Three-day hiking package with the four ‘Top Trails - Best of Europe’, including the famous ‘Top Trail Terhills’.
Hiking package 3 days/2 nights
The Hoge Kempen National Park is the first and largest National Park in Flanders, and THE hiking spot in Belgium! In December 2022, our National Park Trail was voted among the 25 best long-distance hikes in Europe, and in 2025, 10 of our 90 hiking routes were awarded the European ‘Top Trail label’, making us the only nature reserve in Belgium and the Netherlands to have achieved this high accolade.
Would you also like to visit this varied nature park, but do not have the time or inclination to find out everything? Then we have worked out a ready-made walking package for you with all the highlights of the National Park, four ‘Top Trails of Europe’, as well as the award-winning National Park Trail in 1 walking adventure!
Highlights:
Hiking between the mine rails (floating bridge on the water between 2 green hills)
Across the heathlands of the Mechelse Heide
Climb the terrils of Thorpark - Top Trail
The most beautiful panorama in Flanders - Top Trail Terhills
Explore the twin terrils
Discover the savannah plain in Pietersheim where most of ‘Our Nature’ was filmed
Stay in an authentic hotel on the edge of the National Park
Cycling through the moors and the mining slag heaps
All walks have a European quality label (since 2025)
Most beautiful village in Flanders
Huge variety of landscapes: dunes, lakes, rivers, hills, plains, forests, ...
Can be combined with the popular Barefoot Path at our gateway Lieteberg.
What is included in the package for 239€ per person?
Accommodation in an authentic three-star lodging located on the edge of the Hoge Kempen National Park
2 nights in a comfortable double room with private bathroom
2 x breakfast buffet
2 x four-course dinner
Access to the entire park for all persons
Hiking maps National Park (worth € 8)
Hiking descriptions
Survey map of the National Park with voucher for a free coffee
GPX tracks of the walks
Komoot Premium code (worth 60€)
Visitors' guide
Free Kompelbier in our visitor centre
Discount codes for Elaisa Wellness (discount of 26€) and Maasmechelen Village (10% discount on everything)
Contribution to the National Park Fund
Four TOP TRAILS (hiking routes) with the best of the National Park, and some unique routes (not accessible to the general public)
Korte beschrijving
Dag 1 namiddag: Wandellus "Top Trail Thorpark" ( 8 of 16 km, paars en rood op de kaart hieronder)
Dag 2 voormiddag: Wandellus "Top Trail Terhills" 10 km (groene lus)
Dag 2 namiddag: Wandellus "Top Trail Mechelse heide" 8 km (blauw)
OF 1 "combi hike" van 25 km (lange rode lus)
Dag 3 voormiddag: Wandellus "Top Trail Pietersheim" 11 km (groen onderaan op de kaart)
Long description
Day 1
You will be expected at the accommodation during the afternoon. Before you go to the accommodation, you can already take a nice walk-in at gateway ‘Thorpark’ in Genk. You can choose between an 8 or 16 km walk, each time with beautiful views from the Limburg mine hills. You will walk on decking paths, climb green hills, and stroll along ponds and water lakes. Departure and arrival at the heritage buildings of the former mine shafts. There is a large car park and cosy catering facilities here. This 16km TOP TRAIL has a hiking seal of approval from the European Hiking Federation, making it one of the ‘Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe’!
Day 2
After breakfast, you trek to the National Park visitor centre, the ‘main’ gateway at Terhills. There you will take a beautiful 10 km loop walk over three hilltops and along a large lake, including ‘walking across the water’ over the pontoon bridge between the green hills. You climb the ‘panorama terril’ with the most beautiful panorama in Flanders, and walk past fens and marshes. This 10km TOP TRAIL has a hiking seal of approval from the European Hiking Federation, making it one of the ‘Leading Quality Trails - Best of Europe’!
Five kilometres from here stretches the Mechelse Heide, our park's most popular hiking area because of its hills, gravel lakes and beautiful purple heather. An 8 km loop leads past all the highlights.
Both walks belong to the ‘National Park Trail’, the award-winning long-distance walk of the National Park. You can combine the two walks into one long trek of 25 km, starting from the accommodation.
Day 3
Close to the Pietersheim entrance gate, the beautiful Ziepbeek Valley steals the show with its unique fauna and flora and the history of Pietersheim Water Castle. The valley formed the backdrop for much of the nature documentary ‘Our Nature’. You hike 11 (or 22) km on a Premium route (German quality label) through the valley, also National Park Trail. This hiking trail also has a ‘Best of Europe’ label.
You can finish off with a drink in Oud-Rekem, once voted the prettiest village in Flanders. If you prefer cycling on this day, we also have in store a beautiful cycling tour through the National Park, along the Meuse Valley and with ‘cycling between the mine tracks’.
What does it cost?
You pay 239€ per person for a double room. For a single room, you pay a 50€ supplement. A dog is welcome for an extra 10€ for the entire stay.
How it works.
We know the National Park like no other, so we work out the best walks to suit your needs. Enter your desired period in the request form below, and together we will work out a complete walking package tailored to your needs. For this package, we work together with six accommodations. All accommodations have the same price (class) and facilities. As soon as we receive your request, we will check availability with the participating accommodations and inform you which accommodation has room for you. If you are not satisfied, or there is no availability on your desired dates, we can always offer you an upgrade. After booking, you will receive a comprehensive itinerary from us, with routes, GPX files, hiking descriptions, maps, vouchers, and more. All you have to do is walk and enjoy :-).
Your stay?
Double room (beds can be pushed apart)
Private bathroom
Hairdryer
Towels
Desk
Free WiFi
Flat screen TV
Restaurant/breakfast room
Free parking
Up to 2 km from the main entrance to the National Park
Hiking among the mining rails
Optional, not included in the price, and to be arranged by yourself:
Packed lunch, to be brought from the accommodation: 5€/lunch package (special National Park price)
Wellness experience at Elaisa, in the middle of the National Park (you will receive a code in your package for a 26€ discount)
Wine tasting and tour of an authentic winery, from 8,50€
Water fun at Terhills Cable Park
Shopping and eating at Maasmechelen Village (you will receive a code for a 10% discount in your package)
Blog of this hiking adventure
- Journalist Ophélie experienced the Hoge Kempen National Park hiking adventure, and wrote a blog about it for Oppad.nl
- Sieglinde from Wandeladdiction made a report on Instagram
Would you rather hike in a group with like-minded people? Then sign up for our Group Hiking Weekends. Small-group organised hiking weekends (13 people) where you can sign up individually, and meet fun fellow hikers.
Booking request
*A reservation whose dates are free automatically implies an obligation to pay.
