Beekse Bergen — Attraction in Hilvarenbeek

We stayed At Beeksebergen for 3 nights 4 days 27-30.12.2024 on safar resort lodge on Savannah . It was a very pleasant stay inspite of winter. Luckily there was no rain.The safari resort lodge accommodation is very spacious than it appears in pictures with open kitchen layout . Kitchen was well equipped to cook for a large group . 6 seater dining tables , 2 single , 2 bunks and 1 bed in 3 bed room was perfect for our group of 4 adults & 2 kids (4,9), we had paid extra 29 euros to find a good location in Savannah. May be that’s why we were next to camels enclosure and each morning they were set free in plain air and it was lot of fun to see them running to the plains. Beside that was also ostrich and bison like bull with large horns. We had a small canal in front of our lodge and our number was 107. The swimming pool was in walking 4 min distance which was the best thing as after a long tiring day of walking around & actuviies we could come home by 4.30 ( park closure) and then after refreshments head back to pool that opens 17.30-20:00) and walk back quickly to grab a dinner around 8. The park stay is a great idea even during winters as it’s not crowded and it was easy to find place on boat safari bus safari ( both nice ) and also other activities area and pools ( well heated ) were not crowded. The other benefit was we got an extra night free as we booked almost 2.5 months in advance. Meaning we saved paid 970 in place of 1450 ( for 3 nights stay) for 6 people on exclusive Savannah ! In day one of our arrival (4 pm check in) we embarked by 18.30 on the Light safari which was so impressive and mesmerizing. We spent almost 3 hrs there walking the illuminated path ( can be done even on 1.5 hrs if you just keep walking without picture stop or taking closer look. Go well dressed in warm clothes as it can get really chilly but it was fun with lot of people around not at giving a feeling off season safari ! Thanks to school holidays. Pool has 1 water ride , nice jacuzzi & a baby pool ( quite large too) & a normal 1.40 m pool. With our stay , we also received free entrance for total 6 parks & boat & bus safaris included. We can also do auto safari in our own car which is fun too. Out of 6 parks entrances , speed land and safari park are in walking proximity . All safaris start from same starting point near by the light safari entrance . However Eindhoven zoo etc is 36 min drive by car. One imp thing to remember. If you want to do safari park , speedland ( in winter all rides were closed except internal play area which is very nice too for kids) you need not have car. You can easily reach Tilburg station from anywhere of Europe and jump on 142/143 bus numbers ( tickets can be purchased online or by tapping bank card) and get down at safari park stop . From there enter the safari park and just keep walking on your left ( from entrance) upto 750 meters to arrive at safari resort of you have a lodge on safari resort like us. We could see many animals lounging in our living room and dining table! Kids remained excited all throughput and took back home very memorable and first time experiences . When you book a stay , you do not pay parking or any other costs for parking, entry ticket etc. unless you buy some extra packages./ activities. There were lot of restaurants, we often had coffe at them but never dined so no idea of the menu or cost . Overall very nice place to go & spend a...

We went from Monday to Friday with our two kids - a 5 month old and a 3 year old. First impressions were not good.

Location lake resort: We stayed at the lake resort, beautiful location but the house was filthy. The first thing I did was grab a broom and start sweeping. I called the reception and they were very nice about it, said they would send a cleaner the next morning to vacuum and mop. The cleaner showed up but only mopped. The rest of the house was still dirty, but I didn’t feel like making this an issue. A lot of dust around the bed frame and every nook and cranny. It was nice the house had a washing machine. The house is also a bit old and outdated, but I didn’t mind this very much. You need your car to go further than the lake resort and can park it in front the house. The atmosphere was overal quiet and pleasant.

From the lake resort it’s a few minutes walk to the super market, a small pool area with slides, restaurant, indoor play area (mostly involving climbing activities for 3 and up) and lakeside ‘beach’ bar and playground. Very convenient and overall pleasant.

Pool lake resort: We liked that the pool was a small scale, with enough to explore and child friendly. You can even borrow a floaty for free, we did this for our baby. The water was warm.

Food: We went to the buffet restaurant once - and once was enough. Very limited choice and not the best quality for a high price. Handy that they display allergy information.

Car safari: The car safari was enjoyable, however it doesn’t feel appropriate in this day and age to have a bunch of polluting cars in this environment. I would prefer to have the possibility to rent a clean vehicle.

Speelland: This was fun enough for a 3 year old, but also a one time visit was sufficient for us. It’s small and simple.

The safari park: The park pleasant, theres not a big difference in whether you do the car safari or the boat, you will see the same animals. The only difference is you hear some interesting information about the animals on the boat.

The app: The app was helpful to see the daily activities available. There are a range of activities, including a ‘disco’ for little kids (without lights, just a guided dance party with the mascot). However, I missed an option to have the app navigate me to a location. Also, the app was down for a day and doesn’t seem to have much updated information - I had booked a paddle board via the app I got a phone call about an hour later to tell me that due to blue algae it wasn’t possible - however this was not...

Beekse Bergen Safari Park was honestly such a great experience. From the moment we walked in, it felt like we were back in Kenya or Tanzania. The whole place is themed around East Africa, and they’ve done a really good job with the atmosphere. You’ll see Kenyan and Tanzanian flags everywhere, and even the shops have Swahili names. There’s one called Zawadi, which means “gift,” and another one called the Baobab Shop for souvenirs. Little touches like that really made it feel warm and familiar.

The staff were friendly and helpful from the start, which set a nice tone for the day. We started with the boat safari, which lasted about 15 to 20 minutes. It’s not a huge place, but everything is well organized and thoughtfully laid out, so it feels easy and fun. On the boat, the setting is beautiful—it genuinely looks and feels like a lake in East Africa. The way they’ve styled it, with the trees, the animals, and even the sound design, gives it a very real safari vibe. We even met someone working there who’s originally from Kenya, which was a fun surprise.

The park features a lot of animals from the East African savannah, like what you’d expect to see in Tanzania or Kenya. We went on the walking safari as well, and it was fantastic. The paths are wide, clean, and easy to follow. You can get surprisingly close to the animals, which is exciting, especially for the kids. They loved every minute of it.

One thing I really appreciated is that they allow you to bring your own food and drinks. That’s such a plus, especially if you have dietary needs or just want to keep things budget-friendly. There are restaurants and cafés around too, though I didn’t spot any Kenyan or East African food. That would have been a nice touch, but we brought our own lunch, so it didn’t bother us.

The only small downside was that the bus safari wasn’t running on the day we went (it was a Thursday), which was a bit of a letdown. It would have been nice if that was available every day. But we still got to do the car safari, and that made up for it. At one point, a cheetah walked right in front of our car. It was incredible. Seeing such a beautiful animal up close, not on a screen or behind glass, was something we’ll never forget.

Even though we’re originally from Kenya, this was honestly one of the best safari-style experiences we’ve had in Europe. It felt authentic and exciting, and it was a great day for both the kids and us adults. We wrapped it up with the car safari and headed home happy. Definitely worth a visit if you're...