We’re on safari … in the Netherlands

We don’t need to venture to Africa to see lions and zebras roaming the plains – we can watch them from the veranda on our fun-packed Dutch family holiday

There is a moment on our first evening at the Beekse Bergen safari resort that stops us all dead in our tracks. The kids are wearing the khaki safari hats from the welcome packs left on their wooden bunk beds, and we are relaxing on the veranda of our hotel room, with panoramic views of the “savannah”.

From this elevated position, we’re studying our neighbours on this 10-day holiday in the south of the Netherlands: Nubian giraffes, white rhinos, antelope, zebras and ostriches, all intermingling on the plain, metres in front of us. The light is fading and a heatwave is enhancing the African theme of Beekse Bergen. In the humidity, our impromptu animal quiz, aided by our in-room brochure, is halted by a low, menacing rumble.