I've been dreaming of a European zoo trip throughout my entire life and the tentative plan is for me to spend 22 days away from home in the summer of 2019. After 8 'Snowleopard Road Trips' across Canada and the United States, as well as a summer in Australia in 2007, I've racked up visits to exactly 421 different zoos and aquariums in my lifetime. It's time to tackle Europe!
I actually spent 3 weeks between Switzerland and Italy in 2003, seeing a ton of fabulous attractions but only a couple of zoos. So, for my big foray in 2019, the plan is not to drive from country to country, but instead to have a narrow, specific focus. On my first 4 zoo-themed road trips (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) I criss-crossed America and traveled vast distances. On the last 4 zoo-themed road trips I've been very specific in my geographical location, first focusing on the north-west half of the USA (2014), then the south-west half (Texas was a prominent destination in 2015), then an entire trek in California (2017) and this summer I was mainly split between Michigan and Wisconsin (2018). My dream, depending on finances and the approval from my wife and 4 kids, would be to travel to Europe every few years and do something similar although we'll see how all of this works out as everything is tentative at the moment.
I've always imagined myself jetting off to the Netherlands as I love the very idea of that nation, the layout of the picturesque country, the fabulous soccer teams that I've cheered for at World Cups and of course the world-class zoos. Spending months intently planning and organizing a trip to the land of windmills and tulips has been a joy and naturally a few days in Belgium, due to its close proximity, was a decision that I made very early on in the scheduling process. I'm already so excited and yet there is a year-long wait until my next big zoo trip.
The days of driving halfway across the USA and seeing first the biggest and best zoos in the nation, then the mid-sized zoos, and then finally the wreckage of the zoological world has ended. No more nights in the minivan, no more roadside 'sanctuaries' run by good-natured yet clueless senior citizens, no more Confederate flags in Arkansas or Wisconsin hellholes on Bambi kiddie trains. A European jaunt might possibly cost double my usual bare-bones, $3,000 summer trips. Going to Europe will mean a $1,200 round-trip flight from Vancouver to Amsterdam, probably $1,500 on a car rental as I'll need a vehicle to get all around the countryside, then zoo admission prices are much higher, food is more expensive, and the exchange rate via Canadian dollars will hit my bank account hard. Go to Google and check out the Euro/Canadian exchange rate...gulp! A fantastic 2019 Dutch/Belgian zoo tour will probably be in the $6,000-$7,000 range and therefore during 2020 and even 2021 I will be staying home and not going anywhere.
After much internal debate, I've posted my full itinerary below but first I will make mention of the fact that 10 of the zoos receive between 800,000 to 1.8 million annual visitors. The Netherlands has the famous, historic, architecturally stunning Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam, the much-lauded Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem and the modern Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam. Belgium has a historic classic of its own in the shape of Zoo Antwerp and then the 'Omaha of Europe' as represented by the rapidly-expanding Pairi Daiza in Brugelette. I feel confident that via my research on ZooChat, through reading history books and discussing zoos with esteemed zoo nerds, that those 5 zoos are all candidates to make a 'Top 20 European Zoos' list. They all appear to be superb and amongst the best of their kind on the continent.
In hindsight I can see that I was a bit hyperbolic in declaring that I'd be visiting 10 world-class zoos on my next big trip but in truth I probably wasn't too far off the mark. Apart from those big 5 that I discussed above, there are significant other collections that I'm excited to visit. Planckendael Zoo in Mechelen, Belgium, has made great strides in the past decade and with a million annual visitors it has even surpassed the attendance numbers of its sister park in Antwerp. Then there is Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands, regarded as one of the premier safari park/walk-around zoos in Europe. Dierenpark Amersfoort and Ouwehands Dierenpark are a couple of other extremely popular Dutch zoos and the latter is one of the few establishments with Giant Pandas anywhere on the continent. Lastly, there is the brand-new zoo known as Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen, apparently not as impressive as the old Emmen Zoo but still worth seeing for a Canadian seeking zoological adventures. That completes the list of 10 notable, extremely popular zoos that all receive between 800,000 to 1.8 million annual visitors.
