Beekse Bergen

Beekse Bergen sits on a broad sweep of heathland and lake country south of Tilburg, and its scale — 150 hectares — means you genuinely feel like you've left the Netherlands behind.

The park's signature experience is the safari route, which you can tackle by car, open safari bus, or boat, drifting past lions lolling in the grass, white rhinos grazing near the water's edge, and giraffes moving between acacia-style shelters.

It's unhurried in a way that traditional walk-through zoos rarely manage, and the sight of a cheetah pacing a wide open run rather than a cramped enclosure is noticeably different from older European facilities.

The park has been involved in European breeding programmes for several of its large mammals, including the southern white rhino, and the enclosure design across the safari sections reflects genuine thought about ranging space and social groupings.

The flamingo lagoon near the entrance is a reliable crowd-pleaser for younger visitors, while the African savanna walk gives you closer views of meerkats, African wild dogs, and crowned cranes at a slower pace.

Practically speaking, the safari bus gets very busy on Dutch school holidays and summer weekends — arriving before 10am gives you quieter roads and better animal activity. Allow a full day comfortably; half a day leaves you rushing. Pushchairs handle the main paths well, but the safari bus involves steps. The park has decent lakeside picnic spots if you want to avoid the busy restaurants at peak lunch hour.

Parking is straightforward and paid on site, and the nearest train connection is Tilburg, from where you'll need a bus or taxi for the final stretch.

Wear layers in spring and bring sun protection in summer — shade on the open safari sections is limited.