This article first appeared on My Travelogue by Bhushavali

Ninglinspo was on my wishlist since quite some time. I referred to it as 'Belgium's Tada'. If you're from Chennai you'll understand what I'm referring to and I told everyone that it's what it is. It's almost like Tada, the trek is neither too easy nor too hard, and you'll hike upstream just beside the stream, and you'll come across several little waterfalls, a (kinda(!)) bigger waterfall, and finally, all the way up, you'll see a fantastic view of the valley underneath you!!! It is exceptional...

Planning my Ninglinspo trip depending on public transport was what delayed the trip all the while. While it is actually well connected by public transport (buses run once every hour), like most Belgian buses to villages, they become very sparce during weekends & public holidays! While it is possible to do a trip completely on public transport, it would get too hectic or you'll probably have to do 2 day trips to the 2 places, which is also very much possible (more details below). What did we do? A 2-day trip and used a taxi for the very last bit. 

NINGLINSPO 

A charming, family friendly trek in Belgium

Why is Ninglinspo called so? To begin with, the name Ninglinspo was very weird for me. Why is Ninglinspo called so? That neither sounded Dutch nor French for me and I began to dig into it and came to know that its original name was Dolneux (yes, now that sounds French), but a mistake made by a French cartographer, where he said, this is 'En Inglin Spau', the land of the origin of Inglin river. 'En Inglin Spau' became 'Ninglinspo'!

As I mentioned, we took the train to Gare Aywaille and then directly took a taxi, so we could drop off our luggage at the hotel and then reach the starting point of the hike. It was a quick ride and we were at the starting point of the hike. Btw, one of the fun things I've started doing with my daughter on the roads is to see the vehicle plates and find the country and somehow most vehicles at the parking of Ninglinspo hike were from the Netherlands, even more than Belgium!

Blue Trail (No:21) at Ninglinspo: A board here, at the parking, clearly shows the various trails that can be done at Ninglinspo. We chose the Route 21, the blue route, which is about 6.5km. All the trails are color coded and way marked, so it gets super easy to get around without any GPS. 

Our hike started in a simple way, walking beside a stream. We also had to cross a couple of small streams and here were also wooden bridges, in case water level rises. The trail was beautiful with rocks & roots; trees covered with moss; sounds of birds & running water everywhere; it was awesome. Soon, we started to come across little waterfalls made by those streams. And then, a wee-bit trickier parts began. There was a very slanted rock, above 40-50° slanting, and there was a rope in place, to help cross that and very soon, we were overhead a small waterfalls! It was quite amusing for Atyudarini to see a waterfalls from the top as it was her first time seeing that! The path further continued, but now there was a fence between the trail and the stream. It was almost lunch time by then and we stopped at a bench across the stream and had our packed picnic. There were kids trying to catch some fishes and collecting stones. We also spotted a group who were trying to record the sounds of nature up & close with microphones close to the sources, like very close to the streams/waterfalls, or on the trees, etc. 

Soon we were at the one of the important stops of our hike - Bain du Cerf (trans. Deer Bath). While you cannot compare Ninglinspo with typical, high waterfalls, this was stunning for what it was, a small waterfalls that flows into a pool to swim in. Here too, there were ropes to help go down & climb up the slopes. The weather wasn't great to go swimming, so we didn't!

A very short walk later, we were at Bain de Diane (trans. Diane's Bath) and that's where the route takes a turn and you start walking back towards the starting point, but in a different route. However, there were still some more upward slopes to be climbed, and as other places, there were ropes in place to aid the climbing. Then, very soon, the route got very flat and we were away from the river, which quickly got a bit boring for Atyudarini. Then, we were are the final important point of this trail - Point du vue Drouet (trans. Drouet Point of View). The view was absolutely gorgeous. We did this trail in the beginning of autumn and to see the slowly changing colors of the trees from high above, it was awesome - some trees were green and some had just started getting yellow and a few were yellow. I believe going here in the depth of autumn would lend a phenomenal view. 

Bus from Ninglinspo: After a bit of walk from Point du Vue Drouet, we were at a point that said to turn left for Fond du Quarreux and right for parking (where we started).

