Country of Tulips

This tour is a step above the rest – with unique cultural experiences and fine dining and lodging.Local tulip historian Herman van Amsterdam joins us for an afternoon, giving you the chance to ask all your questions about tulips – and Dutch life! A visit to a local tulip farm, tasting the delectable dutch “stroopwafel,” and enjoying a traditional Indonesian “rice table”, are some of many special touches that make this tour a cultural experience like no other. You also get two guides, a group size limited to fourteen, and a support van in case you get tired. Along the way, you’ll visit the captivating, visually stunning Keukenhof Garden, where many new and exotic bulbs are on display; the historic cities of Delft, Leiden and The Hague; and the uniquely-Dutch, rural polder landscape with many windmills, lakes, lambs, charming unspoiled villages, and beautiful sand dunes. You’ll stay at three wonderful 3- and 4-star hotels (the first on the ocean, close to blooming fields of daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips; the second in the historic center of Delft; the last on a picturesque lake). After finishing pleasurable days of biking along safe, flat bicycle paths and small roads, you’ll enjoy four superb dinners of three or four-courses (the Dutch really know how to cook!). This tour is led personally by Denise so you’ll be traveling with a guide who really knows the local area and can give you the best service VGT has to offer!

Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full

2024

EARLY BOOKING OFFER:    

On the double and single rooms we give a 
$200 discount per person  (expires June 30, 2023)

Prices are per person in US Dollars

Terms and Conditions

DAY 1 – Noordwijk warmup – 5-10 miles (8-16 km)
We’ll meet at 11 a.m. in the arrival hall of the central station in Leiden, a short train ride from Amsterdam. After lunch and a brief orientation meeting we’ll stroll through Leiden’s beautiful city center. We’ll “follow in the footsteps of Rembrandt” and visit St. Peters Church, where the American forefathers (The Pilgrims) prayed, before they departed to Delftshaven where they sailed on to Plymouth in Massachusetts. In the late afternoon we’ll transfer to our charming, four-star hotel in Noordwijkerhout, close to Holland’s famous tulip fields and bordering beautiful dunes. After fitting your bike, we’ll take an optional warm-up ride through the glorious tulip fields just inland from our hotel near the sand dunes. Tonight you’ll hear about the program for the next day and the routine for the rest of the week while enjoying your first scrumptious Dutch dinner in our hotel restaurant.

DAY 2 – Noordwijk – Keukenhof – Noordwijk – 25 miles (41 km)
In the morning we’ll beat the crowds as we make an early visit to the Keukenhof, the world’s most spectacular flower garden with over 6 million bulbs, fantastically arranged amid fascinating outdoor sculptures, ponds, and fountains. Originally this was the 15th century kitchen garden of the Countess Jacoba van Beieren. You’ll certainly want to photograph this sensational display of color. After our Keukenhof visit, we’ll cycle north to Vogelenzang, stopping in one of the many tulip fields to take a group photo. After lunch, Herman van Amsterdam, a historian, writer, tulip expert, and local resident for over 30 years, will join us. He’ll bike with us for the afternoon, sharing the history of the tulip fields and the process of planting and harvesting bulbs. He’ll be able to answer many of the questions you might have about the local tulip industry. We’ll travel through the prosperous villages here, where we’ll admire private gardens in bloom and, of course, more tulip fields! Dinner is on your own tonight.

DAY 3 – Noordwijk – The Hague – Delft – 23 miles (37 km)
We’ll say goodbye to the tulip fields and depart Noordwijk, taking a bike path through more of Holland’s most lovely sand dunes (rolling hills!). We’ll pass through Katwijk, a lovely former fishing village, and continue on to the Wassenaarse Slag. Here we’ll leave the dunes and cycle past the elegant estates of Wassenaar. We’ll follow a winding bike path through lovely woods and finally arrive in front of King Willem Alexander’s private mansion. From here, we’ll bike on to the center of the Hague, where we’ll admire many handsome buildings of the Dutch Government and the official palace of the king. We’ll have a hearty Dutch pancake lunch before biking the twelve-kilometer distance from the Hague to Delft, where we’ll be staying right in the center of town. Our dinner tonight will be the famous Indonesian “rijstafel” which features a large assortment of dishes presented on warming plates right on our table. It’s a true feast and everyone always enjoys this night! After dinner we’ll go on a short orientation tour of Delft so you can imagine what you’d like to do on your own the following morning.

