Founder’s Tulip Tour

Day 1: Amsterdam - Volendam
Day 2: Volendam - Hoorn, 15 mi. (24 km) | Hoorn - Enkhuizen
Day 3: Enkhuizen - Oudeschild | Sailing day
Day 4: Wadden Island of Texel Roundtrip, 29 mi. (43 km) or 26 mi. (48 km) | Oudeschild – Den Helder
Day 5: Den Helder - St. Maartensvlotbrug | St. Maartensvlotbrug - Alkmaar, 19 mi. (32 km) or 32 mi. (53 km) 
Day 6: Alkmaar - Zaandam, 29 mi. (47 km)
Day 7: Zaandam - Keukenhof - Amsterdam | Tulip Garden Bus Excursion
Day 8: Amsterdam - Voorhout - Amsterdam | Bloemencorso Flower Parade
Day 9: Departure from Amsterdam 

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam - Cruise to Volendam
Your tulip tour begins in Amsterdam, where you’ll settle in aboard the Wapen Fan Fryslan. After a warm welcome from Hennie and the crew, set sail for Volendam, a traditional fishing village famous for its wooden houses and folk costumes. While cruising, your guide will walk you through the week ahead and share tips for cycling safely. Once docked, stretch your legs with an easy test ride, then enjoy dinner on board. End the day with a guided walk through Volendam's harbor lined with boats and old-world charm. (D)

Day 2: Volendam - Hoorn, 14 mi. (24 km) | Cruise to Enkhuizen
Cycle past meadows and canals to Edam, once a busy port exporting its famous cheese around the world. Look for the old warehouses and weigh house that tell the town’s story. Continue riding through polder landscapes and past windmills to Hoorn, a vital base for the Dutch East India Company during the Golden Age, once so influential that Cape Horn was named after it. Back on board, cruise to Enkhuizen, another maritime hub known for its herring fleet and historic harbor, where you can wander cobblestone streets lined with 17th-century buildings. (B, L, D)

Day 3: Enkhuizen - Oudeschild | Sailing day
Enjoy a day off the bike as you sail across the IJsselmeer, once the rough inland Zuiderzee that often flooded low-lying villages until it was closed off by the Afsluitdijk in 1932. Feel free to help the crew raise the sails, learn a few nautical knots, or relax on deck with a panoramic view of passing islands and flocks of waterfowl. By afternoon, you’ll dock in Oudeschild, Texel’s main harbor village. Dinner is on your own tonight. Try one of the island’s fish restaurants serving Texel lamb or local oysters. (B, L)

Day 4: Texel Island Loop, 26-29 mi. (43-48 km) | Oudeschild - Den Helder
Choose a shorter or longer loop to discover Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands. This is a cyclist’s paradise where flat trails wind through dunes, sheep-dotted meadows, and coastal villages. Stop at Ecomare, where rescued seals and porpoises are cared for, or sample small-batch beer at a brewery made with local barley and dune water. In late afternoon, rejoin the ship and sail to Den Helder, home to the country’s main naval base for over two centuries. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Den Helder - St. Maartensvlotbrug | St. Maartensvlotbrug - Alkmaar, 19 or 32 mi. (32 or 53 km)
Pedal through North Holland’s sweeping bulb fields, the largest continuous flower-growing region in the world. In spring, this flat polder land transforms into endless stripes of color with tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths stretching to the horizon. Pause for a stroll on the broad North Sea beach if the weather’s good. Cycle on through Bergen, a village with a long history of artists’ colonies, galleries, and dune mansions. Your day ends in Alkmaar, famous since 1365 for its cheese market, where cheese carriers still haul wheels by hand-drawn sledges as they did centuries ago. Wander the medieval streets, canals, and hidden courtyards before returning to your cozy cabin. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Alkmaar - Zaandam, 29 mi. (47 km)
Today’s ride passes through small flower villages like Limmen and Egmond, with a stop at the Hortus Bulborum. This living museum garden is unique worldwide, preserving over 4,000 historic varieties of tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils, some bred before the tulip mania of the 17th century. The route finishes at Zaanse Schans, a remarkable open-air museum where working windmills still grind spices, saw wood, and press oil. Peek into clog workshops and old-time grocery stores before docking in Zaandam, once home to Peter the Great when he came to study Dutch shipbuilding. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Zaandam - Keukenhof - Amsterdam | Tulip Garden Bus Excursion
Leave your bikes behind today and travel by coach to Keukenhof Gardens, one of the world’s most photographed places. Spread across 80 acres, Keukenhof bursts with more than 7 million blooming tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and orchids. Wander through themed gardens, floral pavilions, and winding paths under ancient trees. After a full day among the blooms, return to Amsterdam for one last night aboard your floating hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Amsterdam - Voorhout - Amsterdam | Bloemencorso Flower Parade
After breakfast, transfer to your Amsterdam hotel, drop your bags, then head by bus to Voorhout for one of the Netherlands’ favorite traditions: the Bloemencorso flower parade. Locals spend months building enormous floats covered in tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. The parade winds through flower fields and villages, celebrating spring with color, music, and creativity. You’ll have a reserved grandstand seat along the route, giving you the best views and a comfortable spot to enjoy the show. Return to Amsterdam by train at your leisure and spend your final night at the Holiday Inn Sloterdijk, right by the train station for easy connections. (B)

