Sail & Bike Wadden Sea Adventure

From: € 1390

8 Days / 7 Nights
Type: Guided
Level of Difficulty: Novice

Imagine Yourself…

Sailing the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea
Cycling the beautiful islands of Texel and Terschelling
Spotting seals and countless seabirds along the way
Exploring charming harbor towns and Friesland’s famous Eleven Cities
Relaxing on your floating hotel as you cruise across the IJsselmeer

Overview

Discover the unique beauty of the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea, where tides continuously transform the landscape of islands, sandbanks, mudflats, dunes, and salt marshes. This remarkable natural area is home to seals, porpoises, and millions of migratory birds.

Cycle across the beautiful islands of Texel and Terschelling, with their charming villages, scenic dunes, and endless sandy beaches. On the mainland, ride through the picturesque countryside of North Holland and Friesland, passing historic harbor towns, fishing villages, and the shores of the IJsselmeer.

On board, you are welcome to help the crew hoist the sails and navigate the ship (no sailing experience required) or simply sit back, relax, and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

Daily Itinerary

Welcome aboard! Embarkation starts at 4:00 p.m. in the charming harbor town of Enkhuizen, just a short walk from the railway station and the historic town center. After settling into your cabin, enjoy a welcome drink while the skipper introduces the crew, explains the itinerary, and shares some practical and safety information about life on board.

In the evening, take a stroll through Enkhuizen, one of the Netherlands’ most beautiful former trading towns. During the Dutch Golden Age, it was home to a thriving merchant fleet and played an important role in overseas trade. Tonight, your floating hotel remains moored in Enkhuizen, on the shores of the beautiful IJsselmeer.
Today you cycle your first route along the scenic shores of the IJsselmeer, passing through the beautiful Dutch polder landscape to the historic harbor town of Medemblik. While you relax on board, the ship continues to Den Oever.

In the evening, weather permitting, you sail through the lock and out onto the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea, crossing to the beautiful island of Texel. Your island adventure begins!
Today you have the chance to explore Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands and a true paradise for cyclists. Ride through beautiful dunes, nature reserves, and charming villages along an extensive network of cycle paths.

Along the way, you can visit Ecomare, the island’s famous seal sanctuary, and stop at a local brewery near the picturesque harbor of Oudeschild for a taste of Texel’s own beer.
On this wonderful day you will relax on board as the ship sails across the Wadden Sea to the beautiful island of Terschelling. Weather and tides permitting, you’ll cruise past sandbanks where seals can often be spotted basking in the sun. Enjoy a leisurely lunch on board before arriving on the island in the afternoon.

Terschelling is known for its charming villages, wide sandy beaches, rolling dunes, and peaceful nature. This evening is yours to explore.

Instead of dinner on board, you can enjoy a picnic or choose one of the island’s cozy restaurants (not included).
After yesterday’s sailing adventure, today is all about exploring Terschelling by bike. Discover one of the most beautiful Dutch Wadden Islands, with its charming villages, rolling dunes, forests, and wide sandy beaches. An excellent network of cycle paths makes it easy to explore the island at your own pace.

Along the way, visit the lively village of West-Terschelling, home to the island’s iconic 400-year-old lighthouse, the Brandaris. Nature lovers will enjoy the stunning Boschplaat Nature Reserve, where dunes, mudflats, and salt marshes provide a habitat for countless birds.

In the late afternoon, return to the ship for a relaxing sail across the Wadden Sea to Harlingen, the historic harbor town of Friesland.
In the morning you will start cycling through the wide-open Frisian countryside, passing peaceful villages and green pastures on your way to the charming harbor town of Makkum on the shores of the IJsselmeer. Along the route, you can visit Franeker, home to the remarkable Eise Eisinga Planetarium, the world’s oldest working planetarium, built in a living room over 250 years ago.

If you choose the longer route, you’ll also cycle to Bolsward, one of Friesland’s famous Eleven Cities, known for its canals, historic buildings, and welcoming atmosphere.
The scenic shores of the IJsselmeer takes you today to Stavoren, the oldest town in Friesland. The shorter route takes you through the charming town of Hindeloopen, famous for its colorful traditional painted furniture, narrow streets, and maritime history. Here you can also visit the fascinating First Frisian Museum of Ice Skating.

Prefer a longer ride? Cycle through the beautiful Frisian lake district, where peaceful waterways, open meadows, and picturesque villages create a completely different landscape. In the late afternoon, rejoin the ship in Stavoren for a relaxing cruise across the IJsselmeer back to Enkhuizen, where your tour comes full circle.