DAY 4 – Delft Roundtrip – 20 miles (optional ride) (32 km)
In the morning we take a canal boat with local Guide. After the tour the skipper will drop us at the Royal Blue Delft. A Delft pottery factory where the world-renowned “Delft Blue” china is created. In the afternoon you’ll be free to visit the historic center of Delft by foot. You might like to visit the New Church (completed in 1380) where William of Orange is buried, or climb the steps to the bell tower where you’ll have a wonderful view over the red tiled roofs of Delft. You can also browse the town’s numerous shops and boutiques. For lunch, if you’re brave enough, you could try the famous “new herring” at a six-hundred-year-old fish stand near the magnificent town hall. Or you could join us for an optional bike ride through charming Dutch countryside to Schipluiden, a quaint little village southwest of Delft, and then continue on to the Nieuwe Waterweg. This is the major connection between Rotterdam, the world’s number one harbor, and the North Sea. From the terrace of a Waterweg restaurant you’ll have a marvelous view on a parade of barges, riverboats, and huge ocean cargo ships. Dinner will be on your own tonight in one of Delft’s many fine restaurants.

DAY 5 – Delft – Noorden – 36 miles (58 km)
Our longest biking day will take us through the Westland, a fertile area full of greenhouses where the delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers that Holland is famous for are grown. We’ll continue through this abundant green area of Holland along the tiny River Rotte, which has recently become a nature and wildlife reservation. On our way we’ll cruise by classic windmills and many cows, sheep, and lambs grazing peacefully. Later we’ll cycle through the “mecca of the shrub growing industry” and arrive in our private hotel, with a well-known gourmet restaurant, beautifully situated on an idyllic lake in Noorden.

DAY 6 – Noorden Round Trip – 28 miles (45 km)
Today we’ll follow the bucolic Jaagpad route through the surroundings of Noorden that the Dutch call the “Green Heart of Holland” and enjoy some of the best biking in the Netherlands. We’ll follow a curvy, picturesque peat river, the Meije, a photographer’s paradise with small farms and wildflower meadows all along its banks. We’ll be biking along typical Dutch canals, passing by large polders and beautiful lakes. Dutch farmers, who dug the peat to burn as fuel centuries ago, artificially created these lakes. We’ll stop for lunch and toast your Dutch biking accomplishments with a good Heineken or, we have to admit, a very superb Belgian Palm Beer! If you don’t need the time to pack for your trip home, you might rent a quiet electro boat this afternoon and visit the conservation area on the other side of the lake, which is also a bird and wildflower preserve, unique in all of Holland. Our farewell dinner will be in the candlelit restaurant of our hotel, where the food is lovingly prepared and beautifully presented especially for this occasion.

DAY 7 – Saturday: Tour Ends
We will arrange multiple transfers to Schiphol Airport for your flight home or the next leg of your European vacation. We recommend getting a flight that leaves after 11 a.m., however, if you need to schedule an earlier flight that’s okay and we will arrange an appropriate transfer for you.

Included

• 6 nights’ lodging in three- and four-star hotels with private facilities
• Visit the Keukenhof Gardens
• 4 dinners, 5 lunches, coffee breaks, and daily breakfast
• 24-speed bicycle
• Entrance to the Keukenhof
• 2-hour bike ride with Tulip Expert
• Outstanding, personalized leadership from VGT’s owner & local Dutch guide
• Support van
• Daily route directions
• Baggage handling
• All taxes and gratuities for the hotel and restaurant portions of the tour

Bikes

24-speed hybrid Trek bikes are included on the tour. Bicycles come equipped with: grip shifters, handlebar bag, bell, cage, and water bottle. We have everything you’ll need in the van to make your biking experience more comfortable, including toe cages (no clips for clip in shoes), rear view mirrors, and rear panniers. It’s also possible to replace our pedals with your own “clip in” pedals. Helmets are not included so please bring a helmet! We do have a few helmets available for rent for $20 for the week. If you wish to rent one, please let us know ahead of time.

To rent an e-bike is also possible for $150. We advise you only to rent an electric bike if you have first tried one at home. They’re heavier than regular bikes and therefore can be difficult to maneuver.

Meals

Included in the tour price you’ll receive daily buffet breakfast, 4 lunches, coffee breaks and 4 dinners. For the buffet breakfasts there’s an assortment of cold meats and cheeses, eggs, bread, jams, cereal, yogurt, fruit, coffee, and tea. For lunches we’ll stop together at restaurants that feature local ingredients and typical Dutch menus. Since we’re a group of up to 16 people (with guides), there will generally be a limited menu of 4-6 options. We hand pick the choices and people have always found something they’re happy with. On Wednesday you’ll have a free morning and afternoon, so you can find lunch at one of the many restaurants in Delft. For our coffee breaks, you’ll have your choice of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, juice, or soda. If you need an extra pick-me-up you can always order some famous Dutch apple pie! Dinners are three- or four-courses with either a set menu or a choice of two options. The first night in Delft we eat Indonesian “rijstafel,” which is a large assortment of dishes. On this night dessert is not included. On two nights, dinner will be on your own, and you can choose one of many delicious restaurant options within easy walking distance from our hotel. We can accommodate many types of dietary restrictions including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy free. Please indicate these requests at the time of booking.

