Guided cycling: A tour leader will guide you during the cycling days
Guided
“Thinking of Holland I see broad rivers languidly winding through endless fen, lines of incredibly tenuous poplars like giant plumes on the polder’s rim”.These lines of a famous poem by the Dutch poet Marsman characterize this wonderful journey between Amsterdam and Maastricht, the southernmost city in the Netherlands. Discover magical flat and green landscapes formed by the rivers Vecht, Lower Rhine, Waal, Linge and Meuse: a tangle of old gullies, cut-off meanders, dikes and flood plains with a typical flora and fauna. Visit historical towns, remarkable villages and some castles and gardens along these rivers. In the hospitable province of Limburg, cycling tours will cross borders regularly: although the Meuse flows through the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium are only a stone’s throw away. You can …
Netherlands: Amsterdam – Maastricht or or Maastricht – Amsterdam
“Thinking of Holland I see broad rivers languidly winding through endless fen, lines of incredibly tenuous poplars like giant plumes on the polder’s rim”.These lines of a famous poem by the Dutch poet Marsman characterize this wonderful journey between Amsterdam and Maastricht, the southernmost city in the Netherlands.
Discover magical flat and green landscapes formed by the rivers Vecht, Lower Rhine, Waal, Linge and Meuse: a tangle of old gullies, cut-off meanders, dikes and flood plains with a typical flora and fauna.
Visit historical towns, remarkable villages and some castles and gardens along these rivers. In the hospitable province of Limburg, cycling tours will cross borders regularly: although the Meuse flows through the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium are only a stone’s throw away.
You can eat ‘Kuchen’ (cake) in a German ‘Konditorei’ in the morning and have a delicious afternoon beer in a street café in a Belgium village. The journey ends in Maastricht, the capital of the province of Limburg, famous for its lively center and vibrant hospitality.
The ship – Your sailing hotel
In between cycling excursions, you cruise along with the ship, which travels to a new destination every day. You dine, sleep and eat breakfast on board. You’ll receive a packed lunch every day, and you can usually choose between a longer or shorter bike ride. It’s also possible to spend a day on board if you like. There are rental bikes on board, but you can also bring your own if you mention it when booking.
Fully Guided
Accompanied by a competent, professional and multilingual tour leader, you and the group will visit interesting sights and places on the daily cycling tours. During the bike tour, they will explain the local history and culture behind the things you encounter along the way. You can also choose to ride individually with the help of the Ride with GPS app and our BBT cycling map (available on board).
Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board is between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. Around 2 p.m. the barge sails to Weesp. This small city on the banks of the river Vecht has a historical centre with many canals and buildings dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth century. It also has a few beautiful windmills. The scenic river Vecht and the small roads along the river attract yachters and cyclists. As soon as you arrive the tour leader will organize a test ride. After dinner you will have time to stroll through this charming city.
Day 2 Weesp – Utrecht | Utrecht – Vianen
47km29 mi
Your bike tour starts in Weesp. You will cycle along the beautiful meandering river Vecht with impressive mansions on its banks. Along the way you visit a real Dutch cheese farm, where cheese is still produced according to traditional methods. You will meet the barge in the city of Utrecht and from there you sail the Amsterdam-Rhine canal to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek.
Day 3 Vianen – Gorinchem | Gorinchem – Heusden
41km25 mi
From Vianen you cycle through a typical Dutch landscape to Leerdam a little town on the banks of the river Linge. Leerdam is famous for its glasswork. Later on you continue biking on the beautiful roads along the Linge to Gorinchem, a charming town on the river Waal. After a short visit, you will join the barge to Heusden.
Day 4 Heusden – Lith | Lith – Cuijck
40km24 mi
During breakfast the ship sails from Heusden to Lith, a village on the Maas river. Here your bike tour will start, leading you along the river Maas to medieval towns like Ravenstein and Grave. In Ravenstein you can visit the Tanner’s Cottages and in Grave you will see canons from the time of Napoleon. Grave has also played an important role in Operation Market Garden during the second world war, because it was situated near an important bridge. This bridge is now called John S. Thompson Bridge. Following the Maas river you will meet the barge in Cuijk where you will spend the night. The St. Martins Church, a neo-gothic church, houses a very well kept baroc-organ (built 1639-1650). This organ is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. After dinner you will visit museum Ceuclum in Cuijk and you can climb the tower for a magnificent view of the Maas valley.
Day 5 Cuijck – Arcen
53km32 mi
Today a magnificent bike tour is scheduled. You cycle along the Maas valley to Afferden and Heijen, right through the unique Maasheggen landscape. With its thorny hedges, that first came into use at the beginning of our era to keep cattle in and scare off Roman occupants, it’s the oldest cultural landscape in the Netherlands. The route continues through National Park Maasduinen, a long stretch of river dunes deposited by wind and the river Rhine. In the town of Well you will find the Well castle with its heavy round brick tower, dating from the 14th century. The destination for today is Arcen. If there is still time left, you can visit the famous local castle gardens. The castle garden is known for its extensive and diverse flowers and other vegetation. Another option is the beer garden of the local brewery Hertog Jan.