Here's the thing - if you are going to take the public transport to return, it is probably better/wiser for you to turn left, have a look at Fond du Quarreux, and then take the bus from Fond du Quarreux bus stop. Unfortunately, I didn't know that we could reach the bus stop from this route, so I took right and got back to the same bus stop, our starting point. That said, from this point, the Fond du Quarreux is a bit longer than the route to staring point, making the hike about 7km; and also, this part of the trail is not way-marked, so you'll probably have to rely on your GPS and I'm personally unaware of how the trail looks like. 

Btw, an unusual thing happened when I was returning - the bus stop was filled with multicultural, multiracial, multi-ethnic people and it didn't look like all were hikers or tourists and it was a bit surprising! Well, that's when I realized that, just opposite to the hike's starting point is the Red Cross Reception Center of Nonceveux Amblève which runs the Refugee Center of Amblève! 

Ninglinspo tickets: €0

Ninglinspo timings: 24x7

Where is Ninglinspo (on Google Maps): Balade de Ninglinspo

How to reach Ninglinspo? Best way to reach here is by your own car. By public transport, take LeTEC Bus Route 142 from Gare Aywaille to Nonceveux Ninglinspo. More info and detailed itinerary below.

Ninglinspo season: Check the official website of Aywaille to see if there are any official closures. There are times the town gets closed to day-trippers to avoid overcrowding during some holidays. Also, when the hunting season is on, the hiking path alone gets closed.

Mostly used hiking path: Way-marked Blue route via Route You 

Deviated Route I wanted to try: Ninglingspo by Bus via Komoot (While most of the hike would be the same as the Blue Route, the last bit, after Point du Vue Drouet, you turn left and head to Fond du Quarreux bus stop and get the bus from there).

GROTTES DE REMOUCHAMPS 

Longest boating inside a cave!

Entry to Grottes de Remouchamps: After hiking Ninglinspo, we got back to the hotel and retired for the day. The next day, we headed out just opposite to the hotel, to Grotte Remouchamps. I've been wanting to go here since ages. Why? Well, this is one of the few places around the world where you can go on a boat inside an underground cave and infact the largest one!!!

Entry to the cave is timed every hour and we had booked as soon as it opens. Then the actual entry to every group is once in 5 minutes or so, so people are well spread out across the cave and not all crowded in 1 chamber together. The tour is self-guided, so you just help yourself and walk around. The path is clear and there's no chance to get lost.

History of Grottes de Remouchamps: Grottes de Remouchamps has been a busy cave ever since pre-historic times. Ten thousand years ago, at the end of the Ice Age, prehistoric hunters lived in this cave. During the Middle Ages, Remochamps was a Portuary village (a village where religious works were being done) and the caves were its wine cellar! Much later, in 1828, the complete cave network was discovered by Prof. Willmart of the University of Liege. Then, during WW॥ it was used as a shelter by the people of the region. 

Geography & Geology of Grottes de Remouchamps: To understand how awesome Grotte de Remouchamps is, it is necessary to understand the georgraphy of it. First of all, what is Karst? Karst is the geomorphological structure (changes made in geology by water!) - If a shape of any landscape, esp with water-soluble rocks like carbonates or limestones, is changed constantly by the action of water on it, that's Karst Phenonmenon. 

The tributary of river Ambleve, called Rubicon, comes from the Chantoirs valley, Near Deigné (where Monde Sauvage is located), it goes underground and reappears only a few meters before its confluence with the Amblève. When I say 'goes underground', it is actually the action of the force of the flowing water, that creates the passage to go underground! Today, it is this underground flowing river is what we get to see inside Grottes de Remouchamps. Even though, it is 'underground' it is technically at the same level as the town around it, just that it is under a tiny hill that's about 100m tall! 

If you're an Indian reading this, here's something to think about - It is suspected by scientists that river Saraswathi maybe flowing underground like this, today! 

Chambers of Grottes de Remouchamps: We are the 3 or 4 to enter the cave in our timeslot. There were dolls of witches, thanks to my visit in the spooky month of October! The self-guided tour begins in the upper gallery on foot. That's why you climb several stairs, to the top of the hill, to reach the entrance of the caves. This walking tour is for 700m to each the other end of the cave; from there, there's a boat(!) to reach back to the entrance! 

As soon as we entered, there was a wagon inside which was probably the mode of luggage transfer in the middle ages & during WWII. Soon, we were walking deep into the caves through the Gallery of Precipice, where, we were spotting very many stalactites, stalagmites, pillars and draperies. This is an 80m long gallery which served as a home to the locals during the wars. 

