After its annual closure period for maintenance, Pairi Daiza is due to re-open on Saturday 7th February 2026.
Have you visited the zoo yet? Coined the best zoo in Europe, Pairi Daiza is a zoo and a resort all in one. Set in the grounds of an old Cistercian Cambron Abbey, you will find over 7,500 animals from all 7 continents across the globe, beautiful gardens and impressive exhibits dotted throughout the zoo.
The Pairi Daiza Foundation are huge advocates for conservation, support scientific research & education and seek to protect & restore nature. They are involved in multiple conservation and research projects across the globe and have reintroduced & supported the Yellow-Bellied Toad and European Tree Frog populations here in Wallonia.
At the zoo itself, they have thought of environmentally supportive measures too, like the insect homes in all the Recycling and Waste bin casing and Solar Panelling covering the car park (genius idea, keeping cars cooler in Summer and drier in winter!).
The Pairi Daiza Resort also enables you to spend a night close to the animals. From hobbit houses in the Last Frontier and face-to-face rooms in the Penguin House to farmyard views from the Farmhouse Lodges and newly added windowed rooms into Shark Cove, there is something for everyone.
New for 2026 is Edenya, the recently completed (and world's largest at four hectares) Tropical Greenhouse which is home to Jaguars, Tapirs, Sharks, Manatees, Butterflies and more. Don't miss the Subaquatic Caves, the Dry Forest or the Suspended Walkways and to complete your visit, lunch in the Abyss, a unique underwater restaurant, has to be an absolute must.
Pairi Daizi hold two incredible annual light shows, one for Halloween and one for Christmas. In October, the zoo becomes a haven of enchanting decorations, animations and performances with visitors coming bedecked in their finest Halloween Costumes.
The animals even join in with the celebrations as they enjoy some seasonal treats.
From late-November until early-January, as the sun sets, the zoo is transformed in a magical world lit up by illuminated animals, video mappings and thousands of fairy lights. You will also see the Illuminated Train travelling the zoo, can visit Santa's Post Office and enjoy the Christmas Market in the Land of the Cold.
An annual ticket is a popular choice among Shapians; being only 20 minutes up the road, the annual access enables a quick after school visit to burn off steam, leisurely strolls on an otherwise quiet day or a full on day trip. The Halloween and Christmas Spectacles are all covered with the ticket and it will even give you 10% off purchases in the refreshment stalls, gifts shops and eateries throughout the zoo!
Parking is €12 per day, so adding that to the Membership is also a top tip.
If you haven't made it to Pairi Daiza yet, be sure to put in on your to-do list when it re-opens in February.
Information provided by SHAPE HIVE