How to Visit Grottes de Han + Practical Tips
Some of the links might be affiliate links and, at no extra cost to you, we earn a small commission. See our disclaimer for more info.
In a Nutshell
What is Grottes de Han?
Grottes de Han is a huge domain with caves, a wildlife park, a playground, and play structures along the path in the forest. It’s a great experience, especially for families with kids.
The Wildlife Park at Grottes de Han
Save this!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.
There are wolves, bears, deer, and many more animals.
You can see the animals on the little safari buses or foot. These deer are in the valley, and we saw them passing by on a safari train.
Play Areas Along the Trail
There are many play structures along the forest walk —it’s amazing for kids! I highly recommend walking at least the first part of the park on foot; otherwise, you’ll miss all the fun.
The Grottes de Han Caves
It’s a good idea to visit the cave at the beginning of your visit to Grottes de Han. This will avoid any crowds and give you a better experience.
Take warm clothes with you, as it’s quite cold in the caves! The cave has many steps, and it’s chilly at an average of 9°C with moist air.
It also gets slippery at some points, so wear appropriate shoes.
The caves have several steps, so they are not stroller-friendly. It’s best to have a baby carrier with you for this part.
Playground at Grottes de Han
The playground is quite big. There is also a toddler section. Be careful, as the playground is right at the entrance, and you risk getting stuck 🙂
How to Get Around Grottes de Han
You can access the wildlife park in two ways: A. doing a safari or B. walking
A. If you choose to do the safari, the little buses leave from near the playground and the entrance of the domain, and they will drive you around the domain
B1. If you choose to walk around the domain, you can reach the entrance of the wildlife park by the tourist train that takes you there (it starts near the playground and the entrance of the domain), or you can walk there
Β2. Once you reach the entrance of the wildlife park, you can then walk 3km and then take the safari little buses for 3 more km or walk the full 6km. If you want to do the 6km, you need to be at the half-way point by 15.30 latest, otherwise you will not be allowed to continue on feet and you will have to get on the safari little buses.
Camping at Grottes de Han
Looking for a unique stay in Belgium? Try glamping at Grottes de Han!
You can stay in a Cocoon Tent in Han-sur-Lesse village for two nights. You’ll have full access to the Domain, like the Cave, Park, and PrehistoHan museum from when you arrive until it’s time to leave. Plus, a big breakfast is served every morning.
Is Grottes de Han Stroller-Friendly?
The first 3km walk is stroller friendly, provided that you have an all-terrain stroller.
Then you can get on the safari buses for the remaining 3km. There is extra space to carry strollers on the little safari buses. The last 3km are not stroller friendly – or as the guard said, ‘it’s complicated’ 🙂
The caves have several steps, so they are not stroller-friendly. It’s a good idea to have a baby carrier with you for this part.
There is also space to leave the stroller at the domain’s entrance if you want to walk the whole route.
Restaurants at Grottes de Han
At Tivoli, the cafe, which is a bit before the midpoint, you can buy sandwiches, soup, waffles, ice cream, coffee, or hot chocolate.
La Verrière is the restaurant at the entrance and Le Pavillon is near the cave exit.
There are also several picnic areas around the domain.
Grottes de Han Tickets
- With a PassHan, you can visit both the cave and the wildlife park.
- The PassHan ticket is good for the entire season. It’s a one-time ticket, meaning you can visit each attraction once. But you can spread out your visits! For instance, during a weekend trip, you might see the Cave on Saturday, the PrehistoHan museum and the Wildlife Park on Sunday. When getting your ticket online, you must set the dates for your Cave and Park visits.
- Alternatively, you can buy individual tickets for the Cave and the Wildlife Park.
- The PassHan is cheaper than the combination of individual tickets.
- Regardless of your choice, all tickets come with entry to the PrehistoHan Museum.
Practical tips
- Get tickets here
- Book a tree house or glamping in the domain of Grottes de Han
- There are many picnic areas (see last pics for the map of the domain)
- There are toilets around the domain (see last pics for the map of the domain)
- The whole domain can get a bit muddy depending on the weather, so wear appropriate shoes
- Not wheelchair friendly, but they organize adapted visits
- Dogs can enter the Cave if they don’t disturb other visitors and are kept on a leash. Dogs are also welcome in the PrehistoHan Museum but not in the projection room. However, dogs, regardless of their size, are not allowed in the Wildlife Park to keep the Park animals safe.
- No bikes allowed
How to Get to Grottes de Han
By Car
Driving to Grottes de Han takes about 1 hour 15 minutes from Schuman, Brussels.
By Public Transport
The nearest Belgian train station to the Domain is Rochefort-Jemelle, which is 10 km away. Trains arrive directly from Brussels in 1h30, Namur in 40 minutes, and Arlon in 1 hour.
After arriving at Rochefort-Jemelle, hop on TEC bus number 29 headed for Grupont. Get off at the stop by the church, Han-sur-Lesse Eglise. This bus trip takes around 14 minutes.
Grottes de Han (entrance)
Entrance to the domain
Rue des Grottes 46, 5580 Han-sur-Lesse
Where to Park at Grottes de Han
You can’t park inside the Domain of the Caves of Han. Instead, there are town parking lots in the village center that cost €7 daily. You can find these lots via rue de la Lesse. In busy times, some locals also offer parking for a charge.
The link below takes you to the parking next to the entrance of the domain, whereas both Google Maps and Waze take you to the shop of the domain, about 300m away from the actual entrance
Rue Joseph Lamotte 2, 5580 Han-sur-Lesse
FAQ
How long do you need to see everything in Grottes de Han?
Plan for the most part of a day. The domain is 250 hectares and it takes minimum 3 hours to do the walking trail. Keep in mind that there are lots of play areas for kids along the trail. The safari bus takes only 1.5 hours to go around the domain.
What should I visit first, the cave or the wildlife park?
Visit the cave first to avoid the crowds. Bring something warm with you, as it’s only 9 degrees in the cave!
Is Grottes de Han stroller-friendly?
Only the first 3km of the walking route are stroller-friendly. For the remaining 3 km, you can take the safari bus. The cave is not stroller-friendly, so it’s best to bring a baby carrier.
What tickets are there for Grottes de Han?
You can get a PassHan, which gives you access to the cave and the wildlife park, or get separate tickets for the wildlife park and the cave. All tickets include access to PrehistoHan museum.
Nearby
Dinant is one of the most beautiful cities in Wallonia. It’s so much fun to climb up to the citadel with the cable car! There are also lots of kids-friendly activities around Dinant
Read more: Dinant
