What does Bart say? – A Theme Park blog!

If someone has it about Tripsdrill your mind probably goes straight to the themepark, but did you know Tripsdrill is more than a themepark? Located on a 10 minute walk from the theme park you will find their Wildlife Park. The Wildlife Park opened in 1972, and due to the popularity of the wildlife park, accommodation facilities were added in 2010, in the form of shepherds wagons. I already made plans to visit the theme park and extended my Tripsdrill visit with a night at the Wildlife Resort in a shepherd’s wagon. Are you curious to hear what I have to say about the Wildlife Park and resort? I’ll tell you all about it in.. What does Bart say about.. the Tripsdrill Wildlife Park & Resort 🦌

Keep in mind when you book an overnight stay at the Wildlife Resort you only have access to the Wildlife Park, and not to the Erlebnispark (amusementpark), take this into account while booking your trip. If you’re planning on visiting the theme park it’s possible to get tickets at a reduced price at the reception of the Wildlife Resort. In my case I didn’t have to purchase tickets for the amusement park since Efteling has a partnership with Tripsdrill, and a free ticket (once each year) is provided with my Efteling annual pass. Tripsdrill has partnerships with several European parks, so it is worth checking whether you can get free or discounted admission to Erlebnispark Tripsdrill with your annual pass. This blog is specifically about the Wildlife Park and resort, if you’re cur curious about my experience at the amusement park, click here **LINK**.

Parking at the Wildlife Park is included with your booking, if you’re arriving in separate cars I recommend asking at the reception if both cars could stay, or that you have to pay for parking for one of the cars. At the check in the receptionist hands you a form which you should lay in your car, this way, the staff will know that your car will remain parked overnight because of your overnight stay at the resort. When you check in, the receptionist will explain where you can have breakfast in the morning (this is also included in your stay!) and a wristband will be handed which grants you access to the Wildlife Park on both days of your stay. Check in starts at 3 p.m., if you arrive before 3 p.m. you will be able to visit the Wildlife Park, or in my case I could go to my shepherds wagon immediately upon arrival, which was an extra bit of service that is definitely worth mentioning.

The Wildlife Resorts has 2 types of accommodations, the shepherds wagons and tree houses. Both are separated from each other. The shepherds’ wagons are located further in the back of the resort, and the tree houses can be found near the car park in a wooded area, they are located in a way that you will not be bothered by the car park. Like I mentioned earlier in this blog, I stayed the night in one of the shepherds wagons, most of them are in groups of 3 which doesn’t make it very specious, but it feels spacious, and it is certainly not disturbing if your neighbours are also sitting outside or if children are playing in or around the field.

I have never slept in a shepherds wagon before, let alone seeing one ever in person, so I was very surprised when I opened the door. It was a fairly spacious room, with bunk beds on either side and a large bed for adults underneath. The beds are not a standard size (except for the bunk beds), don’t worry if you’re a tall guy (or girl) you will have a good night sleep here without your feet sticking out of the bedframe. Since I never slept in a shepherds wagon I opted for the full experience and slept in one of the bunk beds. And it didn’t disappoint!

The shepherd’s wagon is like a tiny house without cooking facilities or a bathroom with toilet and shower. If you need a toilet break, or want to go for a shower you have to use the restrooms at the entrance to the Wildlife Resort which is a few minutes’ walk away. The toilets are available to everyone who is visiting the Wildlife Park. Because the toilets are public, you don’t have to walk to the toilet with a roll of toilet paper under your arm like you would at a normal campsite.. However, the shower can only be used by resort guests. The restrooms are open day and night, if you really need to use the toilet (for example during the night) you will be able to use a restroom stall at the resort close to the shepherds wagons. I will recommend bringing toilet paper with you as there is a chance that there will be none available.

Since there are no kitchen facilities, you have to go elsewhere to get dinner, for example the restaurant inside the Wildlife Park  or the  catering facility located near the entrance (on your way to the parking lot) in the Wildlife Resort. Don’t expect a 4-star meal, but for a few pounds, you can get a good pasta dish (including vegetarian options). Various drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic; beer and wine), even snacks and ice creams are also available here.

