Hanenbos 1 Hanenbos
Centre for youth, nature and adventure
Lotsesteenweg 103 1653 Dworp
+32 2 380 47 13
info@hanenbos.be www.hanenbos.be
RECEPTION
Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Outside these hours, upon arrival, departure or in case of emergency, you can contact the caretaker.
Colophon
EDITORIAL TEAM
Tina Deneyer
Jaël Muls
GRAPHIC DESIGN
WNDR
PHOTOGRAPHY
Toon Debraekeleer
Piet Vranckx
Lander Loeckx
Noor Jorquera
Tamar Grdzelishvili
Hanenbos welcome in
Hanenbos 5
Welcome!
Hanenbos is a centre for youth, nature and adventure where play, discovery and shared experiences take centre stage. We welcome groups who want to step away from daily routines to explore, learn, collaborate and, above all, have fun together. The domain is located in Dworp, surrounded by nature and yet close to Brussels. This natural setting invites both action and calm: a place where young people can move, experiment and catch their breath at the same time. Away from screens and tight schedules, with space to truly connect.
Designed for children.
Open to everyone.
Hanenbos primarily works for and with children, youngsters and youth organisations. Forest classes, camps, training sessions, excursions or multi-day activities: we think along with group leaders and tailor our offer to the needs of each group. Schools, associations, groups of friends, families and companies are equally welcome!
Get
active
At Hanenbos, everything revolves around being outdoors, moving and experiencing. From forest adventures to sports and games: here you can fully immerse yourself in and around nature. Challenge yourself on the low ropes course, push your limits on the climbing wall, enjoy outdoor activities or simply relax and play freely among the trees. Whether you prefer exploring and discovering, or would rather unwind indoors with board games or a book, there is something for everyone. Hanenbos offers a wide range of play opportunities. Choose what suits your group, combine activities and create your own programme.
The DNA of Hanenbos
Hanenbos is a place where play, encounter and growth are central. Our DNA expresses what we stand for every day and how we build, together with young people, group leaders and organisations, a place where you learn through play, collaborate and can truly be yourself.
DNA
We are a warm organisation
Respect and trust are essential to us
We dare to push boundaries and explore new paths
We bring out the best in ourselves and in each other
We want to inspire and to be inspired
We look inward and outward
We embrace adventure and draw inspiration from nature
Here, you are given green space to be yourself, to play and to grow
We provide support, transparency and flexibility
We are proud of our team and proud of Hanenbos
welcome
Staying in Hanenbos
At Hanenbos, up to 110 guests can stay overnight. Plenty of space for your school, organisation, association or company. Hanenbos offers different types of rooms, whether you prefer to sleep alone, with two or in a group. We believe it is important that everyone feels welcome. That is why several of our rooms are specially equipped so that wheelchair users and guests with reduced mobility can enjoy maximum comfort.
Hanenbos
Hanenbos 7 staying
On the first floor, you will find 10 single rooms and 12 double rooms. Each room is equipped with a washbasin. Showers and toilets are located separately in the corridor. On the second floor, you will find 8 fourperson rooms and 4 six-person rooms, with shared bathroom facilities in the hallway.
Would you like to gather close to the bedrooms with a group of up to 20 people? On the first floor, you will find the Pimpelmees room. On the second floor, you can use the Buizerd lounge area.
Hanenbos
Sit back and enjoy
At Hanenbos, you stay on a full-board basis. You can count on fresh, balanced meals tailored to groups staying several days and actively participating in activities. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are prepared by our inhouse catering team and served in the on-site restaurant.
We take specific dietary requirements into account, such as vegetarian, vegan, halal or allergies. We look for solutions that work for everyone, ensuring that meals become a natural and relaxed moment within the daily programme.
In addition to the standard meals, other options are possible, such as barbecues, sandwich lunches or adapted arrangements for busy or exceptional schedules. Everything is organised in dialogue, with attention to the rhythm of the group.
Sharing meals is part of sharing a stay. At Hanenbos, mealtimes are more than just practical moments: they are spaces of encounter, where conversations continue and groups can pause and recharge.
Smiley label
The Hanenbos kitchen carries the Smiley label from the Belgian Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain (FASFC). This means that our kitchen is regularly inspected and meets all hygiene and food safety standards. Every group can therefore sit down at the table with complete peace of mind.
“Our pupils truly love the meals at Hanenbos. It’s great that there are always so many vegetables and fruits on the menu. Even those are eaten here without any complaints!”
Eva Tindemans, teacher at Lindenlaanschool Beveren
Hanenbos 9 catering
Indoors or outdoors, calm or active, in small groups or all together: at Hanenbos, you decide how you want to experience your time. The forest, play areas and game materials invite you to move, collaborate and push your limits, always with fun as the starting point.
