/ In spring, the Pairi Daiza animal park in Belgium opened Edenya, a record-breaking tropical greenhouse /

Despite its small size, Belgium has many popular attractions: beautiful cities including the capital of Europe, comic strip masterpieces such as the Smurfs, Tintin and Lucky Luke; more than 650 varieties of beer; delicacies like chocolate, waffles and French fries; and the electronic music festival Tomorrowland. Among its many treasures is also Pairi Daiza, nestled in the countryside 50km from Brussels and 75km from Lille in France – a top-tier animal park (it has won several international awards, and not by chance) that is beautifully designed, offering experiences that go far beyond those of a traditional zoo.

Much More Than A Zoo 

Across its 80 hectares, Pairi Daiza showcases 10 “worlds” that recreate various geographical regions, such as Africa, Japan, Oceania, Southeast Asia, and China. They do so by displaying their immense and extraordinary fauna – no fewer than 7,500 animals of 800 species are housed in the park, within meticulous and spacious habitats – as well as their typical landscapes (counting 10,000 trees and plants). But the settings also reconstruct cultural treasures, traditional architecture (huts, stilt houses, etc.) and much more from these different regions: nothing is left to chance – not even the choice of stones – and there is something to marvel at around every corner. Thanks to all this, guests truly feel immersed in other natural worlds, engaged by the experience and inspired to become “guardians” of nature’s treasures, for example by changing certain behaviors or lifestyle habits.

The 2026 Novelty: Edenya And Its 3 Records 

Pairi Daiza’s 10th world opened to the public last February, in an area previously used for parking, and is a massive tropical greenhouse, so monumental that it has claimed 3 records recognized by Guinness World Records: it is the world’s largest tropical greenhouse, the one with the highest number of plant species, and the largest indoor zoological ecosystem on the face of the Earth. 

This investment of 215 million euros (by far the most significant in the park’s more than 30-year history) is a cathedral of glass with a tropical climate recreated with absolute precision. Measuring 206x192m and standing 24m high, it encompasses 4ha of life: 1,675 plant species, including plants now rare in the wild or even extinct; thousands of free-roaming animals from 230 different species, ranging from jaguars to butterflies, mongooses to pygmy hippos, sharks to giant anteaters, and brown-headed spider monkeys to lowland tapirs. Plus, abundant water in the form of waterfalls (one is 17m high), rivers, and streams, alongside mountains, fossils, and traces of ancient civilizations. 

A fascinating universe that guests cross and experience from within, walking along paths and walkways that lead them through the middle of the vegetation or inside underwater tunnels. Always, however, just a few steps from the animals, with a self-guided visiting route allowing everyone to explore the greenhouse as they prefer and at their own pace.

A Marvel of Engineering And Sustainability 

Creating a perfect tropical world in the heart of Europe was a venture that required 7 years, and the result is a masterpiece of advanced engineering. The monumental structure, made of 1,320 tons of steel and 25 reinforced concrete columns, supports 40,600sqm of revolutionary double glazing supplied by AGC Glass Belgique: 5 times more insulating than standard greenhouse glass, it allows the light and UV rays necessary for life to pass through while preventing overheating and heat loss. The result is a natural tropical climate and a stable, constant temperature (minimum 18°C) across all seasons of the year, without relying on fossil energy sources. 

Speaking of energy and consumption, it should also be noted that 100% of Edenya’s electricity needs are covered by photovoltaic carports (capacity: 40MW) paired with storage batteries. Furthermore, numerous strategies to reduce energy consumption have been adopted in the greenhouse, such as smart hybrid ventilation, the use of geothermal energy, heat recovery and redistribution, and the harvesting and reuse of rainwater for irrigating the plants.

Staying Overnight at Edenya

For those wishing to enjoy a full tropical immersion that includes an overnight stay, Edenya also offers 88 rooms/accommodations with 7 different types of experiences and views over various areas of the greenhouse. The Emerald Retreats, for instance, are wooden stilt houses with terraces overlooking the domain of the dik-dik antelopes and squirrel monkeys, while the Jaguar Falls are Mayan-themed suites looking out onto the jaguar habitat. For those who love the underwater world, there are the 20 rooms of Shark Cove to fall asleep while watching sharks and rays, and the 8 rooms of Manatee Cove set among manatees and freshwater fish. 

The accommodations at Edenya join those already present at Pairi Daiza, bringing the total to 209.

The Future: A Lazy River And A Water Park 

The development of Pairi Daiza continues and goes beyond Edenya, with a new project exceeding 100 million euros. Construction of a water park is beginning near the greenhouse. Among its attractions will be a lazy river that will also run inside the greenhouse. The first tests for the new attraction started in recent weeks: the river’s water inside Edenya, which had always been stagnant, has begun to flow with the activation of special pumps. 

To date, however, no announcement has been made regarding when the water park is expected to open to the public.

Continue reading Games & Parks Industry September 2026, page 22

Photos Courtesy: Pairi Daiza

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