I'm also very excited to visit Apenheul Primate Park in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, with its 35+ primate species and famous gorilla feeding presentation. Then there is Dolfinarium Harderwijk, which is one of Europe's largest marine mammal parks, and a whole host of smaller, privately-owned Dutch and Belgian zoos. I've even found room for a couple of Sea Life Aquariums, which I will no doubt tour in 45 minutes and they probably look the same as the ones I've seen in the USA. Ha! I'll feel like I'm back home in North America.
I'm indebted to @lintworm for helping me plan this exciting journey and while he would not want to do a similar-style trip, he does realize the 'Snowleopard' desire to visit as many zoos as possible within a time period of 3 weeks. He gave me some great advice about how much time I'd need in each zoo, or when to add or cut zoos on certain days. Most of the big zoos are ones that I plan to take slowly and enjoy thoroughly, so they each get their own full day. On the days when I'm at Rotterdam and Beekse Bergen, I've got a second, much smaller zoo scheduled for the evening but if those two big zoos are taking up all of my time then I have no problem skipping the smaller attractions. I'm not going to rush through the main course in order to eat what could be a sour-tasting dessert. I've even got 3-4 butterfly/invertebrate facilities that I can visit or skip depending on time constraints but I've included them for now.
In wrapping up this long introduction and analysis, I would like to request some guidance in terms of what people think of my itinerary, sleeping options at motels, advice in terms of parking when going to Amsterdam, Antwerp or other major cities, etc. I will definitely rent a vehicle so that I can easily get around to all of the smaller zoos in the countryside, but having a car will also present itself with its own set of challenges. The big cities are not always car-friendly, but I really do want to get out and explore all the regions, including the Dutch Provinces of Friesland in the north and Zeeland in the south-west. I'd appreciate comments on my itinerary but please ensure that it is constructive criticism as I'm well aware of the fact that some individuals will think that visiting approximately 50 zoos in 3 weeks without once setting foot inside a museum or an art gallery is slightly bonkers. For those that have followed me on all of my 8 huge zoo trips and know of my 421 different zoos that I've visited...then this Dutch/Belgian trip will likely hold no surprises. Here you go:
42 Dutch zoos and 10 Belgian zoos = 52 zoos on the trip
Netherlands/Belgium 2019 Zoo Trip
Day 1 - Monday: Flight from Vancouver, Canada, to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Day 2 - Tuesday: (1 zoo) Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL) + drive 1 hour
Day 3 - Wednesday: (4 zoos) Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Anna Paulowna, NL) 9-11:30 + drive 30 min. + Blanckendaell Park (Tuitjenhorn, NL) 12-2 + drive 15 min. + Vlindertuin Vlindorado (Waarland, NL) 2:30-3:30 + drive 30 min. + Bergen aan Zee Aquarium (Bergen aan Zee, NL) 4-5 + drive 1 hour
Day 4 - Thursday: (5 zoos) Vogelpark Avifauna (Alphen aan den Rijn, NL) 9-11:30 + drive 15 min. + Stichting Schildpaddencentrum (Foundation Turtle Center) (Alphen aan den Rijn, NL) 12-1 + drive 30 min. + Vlinders aan de Vliet (Leidschendam, NL) 1:30-2:30 + drive 20 min. + Avonturia de Vogelkelder (The Hague, NL) 3-3:45 + drive 15 min. + Sea Life Scheveningen (The Hague, NL) 4-5 + drive 30 min.