Sports kit
Ready for action? The sports kit contains everything you need for an active day in the green surroundings. From frisbees and balls to (table) tennis equipment, tug-of-war ropes and materials for baseball and hockey: there is plenty of choice to run, aim, throw and work together.
Board games
Prefer to slow down or play indoors? That is possible too. Hanenbos has an extensive collection of board games for all ages. From classics to fast-paced party games: perfect for cosy moments, rainy afternoons or a quick game in between activities.
sports
Hanenbos and games
Team building
Want to grow stronger together? Through sports and games, you work on trust, communication and cooperation at Hanenbos. With challenging group assignments, indoors or outdoors, you get to know each other better and discover what true teamwork really means. Play becomes the engine for growth and connection.
Outdoor play
The domain is ideal for outdoor games such as cornhole, ring toss, KUBB, Mölkky or large wooden games like Jenga and Mikado. Accessible, enjoyable and perfect for relaxing together between activities.
Low ropes course
Discover your inner acrobat on the low ropes course, located near the bar. Balancing, supporting each other and daring to try are central. The course is exclusively available to Hanenbos guests and focuses entirely on cooperation and trust.
Climbing wall
Looking for a real challenge? The Hanenbos climbing wall reaches no less than 11 metres high. Those who reach the top are rewarded with a beautiful view over the forest playground. Exciting, intense and unforgettable for anyone ready to push their limits.
Forest Experience Trail
Discover the forest playground and its hidden secrets along the Forest Experience Trail, full of surprises. Enjoy the play equipment, explore a variety of games and take on exciting challenges in the woods.
We are happy to think along with you when planning a multi-day stay. Together with local partners, we offer a varied programme of activities. Through a direct access, you can easily walk into the Provinciedomein Huizingen, where mini golf, an animal park, a playground, pedal boats, and much more provide extra fun.
GENERAL A
Hanenbos trail
Hanenbos trail
podium
climbing wall
caretaker’s house parking
sports field
ropes course
Hanenbos 13
GROUND FLOOR B
site plan
“The material is very accessible and inviting. The children were engaged from beginning to end. You can tell these activities are built on imagination and creativity. And it’s beautiful how children’s rights are woven into the story in such a meaningful way.”
Dalton 2-school Hasselt
arts and Hanenbos
Hanenbos
At Hanenbos, we connect nature experiences with art and children’s rights. We offer educational kits to groups staying with us. They invite participants to explore, create and tell stories together, while combining creativity with children’s rights. Throughout the year, Hanenbos also organises activities for the wider public. In this way, children’s rights education takes on a creative and experiential form in the heart of nature.
Het grote avontuur van kleine vogel
Robin
Dive into the forest trail inspired by the book ‘Het grote avontuur van kleine vogel Robin’ by Martine de Kok. During this interactive game, children discover in a playful way what ‘time’ means and how everyone is allowed to grow at their own pace. In small groups, they visit seven birdhouses, each time choosing between Truth or Dare. Every bird has its own story and theme related to identity, dreams and self-confidence. Through creative tasks, small challenges and personal reflection, children reflect on questions such as: who am I and what would I like to become? The game combines movement, cooperation and reflection in nature.
En ze leefden nog altijd
Discover the contemporary fairy tale ‘En ze leefden nog altijd’ by author Elisabeth Lucie Baeten and illustrator Flore Deman through a self-created modern puppet theatre. During the activity, children first immerse themselves in these special stories and then create their own fairy-tale character. Together, they develop a unique contemporary story in which everyone is free to be themselves. The activity works equally well indoors and outdoors, but gains extra magic when it comes to life in the fairy-tale forest of Hanenbos.
Gekleurd kijken
Feel like unleashing your creativity in the middle of nature at Hanenbos? With the activity kit ‘Gekleurd kijken’, you discover the work of Rik Wouters in an original way. During the activity, children experiment with different techniques and materials and create their own artwork in the style of the Brabant fauvists. They do so while walking through Hanenbos and drawing inspiration from the forest surroundings. The perfect combination of art and nature.
Curious about the full offer? Discover it on our website.
children’s rights
“We choose Hanenbos because of its location, the nature, the delicious food, the excellent facilities and the warm, helpful people who work there.”
Koen Depauw, Language camps Depauw
Curious about the full offer? Discover all our facilities on our website.
space and
Far from the hectic office environment, Hanenbos offers all the infrastructure you need to give your ideas room to grow.
We have both larger work and meeting rooms as well as compact breakout spaces, each with an open view of the surrounding forest. Ideal for meetings, workshops, training sessions, planning days or brainstorming sessions, from small groups to larger teams.
Whether you choose to organise a one-day meeting or turn it into a multi-day work or team event, you combine professional infrastructure with the energy of nature. Time and space for new ideas.
“Hanenbos is a wonderful and centrally located venue, ideal because our participants come from all over Flanders. The surroundings are beautiful and the cooperation always runs smoothly.”
