🦌 Natuurpark Lelystad Guide – Wildlife Near Amsterdam (2025–2026)

If you’re looking for a peaceful day surrounded by nature, animals, and open air just outside of Amsterdam, Natuurpark Lelystad is the perfect escape. 🦌 This vast nature reserve is home to moose, otters, wild horses, and many other free-ranging animals. It’s a family-friendly park filled with walking paths, cycling routes, and plenty of relaxing spots to enjoy the Dutch landscape.

🌳 About Natuurpark Lelystad

📍 Where: Lelystad, Flevoland
ℹ️ Info: Created in the 1970s with the support of Artis Zoo Amsterdam, the park protects large hoofed animals and supports international breeding programs.

Natuurpark Lelystad is more than just a park — it’s a living conservation project. It began in the early 1970s to give space to species like deer, bison, and wild horses. Over the years, it has become a quiet refuge for both animals and people. 🐴 You’ll find vast green fields, lakes, forests, and calm walking trails that make it a refreshing change from the busy city life of Amsterdam.

• Founded in partnership with Artis Zoo
• Focus on wildlife protection and reintroduction
• Home to Przewalski’s horses and European bison
• Perfect for photography and nature walks

🏞️ Things to See & Do at Natuurpark Lelystad

This park has something for every visitor — from quiet forest walks to fun play areas for kids and educational displays for curious minds. Let’s explore what’s inside.

🏡 Visitor Centre

📍 Where: Near the main entrance
ℹ️ Info: A small but detailed exhibition area that explains the park’s wildlife and conservation efforts.

The visitor centre is the best place to start your journey. It has taxidermy models, information boards, and interactive displays — all in Dutch, but easily translated using your phone. Kids especially love the animal displays and nature puzzles. You can also buy a map, rent a bike, or ask about the best spots to see animals.

• Great introduction to park’s species
• Interactive learning zone for children
• Multilingual-friendly with translation apps
• Open daily (check times seasonally)

🍽️ Restaurant & Picnic Areas

📍 Where: Inside visitor centre building
ℹ️ Info: Serves light meals, drinks, and desserts with a view over the lake.

After a long walk, the on-site restaurant is a cozy stop. The outdoor terrace overlooks a peaceful pond — ideal for coffee or lunch in summer. ☕ You can also bring your own picnic, as the park has several wooden benches and open meadows perfect for a quiet meal in nature.

• Fresh Dutch-style lunch and snacks
• Toilets and indoor seating available
• Terrace view over the pond
• Many picnic areas throughout the park

🧒 Playground for Kids

The main playground near the entrance is small but full of charm. There’s a pretend stork nest, a wooden beaver statue, and a fun flying fox cable ride that even adults might want to try when no one’s watching!

• Located beside the restaurant
• Safe, clean, and surrounded by greenery
• Great break spot for families
• Mix of natural and creative play structures

🎨 Art & Sculptures

Throughout the park, you’ll find unique art installations and sculptures that connect wildlife and creativity. 🪵 A giant wooden bison greets visitors at the entrance, and sometimes seasonal exhibitions feature random pieces across the walking paths.

• Permanent bison and wooden sculptures
• Rotating art installations in nature
• Beautiful photo backdrops
• Highlights the park’s cultural touch

🪶 Archaeological Open-Air Museum – Swifterkamp

📍 Where: Inside Natuurpark Lelystad
ℹ️ Info: A reconstructed New Stone Age village that offers living-history experiences.

This area gives visitors a glimpse into ancient life. It’s an open-air museum with recreated huts, tools, and fires, showing how people lived thousands of years ago. 🪓 During special events, actors demonstrate activities like wool dyeing, felting, and weaving. Visitors can even stay overnight during workshops.

• Living history of Dutch prehistory
• Seasonal workshops and demonstrations
• Great educational stop for kids
• Separate opening hours — check online before visiting

🚶‍♀️ Walking and Cycling Trails

📍 Where: Across entire park
ℹ️ Info: Trails for walking and cycling; bike rentals available at the visitor centre.

The park’s layout is designed for easy walking and cycling. 🚴‍♀️ Wide paths lead through forests, fields, and lakesides. You can spend hours wandering and spotting animals. For those who prefer cycling, bikes can be rented inside the park — or bring your own.