Personally for me, the draperies are where the beauty is. The stalactites & stalagmites are formed when it rains of the surface and the water seeps in the ground and through the roof of the cave carrying limestone particles which become limestone deposits here making the formations. It the water gets evaporated, depositing the limestone particles at the ceiling it forms a stalactite and if it drips down and flows away/evaporates, leaving the limestone deposit on the ground it forms the stalagmites. As they grow & meet, they form the pillars. It takes a century for the stalactites & stalagmites to grow just 8 cu.cm. So.... don't touch it; don't break it!!!

At the end of this gallery, you start seeing the magic - the river Rubicon flowing underneath, reflecting the cave in it! You also get see some 'parked boats' here! You climb down the stairs & walk across Rubicon, on the passage and walk over to the other side, at an elevation and soon we were in the next gallery - The Labyrinth. What you see there in front of you are 3 tunnels in 3 different altitudes and the Rubicon river flowing beside you in a lower altitude. Well, those 3 are the 3 different paths taken by the river Rubicon over several millenia! First, the river flowed in the highest altitude, and then slowly and steadily, it started creating channels at a lower altitude, and in course of time, the lower altitude channel became the main channel.... and then it all repeated again, and again, and now we the river at this current altitude! The lighting effect in these 3 tunnels is really good and it really helped to visualize how crazy this phenomenon is! 

Further ahead, we were in the next gallery which is the Gallery of the Great Drapery or the Elephant Gallery which has a 7m tall stalagmite that resembles a family of Elephants in 1 angle (like the baby in front of mommy who is in front of daddy elephant)! This particular stalagmite is more than 700,000 years old!!! This is perhaps the most magnificent Stalagmite formation that I've ever seen! 

The next is the Virgin Mary Gallery where one of the stalagmites resemble a Virgin Mary with Baby Jesus! That said, this gallery also where you can see prehistoric fossils of molluscs like organisms embedded on the cave wall! These could be as old as 360 million years! Apart from these, fossils of corals & sea sponges have also been found inside this cave. The draperies in this gallery were also mind-blowing; I mean, really, some of those look like fabric!!!

Other natural caves to visit in Belgium - Grottes de Han, Grottes de Hotton, Grottes de Rochefort, Grottes de Merveilleux (Dinant), Grottes de Remioul (Prehistomuseum).

The next is the grand gallery which is 22m tall. This is wide & large room, the biggest in this cave. At this point we are 80m below the hilltop. Technically the lowest point underground, but still, at the same level as the town around it, just under the highest point of the hill! At this point there are also little 'pools' formed by the river when it gets bulged! It was quite fascinating, and perhaps the first time I was seeing stalagmites forming 'draperies'! Rubicon formed this, when overflowing!!! 

This is the point which has a spiral staircase with 82 steps to climb. This was setup in 1912. Again, here the geology is quite interesting - without the spiral staircase it would be have been one vertical climb, on a vertical rock face followed by a 60° slanted rockface - impossible! That said, if you don't feel like climbing this staircase, it is possible to wrap up the tour here and get the boat to return from this point. 

Thanks to the staircase, it is possible to see the tallest gallery in this cave - called the Cathedral. The height of it is a whopping 40m with several several stalactites from high above on the ceiling. The stalactites & stalagmites make quite some formations here and it is called Cathedral for a reason - the formations on your right & left resemble Nativity Scene and the musical Organ! A gentle climb down, brought us to the 'boat jetty'! I mean, how often do you see a 'boat jetty' under ground, inside a cave?!!! From here we took the boat back to the entrance and it's first stop was to pickup the people near the spiral staircase and then we went on. The boatsman now started giving all information as he navigated us through the waterway. Yes, the level of water, just like the rivers outside, bulges & shrinks time to time, as per the weather. So, yes, a heavy rain can cause river Rubicon to completely bulge and fill the cave so much that it is in impossible to go boating; and in those times, ofcourse, the cave is shut to the public. He also explained that at some places, the cave is not just limestone, but also oil shale.  As we went through the water, we spotted 'the Palm Tree' - well, it's a huge column, formed by the stalactite & stalagmite meeting each other and forming a big pillar like structure that resembles a palm tree. 

It is so unique in so many ways - I'm going on a boat inside a cave in an underground river and I'm seeing a palm tree sized column made by the stalactites & stalagmites, in the middle of that river!!!

