Netherlands Sail & Cycle Tulip Bike Tour
8 Day Sailboat & Bike Tour
Tour Information
This sail-and-cycle bike tour takes place in the land known around the world for its spring flowers. The Netherlands is probably the most bicycle-friendly country on Earth too. We’ll see it all while sailing the calm, protected waters of the Wadden Sea and IJsselmeer Bay during peak flower season. Join us on our own tall ship and experience Dutch floriculture, cuisine, and history at its finest!
Leisurely
Flat terrain on paved bike paths and separated bike lanes. Leisurely cycling level.
7 nights lodging on the sailboat Wapen fan Fryslan, 7 breakfasts, 5 sack lunches, 1 lunch on board, 6 dinners, Wi-Fi, bus excursion to Keukenhof Gardens, admission to Zaanse Schans, guided walking tour of Volendam, rental hybrid bicycle, bus transport to Amsterdam Airport from Den Helder, and trained bilingual guides. Special diets are $75. Celiac diets cannot be guaranteed due to cross-contamination and space limitations in the galley kitchen. Vegan eaters should bring some of their own sources of protein as needed.
(WomanTours reserves the right to increase the price of the tour a maximum of 5% for reasons beyond our control, such as new or increased taxes or fuel hikes.)
Hybrid bicycle with 7 gears is included in the price of the tour. Electric-assist bikes are an additional $350.
The Wapen fan Fryslân is the largest two-masted schooner on the Dutch waterways. It has 10 heated guest cabins, a dining room, bar, jacuzzi and sundeck. Each cabin has two twin beds and a private bathroom. Triples are available by adding a third bunk bed to a cabin and come with a 10% discount.
Fly in and out of Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), Netherlands. Then take a 30-minute train ride into the center city. Then walk or take a taxi to our boat. At the end of the tour, take the train back to the Amsterdam airport or bus from Den Helder, Netherlands to the Amsterdam airport that departs at 8:30 am.
What about electric-assist bikes (e-bikes)?
Electric-assist bikes - or e-bikes - have quiet, battery-powered motors that add power to your pedalng. They increase your speed and assist you in cycling up hills. Most e-bikes have a range of assistance, so you can choose how much of a boost you'd like. E-bikes make it easier to do all the miles in all types of terrain. We allow electric-assist bicycles on our tours if you'd like to bring your own. We also have e-bikes available for rent on most of our trips -- look for the e-bike symbol. We do not make e-bike recommendations if you're considering purchasing your own. We suggest you rent one on a tour first so you can try it!
Do I need to pay the single upgrade if I am coming alone?
No, you only need to pay the single upgrade if you want your own room. Otherwise, we will match you with others who have come alone as a roommate. Each day that we change hotels, you will rotate roommates. Women usually enjoy this arrangement, as they get to know each other on the tour. You will always have your own bed.
I am coming alone on this tour. Will I be the only one traveling alone?
Absolutely not. Many of our participants come by themselves. That is part of the reason for the existence of WomanTours--to provide women with riding partners as well as scenic vistas and interesting tours.
What if I have to cancel a tour outside of the USA?
We understand that personal circumstances sometimes force women to cancel their travel plans. Therefore, we have tried to be as generous as possible with the following international tour cancellation policy:
- 120+ days before tour departure: forfeit $150 of your deposit.
- 75 - 119 days before tour departure: forfeit 25% of the complete tour price.
- 50 - 74 days before tour departure: forfeit 65% of the complete tour price.
- 30 - 49 days before tour departure: forfeit 85% of the complete tour price.
- 0 - 29 days before tour departure: forfeit 100% of the complete tour price.
- No refunds are possible after the tour begins.
"This was a really wonderful trip! I enjoyed every moment of the sailing, the countryside, the routes, and the overall experience. The Netherlands is quite beautiful and rich in history. This is my 4th WT ride and it's right up there as a favorite!"
