Wildpark Grafenberg in Dusseldorf – All you need to know


Wildpark im Grafenberger Wald (Wildpark in Grafenberg Forest) Was one of my favourite places I visited in Düsseldorf. It’s a large wildlife park home to many of Germany’s native species with a walk-through enclosure and the opportunity to feed the animals. This place is a must-visit for animal lovers and I can’t recommend it enough!

In this post, I’ve included everything I can think of to make your visit to Wildpark Grafenberg Wald as easy as possible. Directions, opening times and all my top tips are listed below.

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Wildpark Grafenberg in Dusseldorf – All you need to know

What you need to know

  • How much does it cost to go to Wildpark Grafenberg? Entry is free!
  • Can you take dogs to Wildpark Grafenberg? No, dogs aren’t allowed.
  • Can you feed the animals? Yes! You can feed the deer, wild pigs and Mouflon sheep. Animal food is available to purchase or you can bring your own.
  • Can you pet a wild deer? If the deer allow you to. The deer in the walk-through enclosure are used to humans and are very friendly. Be sure not to make any loud noises or sudden movements so you don’t spook them.
  • Do you need to buy Wildpark Grafenberg tickets? No, no tickets are needed and entry is free.

How to get there

Wildpark Grafenberg is located in Grafenberger Wald (Grafenberg Forest) and is easily accessible.

  • By Car: There’s a free car park located in front of the main entrance. The address is Rennbahnstrasse 60, 40629 Düsseldorf
  • By public transport: Take the U73/U78 and get off at the stop Auf der Hardt/LVR-Klinikum. Cross the road and head into Grafenberg Forest, it’s about a 10-minute walk to the main entrance. I’ve shown the route on the map below.

How to use this map: Click on the markers for more information about each destination. The blue line shows the fastest walking route between each point. To save this map to your Google Maps, click the star in the top left corner.

Opening times

The park is open 365 days a year from 9 am with closing time only varying slightly:

  • January 15th – February 15th: 5pm
  • February 16th – March 31st: 6pm
  • April 1st – September 30th: 7pm
  • October 1st – October 31st: 6pm
  • November 1st – November 30th: 5pm
  • December 1st – January 15th: 4pm

Be sure to double-check the website before you visit in case of any unforeseen closures such as extreme weather.

One of the signs made with deer antlers from WIldpark Grafenberg Wald

Entry fee

Wildpark Grafenberg is completely free to enter for everyone!

My tips for visiting

Here are my top tips for making the most of a visit to Wildpark Grafenberg:

  • If you want to feed the animals, get there early. I arrived around 10 am and had some wonderful interactions with the deer and wild pigs while they were still hungry. After walking around the park for about an hour and a half, I returned to see them, but they weren’t hungry anymore. Given that many others will also be feeding the animals, make sure to arrive early!
  • Bring your own food for the animals. The park sells animal food but also recommends bringing carrots and apples. I found that, especially later in the day, the deer were much more interested in other food, especially sliced apples.
  • Bring a picnic. While the park isn’t huge, there’s plenty to explore. If you’re looking to spend a bit of time here know that there isn’t anywhere selling food on site. You can bring your own food with you and there are plenty of beautiful spots for a picnic.
Baby pigs
Deer in the walk-through habitat

All about Wildpark Grafenberg

Wildpark Grafenberg is one of the oldest game parks in Germany and is home to over 100 animals, all native species. The park is integrated into the Grafenberg Forest and covers over 35 hectares with the animals being housed in incredible natural habitats.

What animals can you see?

The animals you can find here include:

Mouflon wild sheep, wild boars, fallow and red deer, red foxes, ferrets, badgers, red squirrels and wildcats.

There’s also a bee house where you can see the bee colony hard at work!

Raccoon at wildpark Grafenberg
Raccoon enclosure at Wildpark Düsseldorf

Can you feed the animals?

Yes! You can feed the red deer, fallow deer, mouflon sheep and wild boar. There are machines selling cups of animal food around the park for one euro (the machine only takes one euro coins, not change). You can also bring your own food, the park recommends chopped apples and carrots.

The fallow deer live in a large walk-through enclosure allowing you to feed them up close. They’re quite friendly and are used to people so are more than happy to come up to you.

Feeding the deer at Wildpark Grafenberg
Feeding the deer at Wildpark Grafenberg

What facilities are there?

Wildpark Grafenberg is quite simple, there isn’t anywhere to purchase food and drink but there is a toilet. There’s a building called the Old Forest School Log Cabin which acts as a small museum. It’s free to go in and has lots of information and interactive displays on the park, Grafenberg Forest and nature.

There are wildlife detective sheets you can download from the park’s website for kids to fill out as they explore the forest. There’s a children’s play park on site as well as another great one just outside of the main entrance.

Baby pigs
Wild boar piglets

Summary

For me, this is one of the best spots in Dusseldorf, especially if you’re looking for something free to do. Wildpark Grafenberg is perfect for any age and is a great way to escape the city and explore nature.

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