Day 9: Departure from Amsterdam 
Your bike and boat tulip adventure ends today. (B)

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Day 2: Amsterdam - Voorhout - Zaandam | Bloemencorso Flower Parade  
Day 3: Zaandam - Alkmaar, 29 mi. (47 km)
Day 4: Alkmaar - Den Helder, 21 to 31 mi. (33 km to 50 km)
Day 5: Den Helder - Texel Island Roundtrip, 27 to 31 mi. (43 to 48 km)
Day 6: Texel - Enkhuizen | Relaxing Sailing Day on the IJsselmeer
Day 7: Enkhuizen - Hoorn - Volendam 20 mi. (28 km)
Day 8: Volendam - Keukenhof - Amsterdam | Tulip Garden Bus Excursion
Day 9: Departure from Amsterdam

Day 1: Arrival in Amsterdam
Arrive in Amsterdam and check into your hotel. Depending on your schedule, enjoy a walk along the canals, visit a nearby museum, or relax at a local café with classic Dutch snacks. The evening is yours to unwind and explore at your own pace before the journey begins.

Day 2: Amsterdam - Voorhout - Zaandam | Bloemencorso Flower Parade
After breakfast, a bus will be waiting to transport you to Voorhout for one of the Netherlands’ favorite traditions: the Bloemencorso flower parade. Locals spend months building enormous floats covered in tulips, hyacinths, and daffodils. The parade winds through flower fields and villages, celebrating spring with color, music, and creativity. You’ll have a reserved grandstand seat along the route, giving you the best views and a comfortable spot to enjoy the show. Following the parade, you'll return to Amsterdam by train, where a bus will be waiting to take you to Zaandam. There, you'll board the Mare Fan Fryslan, where your friendly crew will welcome you aboard and your tour leader will give an overview of the upcoming cycling adventure. (B, D)

Day 3: Zaandam - Alkmaar, 29 mi. (47 km)
After breakfast, cycle to the iconic Zaanse Schans, a living Dutch heritage village known for its working windmills, traditional wooden houses, and artisanal workshops. Explore the clog maker’s shop, cheese farm, old-style grocery store, and more. Your ride continues through the scenic villages of Limmen and Egmond-Binnen, passing vibrant tulip fields (in bloom during spring). Visit the Hortus Bulborum, a one-of-a-kind botanical garden preserving over 4,000 historical flower bulbs. End your ride in the historic city of Alkmaar, famous for its cheese markets and beautifully preserved 17th-century architecture. (B, L, D)

Day 4: Alkmaar - Den Helder, 21 or 31 mi. (33 km or 50 km)
Today’s cycling route leads north of Alkmaar through the heart of the Dutch tulip region. Enjoy stunning views of endless blooming fields as you ride toward the North Sea coast, stopping at the artsy village of Bergen. Continue through the protected landscapes of the North Holland Dune Reserve before reaching Den Helder, home to the world’s largest single blooming bulb field — a true springtime spectacle! (B, L, D)

Day 5: Den Helder - Texel Island, 27 to 31 mi. (43 to 48 km)
While you enjoy breakfast, your barge sails to Texel, the largest of the Dutch Wadden Islands. Choose between a shorter or longer cycling loop around this scenic island. Discover peaceful nature parks, charming villages, and blooming flower fields. Don’t miss a visit to Ecomare, a seal sanctuary and marine life center. End the day with a stop at a local brewery in Oudeschild for a refreshing Texel-brewed beer. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Texel - Enkhuizen | Relaxing Sailing Day on the IJsselmeer
Enjoy a relaxing sailing experience today as the ship crosses the IJsselmeer to Enkhuizen. Participate in hoisting the sails or simply unwind on deck while taking in the views. A generous lunch will be served on board. In the afternoon, explore Enkhuizen, a historic port town known for its maritime heritage, picturesque harbor, and centuries-old architecture. Dinner is on your own tonight giving you the opportunity to dine at one of the town’s excellent local restaurants. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Enkhuizen - Hoorn - Volendam, 20 mi. (28 km)
This morning, cruise to Hoorn, a 17th-century powerhouse of the Dutch East India Company. In the afternoon, cycle to Volendam, a postcard-perfect fishing village on Lake IJsselmeer. En route, stop in Edam, internationally renowned for its cheese. Once a vital shipbuilding town, Edam is now famous for its red or yellow waxed wheels of cheese that once accompanied sailors around the globe. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Volendam - Keukenhof - Amsterdam | Tulip Garden Bus Excursion
Today features a scenic bus excursion to the world-famous Keukenhof Gardens, the most iconic tulip garden in the Netherlands. Stroll through 80 acres filled with over 7 million blooming tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, and other vibrant spring flowers. Enjoy traditional and modern landscaping at its finest. In the afternoon, return to Amsterdam, where you’ll spend your final night aboard the ship. (B, L, D)

Day 9: Departure from Amsterdam
Enjoy your last breakfast on board before disembarking by 9:30 a.m. Depart with unforgettable memories of your tulip season bike and barge tour through the most beautiful parts of the Netherlands. (B)