Amber Claeys, youth organisation JOETZ
time for ideas
Hanenbos
Together with our sister domains Destelheide and de Hoge Rielen, Hanenbos strongly invests in international youth work. We create opportunities for young people and volunteers to gain international experience in a creative and inspiring environment.
“By working together on human rights and getting to know each other’s customs, we truly grew closer. StudioStar felt like a free and open space where I could express myself without judgment. You could simply be yourself here and that was an amazing feeling.”
Dimi (19), Greek StudioStar participant
Hanenbos proudly holds the Quality Label for Youth Centres of the Council of Europe. This European label is awarded to centres that actively promote youth work and non-formal learning. As a labelled centre, we actively contribute to themes such as democracy, children’s rights and human rights, not only in our projects, but also in the way we organise our daily work and welcome groups.
Through Erasmus+ Youth Exchanges, Hanenbos, Destelheide and de Hoge Rielen bring together groups of young people from different countries around a theme, with art and creative activities as a starting point. Young participants exchange ideas and experiences. They discover each other’s cultures in an informal way.
In this way, Destelheide encourages young people to broaden their horizons, develop their creativity and engage internationally.
Hanenbos
European Solidarity Corps
As part of our international engagement, Hanenbos and Destelheide welcome European volunteers every year.
Through the European Solidarity Corps, young people from across Europe gain valuable experience within their field of expertise while living and working in Belgium. They explore the country, learn the language and meet people from different cultural backgrounds.
“The ESC project at Destelheide and Hanenbos gave me exactly what I was looking for at this stage of my life: new creative adventures, exploring different cultures and the space to grow and become more independent.”
Amuka Koridze, ESC volunteer
At our sister site Destelheide, it is also a pleasure to stay. This centre for youth, art and creativity is located, just like Hanenbos, in Dworp (Beersel), in a green setting, yet close to Brussels. The surroundings help you focus, collaborate and take a step back from the pace of daily life. Destelheide offers inspiring facilities for meetings, training sessions and a wide range of artistic activities.
de hoge rielen
You are also warmly welcomed at our sister site de Hoge Rielen. This centre for youth, nature and adventure is a place where groups come together to experience, create, play or simply escape the pace of everyday life. The domain is located near Kasterlee, in the province of Antwerp. Whether you visit for a multi-day group stay, outdoor classes, a youth camp, a family weekend or a day trip, you will find everything you need on this vast natural site. From accommodation buildings and camping grounds to a hostel, restaurant, sports facilities, a swimming pond, an adventure course and a wide range of activities. It is a green oasis of 230 hectares where nature, freedom and experience take centre stage. From the moment you arrive, you can feel it: this is a place where you naturally slow down. A place where you can truly breathe.
All info at www.dehogerielen.be
The rate you pay and how far in advance you can make a reservation depend on the category to which your group belongs.
CATEGORY 1
recognised youth organisations and Artists in Residence Groups officially recognised as youth organisations by a local (municipal), provincial or Flemish authority. Hanenbos may request official proof of recognition.
EXAMPLES:
• A youth organisation organises a training session at Hanenbos for international volunteers who have just arrived in Belgium.
Reservation period: up to 3 years in advance
CATEGORY 2
other Belgian youth Groups, Belgian school groups and care groups
EXAMPLES:
• A primary school from Hasselt comes to Hanenbos for four days of forest classes.
Reservation period: up to 2.5 years in advance
Not sure which category your group belongs to? Our reception team will be happy to assist you.
CATEGORY 3
international youth groups and schools, and Belgian socio-cultural organisations
EXAMPLES:
• A volleyball team from Germany takes part in an international youth tournament in Halle and stays at Hanenbos.
Reservation period: up to 2 years in advance
CATEGORY 4
families, adult groups and companies (VAT applies to this category)
EXAMPLES:
• A group of friends who met at university gathers every spring for a reunion weekend at Hanenbos.
Reservation period: up to 1.5 years in advance
Hanenbos
At any time
www.hanenbos.be
info@hanenbos.be
During reception opening hours
Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Lotsesteenweg 103
1653 Dworp
+32 2 380 47 13
By public transport
Take the train to Halle. From there, a De Lijn bus takes you to Dworp. Check www.delijn.be to see the lines and timetables. Get off at the stop ‘Dworp centrum’ or ‘Huizingen Menisberg’ and walk to the Lotsesteenweg.
By bus
Coming by bus? The driver can drop everyone off along the Lotsesteenweg, near the entrance of our site.
By car
Coming by car? You can park in the car park at the entrance of our site.
Lotsesteenweg 103, 1653 Dworp
+32 2 380 47 13
info@hanenbos.be www.hanenbos.be
hanenbos hanenbos Centre for youth, nature and adventure