Wildlands — Attraction in Emmen

Wildlands, also known as Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen, is a zoo in Emmen, the Netherlands. It opened in March 2016, replacing the Emmen Zoo.1 Wildlands is an adventure theme park with four main areas: Jungola, Serenga, Nortica and Animazia.

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen

Entrance during twilight

Date opened25 March 2016LocationEmmen, the NetherlandsCoordinatesLand area22 hectares (54 acres)[1]No. of animals7,000[1]Annual visitors1.3 million (2016)[2]MembershipsEAZA, NVDWebsiteOfficial website



The jungle house Rimbula, which also houses the indoor section of the elephant exhibit

Jungola is jungle-themed and displays butterflies, tropical birds, large reptiles (such as Chinese alligators and pythons), ring-tailed lemurs, lar gibbons, small-clawed otters and Asian elephants. The most prominent feature of Jungola is the indoor tropical rainforest hall Rimbula, which at 18,000 m2 (190,000 sq ft) is the largest zoo jungle hall in the world and the largest greenhouse in Europe.[4] Serenga is the African savanna section and is home to species such as lion, Grant's zebras, Rothschild's giraffes, white rhinoceros and hamadryas baboons, but also Australian red-necked wallabies. Nortica is aimed at cold oceans and is home to polar bear, Californian sea lion, South American fur seal and Humboldt penguin. The final main section, Animazia, is a large indoor playground, but also home to an aquarium with species such as corals, green sea turtles and tropical fish.[5]

ReferencesEdit

^ a b c "Koning Willem-Alexander opent Wildlands Adventure Zoo in Emmen". Blik op nieuws (in Dutch). 18 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.

^ Dagblad van het Noorden (2 January 2017). Wildlands haalt 1,3 miljoen bezoekers. Retrieved 23 April 2017.

^ "Dierenpark Emmen wordt Wildlands Adventure Zoo". Telegraaf (in Dutch). 18 March 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2016.

^ Installatie Journaal (16 February 2016). Grootste overdekte tropische kas van Europa. Retrieved 23 April 2017.

^ Wildlands: Animazia. Retrieved...

Wildlands is hands down the best zoo I've been to so far. Had a wonderful experience with my family. So much to do and see! Definitely worth a visit.

Entry went quick. I do suggest booking tickets in advanced. Waiting time for the Safari Ride did not take that long either if you have the patience. I'm not sure about the 4D or rollercoaster as we did not try those. Boat Ride we did not wait at all cause we went there at the end of our adventure. Overall, everything was efficient.

Wildlands is clean and the decorations for each themed areas were lovely. The animals look happy and well taken care of which is a big plus for me! Keep up the good work, guys! They were so fun to observe and interact with. So were the plants and flowers! Was in awe with all the beautiful flowers I saw there 🤩

Big place yet organized. You do not feel too tired to keep the adventure going. I love the themes they have for each sections. I enjoyed the rainforest boat ride a lot after a long day of walking around.

We ate at the Momma's Restaurant and the burgers were delicious! Loved the Lemon Lime Slushie and the cup it comes with it!

There are tons of other food options depending on the area you are at but we did not get to try those.

Each area has their respective themed souvenir shops as well!

The animal facts were simple and fun to read.

Staff were friendly!

The only suggestion I have is to have an English narrator also during the Safari/Boat Ride for the tourists. I personally understand Dutch but would be good to keep English in mind for the ones who don't. I also noticed that there are no English maps upon entry.

Super loved Wildlands! Took many great pictures that I will cherish forever. Thank you for the wonderful memories!

More power to Wildlands...

Very diverse park, with good rides! This park isn't like any other zoo, as it has a couple of rides you would expect in an amusement park. However, I cannot call the park 'COVID-safe'.

The amusement park has three main themes: jungle, savanna/desert and water. These themes all have their own areas which you can explore. In all areas, you will find tiny playgrounds and mazes. These are aimed at the little ones, as the whole park is aimed at 6-12 year olds.

However, the grown-ups can also expect extras from the park, like a rollercoaster, or a 4D cinema experience. I really liked both of them, as they really gave me a break from the walking around the park and let me enjoy it in other ways. I enjoyed the safari ride in the savanna area the most, as it gave you an opportunity to marvel the animals up close. Those rides really add for a more diverse and fun experience.

As for the zoo itself, there are a lot of animals. The information about them is informative while being enjoyable as they list short facts at every field. Because the paths walk around every habitat, you are able to view the animals from every possible angle.

The only negative thing about the park are the COVID-19 safety measures. I could acces the park from the very beginning, the very first timeslot. At that time, we could keep a safe distance from everyone. But at 12:00 the park was extremely crowded to the point that keeping a safe distance was not possible anymore. In the butterfly house, I could not turn my back or I would hit someone, something that cannot happen during these times. This is why I give Wildlands 4 stars. When all COVID is over, it...