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With two cars loaded we excitedly headed to our midweek stay at Beekse Bergen. Driving from Amsterdam was really straight forward and took around 1h30, stopping for petrol along the way. I was filled with so much excitement for the moment we would arrive and for the dream of having a Savannah Lodge Plus overlooking giraffes, zebras, rhino and ostriches becoming real for the rest of my family. Having been lucky enough to experience the Safari Resort first hand myself, I couldn’t wait to see and feel their reactions as talking about it just doesn’t do it justice.
For this visit I (Jane) was travelling with my three children accompanied by my sister who had travelled over by ferry from the UK with her two children. Due to the nature of the specific needs that my niece and nephew have, they can find the arrival and settling period at new places difficult. As excited as they were, it was clear that they were finding it difficult to manage their emotions, expectations and to regulate themselves as we got ready to travel to Beekse Bergen for the first time together.
We used the app prior to travelling to input our car registration numbers which meant that when we arrived we drove straight into the Safari Resort and to our Savannah Lodge Plus (number 640). We were a little early and although guests get full access to the resort facilities all day on their arrival (and departure) day, we used the time just to walk around the outside of our lodge and to take in the view. We all watched the time eagerly until it struck 4 o’clock and the locks to our lodge opened; an individual code had been sent through the app which we used and we were in!
As my sister and I busied ourselves unpacking and setting up our home for the coming days we were all drawn to our lovely terrace overlooking the Masai Mara and in good old English style, no sooner had we unpacked and we were sitting on our terrace with a cup of tea, spotting the animals. It is fair to say that we all felt relaxed straight away and the calm, open and spacious surroundings around our lodge made for a wonderful start to our holiday. Our children grabbed chairs from our terrace and drew them even closer to the animals. They collected their ranger hats and binoculars that had been left in their rooms and were super content, watching over the savannah like real explorers!
Needless to say, my excitement of sharing the wonderful Safari Resort and the fabulous Savannah Lodge Plus with my family was a huge success, as everyone oohed and aahed at the location and the animals which we quickly characterised and named. My niece and nephew settled in an instant and said ‘it was the best place ever!’
As my sister and I live in two different countries we value our family time greatly, so our intention is always to relax, have time for each other and go with the flow. With so much to see and do at Beekse Bergen, we were aware that we wouldn’t be able to experience everything, but as with all our Little Clogs holidays, we are always happy to return. With that in mind we took each day as it came without scheduling too much in.
We really did enjoy the laid-back feel at the Safari Resort, and bearing in mind we visited at the beginning of August during the main school holidays, it never felt over crowded, loud or busy. Our children played for hours (we literally had to persuade them to leave) at the playground at Karibu Town where they met equally enthusiastic children and built together in the sand for hours.
We pre-booked a private game drive a few weeks before our holiday and were so glad that we did. As we were a large group we felt the slight extra cost was worth it for us to have a private drive over a shared one. By doing so we could focus on our own children’s interests and needs and ask for the tour to be in English throughout.
Our ranger talked to us about how to respect the animals and that it was important to remember that we were visiting their home, not the other way round. Our children had made a list of questions for our ranger who kindly and patiently answered each of them, adding in little stories and details throughout. He was fab, full of energy and enthusiasm for the animals and how to care for them. We learnt fun facts about the animals we drove by. We got so close to the giraffes and zebras it was amazing, a wonderful experience for us all. If anything, we wish it could have been longer!
We only got to spend one afternoon at Speelland during our stay but could easily have spent more days there just relaxing by the lake and splashing about in the water. The weather was glorious and it was a great way for our children to cool down and have some fun, including whizzing down the two waterslides and playing on the obstacles in the water.
They gave a few of the rides a go and had a wonderful time. We also popped into the new indoor play which was beautiful, with huge floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake and Speelland itself. There is plenty to explore and being open all year round makes this an excellent addition to Beekse Bergen. With an abundance of places to relax and enjoy a snack it is also a pleasant environment for us adults too.
We couldn’t visit Beekse Bergen without popping over to the Lake Resort. We hopped on the Ostrich Express land train which took us through the resorts and into the Lake Resort. What a lovely way to take in the surroundings. We visited the Jaaba snack bar and got a family deal for lunch and also did some shopping in the Spar grocery story. There was everything we could have needed to self-cater in the shop and it was great for grabbing some more bits and bobs for us to make a meal, some ice-creams or lunch. My son, who hadn’t packed his swimming shorts was also able to buy new ones in the shop, which was super handy.
We checked out the indoor playground and had a few drinks on the beach whilst our children checked out the play areas both indoors and out before heading back to the Safari Resort. This time we walked back which took about 30 minutes at a leisurely pace. You can also drive between the two resorts, or if you have bikes then this is a super way to get around and to visit the local area.
The walking safari is conveniently accessed from the Safari Resort, using your attraction pass to enter the turnstile. We felt that we covered a large amount of the Safari Park through this walk and just decided to follow our children and see what we saw along the way. A huge and unexpected highlight was the red pandas. Needless to say, my daughter now sleeps with her own cuddly version purchased from one the souvenir shops.
