Mega zoo tour at Netherlands

[Kakapo]

Dear zoochatters,
I has been planning to do a travel to Netherlands for second half of this September. I wanted to do with @vogelcommando and had a conversation with him, he seemed well disposed to go with me, but the problem is that he disappeared from the forum since almost 2 weeks ago. Nothing bad I suppose - he's just busy. But I can't wait anymore for buy the plane tickets and plan the visit.
My plan was being hosted in @vogelcommando house, but as he didn't replied yet, I don't know if it will be possible. So I need a "B plan". Ultimately it would be hosting in any hostel, but if I can, I would prefair to be hosted in a zoochatter house that can, don't mind and enjoy that. I just need a place to sleep and a plug to charge batteries, as I will pass the day outside visiting zoo. So I call for Netherlands zoochatters like @AWP, @Cephie, @Douanita, @EmperorTamarin, @korhoen, @Morgan, @ralph, @robreintjes, @UntBwe and @ZooGirl101. If nobody can host me, at least do the zootour with me or part of that?

Mi planning, subject to modification depending on which city I will end housed in, is:

September:
20th - arrival to airport and trip to hosting city
21th - Burgers zoo
22th - Zwolle bird market
23th - Dolfinarium Harderwijk (more expensive) or Ecomare (much cheaper but more far from everywhere, so transport maybe is the same for price difference)
24th - Apeldoorn Apenheul
25th - Natura Artis Magistra
26th - Zoological Museum Amsterdam (it's active or closed?????) + Hortus Botanicus
27th - swicht to Belgium (doable by train from Netherlands) and go to Pairi Daiza. This was a last minute addition to my original plan since the shocking new species announced here in Zoochat. It's the most expensive of all but it's the most "must" of all the collections!
28th - come to airport and go back to my country

All dates are subject to change depending on how the meeting zoochatters would prefair, except the Zwolle bird market that must be necessarity the 22th.

So, anybody want and can to do this adventure together with me?

 

[AWP]

I would prefair to be hosted in a zoochatter house

Sorry, I can't be helpful to that. It's nothing personal to you, but I've plans to move, so I'm busy with that.

23th - Dolfinarium Harderwijk (more expensive) or Ecomare (much cheaper but more far from everywhere, so transport maybe is the same for price difference)

Dolfinarium is much larger and keeps all marine species that are kept in Ecomare (seals, porpoise). Transport to Ecomare is quite complicated, even for me from the Amsterdam region. First you have to go to Den Helder (by car or train), then take the ferry to Texel and on the Island there is some kind of public bus system (or you can rent a bike).

25th - Natura Artis Magistra
26th - Zoological Museum Amsterdam (it's active or closed?????) + Hortus Botanicus

I have a free day on 25th September, so I can show you around in Artis.

The Zoological Museum of Amsterdam is part of the Aquarium building of Artis and it is small. The main museum of natural history of the Netherlands (Naturalis) is in Leiden. The museum is closed at the moment because of renovation, although there is a temporary exhibit on venomous animals.

The Hortus and Artis are close to each other (I think it's just a ten minute walk), it's an option to visit both on the same day. I don't think you need a full day to visit Artis.

27th - swicht to Belgium (doable by train from Netherlands) and go to Pairi Daiza. This was a last minute addition to my original plan since the shocking new species announced here in Zoochat. It's the most expensive of all but it's the most "must" of all the collections!

Antwerp or Planckendael for sure is doable, but I have doubts on Pairi Daiza. It depends where you are in the Netherlands, but it is about four (if you take the Thalys) to five (if you take the regular trains) hours travel from Amsterdam... I was thinking to visit Pairi Daiza myself, but it's quite a distance to travel.

 

[lintworm]

Antwerp or Planckendael for sure is doable, but I have doubts on Pairi Daiza. It depends where you are in the Netherlands, but it is about four (if you take the Thalys) to five (if you take the regular trains) hours travel from Amsterdam... I was thinking to visit Pairi Daiza myself, but it's quite a distance to travel.

