From one of the six gateways, a Ranger will take you on a tour of the National Park and its surroundings, taking you past the beautiful spots and introducing you to the National Park’s special nature.
Each gateway has its own theme, which is sustained during the walk.
‘Kattevennen’: here the macrocosm is central with the observatory of the Europlanetarium
‘Lieteberg’: a visitors’ lounge where everything revolves around the microcosm of insects, including a bees’ fertilisation centre, a butterfly greenhouse for indigenous butterflies and an insect museum
As railway station: the oldest station in Limburg played an important role in coal mining and the Limburg mining history
‘Pietersheim’: with its castle ruins and historical avenues, a piece of history linked to a relaxing stay at the petting zoo
‘Mechelse Heide’: this is the perfect gateway for hikers; from here you can explore beautiful heathland
‘Connecterra’: the last coal was extracted from the subsurface of this area 26 years ago. During the walk, the Ranger will tell you the story behind this piece of nature and behind all the treasures of the mining past along the way.
Practical Information
- Period: The activity takes place all year round
- Location: ‘Kattevennen’, ‘Lieteberg’, As railway station, ’Pietersheim’, ’Mechelse Heide’, ’Connecterra’. You can also join the group at Golfhotel Stiemerheide (Genk) and Hostellerie La Butte aux Bois (Lanaken)
- Duration: 2 hours
- Distance: 5 km
- Participation: max. 20 persons per Ranger (COVID-19 measure)
- Price: 60 euros per Ranger, ‘Connecterra’: 70 euros per Ranger (admission ticket to ‘Connecterra’ included)
- Ages: 6-96