What we really loved were the little tracks with play apparatus dotted about, almost like little obstacle challenges that kept our children entertained as we walked through the Safari Park. In fact, they became determined not to miss any of them and they became part of the safari experience. It was great fun meandering through the park in between different animals, watching them play and us gazing on expectantly. I can’t believe how long we spent watching the hippos submerge and then guessing where they would reappear again, literally searching the water’s surface for the bubbles they made.
All of these things are what make experiences like this so valuable and why we try not to plan too much, following the lead of our children where we can. As we walked back through from the Safari Park and back to the Safari Resort we were greeted by the stunning lionesses. We could have watched them for hours, just separated by the glass between us it was mesmerising as they closely watched us back and curiously looked at our children and the cuddly toys they had bought during our visit.
As our Lodge had a well equipped kitchen we had come well prepared to cook a few of our meals and didn’t expect to eat out all of the time. We did of course want to try out some of the restaurants though and started on our first day by having pizza at Pamoja Lounge. These were delicious and on our last night we opted to have them again but as a takeaway to eat on our terrace with a view of the giraffes.
We reserved a table at Moto for a ‘big’ meal on one of the evenings. We found it useful to ask for a children’s menu as this was not in the main folder but handed to us as we took our seats, and offered some good priced options which our children enjoyed. We loved the décor and service and were treated to a local, complementary aperitif to finish our meal. Our children were happy busying themselves away on the colouring sheets they had been given but had they needed to move around more, they could have popped over to the indoor playground that is situated opposite the restaurant whilst waiting for their meals to be ready.
We found the Safari Resort shop to be handy for grabbing drinks and pastries. The cookies were a big hit and the kind people serving them could barely get them out the oven before our children had spotted they were available. The white chocolate and raspberry proved a firm favourite! It is handy to know that you can get coffee from the convenience shop too. You pay 1 euro extra for your cup but can get this money back when you return it. I found this very useful and cost effective. Within the shop you also find Guest Services and I have to say, they were very accommodating. No matter how many questions we asked or what help we needed, it was always delivered with accurate info and a smile.
We booked in for a session of bowling at Pamoja Lounge, again this can be done through the app. As much as we enjoyed a competitive game, the focus really was on ordering drinks so as we would get served by the robot waiter. A great discussion was had about who would take the turn to press the button to return the robot to the bar.
We visited the pool at Karibu town multiple times and although it is small on scale it packs a lot in. With a pool for regular swimming, a splash area for babies and toddlers, a fun rapids slide and we were surprised to find a raised jacuzzi too which was lovely. Each area is sectioned off making it easy to keep an eye on your children and also keeping them safe as they can’t wander into deep waters if they’re not yet able to swim unaided. The lifeguards were very alert and there were swimming aids available at the entrance to the pool.
For our family, playing in the rapids was the highlight, although it wasn’t fast we all just loved going down together, or in one long train. Whose children don’t love watching their mummies go down the water rapids and joining in the fun with them! Their delight, followed by ‘shall we do it again’ each time we were spewed out at the end was insatiable. Entry to the pool was easy using the activity pass on your phone and no reservation was needed.
We loved our Savannah Lodge Plus and would absolutely book this type of accommodation again. It was spacious, beds were super comfy and having an en-suite as well as a main bathroom and separate toilet are all helpful when travelling with a larger group.
There was a TV in our accommodation but only the early risers used it when waiting for the rest of us to wake, also discovering that they could watch YouTube or other subscriptions through it.
The kitchen had everything we needed and plenty of space in the dining area both inside and out for us to prepare and eat meals as a family. You are provided with a few dishwasher tablets and coffee capsules along with a few cleaning essentials. Coffee capsules and dishwasher tablets could be bought individually in the Safari Resort shop.
We found that there was no limit to the time we could spend admiring the animals going about their daily lives, whether it be the view from our own lodge overlooking the giraffes, waiting for them to come and visit the feeding point, watching the rhino which we affectionately named ‘Denis’ (because he was a rather cheeky menace in our eyes) chase the ostriches, or just admiring the beauty of the zebras as they moved in groups across the Masai Mara, it was hard to tear ourselves away!
Just walking around the Safari Resort you can’t help but stop to marvel at the magnificence of the creatures wandering around and every view feels unique. We loved being able to enjoy the terraces at both the Safari Hotel and Karibu town accompanied by a morning coffee or evening drink. What a way to begin and start our days.
Following our holiday at Beekse Bergen we moved directly to Efteling for a long weekend. This was a seamless transfer and took only 20 minutes to drive between the Safari Resort and Efteling Bosrijk. This eased our sadness to leave Beekse Bergen just a little by knowing our next adventure was awaiting us. That said, we will be returning for sure!
We don’t know about you, but when you are in the middle of a holiday you can feel that it has been a wonderful experience but often the true measure of its success is how long you remain referring to the experiences and fun you had, long after your return to everyday life. Without a doubt, Beekse Bergen has made its mark on our families and we can’t wait to go back.
For more info about Beekse Bergen, or to book please see link below or drop us a line:
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