A visit to the Wildpark in Hellenthal, Germany -

Hellenthal is a lovely town and a great starting point for exploring more of the region and the Eifel National Park. Just outside the town of Hellenthal, you can find the Wildpark. We took half a day to pay a visit to this park and we really enjoyed it. Let’s talk some more about it!

A small introduction

The Wildpark in Hellenthal is a large park (more than 64 hectares) where they have created a habitat for lots of wild- and farm animals. You can also find a raptor center on the park. The park is located in a beautiful, natural area which gives a perfect impression of the magnificent landscapes of the Eifel region. You can have some nice walks through the area.

Raptor Center

The raptor center of the Wildpark probably is one of the highlights. It’s the oldest and biggest raptor center in Central-Europe, with lots of species: from the Pygmy Owl to the Andean Condor. Each day, on several times, there is a bird demonstration during which you can admire the birds from nearby and into the air. Normally, these demonstrations take place in Winter time at 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM and in Summer time at 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM and 4:00 PM (information dates from March 2021).

A nice fact: the people of the Wildpark are constantly busy with protecting nature and the animal species. Under supervision of veterinarians, sick and injured animals are being recuperated and released into nature again. Furthermore, they’re working on the breeding of rare and endangered animals.

More wildlife

Next to the birds of prey, you come across several other animals while walking through the park. You’ll find wild animals, like deers, mouflons and wild pigs, but also farm animals, like goats, donkeys and sheeps. You can come very close to them! The Wildpark definitely is much fun for young and old. Also fun: taking the Adler-Express. This ‘train’ takes you in approximately half an hour through the park. During the drive, you’ll get to know more about the animals.

During our visit, the Adler-Express wasn’t driving due to the Corona situation. Take into account that it may not drive. Best is to take a look at the official website before your visit.

Drinks and food

There are two eateries in the Wildpark where you can eat something, drink something or where you can take a snack. Restaurant Zum Adler is located at the entrance (and exit) of the Wildpark and Cafetaria Waldschänke is located in the middle of the park. To be honest, I didn’t went to either of the eateries, so I don’t have personal experiences with it.

Practical information

How to get here

The best way to reach the Wildpark is by car or by foot (of course only when you’re coming from not that far). From Hellenthal it’s only a short drive (five minutes) towards the Wildpark. If you would like to walk from Hellenthal, it takes approximately 25 minutes. As far as I know, there’s no public transport going to the park. The Wildpark has lots of (free) parking places.

Opening hours

In general, the Wildpark is open each day of the year. Concerning the opening hours, the park distinguish Summer and Winter time. During the months April to October, the park is open from 09:00 AM until 06:00 PM. During the months November to March, the park is open from 10:00 AM until 05:00 PM.

Entrance fee

The following prices are based on the website’s information on March 4th 2021:

Adults	€ 11,- per person
Students (15 years and older)	€ 9,- per person
Children (3 to 14 years old)	€ 8,- per person
Family ticket (two adults, two children between 3-14 years)	€ 34,-
Dogs	€ 1,- per dog

Contact details

You can find the Wildpark on the following address:
Wildfreigehege 1
D-53940 Hellenthal

Phone number: +49 (0) 2482 7240
General e-mailaddress: in**@gr**************************.de

A combination with hiking

In an earlier post, I wrote about my hiking experiences in and around the Eifel National Park. As I stayed in Hellenthal during my time in the Eifel, of course I also hiked a route from here. This two hours hiking route took us from Hellenthal to the Wildpark and all the way to the Oleftalsperre. It’s absolutely not a difficult hike and you can easily combine it with a visit to the Wildpark.

There are also longer / shorter hikes available which pass the Wildpark. I can recommend to download the app Komoot and to have a look at the options.

If you’re planning a trip to the Eifel National Park and you happen to be around Hellenthal, the Wildlife park definitely is a recommendation to visit!

Author: Tamara