And don’t worry if you fancy an alcoholic drink outside the opening hours of the catering facility. There are vending machines filled with chilled bottles of wine, chilled non-alcoholic drinks and snacks are available in the vending machine next to it, and for those craving something cold and sweet there is a vending machine for ice creams. Don’t worry if your drinks are getting warm, the shepherd’s wagons have a small refrigerator to keep your drinks nice and cold – even on warmer days.

The Wildlife Park is spacious, the animals living in the Wildlife Park have enough space to go their own way, and there are plenty of places where they can hide if they get tired of the visitors, which I think is a big plus. If animals cannot move freely or have cages that are too small, I am quickly inclined to leave the zoo or in this case the Wildlife Park. We ourselves choose to have enough space to live, so we should offer the same to our environment. I think Tripsdrill did a great job here. Upon entering the Wildlife Park, you have the opportunity to walk through the deer meadow (this is a shortcut and takes you fairly centrally into the Wildlife Park). If you would rather not walk through here, you can walk around the enclosure. If you take this route, you will still have a good view of the deer enclosure. If you’re interested in feeding the deer in the meadow, you are able to buy food from the vending machines (you will find these throughout the Wildlife Park) for €1,00. The vending machines only accept cash. The images on the vending machine indicate which animal you are buying food for, and signs at the enclosures clearly indicate which animals may not be fed. I am not particularly fond of feeding the animals myself, but I do enjoy watching them being fed. This is also done by the keepers at various times throughout the day. Which animals are fed and at what times can be found on the park map.

The Wildlife Park has an extensive range of animals that, as the name suggests, you might encounter in the wild. But there are also animals that you might encounter in the wild in the “Black Forest”, a nature reserve not far from the Wildlife Park, including mountain goats, raccoons and snowy owls. I loved to see the raccoons in the park, and I secretly hope to see them in the wild sometimes. I know it’s possible, especially in the south of Germany.And when you’ve finished walking and want to relax and watch the animals, the bird show is highly recommended, the viewing platform for this show is located near the restaurant in the centre of the Wildlife Park.

The wildlife park is located in a hilly area, which means that it can be quite a climb at times. It is therefore not advisable to visit the Wildlife Park with a pram. If you have no other choice, you can of course bring the pram with you, but if it is not necessary, I recommend leaving it in the car, as it will only be an extra obstacle during your walk through the Wildlife Park. At times, I even had to take a break to catch my breath due to the steep paths in some sections. Speaking of a break, the restaurant in the centre of the Wildlife Park might be the solution. The restaurant has an extensive menu with hot and cold dishes. If you don’t plan on a long break, you can choose to visit one of the smaller catering establishments outside. If you are planning a longer break, the restaurant offers the option of renting a campfire site where you can prepare your own dough or meat. When you’re staying at the Wildlife Resort this restaurant is the place where you have breakfast in the morning. They offer a breakfast that is very extensive, with various types of bread (rolls), spreads, fresh juices, coffee and tea. I’m not really one for breakfast in the morning, but even I couldn’t resist making a few sandwiches.

Is Tripsdrill’s Wildlife Resort worth staying at? I think it is! It’s such a unique experience. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or not, this is an experience you must have at least once in your life. It’s the perfect location after a day in the amusement park, or after a long journey here. Tripsdrill is working on an expansion for the Wildlife Resort; they will add a new restaurant, bar and activities for after opening hours of the Wildlife Park. With the new addition coming in 2026 I recommend postponing your visit to the Wildlife Resort if you have the chance. It’s still worth staying here, but the new activities will make it even better.

During my stay, I was not bothered by the construction work, but as construction progresses, there is a chance that you will experience some disruption.

And that’s all I have to say about the Wildlife Park and Resort! Are you considering an overnight stay at the Wildlife Resort in combination with a visit to the amusement park? Let me know in the comments!
Bart