If you cut up the travel it is feasible. It is about 1.5 hours to get to Pairi Daiza from Brussels and you could easily catch a train to Brussels the evening before. Pairi Daiza only opens at 10 anyway....

Dolfinarium is much larger and keeps all marine species that are kept in Ecomare (seals, porpoise). Transport to Ecomare is quite complicated, even for me from the Amsterdam region. First you have to go to Den Helder (by car or train), then take the ferry to Texel and on the Island there is some kind of public bus system (or you can rent a bike).

I agree with this, the extra time and cost to get to Ecomare won't pay off, it is much easier to go to Harderwijk (which can even be combined with Amersfoort on 1 day, if you don't need to see every single show).

 

[Kakapo]

Dolfinarium is much larger and keeps all marine species that are kept in Ecomare (seals, porpoise). Transport to Ecomare is quite complicated, even for me from the Amsterdam region. First you have to go to Den Helder (by car or train), then take the ferry to Texel and on the Island there is some kind of public bus system (or you can rent a bike).

Thanks! Then I will do Harderwijk, despite costing almost double entry fee than Ecomare. The species are different in both places but the main objective (of course the porpoise) is the thing that makes me visit them. I have enough seals of both species for skip them. 10 bony fishes and 5 sharks/rays at Harderwijk will be new for me, the most interesting being the sea stickleback, while in Ecomare 10 bony fishes and only 1 shark/ray will be new for me, the most interesting being Agonus cataphractus.

I have a free day on 25th September, so I can show you around in Artis.

That would be great!

The Zoological Museum of Amsterdam is part of the Aquarium building of Artis and it is small. The main museum of natural history of the Netherlands (Naturalis) is in Leiden. The museum is closed at the moment because of renovation, although there is a temporary exhibit on venomous animals.

Oh, knowing that I think that maybe is better to visit the zoo including the small museum + the botanical the same day, and come back to Spain a day before than planned.

Antwerp or Planckendael for sure is doable, but I have doubts on Pairi Daiza. It depends where you are in the Netherlands, but it is about four (if you take the Thalys) to five (if you take the regular trains) hours travel from Amsterdam... I was thinking to visit Pairi Daiza myself, but it's quite a distance to travel.

I had a private message from somebody that did it, and arrived to Pairi Daiza just one hour after opening time. I don't mind to wake up very soon - in fact it's what I prefair for arrive to zoos as soon as possible. If I departure at 7 pm will arrive at 11 or 12 pm and I hope to have enough time for see every wished species

 

[AWP]

If you cut up the travel it is feasible. It is about 1.5 hours to get to Pairi Daiza from Brussels and you could easily catch a train to Brussels the evening before. Pairi Daiza only opens at 10 anyway....

An other option:
25th Artis and Hortus Botanicus
26th train from Amsterdam to Belgium and visit Zoo Antwerp
27th to Pairi Daiza

 

[Kakapo]

If you cut up the travel it is feasible. It is about 1.5 hours to get to Pairi Daiza from Brussels and you could easily catch a train to Brussels the evening before. Pairi Daiza only opens at 10 anyway....

But that would mean to sleep at Brussels, and I don't know anybody for doing that...

 

[Kakapo]

An other option:
25th Artis and Hortus Botanicus
26th train from Amsterdam to Belgium and visit Zoo Antwerp
27th to Pairi Daiza

If some Belgian offer me hosting the night of 26th to 27th, it's doable. Otherwise, maybe you (or other zoochatters) and me can share a hostel room. Saving costs is a must for me....

 

[lintworm]

If some Belgian offer me hosting the night of 26th to 27th, it's doable. Otherwise, maybe you (or other zoochatters) and me can share a hostel room. Saving costs is a must for me....

Booking in advance you should be able to find a dorm for max 25 euros either in Brussels or Mechelen...

 

[PicanBird]

I might be able to go around with you to Burgers' Zoo and Apenheul. However not sure yet as I will be starting 3rd year in Uni few weeks before that.

