I have always been a big fan of amusement parks and have visited a few, such as Plohn, Geiselwind, and Heidepark Soltau (which is definitely my favorite so far). What do I find most exciting about them? Probably the sheer size and variety of things. Going back to such an adventure land as an adult hasn’t changed my attitude towards them. But age has had a few influences—more on that later.
Owning a car opens up many opportunities. Traveling, for example. Even though my "new" (built in 2016) car is a little electric vehicle, which also brings some downsides, traveling is still possible; you just have to plan for a few more longer stops.
But that didn’t spoil our trip to Saxony’s biggest city, Leipzig, which features the federal state’s largest theme park: Belantis.
I'm going to describe our favorite rides, share a bunch of other activities you can enjoy at Belantis, and offer some tips in case you want to visit someday. Have fun!
Good Times at the Park
We visited Belantis on a Thursday. It was also very hot, around 30°C, which meant one thing: the park was EMPTY!
This gave us a great chance to try almost everything. That day Belantis opened from 10am until 5pm. We arrived at 12 so had 5 hours to test. In my opinion the 5 hours were perfect. We went to the rides we wanted to see, did not have to wait in line and had a break for food and drinks in between.
The entry prices at Belantis vary depending on the day of the week, the age of the visitors, and whether you purchase tickets online. For three adults (or visitors aged 11+), I bought the tickets online and used a promotion code, which saved us up to 25%, bringing the cost down to €30 per ticket.
On other days, such as weekends, you should plan for more time—maybe 2-4 hours longer—to see everything. That’s why, on some days, the park stays open until 8 p.m.
But first things first: an adventure of course needs a map!
The Crazy Machines at Belantis
I know, I know—this is what you actually came here for. So, let’s not waste any more time. Here are our Top 9 Belantis rides, ranked from worst to best!
9. Fluch des Pharao
So, this "Wild Water" rollercoaster is supposed to be one of the highlights in the park, specifically in the Valley of the Pharaohs. And it started really well:
First, you enter the big, impressive pyramid and immerse yourself in the dark and colorful interior of the ancient Egyptian tombs. In dark tunnels, you can see projections or fluorescent drawings of some hieroglyphs.
After traversing the inner structures of the pyramid, it was time to begin our ride across the Nile River. The boat had 8 seats, arranged in two rows of 4. Unlike the other rides, a simple seatbelt was deemed sufficient... or was it?
After navigating through the wild river waves, we arrived at an elevator that lifted the boat up to the main attraction. From there, a big slide led down, and we had to support ourselves with our arms.
The drop was exciting, but the impact at the bottom was rough. The seatbelt provided minimal security, and the arm support wasn’t enough—I almost landed on my butt and slightly bumped my head. My neck was sore the next day, but only for that day.
That’s why, unfortunately, we can’t recommend this one.
8. Götterflug
This was actually the last ride we tried, and as I mentioned earlier: I’m getting old. Especially when it comes to those spinning rides. The next ride on this list, "Drachenflug," had a similar effect on my stomach, but this one really did me in.
But for someone who can sit in the back of a car, look at their phone, and not get sick within 5 minutes, this will probably be fun.
With a left and right stick, you could manually steer the wings. If you do it right (which I couldn’t), you can even achieve a side flip, which looked really cool from the ground.
7. Drachenflug
Well, it’s another spinning ride. As much as I like Döner, some spinning things just aren’t for me.
But if you’re not like me, here are some positive things: it’s really fast, starting slowly from the ground. Once you’re 30 meters in the air, the pace really picks up.
At times, it reminded me of the typical "Breakdance" ride at city festivals. In summary, it looked cool, but my stomach kept spinning for a while afterward.
6. Capt'n Blacks Piratentaufe
Ah, the Pirates’ Baptism. Now this is my kind of ride—slow and safe! Just kidding.
But it was surprisingly fun. This ride felt like the little cousin of Heidepark’s Freefall Tower. The ups and downs were random and entertaining, with just enough G-force to create a little tingling without being too intense.
Additionally, you get a nice view of the park. For us, this was our second ride, so we could spot where to go next.
5. Huracan
Well, what can I say—this mofu is pure speed!
First, it starts by going straight up, at a 90-degree angle. This part alone was already a lot of fun. As you reach the top, you can relax and enjoy the beautiful view of Belantis, until...
You get the hardest whiplash of your life! This beast was faster than A-Train of the Seven! The centrifugal force was immense. With various loops and twists, this rollercoaster was a lot of fun.
We had to dock a few points because the restraints were really loose. This meant you were either pressed forward for the whole ride or shaken roughly in your seat.
Another downside was that the ride lasted less than 60 seconds.
