A day with younger children
Begin with the safari, then choose the meerkats and petting zoo. Break for lunch at Kattagaskar and let covered play set the afternoon’s pace. Add the monkey train if everyone still has energy.
IllustrationCome to Safariland Stukenbrock for a drive through animal enclosures followed by a full family day of zoo stops and rides.
Come to Safariland Stukenbrock for a drive through animal enclosures followed by a full family day of zoo stops and rides. The change of pace is part of the appeal: first lions, white tigers and giraffes through the windscreen, then a walk to smaller animals and a turn on a favourite ride. These are captive animals in a managed zoo, including the herds in the safari landscape.
Decide how you want to do the safari before entering. In a permitted car, follow the right-hand route through the gates; for the safari bus, take the left-hand route to the car park and buy bus tickets at the Safari-Store. The bus has German commentary and lets the whole family concentrate on watching. Once the safari is finished, the pedestrian zoo and amusement park give you plenty of reasons to stay. Save some patience for the lemurs and meerkats rather than spending it all in ride queues. Turn your visit into a safari! Use the Snappit app to scan and log wildlife sightings here.
The park opened on 15 July 1969, with visitors already watching animals from their own cars. The Affen-Express followed in 1972, and the amusement-park expansion began in 1979. In its fiftieth-anniversary year, 2019, the park adopted the Safariland name and opened Kattas Welt and the overnight resort.
Start with the safari, then choose a few walkable animal stops: the white-lion outdoor enclosure, cheetahs, Kattas Haus and Kattas Garten, and the Flamingo-Garten with its pelicans. At the lemurs, stand quietly and watch how they use their striped tails while moving. The Affen-Express is a separate, barred-window train through the Barbary macaques’ enclosure; it is not the safari bus.
Mix those stops with the Wilde Biene family coaster, a carousel or the Kongo-River log flume. Children under ten need an adult riding with them on Wilde Biene; Kongo-River also requires a minimum height of 1 metre. Check the signs before joining any queue. For younger children, the petting zoo offers goats and sheep, while Kattas Welt provides covered climbing and sliding. Choose two or three priorities together and leave room for a second look at an animal that was resting earlier.
The 2026 season continues until 1 November. Check the official calendar before travelling, especially outside the main season or in poor weather. The high-ropes course above the cheetahs is closed until further notice. Wind, rain or thunderstorms can also stop individual rides. Bring spare clothes if water rides or the water playground are on your list; Kattas Welt gives you a useful covered break during showers.
You can bring a pushchair, and the park map marks a wheelchair/stroller-hire point, accessible toilets and changing facilities. Your own permitted car lets you stay seated throughout the safari. For step-free bus boarding, wheelchair space, path surfaces and access to particular rides or enclosures, discuss your needs with the park on 05207 952410 before booking.
Look for big cats, giraffes and grazing herds on the car or bus safari.
Ride through the Barbary macaques’ enclosure in a train with barred windows.
Give the lemurs, meerkats and waterside pelicans time between rides.
Pair the Wilde Biene coaster or Kongo-River with covered play in Kattas Welt.
Begin with the safari, then choose the meerkats and petting zoo. Break for lunch at Kattagaskar and let covered play set the afternoon’s pace. Add the monkey train if everyone still has energy.
Give each passenger one thing to notice on the safari: horns, stripes, long necks or the way an animal walks. Compare your discoveries once parked, so the driver can keep watching the road.
Watch from the car during the safari, or revisit the white lions’ outdoor enclosure on foot. The pale and normally coloured lions belong to the same species.
Look for the white tigers from inside your vehicle, then find the separate temple exhibit in the walkable zoo. Their white coats do not make them a separate species.
Look up at the feeding frame, then watch the legs: giraffes can move the two legs on the same side together. Let a passenger take the photographs.
Compare two animals’ stripe patterns while safely inside the vehicle. Give zebras room to cross the road; do not edge forward to improve a photograph.
Find the herd among the grassland animals and compare its horns and body shape with the zebras nearby. Young animals may be present, but are not guaranteed.
Scan the large outdoor enclosure from the visitor area before moving on. A resting cheetah can be easy to overlook; the overhead high-ropes course is closed.
Pause long enough to spot different jobs: digging, resting or standing upright to watch. Choose one animal and follow it for a minute.
From the protected train, look for climbing, play and mutual grooming. Keep hands inside the bars even when an animal reaches towards you.
Use the designated visitor areas to watch the lemurs at close range. Look for their long ringed tails and let them choose their distance from you.
Follow the visitor paths beside the water and watch how the pelicans carry their large bills. This makes a slower stop after the rides.
Kattagaskar adjoins Kattas Welt and serves children’s meals and vegetarian options. The Parkexpress links the restaurant area and amusement park; check its stops locally. This shuttle is separate from both the safari bus and the macaque train.
Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.
Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.
Safari safety
Convertibles and cars with folding roofs cannot enter the safari. Never get out anywhere along the safari. In predator zones, keep windows, roofs and doors closed. Stay on the road, drive slowly throughout and follow the rangers. In an emergency, sound the horn and remain inside.
Choose your transport
The safari bus costs extra and normally departs hourly; buy tickets at the Safari-Store and confirm the last departure. Ask ahead about any vehicle other than a standard permitted passenger car, including motorhomes or trailers.
Getting there
Use Mittweg 16, 33758 Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock. From the A33, take exit 23 Stukenbrock-Senne and follow the signs. Parking is charged separately.
By train and bus
Check connections via Schloß Holte and bus 84.1 to Safaripark Abzweig Stukenbrock, including the final walk and your return journey. Do not assume a frequent weekend service.
What the ticket covers
Admission combines the wildlife zoo, amusement park and Kattas Welt; there is no separate zoo-only ticket. Children under three enter free with age proof. Check current prices and any separately charged activities.
Around the animals
Keep fingers inside the Affen-Express bars. If feeding is offered there or in the petting zoo, use only the park’s designated feed and follow staff instructions. The rear of the petting zoo is an animal retreat and off limits to visitors.
Family kit
Wear closed, grippy shoes. Leave scooters, balance bikes and bicycles outside; they are prohibited in the park. Take children to the toilet before beginning the drive-through, where you cannot get out.
Bringing a dog
Dogs must be leashed and cannot join rides, certain shows or marked restricted areas. Do not leave a dog in the parked car; arrange your visit so someone can stay with it in permitted areas.
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
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Take the discovery with you
Identify the wildlife you spot, learn as you go, and keep a collection of the adventure.