Djurs Sommerland’s Camino del Sol, which opened in 2025 within the park’s Mexican-themed land, is an adventure trail with an immersive jungle theme, inviting guests to explore more than 500 metres of bridges, temple ruins, waterfalls and canyons.
Created as a non-powered, active attraction, Camino del Sol features various hidden surprises, including interactive elements, unexpected encounters, and secret pathways, encouraging visitors to repeat the experience. These surprises, combined with the artfully constructed structures surrounding the park’s new drop tower, create a wow effect that keeps guests coming back for more.
Since its launch, it has quickly become one of the park’s most popular attractions, showing that a thoughtfully designed adventure experience can be a match for coasters and water rides.
We speak with Henrik B. Nielsen, CEO of Djurs Sommerland, about why the park wanted to add an adventure trail and what it offers guests. We also talk to Greenspan Projects Ltd., experts in theme park design and build, and Leisure Expert Group, a leading experience design company, about what it took to bring this vision to life.
Active entertainment
The new attraction, says Nielsen, is a way of connecting with the park’s roots:
“Our park, back when it was founded in 1981, was an activity-based attraction. You had to be active yourself to get entertained. We had trampolines, canoes, rolling boats—all these things where you had to move to enjoy them.
“However, during the 80s and 90s, the people in charge began to realise that while such activities were popular, it was challenging to find options with sufficient capacity, something people would love to do repeatedly.
“So, when we started talking about doing an adventure trail, we were really excited about that idea. First of all, it’s activity-based, and it fits right into the theme of our Mexican area. It’s something families can do together. That was essentially why we pursued the idea. It directly ties back to the original concept from the 80s: being active yourself.
“It’s part of the DNA of our park. We would love to offer something where you truly have to be active to be entertained.”
A popular experience
Camino del Sol has been added to the park’s Mexicoland as part of a larger expansion. Last year, Djurs Sommerland added a drop tower to the centre of that area. The team then wanted to build an adventure trail around it, making it part of the overall experience.
“With the adventure trail, you start by entering a maze filled with different experiences,” says Nielsen, talking about what visitors can expect. “There are many different routes you can take through it. Then, when you exit the maze, you enter the jungle. This has a lot of climbing and a lot of surprises waiting for you along the way.”
Initially, it was designed to be around a 12- to 15-minute experience. However, he adds: “Surprisingly, it’s become more of a 15- to 20-minute experience. People go on this adventure—it involves them with hidden doors, traps, everything. It’s proven to be a huge success.”
This longer experience hasn’t impacted capacity either:
“In fact, capacity is even higher than we expected, and it’s more popular than we imagined. Right now, it’s one of the most popular rides and activities in the park.
“What’s also great to see is that when guests go in the first time, it’s often as a family. And when they exit, the kids often want to go again, because there are so many different routes and things they didn’t get to try the first time. That tells us this is something special. Some even prefer to go on this more than the coasters!”
Camino del Sol
The first area has a lively fiesta feel. The air is filled with the beats of traditional music as smoke machines swirl around balance bridges. This creates a dynamic and festive vibe that sets the tone for the journey ahead.
Guests then enter the temple maze. Spider projections crawl across temple walls, air jets mimic the sensation of blowpipe darts, and an atmospheric soundtrack brings the experience to life. Here, they navigate through tunnels, slides, a water pit, and bubbling lava.
Next, there is a chance to cool down in the water parkour challenge, with a towering waterfall, water jets, and a viewpoint over the temple, before visitors cross the ‘broken bridge’ to reach the Ofrenda Building, where they step into a world of colour and tradition.
On a hidden trigger, the atmosphere transforms. The room is bathed in UV light, and Day of the Dead skulls and images emerge from the darkness, creating a dramatic and emotional spectacle.
Finally, the jungle walk challenges guests to climb, scramble, and explore across bridges, nets, ropes, and drop towers.
Djurs Sommerland and Leisure Expert Group
Djurs Sommerland has been collaborating with the Leisure Expert Group for over a decade. It was through this partnership that the idea for an adventure trail was conceived. Leisure Expert Group developed the concept, and then Greenspan Projects was brought on board to help bring that vision to life.
“Djurs Sommerland approached us with a clear question: how could the Mexico area be expanded in the best possible way? Their goal was to create a better balance within the area by adding an adventurous trail for children and families,” says Leisure Expert Group.
