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8-Day Netherlands Tulips Bike & Barge Spring Tour

Join us for the jaw-dropping show of tulips and other spring flowers on our Netherlands Tulips Bike & Barge. Unpack once and your hotel meets you at the end of each day's ride. Visit the famous Keukenhof flower gardens, a historic castle and windmills.

Start - End: Amsterdam - Amsterdam

Total trip: 8 days

Average group size: 12 people

from USD 5,399/pp including taxes and fees

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The Barge - room with two beds

Celebrate spring in the Netherlands with flower fields, canals, windmills, and relaxed riding.

Step aboard a cozy barge in Amsterdam and settle into an unforgettable week surrounded by the Netherlands' spectacular spring flower displays.


Your adventure begins and ends in vibrant Amsterdam, where world-class museums, winding canals, and lively nightlife await exploration. From the moment the boat pulls away from the city’s iconic canals, the rhythm of everyday life slows and a gentler pace takes over. Each day brings relaxed cycling through landscapes awash in tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths — mile after mile of vibrant fields stretching toward the horizon. Classic windmills, peaceful polder paths, and charming brick villages create a scene that feels lifted from a storybook.


A highlight of the week is a visit to the world-famous Keukenhof gardens, where millions of blooms create a dazzling tapestry of color. Another day offers time to explore one of the Netherlands’ most luxurious historic castles, with grand architecture and gardens that echo centuries of Dutch history. Smooth, flat bike paths make the riding wonderfully accessible, whether the goal is a leisurely morning spin or a longer, scenic loop.
Back on board, the barge becomes a floating home — a comfortable and welcoming place to unwind. While guests sleep, enjoy dinner, or sip coffee on deck, the boat quietly cruises to the next town, ready for the following day’s ride. There’s never any need to repack or board a bus. And on days when rest feels right, the barge offers a peaceful alternative to the bike paths.


It’s an easygoing spring adventure filled with color, culture, and the simple joy of exploring by bike and sharing moments with your fellow travelers — with thoughtful support every step of the way. No buses, no stress … just you, your bike, and the best of the Netherlands in bloom.

Trip Highlights

Day by day on tour

Read up on the itinerary and check the map below for the scenic route you'll take on this bike tour.

Please meet at the *respective barge at 12:30pm. The barge will be docked near the Amsterdam Nemo Museum. You will find it tied up at Jetty #2 on the dock area called the Oosterdok. Cruise out through the Amsterdam Harbor onto the Amstel River. Stop for your first ride and enjoy the incredible bike paths and then meet back up with the barge to spend the night in the city of Utrecht.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Dinner

Biking: 10.3 miles (16.6 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 248 feet (76 meters) ascent, 239 feet (73 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Your day starts with a ride to one the most beautiful and luxurious castles in the Netherlands, Kasteel de Haar. Tour the castle … complete with towers, gardens and a moat! Enjoy the classic design and ornate decor. After your visit, cycle to Oudewater, a medieval town with a “Heksenwaag,” a place where authorities claimed to determine whether a woman was a witch by weighing her! Your goal for today is the town of Gouda. Yes, the one that gave the cheese its name. Gouda is definitely the most exported variety of Dutch cheese. So you will find many enticing cheese shops here … it’s also the place where the famous biking snack called the stroopwafel was invented. Another well-known product from this town is the Goudse Stroopwafel. Taste one!
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 26.1miles (42 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 355 feet (108 meters) ascent, 352 feet (107 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Today, you enjoy a great ride through the agricultural heart of Holland. Although the bigger cities aren’t far away, the beautiful green space in this region remains protected … and is dotted with grazing cows, ducks and willow trees. To better understand the full local process, you visit a cheese farm and learn everything about cheese making from one of the farmers. Included is a cheese tasting of some of their specialties. You can visit the shop as well — and have the opportunity to purchase sealed cheese to take home if you like. End the day in Leiden, birthplace of Rembrandt. This town is known for its architecture and for being home of the oldest university in the country, dating from 1575.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 29.8 miles (50 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 463 feet (141 meters) ascent, 470 feet (143 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Your cycling today includes one of the highlights of the tour. It’s your chance to stroll around the splendid tulip display at the botanical gardens called Keukenhof. This world-famous site offers the spectacle of about 7 million flowering tulips in lovely landscaped gardens at the edge of multi-colored fields of flowers. Plus, you see other magnificent spring blooms — like hyacinths, narcissus, daffodils and more.

Keukenhof is visited by over a million guests every year. So be prepared to hear every foreign language you can imagine. You also cycle through a region of many gorgeous tulip fields and end the day in the heart of the wonderful village of Haarlem. (Yes, Harlem, NY, was named after this town.) Haarlem is a lovely city and is often called “Little Amsterdam.” Your leader will show you around the Old Town and point out some of the unique buildings and features.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 25 miles (40.2 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 511 feet (156 meters) ascent, 503 feet (153 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Today, you leave Haarlem and cycle through the nature reserve area behind the North Sea dunes. These are great cycling paths! Have lunch at the beach, and if you dare you can go for a swim … or just put your toe in the water. Then you follow the paths and ride further inland to a very precious national gem … the private gardens of Hortus Bulborum. This special garden preserves the ancient varieties of tulips as a resource for the future. Take a tour with the volunteers who are rightly proud of their important work here. Have a cup of tea or coffee at their local shop and enjoy this hidden garden. Then continue cycling to the town of Alkmaar, known as a center of the cheese trade, canals and lovely historical buildings.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Biking: 34.5 miles (55.5 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 950 feet (290 meters) ascent, 944 feet (288 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

The first stop of the day is the windmill in the Schermer. This area uses windmills to pump water and keep the land dry. Learn all about this at an included visit at the preserved windmill here.