 

[AWP]

I had a private message from somebody that did it, and arrived to Pairi Daiza just one hour after opening time. I don't mind to wake up very soon - in fact it's what I prefair for arrive to zoos as soon as possible. If I departure at 7 pm will arrive at 11 or 12 pm and I hope to have enough time for see every wished species

I just checked it on NSHispeed (site of the Dutch railways for international travels) and there is an option of departure in Amsterdam around 07.30h and arriving in Cambron around 11.00h, so it seems doable after all.

 

[Kakapo]

Thanks. So this is the option that I will do.

 

[FunkyGibbon]

Based on general experience, not on any NL specific research:

High-speed rail is often a very expensive way of travelling. It might very well be more economical to take some slower form of transport to Brussels, stay the night there in a hostel and then go on again to PD in the morning. And surely you could then work Antwerp into that more relaxed schedule. Possibly you could fly back from Belgium instead of buying a return to Amsterdam as well.

 

[lintworm]

Based on general experience, not on any NL specific research:

High-speed rail is often a very expensive way of travelling. It might very well be more economical to take some slower form of transport to Brussels, stay the night there in a hostel and then go on again to PD in the morning. And surely you could then work Antwerp into that more relaxed schedule. Possibly you could fly back from Belgium instead of buying a return to Amsterdam as well.

If you book now, it costs around 35 euros one-way from Amsterdam to Pairi Daiza, but the longer you wait the more expensive it will be....

 

[Mr. Zootycoon]

All dates are subject to change depending on how the meeting zoochatters would prefair, except the Zwolle bird market that must be necessarity the 22th.

If I have a day off during your trip I would surely we interested to join you on a zoo visit.

 

[Kakapo]

Based on general experience, not on any NL specific research:

High-speed rail is often a very expensive way of travelling. It might very well be more economical to take some slower form of transport to Brussels, stay the night there in a hostel and then go on again to PD in the morning. And surely you could then work Antwerp into that more relaxed schedule. Possibly you could fly back from Belgium instead of buying a return to Amsterdam as well.

OK, better idea, thanks. For save money I will always choose slower trains. I must be very careful with money...
Anybody can host me at Brussels this night?

 

[Kakapo]

And surely you could then work Antwerp into that more relaxed schedule.

If I'm hosted in Brussels, Antwerp is a bit too far to visit counting that I arrive the same day, and looking at the species list, they have some nice things like jungle bush quail and Vieillot's black weaver but not enough exciting species for make worth the visit for me. So instead that, I will visit Natural History Museum in same Brussels, if finally I pass night at Brussels.

 

[lintworm]

OK, better idea, thanks. For save money I will always choose slower trains. I must be very careful with money...
Anybody can host me at Brussels this night?

There is no need to limit to slower trains if you book your tickets in advance, just play around at nsinternational.nl to see what the options are. On a random day I checked for you the Eurostar (high speed train) would be the cheapest option....

 

[Kakapo]

Thanks, tough I can't buy tickets in advance until I have a fully planned agreement with somebody in Netherlands for hosting and each zoo visit. Starting by the point that if I don't know in which city I'll be hosted, I don't know the starting point of the trains! (Or ideally if we can go together by car to these places...)

 

[CGSwans]

Kakapo, do I understand that you have bought plane tickets, but without having the budget to be able to pay for accommodation if necessary? I hope you find a solution but you need to be more careful than that, as you’ve potentially set yourself up for a disastrous holiday. The kindness of strangers is wonderful, but you can’t always count on it happening.

 

[Vision]

If I'm hosted in Brussels, Antwerp is a bit too far to visit counting that I arrive the same day, and looking at the species list, they have some nice things like jungle bush quail and Vieillot's black weaver but not enough exciting species for make worth the visit for me. So instead that, I will visit Natural History Museum in same Brussels, if finally I pass night at Brussels.

The only Eastern gorilla outside of Africa isn't exciting?