“Our original concept was approved right away, which was a great confirmation of our vision. We began by gathering inspiration and then presented a detailed plan for the expansion. A key element of our proposal was the adventure trail. We designed it to be both exciting and adventurous, especially for children, while still enjoyable for the whole family.”
Bringing Greenspan on board
Speaking about how Greenspan joined the project, Leisure Expert Group adds:
“From the start, Greenspan indicated that this would be a key project for them. They were very committed to treating this project with their highest attention and full dedication.
“Further, they showed that they understood the conceptual ideas of Leisure Expert Group for this attraction very well.
“Also, they proposed to add a lot of the theming and construction works in their scope, limiting the amount of other parties involved during realisation, which saves coordination efforts and often makes a better result.”
Leisure Expert Group presented and clarified their conceptual ideas to Greenspan. Based on this concept, Greenspan proceeded with the design work, with some art direction from the Leisure Expert Group team to ensure that the original design intent was met in the final design.
“We first met with Greenspan at the IAAPA show in Orlando two years ago, and that’s where we saw some of the projects they had done elsewhere,” says Nielsen. “So, when we began designing and developing the initial concept for the adventure trail, we reached out to Greenspan.
“We had an excellent first impression. They took our ideas and our early design and turned them into a nice experience.”
Peter Lishman, creative designer at Greenspan, says:
“Djurs Sommerland supplied us with an exciting brief that had been put together in collaboration with Leisure Expert Group. They gave us the preferred route and suggested themes along with a narrative that tied into the park.
“We were asked to bring these ideas to life and expand on them. So, we endeavoured to enrich them with a sense of adventure and wonderment while utilising our understanding of interactive play and theming.”
See also: Adventure Park: Fun for all at City of Dreams Mediterranean
Making the Camino del Sol vision a reality
The first key point of inspiration came from Djurs Sommerland, adds Lishman. The park had just finished installing its new drop tower, which revolved around the theme of ‘Day of the Dead’.
“We needed to make sure we merged seamlessly into their existing area of Mexicoland. The maze and temple ruins were inspired by Mayan and Aztec temples, with references to the feathered serpent God within the water parkour.
“We looked at combining what would typically be seen in a funhouse or haunted mansion with the lost explorer narrative. This led to being able to create truly unique visitor experiences.”
One of the pivotal design changes during the design process was the maze. It was initially quite linear and played a smaller part in the overall adventure trail. “We collectively decided to put forward a bigger scheme with secret doorways, multiple routes, water parkour and a pulley bridge to make it a more immersive experience,” says Andy Stephenson, commercial manager at Greenspan.
Nielsen adds that the team was impressed by Greenspan’s ability to truly understand the idea, as well as their creativity and their approach to quality. “Of course, safety is the most important factor for everyone. But beyond that, their understanding of the level of detail and the quality of the experience stood out.
“They were on the same page as us from the beginning, and that was incredibly important.
“It’s been a great experience working together. This has been a huge project, both for Greenspan and for us. We’ve ended up with something that’s proven to be a huge success.”
Collaboration is key
Greenspan designed the experience to reflect Djurs Sommerland’s specific requests, as well as the Danish climate. Specialist materials were selected for their durability and suitability for Denmark’s weather conditions, ensuring the attraction remains safe and enjoyable throughout the year.
“Additionally, the adventure trail offers different routes to accommodate a range of abilities, ensuring everyone – from young children to thrill-seekers – can enjoy the key elements of the experience,” says Stephenson.
This flexibility means every visitor can challenge themselves at their own level while feeling part of the overall adventure.
Reflecting on the partnership, he adds:
“The project would not have been achieved to the standard delivered without the close collaboration and cooperation between Greenspan and Djurs Sommerland. The seamless communication, shared knowledge, and determination from both teams were crucial to the successful delivery of the project.
“It was this strong partnership that allowed us to overcome challenges, stay aligned with the vision, and ultimately create an outstanding experience for visitors.”
Throughout, all of the teams shared a high level of excitement for the vision:
“This fuelled us to want to push the boundaries of the design to create the best experience possible,” says Lishman. There was also shared commitment between Djurs Sommerland and Greenspan to a structured design and build process, says Stephenson:
“Design coordination and approvals were carefully aligned with key milestone dates, ensuring that construction could proceed on schedule, allowing attractions and theming works to follow seamlessly. This disciplined approach was essential in maintaining the programme and taught us valuable lessons for future projects.
