The dens at Thoiry Zoo, the unusual experience of sleeping with bears

Would you like to spend a night among the animals in their dens? If you too have always dreamed of living this adventure (or offering it to your children, grandchildren...), it's possible at Thoiry Zoo in the Yvelines, by spending the night in a den close to the animals, without disturbing them. Would you like to join us?

Spending a night at the zoo ? In the Île-de-France region, this has been possible at the Thoiry Zoo for several years, with a hands-on experience where you truly live among the animals, closest to nature, inside dens measuring 2 by 2 meters equipped with the bare minimum : total immersion guaranteed and memorable emotions on the agenda!

After a full day at the Thoiry Zoo (a two-day park pass included in the complete package of dens), meet at the Ranger’s Hut: this is where we kit every adventurer out with a backpack stocked with the essentials for a unusual experience in the dens of Thoiry, perched right above the bear and wolf enclosure. Inside: a bag of apples you’re free to toss to the cubs and their mother, cups, a water bottle, headlamps to light up the night and, the must, a pair of night-vision binoculars to spy the wild animals in the middle of the night. There you have it, you’re geared up for the grand adventure in the dens!

In this spring of 2023, the den-dwellers' adventurers can even get up close to the three cubs born this winter, emerging from the den since April: with their mother, it’s the most adorable sight you’ll get at the Thoiry Zoo! Around 6:30 p.m., you can dine or enjoy the numerous activities on offer, arranged exclusively for guests who sleep in the dens: Arctic wolf feeding, workshops on animal tracks, a nocturnal walk in the Thoiry Zoo after it closes to the public… And all of this is followed by zoo mediators who share a wealth of anecdotes and insights about the animals that live daily at the Thoiry ZooSafari.

After an hour and a half of nocturnal stroll, equipped with a headlamp, it’s time to sit down to table!The den teams have thought of everything: a plancha at each den with a meal to grill right on site, directly over the wood fire!On the menu, we feast on fish and meat skewers accompanied by small vegetables and potatoes, with a homemade cake. Beverages, whether sodas or spirits, aren’t included in the package, but you can grab some at the Ranger’s Hut, just a short walk from the dining area.

Then, it’s time to bed: at the Thoiry zoo, all the residents are already sleeping for quite some time. Each takes their hot-water bottle (on request at the Ranger Hut) and joins their lair, equipped with the minimum needed for a good night’s sleep: a king-size bed with integrated heating and multiple duvets for the cool spring nights, as well as a child’s bed (0.70m x 1.40 m) and a kit to perform its “cat bath” (towels, a water jug). It’s time to switch on your night-vision binoculars and open one of the den’s shutters: you’ll be able to observe bears and wolves in their natural nocturnal habitat, and you might even hear them howl through the night!

There are no toilets inside the dens, however, dry toilets are scattered along the trail that leads to these unusual dwellings: for a proper shower, you’ll need to head to the sanitarières, which are equipped with standard toilets and showers (towels, shower gel, and shampoo provided). For any request, the dens’ teams are at your service (and with a smile!) 24/7: you were warned—the comfort level in the dens is minimal, but the welcome is truly warm.

In the early hours, you wake up face to face with the cubs, free to take the opportunity to watch them while sipping a very hot drink, delivered with a pastry in front of the entrance to your lair for a wake‑up that’s a little less harsh ! Then dash to the breakfast, served in buffet style at the Ranger Hut from 7:30 a.m. Next, embark (at 8:30) aboard the camion brousse to discover the safari even before the zoo opens to the public: watch the waking and the first feedings of the animals live!You can even enjoy a second day at the heart of the Thoiry zoo before heading back from this beautiful adventure once the day is done.

If you're intrigued by the experience but the thought of roughing it unsettles you a bit, good news: by September 2023, immersive lodges will let you spend the night with the elephants at the Thoiry Zoo! And what if we spent a night at the zoo?

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.