Your lunch stop is in De Rijp, another lovely little village, on your way to Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum that welcomes many tourists during the daytime. You stay here on the barge for the night, so you can enjoy the museum exhibits in the afternoon — and even better — walk through it after all the other tourists have left! It is a magical place, and it's so tranquil at that time of day.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 23.8 miles (38.3 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 372 feet (113 meters) ascent, 387 feet (118 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Today, the leaders let you know which options are available to either have a shorter ride and visit Amsterdam in the afternoon … or do a longer ride, depending on conditions and preferences. Either way, you arrive and spend your last night on the barge in the harbor in Amsterdam with easy access to further explorations.
Accommodation: *Passenger Barge Iris or Clair d’Etoile Barge
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Biking: 30.4 miles (48.9 kilometers)
Elevation Gain/Loss: 495 feet (151 meters) ascent, 495 feet (151 meters) descent
Terrain: Easier

*Passenger Barge Iris for April 2, 2026 and Clair d’Etoile Barge for April 18 and 25, 2026

Today, after breakfast, we say farewell to you at the dock in Amsterdam at about 9 am. You can catch a train to the airport or elsewhere in Europe from Centraal Station nearby where we dock or we can help arrange a taxi to the airport or stay on for more adventures in Amsterdam.
Accommodation: Not applicable
Meals: Breakfast

Inns

Clair d'Etoile Comfort Barge

Step aboard the Clair d'Etoile, a welcoming comfort barge that perfectly balances cozy charm with modern amenities. Carrying just 24 guests, this vessel creates an intimate atmosphere for your journey through the blooming Dutch countryside.

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FAQs

From questions about fitness for this tour to what the accommodations are like, please have a read through of our Frequently Asked Questions.

On the first day of the tour please meet at your barge at 12:30pm. The barge will be docked near the Amsterdam Nemo Museum at Jetty #2 on the dock area called the Oosterdok.

You are welcome to book your pre-tour stay at any hotel in Amsterdam. For easy access to local sights and a central location, consider staying in neighborhoods like the Canal Ring, Jordaan, or De Pijp. You must make your own way to the barge at the pre-designated time, though taxis and Ubers are readily available throughout the city.

You spend the last night on the barge in Amsterdam Harbor, docked at approximately the same location where you met the barge. You can depart after breakfast on the last day.

Arrival: We recommend arriving in Amsterdam by 10am. Many guests like to arrive a day or two early to accommodate potential flight delays and/or explore the city before the tour begins. Taxis and Ubers are readily available from Schiphol Airport to take you to your hotel or the barge.

Departure: Flying out on the last day, we recommend departing from Amsterdam after 2pm.

Depending on your departure date, you'll travel aboard either the Iris (April 2) or the Clair d'Etoile (April 18 & 25). Both barges accommodate up to 24 guests and offer a welcoming atmosphere for your spring flower adventure.

Iris Barge (April 2 departure): On the upper deck, the spacious lounge welcomes you with a widescreen TV, cozy bar, and dining area. Large windows frame views of the passing countryside. The sun deck offers a peaceful spot to relax and watch the scenery drift by. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the barge.

Clair d'Etoile Barge (April 18 & 25 departures): On the upper deck, the cozy salon features large panoramic windows, air conditioning, a restaurant area, lounge corner, and small bar. The very spacious sun deck (90 square meters) offers plenty of room to relax with chairs and tables where you can enjoy the scenery while cruising. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the barge.

Between cycling excursions, your barge cruises to a new destination while you enjoy meals on board. You dine, sleep, and start each day with breakfast, then set off on your ride. At the end of the day, your floating home is waiting at the next harbor.

Iris: The Iris offers 12 spacious twin cabins, each measuring 10 m² (108 sq. ft.). Every cabin features two single beds (80 x 200 cm) that can be pushed together to create a queen bed (160 x 200 cm) or separated based on your preference.

Cabins include large rectangular fixed windows, private bathroom with shower and toilet, central heating and air-conditioning, mini safe, and hair dryer.

Clair d'Etoile: The Clair d'Etoile offers cabins across the lower deck to suit your preference. You can choose from 10 twin bed cabins (with fixed windows) or 2 double bed cabins (with windows that open), all measuring approximately 7 m² (75 sq. ft.).

All beds measure 80 x 200 cm. Every cabin includes a private bathroom with shower, toilet, and basin, ventilation, central heating and air-conditioning, mini safe, and hair dryer.

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What's included

  • 7 nights’ accommodation
  • 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners
  • You’re supported from start to finish by our highly experienced guides and leaders
  • Industry leading Guest-to-Guide ratio (averaging 6:1)
  • All activities outlined in the itinerary
  • Delicious snacks and non-alcoholic drinks to keep you fueled
  • All necessary equipment (well-maintained and safe) for activities
  • Branded t-shirt and bag
  • Hybrid with flat-bar handlebars, or E-Bikes - equipped with a front handlebar bag or rear carrier, branded water bottle, mirror, and flat pedals
  • Ride with GPS for navigation along with the detailed maps and itineraries
  • Transportation in our air-conditioned vans - safe, clean, modern, and comfortable!
  • Your queries answered by our knowledgeable Customer Care Team - only a call, chat, or email away
  • You’re “trip ready” with our Customer Care Team’s calls prior to your trip
  • “My Account” - your own online space with everything required for your adventure

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