Grottes de Remouchamps Tickets: €19 for adults; €13 for kids 

How to reserve Grottes de Remouchamps Tickets: Buy time-slot ticket online in the official site of Grottes de Remouchamps

Grottes de Remouchamps Timings: 9:30AM to 6:00PM all days except Winter. Check their website for winter closure periods

Where is Grottes de Remouchamps (on Google Maps): Les Grottes de Remouchamps

How to reach Grottes de Remouchamps: Best way to reach here is by your own car. By public transport, take LeTEC Bus Route 142 from Gare Aywaille to Grotte Remouchamps. More info and detailed itinerary below.

Tips for visiting Grottes de Remouchamps: Wear sturdy shoes - the floor is uneven and can also skip when its wet. Choose to visit in a non-rainy season - the caves are closed when the river bulges.

MONDE-SAUVAGE Wildlife Safari Park

Very close to Grotte de Remouchamps, just 4km away, is Monde Sauvage Wildlife Safari Park. Infact, Grottes de Remouchamps is being managed by Monde-Sauvage Wildlife Safari. Like a typical safari, you can go explore the park with your own car or in their little toy train or on foot. Animals from all around the world, from Lions, Hippos, Zebras, Giraffes, Camel & many more are here, in an open space enclosures. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to go here yet. If I do, I'll update you here. 

HOTEL BONHOMME 

Best hotel in Aywaille & Oldest Hotel in Belgium!

There are 2 major hotels to stay in Aywaille region close to Remouchamps & Ninglinspo. One is R Hotel Experiences & Hotel Bonhomme and we stayed at Hotel Bonhomme.

The best thing about Hotel Bonhomme is its location; it's just across the street from Grottes de Remouchamps, on the main road, in the central junction of Aywaille. The hotel was awesome with very comfortable rooms & an amazing restaurant. The rooms are truly historic with its timber frames, vintage furnishings that were truly charming. That said, all the facilities & amenities were very modern and comfortable.

Hotel Bonhomme has been welcoming visitors since 1768 and it has been the family business for 8 generations! It has been an Inn ever since 1768 and has welcomed some VVIP King Albert I of Belgium, the Count and Countess of Paris etc! So with that comes the tricky part when we came to the restaurant downstairs to eat - packing for a hike & a cave visit, we were not even near rightly-dressed for a gastronomic restaurant of this sort! So yes, here's the tip - pack something nice to wear to this restaurant! 

There's a wall in the reception showing all the historic photos of the hotel. That also means that the hotel survived the 2 world wars! From the window view of my room I could see the 2 Remouchamps Viaducts. One is the brand-new motorway, an engineering marvel, that's almost 1km long and 80m above the river! The other is the historic railway bridge which was originally built in 1883. However, it was blown-up twice during WWII and was rebuilt in the same way in 1947-48 and it looks absolutely charming. It is quite something to see the 2 bridges, one in front of another...

NINGLINSPO & GROTTES DE REMOUCHAMPS ITINERARY

Day trip to Ninglingspo Itinerary by train:

7:00 to 8:39 (or) 9:00 to 10:39 - SNCB-NMBS Train from Brussels Central to Gare Aywaille via Liege Guillemins

Wait!

9:52 to 10:16 (or) 11:52 to 12:16 - LeTEC Bus Route 142 from Gare Aywaille to Nonceveux Ninglinspo. Schedule of LeTEC Bus Route 142 via LeTEC Official Website.

Hike Ninglinspo for 4 or 6 hours depending on the bus timings you choose. 

14:42 to 15:00 (or) 16:42 to 17:00 - LeTEC Bus Route 142 from Nonceveux Ninglinspo to Gare Aywaille (16:42 is the last bus, don't miss it!).

15:23 to 16:55 (or) 17:23 to 18:55 - SNCB-NMBS Train from Gare Aywaille to Brussels Central via Liege Guillemins

Day trip to Grottes de Remouchamps Cave Itinerary by train:

Exactly same as above but get off the bus at Grottes Remouchamps.

1-day cramped trip to Ningslinspo & Grottes de Remouchamps Itinerary on a Saturday:

17:23 to 18:55 - SNCB-NMBS Train from Gare Aywaille to Brussels Central via Liege Guillemins

2-day trip to Ningslinspo & Grottes de Remouchamps (+ Monde Sauvage) Itinerary on a Weekend: