NEW
Southern Holland Bike & Barge

Cycling past windmills in Holland

Cycle by windmills in the Kinderdijk

Rest stop in Delft | Dana

Enjoy easy cycling in the Netherlands

Rotterdam | Dana

Gouda Southern Holland | Dana

So many bikes in Amsterdam! | Dana

Cycling past windmills in Holland

Cycle by windmills in the Kinderdijk

Rest stop in Delft | Dana

Enjoy easy cycling in the Netherlands

Rotterdam | Dana

Gouda Southern Holland | Dana

So many bikes in Amsterdam! | Dana

2026 Bike & BargeReady to Book

NEW

Duration

8 days

Activities

self guided cycle

Accommodation

7 nights in a twin share cabin

Meals

7 Dinners
6 Lunches
7 Breakfasts

Price

$1490USD

Overview

Trip Code: HLS

Trip highlights

Discovering the south of the Netherlands by bike and on foot from Amsterdam
Visiting Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum with historical windmills and traditional Dutch houses
Exploring interesting towns and cities such as the university city of Utrecht, Gouda known for its cheese, Rotterdam with its modern architecture and Amsterdam with its vibrant nightlife and canals
Cycling through the 'Green Heart' of the Netherlands, enjoying the peace, green and waterways
Enjoying the camaraderie of your fellow passengers aboard a comfortable barge

Visit a number of famous Dutch cities including Amsterdam, Utrecht, Rotterdam, Gouda and Haarlem, and discover another side of the Netherlands – the country’s “Green Heart” - on this relaxing bike and barge tour. The Netherlands is a cyclists paradise - flat, green, scenic, with its leading edge cycling infrastructure. Mainly following cycle paths throughout, you'll visit southern towns and cities as well as Haarlem and the North sea coast. In Delft you can visit the museum where the classic blue & white porcelain is made. In Gouda and surrounds, try the local cheese. Explore Rotterdam with its interesting post-war architecture. Visit the Kinderdijk UNESCO listed windmills and find out more about Dutch water engineering. While the boat cruises between ports, you cycle or stay onboard to see the sights - a most relaxing way to see the southern part of the country. In the evenings enjoy the comfort of your boat, the camaraderie of the other cyclists, and the hospitality of the boat crew.

Trip Grading

introductory

More info about grading system

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Itinerary

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Day 1
Join barge in Amsterdam

Embarkation is between 2pm and 4:30pm in Amsterdam. Take the opportunity to go shopping, to explore downtown Amsterdam, to make a canal cruise or to visit a museum. At 5pm there will be a welcome drink on board where you'll meet the onboard tour leader and crew and later there's dinner and first briefing. Overnight in Amsterdam.

Meals: D

Day 2
Cruise Amsterdam to Breukelen, cycle to Utrecht (20 or 39km/12 or 23.4 mi), cruise to Rotterdam

Your first cycling tour starts in Breukelen. You’ll cycle along the beautiful and winding river Vecht, with its enchanting background of imposing castles, country houses and quaint tearooms. Continue to follow the Vecht into the centre of Utrecht where you will have the opportunity to explore the beautiful historical city centre on foot: the Dom Cathedral with its tower, the canals, special shops and nice cafes. In the afternoon we will continue by boat from Utrecht to Rotterdam.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 3
Cycle via Schiedam to Delft and back to Rotterdam (48km/28.8mi)

Today you will cycle via the “jenever city” of Schiedam and through the Delfland area to Delft, famous for its blue pottery. Visit the beautiful city centre with its small canals, picturesque streets, bridges and alleys. For many guests, a visit to the Delftware museum and factory is a highlight of their tour. Afterwards, you will cycle back to Rotterdam, where you can enjoy a short city walk in the evening. Overnight in Rotterdam.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 4
Waterbus to Kinderdijk then cycle to Gouda (30 or 58km/19 or 36mi)

Today you can cycle the first part, or the “waterbus” will take you and your bicycle, to Alblasserdam. After just a few minutes of cycling you will reach UNESCO cultural heritage listed Kinderdijk with its impressive row of 19 large windmills. Optional visit to the museum and windmill. You then have the choice between a longer ride with a visit to the beautiful cheese city of Gouda and a short cycle through the Alblasserwaard. Both tours end in the “silver city” of Schoonhoven, where you can visit a silversmith. *On some departures, the night in Schoonhoven is not possible and the boat will dock in the cheese city of Gouda instead. All cycling highlights will remain in the program.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 5
Cycle through the 'Green Heart' via Oudewater to Utrecht (36 or 44km/21.6 or 26.4mi), cruise to Haarlem