Day 5 - Friday: (2 zoos) Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL) 9-5 + drive 15 min. + Familiepark Plaswijckpark (Rotterdam, NL) 5:30-7 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 6 - Saturday: (4 zoos) Deltapark Neeltje Jans Aquarium (Neeltje Jans, NL) 10-11 + drive 45 min. + Berkenhof Tropical Zoo (Kwadendamme, NL) 12-1:30 + drive 30 min. + Reptielen Zoo Iguana (Vlissingen, NL) 2-3:30 + drive 15 min. + Het Arsenaal Aquarium (Vlissingen, NL) 4-5:30 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 7 - Sunday: (4 zoos) Aquarium de la Mer du Nord (Ostend, BE) 10-11 + drive 30 min. + Serpentarium Blankenberge (Blankenberge, BE) 11:30-1 + drive 10 min. + Sea Life Blankenberge (Blankenberge, BE) 1:30-2:30 + drive 30 min. + Boudewijn Seapark (Bruges, BE) 3-5 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 8 - Monday: (1 zoo) Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE) + drive 45 min.
Day 9 - Tuesday: (1 zoo) Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE) + drive 1.5 hours
Day 10 - Wednesday: (1 zoo) Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) + drive 2 hours
Day 11 – Thursday: (3 zoos) Le Monde Sauvage (Wild Safari World Park) (Aywaille, BE) 10-12 + drive 30 min. + Liege Aquarium-Museum (Liege, BE) 12:30-2:30 + drive 1.5 hours + Olmense Zoo (Olmen, BE) 4-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 12 - Friday: (3 zoos) GaiaZOO (Kerkrade, NL) 10-2 + drive 15 min. + Mondo Verde (Landgraaf, NL) 2:30-4:30 + drive 30 min. + Kasteelpark Born (Born, NL) 5-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 13 - Saturday: (2 zoos) Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) 10-4 + drive 30 min. + Reptile House de Aarde (Breda, NL) 4:30-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 14 - Sunday: (4 zoos) BestZOO (Best, NL) 9:30-11 + drive 20 min. + Zoo Veldhoven (Veldhoven, NL) 11:30-1:30 + 45 min. + Vlindersafari (Gemert, NL) 2:30-3 + drive 30 min. + Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL) 3:30-5:30 + drive 45 min.
Day 15 - Monday: (3 zoos) ZooParc Overloon (Overloon, NL) 9:30-11:30 + drive 30 min. + Dierenpark ZieZoo (Volkel, NL) 12-2 + drive 1 hour + De Paay (Beesd, NL) 3-5 + drive 30 min.
Day 16 - Tuesday: (2 zoos) Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL) 10-3 + drive 1 hour + Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Tilburg, NL) 4-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 17 - Wednesday: (1 zoo) Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL) + drive 45 min.
Day 18 - Thursday: (2 zoos) Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL) 9-2 + drive 45 min. + Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Harderwijk, NL) 3-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 19 - Friday: (3 zoos) Vlinderparadijs Papiliorama (Havelte, NL) 9-10 + drive 1 hour + Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL) 11-3 + drive 30 min. + Zoo Bizar (Orvelte, NL) 3:30-5 + drive 1 hour
Day 20 - Saturday: (4 zoos) Orchideeenhoeve (Luttelgeest, NL) 9-10 + drive 45 min. + Dierenpark Taman Indonesia (Kallenkote, NL) 11-12:30 + drive 30 min. + Vogelpark Ruinen (Ruinen, NL) 1-2:30 + drive 1 hour + AquaZoo Friesland (Leeuwarden, NL) 3:30-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 21 - Sunday: (2 zoos) Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL) 9-3 + drive 1 hour + Natuurpark Lelystad (Lelystad, NL) 4-6 + drive 1 hour to Amsterdam Airport
Day 22 - Monday: Flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Vancouver, Canada.
I actually spent 3 weeks between Switzerland and Italy in 2003, seeing a ton of fabulous attractions but only a couple of zoos. So, for my big foray in 2019, the plan is not to drive from country to country, but instead to have a narrow, specific focus. On my first 4 zoo-themed road trips (2008, 2010, 2011, 2012) I criss-crossed America and traveled vast distances. On the last 4 zoo-themed road trips I've been very specific in my geographical location, first focusing on the north-west half of the USA (2014), then the south-west half (Texas was a prominent destination in 2015), then an entire trek in California (2017) and this summer I was mainly split between Michigan and Wisconsin (2018). My dream, depending on finances and the approval from my wife and 4 kids, would be to travel to Europe every few years and do something similar although we'll see how all of this works out as everything is tentative at the moment.