“Additionally, the dedication of the key delivery personnel, who consistently went above and beyond, was instrumental in driving progress. Their commitment ensured that challenges were addressed proactively and that the project moved forward as efficiently as possible.”
Rising to the challenge to create Camino del Sol
One of the most significant hurdles was the installation, testing, and certification of the high-speed rollercoaster that runs through part of the adventure trail. This added considerable complexity and pressure to the project. Particularly in terms of access and flexibility for the team working in the area.
“To manage this, we worked closely with Djurs Sommerland to develop a coordinated schedule, carefully balancing rollercoaster testing and operational requirements with safe working access,” says Stephenson.
“For the rollercoaster to run, key safety conditions had to be met. For instance, ensuring exits were clear and fencing was secure. This required meticulous, hour-by-hour coordination between both teams to ensure safety and maintain progress without compromising the project’s timeline.”
Timing was also a challenge, adds Nielsen:
“It was a big project on a very tight schedule, with a tight deadline. Because the adventure trail is located right in the centre of our Mexican-themed area, we weren’t able to start any work on it until the 2024 season had ended. So, from the very first day after we closed for the season last year, we’ve been working on this project every day, together with Greenspan.
“We managed to get it ready in time for opening, with only a few minor details left to finalise afterwards. Now it’s there, and we’re delighted with the result.”
A sustainable approach
All parties take their impact on the environment seriously. From Greenspan’s perspective, Lishman says:
“Our ultimate aim is to reduce all negative impacts on the environment and enhance, where possible, on all our projects, including on Camino del Sol.”
Throughout the project, the team utilised local suppliers and resources, aiming to source as many products as possible from sustainable or recycled materials.
“For the majority of timber structural elements throughout the design, we ensured we used our preferred timber, Robinia. Not only is it a sustainable hardwood sourced responsibly, but it also has a beautiful natural curvature that enhances the theming.”
“When we talk about sustainability in this project, we were thinking more about going back to the roots, where guests are active themselves,” adds Nielsen. “This is a non-energy-consuming experience.
“Of course, sustainability has been something we’ve looked at along the way. When choosing materials, Greenspan, like everyone else in the industry today, considers what the best materials are for the purpose and also takes sustainability into account. But with an activity like this, sustainability doesn’t necessarily play as significant a role as it would with rides or energy-consuming experiences.
“For us, there’s also a kind of sustainability in the fact that guests are using their own energy to be entertained. That, in itself, is part of the sustainability story here.”
Another exciting experience for Djurs Sommerland
Now that Camino del Sol is open and families are enjoying the experience, Leisure Expert Group reflects on the project, saying:
“We are thrilled with the result. It marks another phase in the completion of an entire themed zone of the park.
“As the greenery and landscaping will continue to grow and eventually finish the look and feel of the area, we are very proud that we have been part of the development of another exciting experience for the Djurs Sommerland family and we hope the guest will enjoy this next level of attraction value in the park.”
The way the project was executed in two phases brought a new layer of quality to the land, adds the firm.
“The addition of the adventure trail brought new life and reconnected existing areas and experiences in Mexicoland. This ties it all into one cohesive and themed area.
“The unique adventure trail experience opens new perspectives. It adds engaging value on multiple levels, like puzzling through an immersive experience, enjoying an impressive view over a colourful queue line, and an eye-to-eye encounter with the existing coaster Juvelen, re-energising the rider of this motorbike coaster with new near-miss elements.”
Visitors enjoy Camino del Sol
The park is also happy with the result, adds Nielsen, as are the visitors:
“When you go to the site and just look at it, it’s very impressive. The adventure trail is over 500 meters long, so the span is huge. The buildings are massive; some of the towers go up more than 11 or 12 meters into the air. Visually, it makes a significant impact. That first impression gives guests a ‘wow’ experience.”
“And then, when you go to the exit of the adventure trail, you can see it on people’s faces. They come out red-faced because they’ve used a lot of energy getting through the last part of the experience. But then again, the families are smiling, the kids run off to take another round—they’re very enthusiastic.
“That’s a great way to get immediate feedback, just by observing the visitors.”
The park also collects feedback more formally, with guest surveys:
“It’s clear that people are thrilled with the new Camino del Sol experience.
“That is the most satisfying part, seeing people enjoy it. It demonstrates that for a park like ours, it’s not all about big water rides, coasters, or carousels. If you have the right idea, a big playground or an adventure trail like this one can be just as popular.”
