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Get up close with the animals

Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård
Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård

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Get close to the animals!

Do you and your family love animals? Then Southern Norway offers many exciting experiences!

Petting farms and zoos in Southern Norway provide a unique and cozy experience for the whole family. Here, children can get up close with farm animals such as sheep, rabbits, horses, dogs, and cows, as well as exotic animals like meerkats, snakes, moose, and alpacas.

Many farms organize close encounters and feeding sessions with the animals, offering insight into farm life and a chance to learn about animal care. Most importantly, it fosters an understanding of how to respect animals and the environment.

The petting farms and zoos are beautifully situated, offering idyllic surroundings, picnic areas, plenty of activities, and opportunities to buy locally produced food. This makes a visit to one of Southern Norway's petting farms and zoos a memorable and educational experience for both young and old.

Den Lille Dyrehage

Den Lille Dyrehage på Brokelandsheia .
Photo: Den Lille Dyrehage
Den Lille Dyrehage på Brokelandsheia .
Photo: Den Lille Dyrehage

Right by the E18 at Brokelandsheia, you can visit a whole new world! With enjoyable and attractive experiences close to the animals in pleasant surroundings, a visit to Den Lille Dyrehage becomes a grand day out for the whole family.

Den lille Dyrehage .
Photo: Den lille Dyrehage
Den lille Dyrehage .
Photo: Den lille Dyrehage

A world of Its own

Den Lille Dyrehage at Brokelandsheia is an exciting and family-friendly attraction offering a variety of unique experiences for visitors of all ages.

Here, you can get close to the animals in a scenic and tropical environment, with many activities that both educate and entertain.

When you visit Den Lille Dyrehage, you can start by exploring the Rainforest. This area is one of the highlights of the park, where you can wander through a lush tropical environment and see a variety of exotic animals up close.

Among other things, you can encounter some of the world's most venomous snakes and experience Anakonda Gorge, home to Norway's largest snake - the anaconda Pippi! She weighs over 100 kg and is nearly 6 meters long.

Meerkats are always a favorite among both children and adults. At Den Lille Dyrehage, you can see these curious and lively animals up close and learn more about their behavior and way of life.

For the little ones, Barnas Seter is a must. Here, children can get close to common farm animals like goats, sheep, and rabbits. They are quite curious but very gentle.

You can even visit kangaroos in the Kangaroo Park! Here you can stroll among wallabies, emus, and the world's second-largest kangaroos!

Den Lille Dyrehage is full of exciting animals and plenty of activities for both big and small children.

Den Lille Dyrehage

Lindland Gård

Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård
Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård

Lindland Gård is a family park where you can meet many different farm animals up close. Here, you can pet rabbits, sheep, and alpacas.

Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård
Lindland Gård .
Photo: Lindland Gård

Lindland Gård

Fun for the whole Family

Lindland Gård is a family park with activities for everyone! Here, you can see and pet many different animals, and some animals you can even visit inside their enclosures! At scheduled times, you can also watch the feeding of the animals.

At Lindland Gård, you can get to know ponies Amy and Spirit, and llamas Josefine and Bernt. You can get up close with the three little pigs or visit the goats, both African pygmy goats and Boer goats. You can also pet rabbits, sheep, alpacas, cats, various chickens, geese, ducks, horses, and peacocks that love to fan out their tails in a stunning display.

If you’re up for an adventure, you can also take a one-hour walk with the alpacas through beautiful forest paths and gravel roads, covering about 2 km.

The farm also has a café where you can buy food and drinks, and a farm shop that sells local products, including children's clothing, interior items, and hair products.

There are many other activities to enjoy here, such as a bike park, mini-golf, a climbing forest, horseback riding, and much more!

During school holidays, Lindland Gård is open every day from 11 AM to 5 PM. Every day at noon, they light the campfire in the park for grilling and cozy gatherings.

Nuland Besøksgård

Nuland Gaard .
Photo: Nuland Gaard
Nuland Gaard .
Photo: Nuland Gaard

Nuland Besøksgård is a farm where you can get up close with the animals. They are dedicated to animal welfare and only have animals that will live on the farm for the rest of their lives.

Nuland Gaard .
Photo: Nuland Gaard
Nuland Gaard .
Photo: Nuland Gaard

Play and learn

Most of the animals at Nuland Besøksgård are those that have had a special need for a home, and at Nuland Besøksgård, they receive plenty of love, making them very social and secure.

Here, the whole family gets the opportunity to get to know the animals better!

The farm has a large stable with 9 horses. Several of these are privately owned, but the farm has its own pony that visitors can ride.

They have many different animals on the farm - some small and some large. You will find everything from cats, dogs, ducks, goats, and rabbits at Nuland Besøksgård! You can watch them play or have fun with them by petting, cuddling, and grooming.

There are several activities on the farm. In addition to getting to know the animals, you can try the farm's zipline, horseshoe throwing, or pony riding!

Explore the plants used in daily life or taste one of the apples from the old apple trees from the farm's earlier days.

There are also benches and tables where you can sit down and enjoy your packed lunch or freshly grilled sausages from the barbecue hut. A pleasant day for the whole family!

Nuland Besøksgård is open every weekend in June from 11 AM to 4 PM, and every day from 11 AM to 4 PM in July. In August, they are open on Saturdays and Sundays from 11 AM to 4 PM.

Nuland Gaard

Sirdal Husky Farm

Sirdal Husky Farm .
Photo: Sirdal Husky Farm
Sirdal Husky Farm .
Photo: Sirdal Husky Farm

Sirdal Husky Farm is for everyone who wants to get close to friendly and gentle polar dogs!