I've always imagined myself jetting off to the Netherlands as I love the very idea of that nation, the layout of the picturesque country, the fabulous soccer teams that I've cheered for at World Cups and of course the world-class zoos. Spending months intently planning and organizing a trip to the land of windmills and tulips has been a joy and naturally a few days in Belgium, due to its close proximity, was a decision that I made very early on in the scheduling process. I'm already so excited and yet there is a year-long wait until my next big zoo trip.
The days of driving halfway across the USA and seeing first the biggest and best zoos in the nation, then the mid-sized zoos, and then finally the wreckage of the zoological world has ended. No more nights in the minivan, no more roadside 'sanctuaries' run by good-natured yet clueless senior citizens, no more Confederate flags in Arkansas or Wisconsin hellholes on Bambi kiddie trains. A European jaunt might possibly cost double my usual bare-bones, $3,000 summer trips. Going to Europe will mean a $1,200 round-trip flight from Vancouver to Amsterdam, probably $1,500 on a car rental as I'll need a vehicle to get all around the countryside, then zoo admission prices are much higher, food is more expensive, and the exchange rate via Canadian dollars will hit my bank account hard. Go to Google and check out the Euro/Canadian exchange rate...gulp! A fantastic 2019 Dutch/Belgian zoo tour will probably be in the $6,000-$7,000 range and therefore during 2020 and even 2021 I will be staying home and not going anywhere.
After much internal debate, I've posted my full itinerary below but first I will make mention of the fact that 10 of the zoos receive between 800,000 to 1.8 million annual visitors. The Netherlands has the famous, historic, architecturally stunning Artis Royal Zoo in Amsterdam, the much-lauded Burgers' Zoo in Arnhem and the modern Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam. Belgium has a historic classic of its own in the shape of Zoo Antwerp and then the 'Omaha of Europe' as represented by the rapidly-expanding Pairi Daiza in Brugelette. I feel confident that via my research on ZooChat, through reading history books and discussing zoos with esteemed zoo nerds, that those 5 zoos are all candidates to make a 'Top 20 European Zoos' list. They all appear to be superb and amongst the best of their kind on the continent.
In hindsight I can see that I was a bit hyperbolic in declaring that I'd be visiting 10 world-class zoos on my next big trip but in truth I probably wasn't too far off the mark. Apart from those big 5 that I discussed above, there are significant other collections that I'm excited to visit. Planckendael Zoo in Mechelen, Belgium, has made great strides in the past decade and with a million annual visitors it has even surpassed the attendance numbers of its sister park in Antwerp. Then there is Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands, regarded as one of the premier safari park/walk-around zoos in Europe. Dierenpark Amersfoort and Ouwehands Dierenpark are a couple of other extremely popular Dutch zoos and the latter is one of the few establishments with Giant Pandas anywhere on the continent. Lastly, there is the brand-new zoo known as Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen, apparently not as impressive as the old Emmen Zoo but still worth seeing for a Canadian seeking zoological adventures. That completes the list of 10 notable, extremely popular zoos that all receive between 800,000 to 1.8 million annual visitors.
I'm also very excited to visit Apenheul Primate Park in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, with its 35+ primate species and famous gorilla feeding presentation. Then there is Dolfinarium Harderwijk, which is one of Europe's largest marine mammal parks, and a whole host of smaller, privately-owned Dutch and Belgian zoos. I've even found room for a couple of Sea Life Aquariums, which I will no doubt tour in 45 minutes and they probably look the same as the ones I've seen in the USA. Ha! I'll feel like I'm back home in North America.
