8 Days / 7 Nights
Type: Guided
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Imagine Yourself…
- Seeing the fast-paced sale of tulips and other flowers at the massive Aalsmeer flower market
- Wandering through bright gardens of different tradition and style at the Keukenhoff
- Learning how icons of Holland are made – including cheese, chocolate, and clogs
- Cycling through flat, impressive polder landscapes
Between April and mid-May we offer special Tulip Tours. The program of this Super Tulip Tour is totally dedicated to this beautiful flower. You’ll cycle through hectares of spring flowers and tulips, learn all about growing tulips in a tulip park, and, of course, you’ll visit the Keukenhof. The first part of your week will take you through the Dutch Waterland region with a characteristic and age-old Dutch landscape. On Tuesday you’ll pay a visit to the flower auction at Aalsmeer. Today Aalsmeer controls a market share of 44% for the turnover of bulbs and tulip flowers. The tulip originated in Turkey and reached the Netherlands at the end of the 16th century. In 1634 there was one single bulb that was so expensive it cost the same as an entire canal side house in Amsterdam. You’ll also visit the world-famous 32-hectare park Keukenhof, where you can admire wonderfully colorful fields with flowering bulbs in peace and quiet. Finally, you’ll return to Amsterdam where this tour ends.
Green = Open | Yellow = Limited | Red = Full
2023
Prices are per person in US$ – inclusive bike rental
| Departure | Barge | Twin | Single | Bunk Bed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 1 | Claire de Lune | $ 1,360 | $ 1,550 | — | Book here |
| April 8 | Anna Antal | $ 1,490 | $ 1,580 | $ 1,280 | |
| April 8 | Claire de Lune | $ 1,360 | $ 1,550 | — | Book here |
| April 8 | Zwaan | $ 1,790 | $ 2,280 | — | Book here |
| April 15 | Claire de Lune | $ 1,590 | $ 1,730 | — | |
| April 15 | Anna Antal | $ 1,620 | $ 1,720 | $ 1,390 | |
| April 15 | Zwaan | $ 1,790 | $ 2,280 | — | |
| April 22 | Anna Antal | $ 1,620 | $ 1,720 | $ 1,390 | |
| April 22 | Wending | $ 1,570 | $ 1,780 | — | |
| April 29 | Anna Antal | $ 1,620 | $ 1,720 | $ 1,390 | |
| April 29 | Claire de Lune | $ 1,590 | $ 1,730 | — | Book here |
| April 29 | Zwaan | $ 1,790 | $ 2,280 | — | |
| April 29 | Wending | $ 1,570 | $ 1,780 | — | |
| May 6 | Anna Antal | $ 1,490 | $ 1,580 | $ 1,280 | Book here |
DAY 1 – Saturday: Amsterdam – Haarlem – 9 miles (15 km)
On Saturday afternoon you’re expected by 2 p.m. on your boat at its mooring, located across from Amsterdam Central Station. After storing your luggage and meeting your cycling companions, guide, captain, and crew, you can relax on board with a coffee, tea, or Heineken. The first part of the tour we’ll sail to Spaarndam – known as the village of Hansje Brinker – and from there we’ll make an easy ride into the beautiful city of Haarlem.
DAY 2 – Sunday: Haarlem – Keukenhof – Leiden – 25 miles (40 km)
Today’s bike route will take us through the oldest tulip fields of Holland, including a visit to the Keukenhof gardens. This is the most beautiful bulb park in the world. Keukenhof has an overwhelming blaze of colors: seven million flowering tulips in a magnificent background of 80 acres of traditional and modern gardening architecture. You can also admire hyacinths, narcissi, and many other colorful flowers. For more information about the Keukenhof you can check the following website: www.keukenhof.nl. After exploring the tulips, we’ll spend the night in Leiden.
DAY 3 – Monday: Leiden – Kudelstaart – 28 miles (45 km)
Today we’ll bike from Leiden to Kudelstaart, a small town bordered by the Westeinderplassen. We’ll go right through the green heart of Holland, an area with small cycle paths, lakes, small rivers, and lots of cows and sheep.
DAY 4 – Tuesday: Flower auction – Amsterdam – Zaanse Schans – Wormerveer – 28 miles (45 km) expand itinerary day details
In the early morning we’ll visit the auction in Aalsmeer. Every day, Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer sets the world price for flowers and plants by bringing supply and demand together using the auction clock. During this fascinating process large and small batches of flowers are sold within fractions of seconds. As visitors to Bloemenveiling Aalsmeer, we’ll walk over a specially designed gallery to enjoy the gorgeous flowers and experience the hustle and bustle of auction. The flowers and plants sold at the auctions are exported all over the world, a wonder of logistics. After this, we’ll have breakfast while sailing in the direction of Amsterdam. From the lock at the Nieuwe Meer we’ll cycle along the borders of the river Amstel into the city, then take the ferry to the Zaanse Schans, a unique hamlet where locals work, with original houses and windmills from the river Zaan area. The hamlet is dominated by operating windmills, the oldest built in 1673, for grinding mustard, spices, paint, and oil, and for sawing wood into planks. As we walk through the village we’ll see a clock museum, an old-fashioned grocery store, a house with period furniture, a clog maker’s workshop, and a cheese farm. Afterwards, we’ll move on to Wormerveer.
DAY 5 – Wednesday: Wormerveer – Alkmaar – 28 miles (45 km)
From Wormerveer we’ll cycle to and through the most beautiful dunes of the Netherlands and, if weather permits, you may like to swim in the North Sea during your lunch break at the beach. Today’s overnight stay will be in the cheese town Alkmaar, a lively historic city with a variety of shops. Just under 400 heritage sites, canals, and harbors dominate this beautiful townscape.
DAY 6 – Thursday: Alkmaar – Purmerend – 22 miles (35 km)
Today we’ll cycle into the polder landscape of the Beemster and Purmer, part of a big green polder area. The Beemster Polder, dating from the early 17th century, is an exceptional example of reclaimed land in the Netherlands. It has preserved intact its well-ordered landscape of fields, roads, canals, dykes, and settlements, laid out in accordance with classical and Renaissance planning principles. There’s also time for us to visit one of the big water mills at the Rijp.
DAY 7 – Friday: Purmerend – Amsterdam – 12 or 22 miles (20 or 35 km)
Purmerend is at the edge of an area called “Waterland” where roads and water lie next to each other on the same level. We’ll visit the nice villages of Zunderdorp and Ransdorp. The better cyclists can cycle the long route to Edam and Volendam and, time permitting, cross the lake Gouwzee to admire the traditional fisherman’s village Marken with its typical wooden houses. When we’ve returned to Amsterdam, we can look back over seven days of cycling and enjoying a rich variety of typical Dutch landscapes, traditional towns, and local culture.
DAY 8 – Saturday: Tour Ends
Our tour concludes after breakfast, with departure before 10 a.m.
What’s Included
- 7 nights on board the ship (sheets, blankets, and two towels)
- 7 breakfasts, 6 packed lunches, and 6 dinners (one dinner on your own)
- Coffee and tea on board
- Entrance to the Keukenhof garden
- Fees for ferries
- 11–speed bicycle, incl. helmet, pannier bag, water bottle, & bike insurance
- Two multilingual tour guides (when over 18 participants) – Fleur barge only. Other barges have one guide.
- Welcome drink
- Route information and road book
- Reservation costs
Bikes
A well maintained, comfortable 7 or 11-speed hybrid bicycle is available free of charge for each participant. These are well-suited for the flat Dutch terrain. Unisex models are available in sizes appropriate to your height (For the very large bikes they are men’s style). The bikes come with helmets, grip shifters, hand brakes, carrier bag, water bottle, and bike insurance! If you prefer to bring your own bike you’re welcome to do so at a discount of $95 per person. Electric bikes can be rented for this tour ($115 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.
Meals
The cook prepares all meals: a substantial breakfast and a three-course dinner of very high 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, we ask you to mention this when booking. In the case of a Vegan/gluten-free and lactose free diet there is an additional charge of $75 per week.
Not Included
- Airfare
- Drinks from bar on board or when cycling
- One dinner
- Admission fees to the various museums or places of interest
- Trip cancellation insurance
The barges listed below are examples of those usually used on the tour. Depending on availability, you may be booked in a different barge of equal quality.
CLAIRE DE LUNE
17 people – .In 1982 the barge was built into a passenger ship. Aboard there is a big and cozy salon with big windows for a perfect view. The barge is 111 feet long and 16 feet wide, which makes it possible to boat in France with its narrow locks. The barge comes equipped with central heating and air conditioning. The barge also features a lounge, a roomy sitting area, a cozy bar, and a sun deck.
- 3 Double cabins
- 5 Split level beds cabin (L-shape)
- 1 Single cabin
This barge provides central heating, air-conditioning, hair dryers, wifi. Every cabin has it’s own private shower/toilet.
ANNA ANTAL
18 people – The Anna Antal is a former shuttle barge which was converted into a luxury motor passenger ship in the winter of 1994-95. In 2012 the saloon and cabins were renovated. The Anna Antal has a cozy salon/lounge, a sun deck, and a storage deck for the bicycles.
- 5 Twin cabins
- 4 Bunk bed cabins
All cabins are provided with running water (hot and cold), private shower and toilet, 220 voltage and central heating. There is limited storage space in the cabin, so we recommend one suitcase per person. You can slide the suitcase under the bed. Hairdryers are available on board.
ZWAAN
14 people – The Zwaan specializes in bike and barge tours in the Netherlands and Belgium. On board of the Zwaan you find a cosy dining room, a sun deck/a deck for the bicycles. All 7 cabins are provided with running water (hot and cold), private shower and toilet, 220 voltage and central heating. Cabin layout:
- 2 Family-style room, 2/3 p with double bed + single bed
- 2 Friend’s-style room, 2/3 p with 3 single beds (one bunk)
- 2 Twin-style room, 2 p with two separate beds
- 1 Smaller cabin in front of the barge, 2 p with double bed
There is limited storage space in the cabin. We recommend 1 suitcase per person. You can slide the suitcase under the bed. The Zwaan is known for the high quality of the meals and the friendly atmosphere on board. The crew consists of the captain, chef and hostess for 14/15 guests.
This barge is very special because of the smaller number of cabins. It makes for a cozy and intimate experience as you can get to know your guide and tour-mates better in the small group.
WENDING
24 people – The Wending is a former freight barge that started a new life in the early nineties as a luxury passenger motor barge. In 2015 the barge was renovated. The Wending has a roomy and cozy salon, equipped with a complete music installation and TV. After a strenuous bike ride it is a great place to relax. The barge also has a small deck where you can sit in the sunshine.
- 10 double cabins
- 2 triple cabins.
The twin beds are side by side. In the triple cabin one bed is placed over the other two. All cabins have a private bathroom and central heating with small windows which can be opened.
Loved scenery. Beautiful comfortable barge. Very knowledgeable tour guide. Barge crew were wonderful. Loved seeing the animals along the way while bicycling. Great bicycling routes. Keukenhof is spectacular. The Netherlands is a beautiful country. Enjoyed the stops for photos and pastry!
Nancy Dault, April 2022
The tour was great! The guide, Ed was fantastic. Lots of history and extra walking tours at night. The biking was a little more than advertised which was a plus for me. But, it may not have been for others. Loved the tulips and more.
Beth Fernbacher, April 2022
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