Amsterdam to Hamburg

Join us on a bike and hike journey along the North Sea coast.  Our bike route will follow part of the newly posted North Sea Cycle Route.  With a distance of 6,000 kilometers it passes through six countries.  In Holland we’ll explore the northern Province of Friesland, a land of lakes, woods and moors, dotted with ancient trading towns and villages frozen in time.  Crossing the border into northern Germany we see a part of the country that is totally different from the rest of the land.  This is a region of great ports and Hanseatic cities that were built by merchants and business people trading with world markets. 

In both Holland and Germany we’ll visit the Wattenmeer, or Wadden Sea, a vast network of tidal mud-flats, dunes and sandbanks where the sea meets the land; but it is difficult to tell where.  The Halligs are pancake shaped projections covered with course grass and can be reached at low tide by crossing the mud flats on foot.  People live on these islands and raise cattle from homes that are built on stilts.  The first floors are frequently washed away by flood tides, and yet residents would not consider moving to the mainland.  With waves and storm tides gnawing away the shoreline, the shape of these islands is forever changing.

Special note:  If you don’t want to walk, we will have cycling routes available on the two walking days of the tour.  Most of the routes on the trip are flat, with a few easy rolling hills at times.  For those who want more demanding biking opportunities, we will have several longer options with hill climbing.

Plan to arrive in Amsterdam no later than Sunday morning. We suggest arriving one or two days early to enjoy the lovely tree-lined canals flanked by gabled houses.  Visit the renowned Rijksmuseum, featuring over one million art objects and the Van Gogh Museum.  Special hotel arrangements in central Amsterdam will be available for those arriving early.

Sunday & Monday, Oudkerk.  Sunday our private coach will transfer us to our luxury hotel situated in the Dutch countryside.  A warm up bike ride in the afternoon.  Monday we bicycle the nearby woods and walk the Dutch mudflats with a local guide.  Option of cycling longer routes and not walk.  Landgoed De Klinze is a former estate of the nobility who lived in this part of the Netherlands.  The park around the hotel is very popular with hikers because of its winding paths and bridges. Hotel Landgoed De Klinze.  http://en.klinze.nl/

Tuesday & Wednesday, Bad Bederkesa.  Cycling on Tuesday morning followed by a coach transfer.  Additional biking in the afternoon.  Wednesday we have a choice of cycling options or you may opt to play the nearby golf course.  Not far distant, in Bremerhaven you can visit Europe’s largest museum of emigration.  Seven million Europeans set sail from here between 1830 and 1974.  The museum came about in collaboration with the Museum on Ellis Island.
Romantik Hotel Boesehof.  http://www.boesehof.de/english/index.html

Thursday & Friday, Husum.  Thursday we bike north along the North Sea coast.  The next day we’ll walk the sea with our local guide.  There is also the option of more cycling or playing another round of golf.  Husum is the largest fishing port in the region and also serves as a terminal for boats traveling to the Halligen Islands.  The hotel’s restaurant has been awarded one of Germany’s few Michelin stars for its outstanding cuisine.
Romantik Hotel Altes Gymnasium.  http://www.altes-gymnasium.de/6_2.html

Saturday & Sunday, Hamburg.  After a morning bike ride or last walk on the seashore, we transfer to Hamburg.  The afternoon is free for exploring the city independently, shopping or visiting one of the many world class museums.  Sunday morning our local guide will introduce us to the city that is called the “Venice of the North” with its countless waterways, canals and bridges.  Cycling and walking opportunities in the afternoon.
Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten.  www.hamburg.raffles.com

Monday. Leisurely breakfast and transfer to the Hamburg train station or airport for your flight home or to other parts of Europe.

Tour date:  You pick the date -- 9 days/8 nights.
Tour Leaders:  Gerhard Meng & assistant
Tour price:  $3,955 per person based on a group of 14 to 16 people. 
In order to offer the lowest possible price, the trips are priced according to the number of participants on the tour.  The cost will be lower with more people in the group, and the cost will increase if there are fewer people.  Price can also be reduced if you wish fewer meals or other services included.  The standard of hotels you choose will also change the  price. 
Price was last up-dated on November 11, 2009.  Subject to change.

Includes all breakfasts and seven dinners.
What else is included in the tour cost?

On most days we’ll have three cycling options with average distances of 28, 40 and 55 miles.  Shortcuts will be available and every day we’ll also have the option of longer and more challenging bike rides. 

To include the most scenic and interesting parts of the region in the tour, there will be several group transfers during the trip. In addition to the “sag wagon”, a small coach that can accommodate the entire group of tour participants will accompany the group on some days. The support vehicles transfer all luggage, offer mechanical assistance and limited spare parts, and provide a lift if a tour member should tire during the cycling day. The sag wagon comes equipped with a mobile phone and a small library of information on the area.

Good quality bike rentals can be arranged at approximately $30 per day. All frames are “hybrid” style with upright handlebars and have a choice of men’s or women’s frame. Designed in France, they are equipped with Shimano components. All have 27 gears and come equipped with a water bottle, bell, lock, pump, handlebar pack, rear rack and patch kit.

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