Today you will cycle from Schoonhoven through the beautiful “Green Heart” of Holland through small villages and quiet roads to Utrecht. On your way you can visit a traditional cheese farm and in Oudewater you can visit the Witches Weigh House. Later in the afternoon the boat will cruise from Utrecht to Haarlem.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 6
Loop cycle to the North Sea coast (40 or 50km/25 or 31mi), cruise to Zaandam

Today there are two cycling options. Both tours takes you through the beautiful Kennemer dunes, a national park where you can spot several bird species, Scottish Highland cows and Shetland ponies. After a visit to the seaside resorts Bloemendaal and Zandvoort you cycle through the forests and the centre of Haarlem back to the dock. There's usually time to explore the centre of Haarlem - the main square and St Bavokerk (church) are worth visiting. The longer cycling tour leads to the largest steam engine in the world, the Cruquius pumping station, and back to Haarlem. During dinner we will cruise to Zaandam. * Departures dates between March 27 and incl. May 1: From Haarlem you have the opportunity to visit the world famous Tulip exhibition park “Keukenhof” in Lisse (by bicycle or public transport. Transfers/tickets/entrance fee not included).

Meals: B,L,D

Day 7
Cycle via the Zaanse Schans open air museum and green countryside to Amsterdam (32 or 53km/19.2 or 31.8mi)

From Zaandam your final day of cycling will take you to the open air museum of Zaanse Schans (free entry), with its beautiful windmills, an Old Dutch village with traditional wooden houses, a cheese farm and a traditional wooden clog maker. After exploring the museum you cycle through the recreational area “Twiske” back to Amsterdam. The afternoon and evening are yours to enjoy everything Amsterdam has to offer. If you didn’t go for a canal tour on the first day, you will have the opportunity to do so today.

Meals: B,L,D

Day 8
Trip concludes

The trip concludes after breakfast, disembark by 9.30 a.m.

Meals: B

Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.
On self guided trips, actual route information provided before departure will be more detailed.

Inclusions

What's included

7 breakfasts, 6 picnic lunches, 7 dinners (does not include drinks)
Continental breakfasts are served and will usually consist of breads, cheese, ham, tea, coffee & juices. At breakfast you will prepare your packed lunch for the day which will be sandwiches, fruit & juice. If you choose not to cycle on a particular day, the crew will serve lunch on board. Dinner will consist of three courses inclusive of either a pasta, vegetarian or meat dish.
7 nights accommodation aboard a Deluxe category barge (either Arkona or de Amsterdam) with ensuite facilities on a twin share basis. The trip price is based on a standard twin cabin below deck - supplement applies for other cabin categories (de Amsterdam: twin cabin upper deck, twin Suite upper deck or single cabin, Arkona: twin upper deck or single cabin). We do not match clients together so if you are travelling solo you will need to book a single cabin (limited and on a request basis - these are single use of a twin share cabin).
Rental bike with helmet, biodegradable water bottle and pannier (e-bike available on request - supplement applies)
Welcome drink and briefing on the first evening
Experienced multilingual tour leader for daily briefings (while the trip is self guided, the tour leader also cycles the tour and is available during the day to assist if required)
Information pack including route notes & maps (one set per cabin), navigational app with GPS tracks
Some short city walking tours
Linen and change of towels as required
Daily cabin cleaning
Tea and coffee during breakfast and after the cycling tours til 4pm
Semi guided cycle tours - cyclists navigate independently along a set route. The guide will also cycle.
Live music onboard
Carbon offset
Emergency hotline

What's not included

Travel to and from Amsterdam docking location
Meals not mentioned as included, drinks
Drinks including water at dinner, coffee and tea after 4.00pm and other items of a personal nature
Special diets (excluding Vegetarian): Gluten & Lactose free require payment of a supplement of EUR 70 - must be requested in advance and paid on board. Note: vegan diets cannot be catered for on this trip.
Entrance fees and excursions not listed as included
Transfers not listed as included
Travel insurance - mandatory
Tips - while tipping is not obligatory, it is customary to offer a tip if the tour leader and crew have done a good job. As a guide we would recommend EUR30-60 per person (to be distributed between the guide/s, captain and crew).
Bike insurance. Optional bike insurance is available (Limitation of Liability for damage), fee applies, must be prepaid - ask our team
Fees for ferries/waterbus
WIFI - a fee applies, payable onboard if required - allow approx. EUR 10 for the week
Items of a personal nature

Cabins

MS Arkona

Main Deck Cabins

There are 33 twin cabins on the main deck which have two lower beds, ensuite facilities, individually controlled air conditioning, and non-opening windows.

MS Arkona

Upper Deck Twin Cabins

There are 12 twin cabins on the upper deck which have two lower beds, ensuite faciliites and air conditioning. These cabins have a floor to ceiling panoramic window of which the upper half can be opened.