I'm indebted to @lintworm for helping me plan this exciting journey and while he would not want to do a similar-style trip, he does realize the 'Snowleopard' desire to visit as many zoos as possible within a time period of 3 weeks. He gave me some great advice about how much time I'd need in each zoo, or when to add or cut zoos on certain days. Most of the big zoos are ones that I plan to take slowly and enjoy thoroughly, so they each get their own full day. On the days when I'm at Rotterdam and Beekse Bergen, I've got a second, much smaller zoo scheduled for the evening but if those two big zoos are taking up all of my time then I have no problem skipping the smaller attractions. I'm not going to rush through the main course in order to eat what could be a sour-tasting dessert. I've even got 3-4 butterfly/invertebrate facilities that I can visit or skip depending on time constraints but I've included them for now.
In wrapping up this long introduction and analysis, I would like to request some guidance in terms of what people think of my itinerary, sleeping options at motels, advice in terms of parking when going to Amsterdam, Antwerp or other major cities, etc. I will definitely rent a vehicle so that I can easily get around to all of the smaller zoos in the countryside, but having a car will also present itself with its own set of challenges. The big cities are not always car-friendly, but I really do want to get out and explore all the regions, including the Dutch Provinces of Friesland in the north and Zeeland in the south-west. I'd appreciate comments on my itinerary but please ensure that it is constructive criticism as I'm well aware of the fact that some individuals will think that visiting approximately 50 zoos in 3 weeks without once setting foot inside a museum or an art gallery is slightly bonkers. For those that have followed me on all of my 8 huge zoo trips and know of my 421 different zoos that I've visited...then this Dutch/Belgian trip will likely hold no surprises. Here you go:
42 Dutch zoos and 10 Belgian zoos = 52 zoos on the trip
Netherlands/Belgium 2019 Zoo Trip
Day 1 - Monday: Flight from Vancouver, Canada, to Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Day 2 - Tuesday: (1 zoo) Artis Royal Zoo (Amsterdam, NL) + drive 1 hour
Day 3 - Wednesday: (4 zoos) Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Anna Paulowna, NL) 9-11:30 + drive 30 min. + Blanckendaell Park (Tuitjenhorn, NL) 12-2 + drive 15 min. + Vlindertuin Vlindorado (Waarland, NL) 2:30-3:30 + drive 30 min. + Bergen aan Zee Aquarium (Bergen aan Zee, NL) 4-5 + drive 1 hour
Day 4 - Thursday: (5 zoos) Vogelpark Avifauna (Alphen aan den Rijn, NL) 9-11:30 + drive 15 min. + Stichting Schildpaddencentrum (Foundation Turtle Center) (Alphen aan den Rijn, NL) 12-1 + drive 30 min. + Vlinders aan de Vliet (Leidschendam, NL) 1:30-2:30 + drive 20 min. + Avonturia de Vogelkelder (The Hague, NL) 3-3:45 + drive 15 min. + Sea Life Scheveningen (The Hague, NL) 4-5 + drive 30 min.
Day 5 - Friday: (2 zoos) Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam, NL) 9-5 + drive 15 min. + Familiepark Plaswijckpark (Rotterdam, NL) 5:30-7 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 6 - Saturday: (4 zoos) Deltapark Neeltje Jans Aquarium (Neeltje Jans, NL) 10-11 + drive 45 min. + Berkenhof Tropical Zoo (Kwadendamme, NL) 12-1:30 + drive 30 min. + Reptielen Zoo Iguana (Vlissingen, NL) 2-3:30 + drive 15 min. + Het Arsenaal Aquarium (Vlissingen, NL) 4-5:30 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 7 - Sunday: (4 zoos) Aquarium de la Mer du Nord (Ostend, BE) 10-11 + drive 30 min. + Serpentarium Blankenberge (Blankenberge, BE) 11:30-1 + drive 10 min. + Sea Life Blankenberge (Blankenberge, BE) 1:30-2:30 + drive 30 min. + Boudewijn Seapark (Bruges, BE) 3-5 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 8 - Monday: (1 zoo) Zoo Antwerp (Antwerp, BE) + drive 45 min.