Not Included

• Airfare
• Gratuities for guides (optional)
• Alcoholic and bar beverages at dinner
• Two dinners
• one lunch

We stay for two nights each in 3 hotels. In Noordwijk, we usually book Villa de Duinen, but when it is not available we book Hotel De Witte Raaf. In Noordwijk you will have the option to walk to the North sea after our second day of biking. It is an easy walk in the dunes. In Delft we stay right in the heart of the city, giving you easy access to all that Delft has to offer. In Noorden, we stay at a very small hotel located on a lake that is better know for their cuisine; people come from Amsterdam just to eat here! All accommodations include a healthy buffet breakfast.

Villa de Duinen
Villa de Duinen looks out over the seaside town of Noordwijk and is a five minute walk from the boulevard and beach. After a day of bike riding you might like to dip your feet in the sea. There are many shops and restaurants within easy walking distance of the hotel. Rooms are equipped with 5-star box-spring beds, a private bathroom, flat-screen TV with cable channels, telephone, mini-bar, safe and free Wi-Fi. 

Hotel Arsenaal
In the middle of the historic center of Delft, you will find our new modern hotel in the old Arsenal. The Dutch family Westers also owns famous Hotel New York in Rotterdam. The hotel is located right in the heart of the city, so it is very easy to walk to all of the things that you might like to visit in the quaint town of Delft.

Hotel de Watergues
Our last hotel rests right on the Nieuwkoopse Plassen lake. This hotel only has 14 rooms, with smaller rooms in the front facing out to the lake, and larger rooms on the side looking over a small canal. We will eat together both nights in the hotel restaurant which is known far and wide for their wonderful cuisine. The dining rooms are overlooking the lake, and if the weather is warm enough, it is very nice to sit on the terrace with a beer or glass of wine and admire the view.

De Witte Raaf
This is the alternative hotel for Noordwijk, if we cannot secure the Hogerhuys. Hotel-Restaurant De Witte Raaf lies on the outskirts of the lively seaside town of Noordwijk. After a day of bike riding , you might like to walk through the one kilometer of beautiful dunes to walk in the sand. This hotel has great outdoor seating and when we stay here two dinners in the hotel restaurant are included.

WiFi
WiFi is available in hotels.

This tour was a marvelous blend of historical and contemporary activities. We were impressed with Holland’s commitment to cycling and how accommodating the people are to bikes. A large variety of attractions and environments are available on reasonably distanced bike rides. Each day brought new sites and experiences, including Holland’s iconic windmills. Unexpected private tours were an added plus. The tulip fields are absolutely spectacular and there is nothing to compare to riding your bike next to herds of sheep bleating to each other. We thoroughly enjoyed the entre trip and highly recommend it. 

Marian and Scott Harmount, April 2023

Loved it. Had a blast the entire week. Would 100% book another tour with y’all 

Jeannette Warren, April 2023

Excellent! Loved riding the dunes, around tulip fields and biking with Herman (Tulip Ambassador). We did many different kinds of things on this tour (boat ride Delft,  Indonesian food, The Hague guided walking tour and the Keukenhof Gardens, which we like.  The video/photo’s at the end were a very nice surprise. 

Christine and Kate Barnicki, April 2023

My daughter and I went on the Country of Tulips tour with Emma and Denise this past April. The bike tour exceeded our already high expectations. The tour was well-paced giving us ample time to enjoy the tulips in full bloom as well as each of the towns that we biked to. Every hotel that we stayed at was very comfortable and every restaurant that we ate provided a delicious meal. The entire trip was a wonderful experience full of spectacular sights, sounds and flavors!!!

Sally Katz

We just spent a wonderful week cycling through Holland. Emma and Denise take great personal care of you. They take care of every detail and let you enjoy your vacation. Great group of traveling partners….wonderful country…awesome bike paths. We will be back!

Pam Carmona

Tulip Tour. Beautiful country-side, quaint villages, overwhelming flowers, and great accommodations and food! The bikes were in good condition and well-suited to the individual rider. Guides Emma and Jan were constantly attentive to needs of our group and truly wonderful people. Highly recommended.

Doug Taylor

The Country of Tulips tour in the Netherlands was fabulous from start to finish. The bikes were great, the scenery was fabulous, the hotels were wonderful. Emma and Denise did a great job keeping our group of 12 together, moving at a relaxed pace so that everyone could enjoy the magnificent scenery. The bike lanes and paths in the Netherlands are incredible. Emma and Denise did a wonderful job of fitting in some unique cultural experiences for us; talking about tulips with experts and growers, a tour of the Hague by a local, a tour of a Delft pottery factory. We left feeling enchanted with the Netherlands.

Anne Thompson