Burgers’ Desert to get new entrance and exit, new animal species and enclosures – the Desert Restaurant is disappearing, and the route is being extended.
On Thursday, 6 November 2025, Royal Burgers' Zoo will begin an extensive renovation of the Desert, which is expected to be completed by mid-2026. The world's largest indoor desert is being updated with new animal species and enclosures, as well as a new entrance and exit, among other things. The current Desert Restaurant will be removed, and the route through the American rocky desert will be extended. The Arnhem zoo is offering a sneak peek and sharing a few 'artist's impressions'.
The Desert Restaurant has been out of use for a while, partly due to the opening of the Safari Meeting Centre, which features the Safari Restaurant, as well as the Bush Restaurant and Park Restaurant, which were completely renovated in recent years. As such, the Desert Restaurant is being removed to make space for new enclosures and animal species. Among those are several reptile species that are new to Burgers' Zoo, as well as a new 'open top' enclosure. More details will be announced at a later date.
Visitor surveys by Burgers' Zoo indicate that the Desert does not always score high in terms of visibility and accessibility. Currently, visitors access the Desert through a subterranean tunnel connecting the Bush to the Desert. They leave the covered American rocky desert near the tiger enclosure in the Rimba. The Arnhem zoo is constructing a new entrance and exit to the Desert right next to the elephant enclosure, making it easier for people to find and visit the Desert.
At Burgers' Desert, visitors discover the flora and fauna of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. The American rocky desert is home to plant and animal species found in only a few European zoos. The Desert is the largest covered desert in the world. With this extensive renovation, Burgers' Zoo is making the rocky desert even more attractive and diverse for visitors, while also greatly improving accessibility.
Visitors can continue to visit the Desert during the renovation. All animal species will also remain available for viewing. The part of the rocky desert under construction will be shielded with special dust baffles during the construction process.
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