• Scenic walking routes (short & long options)
• Biking trails through natural landscapes
• Great for birdwatching and photography
• Peaceful atmosphere year-round

🦦 European Otters – Park Stars!

📍 Where: Central lake viewing area
ℹ️ Feeding Time: 3 PM daily

The European otters are the main attraction here. Visitors can watch them swimming, playing, and being fed from both above and underwater viewpoints. 🦦 Kids especially love the glass-walled area below, where otters often come right up to the window.

• Otter viewing gallery with indoor section
• Daily feeding show at 3 PM
• Excellent photo opportunities
• Sometimes visible basking on the grass

Pro Tip: Visit on the day daylight savings ends — the otters get confused by the feeding time shift, and you’ll often see them waiting eagerly for food!

🐗 Wild Boar Families

Once extinct in the Netherlands during the 19th century, wild boars were reintroduced and now thrive here. In springtime, visitors are often treated to adorable piglets following their mothers through the grass.

• Safe viewing behind low fences
• Boars are relaxed around humans
• See young ones in April–May
• Always respect distance for safety

You might even catch a boar scratching against a tree — one of the cutest natural sights here.

🐎 Przewalski’s Horses

📍 Where: Western section of the park
ℹ️ Info: The last true wild horse breed, once extinct in the wild and reintroduced thanks to conservation projects.

These unique horses are descendants of the world’s original wild horses, never domesticated by humans. 🐴 Natuurpark Lelystad plays an important role in their global survival, helping reintroduce them to Mongolia.

• Small herd lives freely in the park
• Friendly and sometimes approach fences
• Rare example of pure wild horse genetics
• Symbol of successful rewilding

🐦 Birdwatching Paradise

Bird lovers will adore Natuurpark Lelystad. With nesting storks, herons, ducks, and even rare ospreys, it’s one of the Netherlands’ best quiet birdwatching areas. Bring a camera or binoculars for the best experience.

• Special stork nesting platforms
• Seasonal sightings of geese and swans
• Rare chances to spot kingfishers or eagles
• Ideal for spring and early morning visits

🦌 Other Wildlife You May Encounter

Beyond the famous species, the park also shelters red deer, Père David’s deer, European bison, and even wild-living beavers that escaped captivity and now live freely. 🦫

• Bison bred here for reintroduction
• Red deer often visible in open meadows
• Beavers are shy but leave tree marks
• Great for wildlife photography enthusiasts

🚆 How to Get There

📍 Address: Vlotgrasweg 11, 8219 PP Lelystad
🕓 From Amsterdam: Around 40–45 minutes by car

🚗 By Car
Driving is easiest and fastest. Parking costs around €3 per day, and the area is open from sunrise to sunset. Occasionally, parking is free on weekends.

🚆 By Train & Bus
Take a train to Lelystad Station, then a bus to Lelystad, Natuurpark. From there, it’s a short walk to the entrance. 🚶‍♂️

🚴‍♀️ By Bike
You can also bring your bicycle on the train and ride to the park (about 20 minutes). The scenic route passes through quiet countryside roads.

🌿 Best Time to Visit

Spring and summer offer lush greenery and baby animals. Autumn brings color, and winter gives a calm, misty charm. The park is open year-round, and every season feels different.

• Spring: animal babies, flowers, fresh air
• Summer: picnic weather and long days
• Autumn: beautiful foliage and calm walks
• Winter: quiet paths and cozy atmosphere

💬 Final Thoughts

If you love wildlife and peace, Natuurpark Lelystad is one of the Netherlands’ most underrated attractions. Whether you come to see the otters, watch the moose, or just enjoy a calm walk, it’s a reminder of how much wild nature still exists close to Amsterdam. 🌲

🚲 Bike Taxi – Easy Ride from Amsterdam 🌷

If you’re staying in Amsterdam and want a scenic way to reach train stations or nearby spots before heading to Lelystad, try the Bike Taxi — a colorful and eco-friendly way to explore Amsterdam’s streets. 🌸

• Perfect for couples, families, or solo travellers
• Operated by friendly local guides
• Custom photo stops available
• Can help arrange pick-up to Central Station

(Service available daily – inquire via WhatsApp or website.)