New Playground and Café now open
Just in time for the start of the Bavarian summer holidays, Hellabrunn has a new attraction: our youngest visitors can play in the newly renovated Rhino Playground while their parents get a tasty treat at Café Rhino in an idyllic setting next to the playground.
Kids’ hearts will literally beat a lot higher than normal on our tree-top path. Those who climb to the top will be a lot nearer to the Nilgai, Sarus cranes, Axis deer and Blackbucks in the neighbouring enclosure. There’s even a water playground in the toddler-friendly play area that is particularly inviting during the summer for both playing and cooling down. The 1,000m2 playground is situated opposite the Rhino House between the elk and Nilgai enclosures and offers an attractive alternative to the adventure playground in the Kids’ Zoo. The playground was designed by Teutsch Ritz Rebmann.
The natural character of this kids’ paradise stands out: the playground equipment is made largely of black locust wood and wood chips are used as shock absorbent surfacing. Shrubs have been planted over a 350m2 area. The playground equipment comprises a carousel suitable for disabled children, a birds’ nest swing, the ever-popular speaking tube, a wooden house and a climbing frame with a slide.
And we haven’t just thought about our smallest visitors as the adults can take a well-deserved break in the modern, yet retro-designed Café Rhino. Zoo director, Dr. Andreas Knieriem’s tip is, “The most desirable seats will definitely be those on the wooden terrace built directly over the moat bordering the elk enclosure. From there you get a great view of the European elk with their cute calves, Madita, Merlin and Meli as well as being able to keep an eye on your own children in the Rhino Playground.”
Café Rhino offers tasty Italian Panini as well as freshly baked, handmade pizzas, delicious cakes and a selection of coffees. During the zoo’s opening hours the café has 30 seats available inside and 120 more outside on the comfortable terrace. And those with a thirst for knowledge also get their money’s worth: visitors can learn more interesting facts about the rhinos the café is named after on one of its internal walls.