Dates & Prices

Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full

Prices are per person, in Euros and includes bike rental

2027

Departures	Sailing Ship	Twin	Upper deck Suite	Junior Suite	*Single (use)**
May 1, 8, 15 or 22	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1550			€ 2280*	Book here label
May 8, 15 or 22	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1550		€ 1750	€ 1870	Book here label
May 29	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1740			€ 2540*	Book here label
May 29	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1740		€ 1910	€ 2030	Book here label
June 5, 12, 19 or 26	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1740			€ 2540*	Book here label
June 5, 12, 19 or 26	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1740		€ 1910	€ 2030	Book here label
July 3, 10, 17, 24 or 31	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1740			€ 2540*	Book here label
July 3, 10, 17, 24 or 31	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1740		€ 1910	€ 2030	Book here label
July 4, 11, 18 or 25	Leafde fan Fryslân	€ 1780	€ 2380	€ 1980	€ 2080	Book here label
Aug 7, 14, 21 or 28	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1740			€ 2540*	Book here label
Aug 7, 14, 21 or 28	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1740		€ 1910	€ 2030	Book here label
Aug 8, 15, 22 or 29	Leafde fan Fryslân	€ 1780	€ 2380	€ 1980	€ 2080	Book here label
Sept 4 or 11	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1740			€ 2540*	Book here label
Sept 4 or 11	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1740		€ 1910	€ 2030	Book here label
Sept 18	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1550			€ 2280*	Book here label
Sept 18	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1550		€ 1750	€ 1870	Book here label
Sept 25	Wapen fan Fryslân	€ 1390			€ 2050	Book here label
Sept 25	Mare fan Fryslân	€ 1390		€ 1590	€ 1690	Book here label

- 8 days/7 nights
- 7 x breakfast
- 5 x packed lunches & 1 x lunch on board
- 6 x 3-course dinner on board & 1 x packed dinner
- Coffee and tea on board
- Welcome drink
- Use of bed linen and towels
- Daily cleaning of the cabin
- Daily briefings by the crew
- Cycling map and notes for cycling tours (1 set per cabin)
- GPS tracks
- Use of a waterproof pannier bag
- Biodegradable water bottle
- Wi-Fi
- The bicycles on board is a unisex city bike with a low-entry and a riding position that is upright and comfortable. The bike is handmade in the Netherlands by Azor, specially designed by Boat Bike Tours. The bike consists of a lightweight aluminum frame and is equipped with responsive roller brakes (handbrake), a Shimano 7 speed nexus drive, Selle-Royal gel saddle (adjustable), an easy to use lock (fixed on frame) and the Schwalbe Marathon anti-puncture tyre. This all results in a lightweight, stable and reliable bike, good for many miles on the saddle.
  
  The E-bike is an Azor Steps with Nexus 7 gears and hand brakes. The crank Shimano motor (400 WH) offers 4 support levels, The E-bikes have a comfortable gel saddle and a lock on the frame (or a comparable brand/model).
  
  Electric bikes can be rented for this tour (€ 160 per person). 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.
- The cook prepares all meals: a substantial breakfast and a three-course dinner of very good quality. A packed lunch may be prepared after breakfast. Tea and coffee will be ready when you arrive on board in the afternoon. There’s a bar on board with reasonably-priced beer, wine, and soft drinks.
  
  If you have special meal requirements, please mention this when booking. In the case of a Gluten free and lactose free diet there is an additional charge of €70 per week.
  
  Unfortunately, we cannot offer vegan meals. This is because the kitchens in our ships are not large enough to guarantee that the food can be prepared completely vegan. The available space on board is limited, so the chefs cannot store the necessary tools and supplies to prepare vegan food.
- 1x dinner on Terschelling
- Drinks
- Bicycle rental or E-bike rental
- Helmet rental
- Personal insurances
- Gratuities (at your discretion)
- Entrance fees and excursions
- Fees for ferries
- Transfers to/from the docking place
- Parking fees
- Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
- On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
- If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
- The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
- On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
Important observations for the program: A little bit of adventure is a part of every Sail & Bike tour: the departure and arrival day and the location (Enkhuizen) are a certainty, 100%. For the rest, the planned daily sailing routes are partially dependent on the strength and direction of the winds and (on the Wadden Sea) high and low tide. The skipper decides the best route to be taken day by day, and discusses the options with his guests. The crew does everything in its power to enable the program to run according to plan and to offer you as fascinating, varied and active a week as possible, in which nature and culture play a major part. It is, however, also possible that departure times and the time spent on the water (and even the order of the program itself) may be adjusted. Enjoy the ride and let yourself be led by the elements! Whenever possible, various passages will be undertaken fully rigged and anyone who would like to help the crew to sail and steer the boat is welcome to do so. This is of course absolutely up to you and no sailing experience is necessary.

Accommodations

The accommodations listed below are examples of those usually used on the tour. Depending on availability, you may be booked in a different accommodation of equal quality.