Day 9 - Tuesday: (1 zoo) Planckendael Zoo (Mechelen, BE) + drive 1.5 hours
Day 10 - Wednesday: (1 zoo) Pairi Daiza (Brugelette, BE) + drive 2 hours
Day 11 – Thursday: (3 zoos) Le Monde Sauvage (Wild Safari World Park) (Aywaille, BE) 10-12 + drive 30 min. + Liege Aquarium-Museum (Liege, BE) 12:30-2:30 + drive 1.5 hours + Olmense Zoo (Olmen, BE) 4-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 12 - Friday: (3 zoos) GaiaZOO (Kerkrade, NL) 10-2 + drive 15 min. + Mondo Verde (Landgraaf, NL) 2:30-4:30 + drive 30 min. + Kasteelpark Born (Born, NL) 5-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 13 - Saturday: (2 zoos) Safaripark Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek, NL) 10-4 + drive 30 min. + Reptile House de Aarde (Breda, NL) 4:30-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 14 - Sunday: (4 zoos) BestZOO (Best, NL) 9:30-11 + drive 20 min. + Zoo Veldhoven (Veldhoven, NL) 11:30-1:30 + 45 min. + Vlindersafari (Gemert, NL) 2:30-3 + drive 30 min. + Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Nuenen, NL) 3:30-5:30 + drive 45 min.
Day 15 - Monday: (3 zoos) ZooParc Overloon (Overloon, NL) 9:30-11:30 + drive 30 min. + Dierenpark ZieZoo (Volkel, NL) 12-2 + drive 1 hour + De Paay (Beesd, NL) 3-5 + drive 30 min.
Day 16 - Tuesday: (2 zoos) Ouwehands Dierenpark (Rhenen, NL) 10-3 + drive 1 hour + Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Tilburg, NL) 4-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 17 - Wednesday: (1 zoo) Burgers' Zoo (Arnhem, NL) + drive 45 min.
Day 18 - Thursday: (2 zoos) Apenheul Primate Park (Apeldoorn, NL) 9-2 + drive 45 min. + Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Harderwijk, NL) 3-6 + drive 1 hour
Day 19 - Friday: (3 zoos) Vlinderparadijs Papiliorama (Havelte, NL) 9-10 + drive 1 hour + Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Emmen, NL) 11-3 + drive 30 min. + Zoo Bizar (Orvelte, NL) 3:30-5 + drive 1 hour
Day 20 - Saturday: (4 zoos) Orchideeenhoeve (Luttelgeest, NL) 9-10 + drive 45 min. + Dierenpark Taman Indonesia (Kallenkote, NL) 11-12:30 + drive 30 min. + Vogelpark Ruinen (Ruinen, NL) 1-2:30 + drive 1 hour + AquaZoo Friesland (Leeuwarden, NL) 3:30-6 + drive 1.5 hours
Day 21 - Sunday: (2 zoos) Dierenpark Amersfoort (Amersfoort, NL) 9-3 + drive 1 hour + Natuurpark Lelystad (Lelystad, NL) 4-6 + drive 1 hour to Amsterdam Airport
Day 22 - Monday: Flight from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Vancouver, Canada.
For the most part I don't see anything wrong with your time schedule, but I can't really comment on the smaller zoos as I have yet to visit most of those. You might however find that 2.5 hours at Avifauna is a little tight, especially if you also visit the bird show (which is quite impressive). Contrary to this, I think 5 hours at Ouwehands and 6 hours at Amersfoort are generous for those zoos. I think 3-4 hours will do it for Ouwehands and 4-5 hours for Amersfoort.
, but I’ll hold my peace!) off aimlessly in the evenings to see the countryside. For instance, most of the major zoos in the Netherlands are within an hour’s drive of Utrecht, so you could save yourself the constant hassle of checking in and out, plus you might get a cheaper room by booking for longer.