4. Belantinus Rache
This ride was amazing (according to 2 out of 3 people). It swings and turns, and then swings and turns even more. During this time, you can see people either having fun or crying for their momma.
Really fun!
3. Cobra of Amun Ra
I would describe this ride as a classic rollercoaster. It was fast, but not as fast as the Huracan. The twists and turns were well-balanced.
We would recommend this as a family ride. The cars were more like carriages and felt very safe. Overall, it was a nice experience!
2. Drachenritt
In the Land of Counts, you can find this excellent rollercoaster.
The highlight (and also a bit tricky) was when we entered a dark tunnel at full speed. The unexpected turns were manageable, though, and you don’t need to worry about breaking your neck.
Because this ride is as fast as a dragon!
1. Santa Maria
This pendulum ship was definitely more fun than it should have been. It’s a simple swing, not much different from Belantinus' Rache.
But it was our first attraction at Belantis, and our inner ears weren’t yet accustomed to extreme G-forces. So, this one felt like we were about to die!
When the ship swings to its highest point and you’re almost 90° in the air, looking down and gripping the metal bar as if it were your last lifeline, you truly experience the sensation of free fall.
At some point, my body had to withstand so much force that any scream I tried to press out of my lungs was cut off before it could even begin.
In our internal ranking (since we all had different opinions about the various rides), the Santa Maria was definitely a shared favorite!
Honorable Mentions at Belantis
Here, I want to give you a little insight into other things you can do at Belantis amusement park. Let’s start with the food.
Lunch time
We decided to grab some food at the entrance café. Our friend also spotted some interesting-looking bottles filled with Slushies in various flavors, from blueberry to lemon and cola.
The shisha-looking bottles were actually hidden, so we asked the very enthusiastic guy behind the counter where we could find them. He handed them to us, mentioning that since they can't be reused in the park, we could take them home as a souvenir.
For food, we had a simple Margherita Pizza. My favorite late-night host (Conan) once said that to find out if a pizza place is good, he always goes for the Margherita—just pizza dough, tomato sauce, and cheese.
Surprisingly, this pizza was really good and ready in just 4 minutes. The prices were a bit high, but that’s expected for an amusement park.
For the pizza and one drink, we paid around €12, and each slushy with the bottle cost about €8, with the option to refill for €3.99.
Free time
In addition to that, there are several shows, including one with performers and a puppet theater for kids. These seemed to be a lot of fun for the little ones.
You can also go canoeing and try to survive on the Coast of Explorers.
Or, you can indulge in one of the most quintessentially German Souvenir activities: paying €2 to crush a 5-cent coin and turn it into a printed themed logo. Yes, those machines are quite popular here—a fun way to burn your money.
Unfortunately, the next money-waster wasn’t nearly as entertaining.
Scam Time
Our last story about Belantis is a funny one. While we were waiting at the Huracan (because our stomachs weren’t ready yet), we noticed a stand. A lot of big teddy bears were hanging around, but no one seemed to be going there.
I thought, "I’m going to win a prize this time," because I never had any luck at occasions or parks like this. I know, I know—those typical "win a plush prize" machines are designed to lure money out of your pockets. So, you’ll never actually get that blue plush Stitch.
But this one seemed doable: all you had to do was throw the ball into the box by letting it rebound off the blue wall once. Easy, right?
WRONG! It’s not possible!!! The ball rebounds too much, no matter the angle or speed you throw it. The frustration came from how doable it looked. But I guess that’s the trick with all of those prize stands.
I mean, it IS possible—I saw a girl carrying a big plush monster like a backpack, proudly showing off her trophy and reminding everyone else of their failures. But who knows how much money she spent to win it.
Two tries cost €5, and all three of us gave it a shot.
Well, our missed attempts motivated others to try their luck, so the guy running the stand should actually thank us for bringing him some traffic. 😉
Anyway, be aware that this can start as quick fun but has the potential to turn into some serious gambling just as quickly!
So can we recommend Belantis?
This question can be answered with a YES, 100%!
We pointed out a few complaints just to give you the full picture, because no experience is 100% perfect. But some trips can be 100% wholesome.
Our Rating
- Food & Drinks 7/10 (not bad for an amusement park)
- Rollercoaster fun 9/10 (my head is still spinning)
- Ambience 8/10 (the weather was very hot and the different themes were
- Overall experience 8/10 (because the rollercoasters are the main attraction)
Take a friend, your partner, or go with your family. The rides are really fun, and if you plan well and get a bit lucky, you can try everything without waiting too long.
The last time I spent a day at a theme park was a while ago. This experience made me really happy and brought back some wonderful childhood memories.