Netherlands Sail and Cycle Tulip Bike Tour Itinerary
DAY 1: Check in to the Wapen fan Fryslân sailboat by 2:00 pm. Our home away from home holds 20 guests. Each room has two beds and its own bathroom. While sailing toward Volendam on Lake Markermeer, we’ll meet the crew and have an orientation. Then we will have a chance for a short warm-up bike ride.
After dinner on the sailboat, we’ll take a stroll through the harbor town of Volendam. You’ll understand why this picturesque village with its cobbled streets and pointed red-roofed houses was once an artist’s retreat, home to Picasso and Renoir. 4 miles ±51'.
DAY 2: We’ll start the morning with breakfast on the boat. Then, with bag lunches ready to go, we’ll start our bike ride by cycling to the town of Edam. Its red and yellow wax-covered cheese became recognized around the world during the 17th century. Sailors took wheels of Edam on their trips because it didn’t spoil and could be traded for spices in the East Indies.
We’ll end our ride and meet our boat in Hoorn, a former major port city, after which Cape Horn is named. Then it’s an afternoon sail to Enkhuizen. We’ll have time to explore this adorable town after dinner. Consider having an aperitif on your own at one of Enkhuizen’s charming restaurants and cafés overlooking the water. 15 miles ±218'.
DAY 3: Today we set sail for Texel, the largest of the West Frisian Islands that lie in the Wadden Sea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Wadden Sea is the world’s largest unbroken system of intertidal sand and mud flats. You can volunteer to lend a hand hoisting the sails during the 6-hour trip. That exercise will help work up an appetite before our 3-course lunch onboard. Or just relax on deck in the jacuzzi and watch for friendly sea lions.
We’ll anchor for the night in Oudeschild where you can explore the fishing harbor and the Maritime and Beachcombers Museum. 0 miles.
DAY 4: Goedemorgen! Get ready for a fantastic day exploring sand dunes and beaches and being in the company of birds, seals, and grazing sheep. Known as a cycling paradise, Texel is an island of unique flora and fauna, all of which can be seen from its 85 miles of bike paths.
More than a third of the island is deemed nature reserve, and we‘ll explore the Dunes of Texel National Park that stretches along the entire west coast. At the end of the ride, we’ll visit a local brewery before heading back to our boat for dinner and a cruise to the port of Den Helder on the mainland. 27 – 30 miles ±442'.
DAY 5: Wake up to what will be one of the most colorful days of spring you might ever experience. After breakfast, we’ll set off by bike through the historic tulip fields, known as the “Bulb Belt.”
Next, we head to the North Holland Dune Reserve, where the dunes are a wild, windblown landscape of sand, grasses, shaggy red Highland cattle, birds and wooded enclaves. Finally we arrive in the lively, colorful town of Alkmaar, known as “Cheese City.” Its weekly cheese market is a 400-year-old tradition and one of only four cheese markets still in existence. 21 – 33 miles ±729'.
DAY 6: We trade our bikes for a private bus to take us to the Keukenhof Gardens today. Considered the most beautiful spring garden in the world, the park is open only a few weeks every year. You can tip-toe through 800 tulip varieties that are among the park’s 7 million blooming bulbs spread over 80 acres. After lunch, we'll end our day in Alkmaar, one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, known today for its weekly cheese market. 0 miles.
DAY 7: Today's destination is the open air museum of Zaanse Schans, where we'll watch wooden clogs being made and spices being produced in a windmill. We’ll learn how windmills have been replaced by turbines to pump the water and reclaim the land from the sea. We’ll end the day back on our sailboat to Amsterdam. We’ll celebrate the beautiful week at our final dinner together. 27 miles ±418'.
DAY 8: After a farewell breakfast, we’ll disembark from the Wapen fan Fryslân by bus at 8:30 am or by 9:00am if you have your own travel plans. We’ll help direct you to the train station for your trip home or onward in Europe. Tot ziens! 0 miles.