Sirdal Husky .
Photo: Sirdal Husky
Sirdal Husky .
Photo: Sirdal Husky

Sirdal Husky

Animal experiences in pristine nature

Sirdal Husky Farm creates genuine experiences through history, people, and nature.

The dogs at Sirdal Husky Farm are Alaska Huskies, an active polar dog breed with great motivation for running and pulling!

Here, you can enter the dog yard and be greeted by very trusting and friendly dogs in a natural and healthy environment. The dogs are accustomed to visits and affection from various people, including children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.

All the dogs are safe, social, and enjoy being around people. A large enclosed dog yard provides stimulation and challenges for both the four-legged friends and visitors.

At Sirdal Husky Farm, it is important to show guests the value of untouched nature, convey local history, and facilitate meaningful play and fun between people and animals.

Activities and nature experiences, historical storytelling, and culture go hand in hand at Sirdal Husky Farm. Here, you can have wonderful experiences - both in summer and winter!

During your visit, you will also learn more about life on a husky farm, the history of Sirdal Husky Farm, and the people and animals who live there!

 

En helt egen verden

Den Lille Dyrehage på Brokelandsheia er en spennende og familievennlig attraksjon som byr på en rekke unike opplevelser for besøkende i alle aldre.

Her kan du komme tett på dyrene i et naturskjønt og tropisk miljø, og det er mange aktiviteter som både lærer og underholder.

Når du besøker Den Lille Dyrehage, kan du starte med å utforske Regnskogen. Dette området er et av høydepunktene i parken, og her kan du kan vandre rundt i et frodig og tropisk miljø, og se en rekke eksotiske dyr på nært hold.

Blant annet kan du møte noen av verdens giftigste slanger og opplev Anakondajuvet. Her bor nemlig Norges største slange -   anakondaen Pippi! Hun veier over 100 kg og er nesten 6 meter lang.

Surikatene er alltid en favoritt blant både barn og voksne. I Den Lille Dyrehage kan du se disse nysgjerrige og livlige dyrene på nært hold, og lære mer om deres adferd og levemåte.

For de minste er Barnas Seter et must. Her kan barna komme tett på de vanligste gårdsdyrene, som geiter, sauer og kaniner. De er ganske nysgjerrige, men veldig snille.

Her kan du til og med besøk kenguruer i Kenguruparken! Her kan du rusle rundt blant wallabier, emuer, og verdens nest største kenguruer!

Den Lille Dyrehage er full av spennende dyr, og masse aktiviteter til både store og små barn. 

Nuland Gaard

Skåre Gård

Skåre Gård .
Photo: Skåre Gård
Skåre Gård .
Photo: Skåre Gård

Skåre Gård is an organic farm that values the interaction between nature, animals, and people.

Skotsk høylandsfe, Skåre gård .
Photo: Skåre gård
Skotsk høylandsfe, Skåre gård .
Photo: Skåre gård

Farm vacation

At Skåre Gård, they started small with goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens before acquiring their first Scottish Highland cattle in 2015.

The idea was to clear the forest and prevent overgrowth. When they saw how beautifully the cultural landscape was restored, it marked the beginning of their current operations.

The farm has been in Nils' family since the early 1700s. The house they live in was rebuilt after a fire and dates back to 1886. When Nils took over the farm in 2003, it had been inactive for several decades. The residents are a family of four: Nils, Kristin, and their children Liam and Linus!

At Skåre Gård, the animals graze on 3000 acres year-round, always having access to fresh water from the river and small streams. It is very pleasant to see the animals enjoying themselves with plenty of space in the beautiful nature.

Skåre Gård is situated freely and idyllically in the north of Birkenes, surrounded by the river, forest, mountains, and lakes.

At Skåre Gård, you can also stay overnight in a treetop tent! There is a log-built shelter with an adjoining dining area, and it is possible to rent a canoe and fish (a fishing permit is required for the lake).

Gutt, katt og kalv på Skåre Gård

Viltgården/ Elgtun

Klapp en elg på Elgtun .
Photo: Elgtun
Klapp en elg på Elgtun .
Photo: Elgtun

Are the moose really tame? This is a question many guests at Elgtun/Viltgården wonder about. Elgtun at Viltgården is a competence center for moose!

Elgen Tørsten på Elgtun .
Photo: Elgtun
Elgen Tørsten på Elgtun .
Photo: Elgtun

Dyrepasser Maren Emilie med nyfødt elg på Elgtun

Elgen elsker banan på Elgtun

Learn more about the king of the forest

At Viltgården, guests can get very close to the moose to pet and feed them, offering a unique opportunity to experience the king of the forest up close. The fear of wild moose is well-founded, as a cow with a calf can be very threatening.

However, the moose at Viltgården are born in the park and have been accustomed to humans from day one, making them tame. But one must never forget that they are large animals with instincts intact - hence, the park operates on the animals' terms, and all contact with the moose is always supervised by a keeper.

Tame moose can teach you a lot about moose! The purpose and goal of Elgtun at Viltgården is to be a competence center for moose. They have accumulated a lot of knowledge over the years and are eager to share it with their guests, as well as with researchers and management agencies.

In addition to moose, they have cats, dogs, peacocks, rabbits, and wild boars on the farm!

The farm offers well-maintained hiking areas, and perhaps you'd like to sleep under the open sky? At Viltgården, there is a nice shelter where you can set up a hammock and fall asleep to the sound of the babbling brook, waking up to birdsong as the morning arrives.

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