Petting Tiger Cubs Legal?
Yes, these businesses are 100% legal here in Mexico. Although traveling circus animals like big cats have been phased out here in Mexico, these facilities are legitimate. In my experience, the facilities at Pai Pai are very clean well kept. This is not the case in many public zoos I have visited on other countries in my world travels. And I don’t know about the care practices there.
I am a big fan of connecting with animals and nature. And of trying to do that in the most compassionate, respectful way. I now prefer to keep my petting to domesticated animals like dogs and horses, however, I have interacted with a big cat cub.
Twenty years ago in Bangladesh, I did get a chance to hold a Bengal Tiger cub by chance. I had a private driver and we pulled into a mini-mall for gas, the baby tiger was in an open-air pen there in the next store like I used to see puppies in the mall when I was young (is that still a thing)?
I did get a chance to hold the tiger cub and a picture. It was a pretty amazing feeling and memory one - just one I don’t need to repeat.
Is Tiger Cubs Safe at Pai Pai?
Carnival Cruise Lines is currently recommending against the Pai Pai Excuruison.
I understand there was an incident where a man was bit in the calf and had puncture wounds enough to seek medical attention. This has not happened with our tours. One other provider reported to me that his client got a scratch that was a small scar for 3 or 4 months. Both of these incidents happened at the La Bufadora facility, which is smaller and has now been shut down.
Of course you have to sign release forms when entering the park.
Having said that, the place is clean, well-maintained, and orderly. I get the sense that is is a well-run place.
Are the Animals Well Treated at Pai Pai?
I honestly can’t say since I don’t work there. I will say that it is clean. Many of the animals are nocturnal, so day time petting is not normal for their circadian rhythem. Likelyl they are lightly sedated for safety.
In concept, Pai Pai gets the baby cats from situations from where the baby has been rejected by the mother. And, as an animal rescue, they care for the animals.
The staff also report that when the cats are older, they are placed in zoos.
How true is this? I don’t have first hand knowledge and would be hard to verify.
On one hand, any kind of animal rescue is doing amazing work and needs to have funds to pay for expenses. Let’s face it, as humans we are obsessed with our own lives and easily forget about animals no in our care, and our impact on animals living environment.
On the other hand, the motivations of business and paying for any kind of organization lead to improvement and sometimes fancy marketing stories that are had to verify, or at least an ideal that each organization strives for that is more or less true.
Horses and other Animals
If you want to connect with nature or animals with your family, you might also consider the packages at Pai Pai with the barn animals petting and reptiles, or a horseback riding excursion. There are options for beach rides and kids can arrange for a smaller horse or ponies. Honestly, horseback on the beach in Mexico pictures are pretty epic memory.
And if you have a heart for animals, my teams (massage, mobile spa, and excursions) have quarterly gifting to a local bajaj animal rescue (dog rescue Los Adoptables in June 2023 and horse rescue Tina Jos Promise July-Sept 2023). Some of the Facebook cruise groups have booking codes that we give an extra $10 to
Since horses are domesticated, the relationship with humans is much more satisfying and tolerable than cats in my humble opinion. I also feel very connected with horses as my father was a light-hands horse trainer in his retirement years. Did you know a horse’s heart weighs about 8 lbs? Thinking creatively about the magnetic and electrical field created by the heart makes me smile.
In the city, there are sea lions and seagulls along the Malecon downtown by the harbor in front of Mercado Negro fish market, where I love fish upstairs fish tacos and smoked marlin or tuna.
Kids Zoo in Wine Valley
If you are dedicating a day to kids and want something different, Ensenada has a kid’s zoo, Zoologico Parque del Nino Jersey.
Logistically it is 40 minutes northeast of town, in the opposite direction from Bufadora and Pai Pai, in the heart of Wine Valle. It is not on the regular route of cruise excursions, so its business packages, website, and facilities have not been optimized for tourism, and not the hustle of walking through the gauntlet of shops at La Bufadora.
I don’t believe there are tiger cub petting opportunities.
Even with the transportation, it will likely be less than Pai Pai for a group of 4. Request a custom tour and we can set it up, would be about $55 each for a group of 4 with entrance included compared to 75+ for Pai Pai when you include their entrance packages. Since it is a bit further away, not easily combined with other visits to Bufadora or much time for first-street walking and shopping.
Breathe Deeply and Travel Slowly!
Jesse with the info from Arturo and Team
Other cruisers liked:
Things to do for Kids Near Cruiseport
Best Taco, Churros, Margaritas
Please comment with any new information or questions, and I will update this blog.