MS Arkona

Upper Deck Single Cabin

There are 2 single cabins on the upper deck which have a small double bed, ensuite faciliites and air conditioning. These cabins have a floor to ceiling panoramic window of which the upper half can be opened.

de Amsterdam

Main deck twin cabins

The are 30 twin cabins on the main deck which have two lower beds which can be separated, ensuite facilities, individually controlled air conditioning and a large picture window that can be partially opened

de Amsterdam

Upper deck twin cabins

The upper deck has 18 twin cabins, with the same amenities as those on the main deck.

de Amsterdam

Upper deck Suite cabins

There are eight spacious suites on the upper deck, with beds that can be separated on request. They have the same amenities as the twin cabins but are larger and also have a desk with storage place, a small fridge, a “French Balcony” (floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors) and a window.

Bike information

Standard Bike

During the trip you will be provided with a 7 speed unisex (low bar) city bike with handbrakes, a gel-saddle (height adjustable), a lock on the frame and pannier bag. All bikes have 28 inch wheels. Some smaller frames are available on board. There are also a few bikes with a horizontal bar available (from 1.90m). Helmet rental is included.

Electric Bike

An electric bike is available on request (limited supply).

Electric bikes, or e-bikes, are designed to make cycling easier. The pedalling ‘boost’ provided by an e-bike opens up more options, allowing people of different fitness levels to cycle together or for cyclists to take on routes they may otherwise consider too tough for their current fitness capabilities. Please note that e-bikes are heavier than normal bikes and given the higher speed possible, should only be ridden by confident cyclists. Minimum age for e-bike rental is 12 years and a minimum height requirement is 150cm / 4ft11in.

Grading

introductory

GRADE 1 - Daily cycling distances from 28 to 55km (17.5 to 34.5mi). As with all of our cycling programs, wind and poor weather could make the trip grade change. Should you not wish to cycle you are welcome to stay onboard. The accent is on keeping a relaxed pace to take in all of the attractions, with time to stop and take photos, visit a museum or enjoy the market places in many of the interesting towns visited. It is considered suitable for children, as long as they have road sense, are familiar with the workings of a bike (gear change etc) and are comfortable cycling alongside moving vehicles at times. Electric bikes are available for a supplement and when used will ensure the cycling is comfortable for less physical cyclists - however it is still essential that you are comfortable cycling on roads and in light traffic in variable weather conditions. E-bikes are fabulous for taking some of the effort out of cycling however they are heavier than normal bikes which is a consideration when lifting them up the kerb etc. *For safety reasons, we highly recommend that cycle helmets are worn during cycle sections.

Departure dates

Notes

Mid Season

High Season

Peak season supplement

Note:

2025: Peak season is from 1 May to 30 Jun, 23 Aug to 6 Sep, High season is from 26 to 30 Apr, 1 Jul to 22 Aug, 7 to 19 Sep, Mid season is from 19 to 25 Apr and 20 to 26 Sep. 2026: Peak season is from 16 May to 10 Jul, 22 Aug to 5 Sep, High season is from 25 Apr to 15 May, 11 Jul to 21 Aug, 12 - 18 Sep. Mid season is from 18 - 24 Apr, 19 - 25 Sep. Supplement applies to peak, high and mid season departures.

2025: Discount applies to departures from 29 March to 6 April and on 4 October. 2026: Discount applies to 3 & 10 October departures.

Note:

2025: Departures based on De Amsterdam denoted with D, departures on Arkona denoted with K. 2026: All departures on De Amsterdam

Note:

Prices on request for single upper deck cabin or Twin cabin for single use (upper or lower deck)

Want to organise a private group?

Fundraising events, sporting groups, family treats; learn how you can organise a Private Group from just 6 travellers.

Priceper person from

$1490USD

Options & Supplements*

2026 Discount for departures 03 & 10 Oct - twin lower deckUSD$-102
2025 Discount for departures from 29 Mar to 6 Apr and on 4 OctUSD$-68
Optional standard Bike insurance (limitation of liability-damage)USD$23
Optional e-Bike insurance (limitation of liability-damage)USD$40
E-bike supplementUSD$220
Upper deck twin cabin supplement (DAM) ppUSD$290
Single Supplement - lower deck discount season - 29 Mar to 6 Apr and on 4 Oct 2025USD$460
Upper deck twin cabin supplement (ARK) ppUSD$460
Single Supplement - lower deck standard seasonUSD$520
Single Supplement - lower deck mid seasonUSD$600
Upper deck suite supplement (DAM) ppUSD$630
Single Supplement - lower deck high seasonUSD$690
Single Supplement - lower deck peak seasonUSD$750
2026 Single Supplement - twin lower deck cabinUSD$790
2026 Single Supplement - twin upper deck cabinUSD$1220

*Prices listed are per person

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