Day 6 Arcen – Venlo – Roermond
50km31 mi
Again your bike route follows the Meuse river. Here and there you cross by ferry or bridge in order to follow the most interesting paths. The first stop is Venlo, with many historical monuments and a lively inner city. At lunchtime you arrive in Kessel, one of the oldest villages along the Meuse with an unusually restored castle. From there you cross to the other bank and continue the bike ride to the beautiful village of Beesel, where grain mill ‘Grey bear’ stands proudly next to the river. Today’s tour ends in the city of Roermond. Here the river Roer and Meuse converge. Catholic Roermond, since 1559 an episcopal city, is known for its rich cultural heritage. In the center you will find many historical buildings. Roermond is also the city of Pierre Cuypers, according to many the most important Dutch architect of the 19th century and the architect of the Rijksmuseum and Central Station in Amsterdam. A modern day attraction is the Designer outlet center, that draws throngs of fashionista’s. Dinner tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Day 7 Roermond – Born | Born – Maastricht
42km26 mi
Today, the cycling tour continues through charming villages and the beautiful landscape of the province of Limburg. First stop is Thorn, the ‘White Village’ on the Dutch/Belgian border known for its cobblestone streets and white painted houses. The only non-white building is the 14th-century church. From Thorn you cycle across the Dutch / Belgian border to the Belgian city of Maaseik. This city is famous for medieval painters Hubert and Jan van Eyck. In the market square you will see typical Renaissance-style houses with their impressive facades. You can also take the opportunity to have a nice Belgian “pint” on this beautiful square. You will find the ship in Born, from where you sail to Maastricht. Maastricht, the capital of the province of Limburg, is a beautifully preserved city with Roman roots and a French flair. In this town you find the treasure houses of the St. Servaas Church, the Bonnefanten museum for art and antiquity, and the Kazematten, a system of underground fortress works from the 18th century. In addition to these places of interest, it is also worthwhile visiting the marl caves, or just thoroughly enjoy yourself on the Vrijthof. You will not get bored!
Day 8 Maastricht
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Day 1 Maastricht
6km3 mi
Embarkation and check-in where the crew will welcome you on board is between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. After the welcome meeting there is time for bicycle fitting and a short test-ride. After dinner the tour leader will take you for a walk through the centre of town. We advise you to come to Maastricht one or more days earlier, so that you will have plenty of time to discover this interesting city.
Maastricht is a beautifully preserved city with Roman roots. In this town you find the treasure house of the St. Servaas Church, the Bonnefanten museum for art and antiquity, and the Kazematten, a system of underground fortress works from the 18th century. In addition to these places of interest, it is also worthwhile visiting the marl caves, or just to thoroughly enjoy yourself on the Vrijthof. You will not get bored!
Day 2 Maastricht – Born | Born – Roermond
40km24 mi
During breakfast you join the barge to Born via the Juliana Canal, where you disembark at the locks. From here you bike over the Dutch/Belgian border into Belgium to Maaseik. This town is famous for the painters Hubert and Jan van Eyck. On the market square you see typical renaissance houses with their impressive facades. You can also use the opportunity to try a Belgian “pint” on this beautiful square. Then you continue to Thorn, the ‘white Village’ on the Dutch/Belgian border known for its cobblestone streets and white painted houses. The only non-white building is the 14th-century church. Our destination for today is the city of Roermond, where of the river Roer and Meuse come together. Roermond is known by its rich cultural heritage. Since 1559 it has been a bishop city. In the centre you will find many historical buildings. Roermond is also the city of Pierre Cuypers, according to many the most important Dutch architect of the 19th century. He is the architect of the Rijksmuseum and Central Station in Amsterdam.
Day 3 Roermond – Venlo – Arcen
50km31 mi
Today you start biking from Roermond. First you follow the river on the east bank to the beautiful village of Beesel, where the grain mill ‘grey bear’ stands proudly along the river. Then you cross over to the other bank to Kessel. Kessel is one of the oldest villages on the Meuse. At lunchtime you arrive in Venlo, with many historical moments and a lively inner city. In the afternoon you ride to Arcen, a former fortified town on the banks of the Meuse. If there is still time left, you can visit the famous local castle gardens, known for their extensive and diverse flowers and other vegetation. Another option is the beer garden of the local brewery.
Day 4 Arcen – Cuijk
53km32 mi
Today a magnificent bike tour is on the program. First you will bike pass Well where you find the Well castle with its heavy round brick tower dating from the 14th century. You continue through the National Park Maasduinen close to the German border. Around lunchtime you arrive in Afferden. You will find the barge again in Cuijk, another interesting city on the banks of the Meuse. The St. Martins Church, a neo-gothic church, houses a very well kept baroc-organ (built 1639-1650). This organ is one of the oldest in the Netherlands. After dinner you will visit museum Ceuclum in Cuijk and you can climb the tower for a magnificent view of the Maas valley.
Day 5 Cuijk – Oss | Oss – Heusden
40km24 mi
Today you bike from Cuijk along the Meuse river to the cities Grave and Ravenstein. Both are medieval cities. In Grave you will see canons from the time of Napoleon. Grave has also played an important role in Operation Market Garden during the second world war, because it was situated near an important bridge. This bridge is now called John S. Thompson Bridge. In Ravenstein you can visit the Tanner’s Cottages in the city park. From Oss you will join the barge again on which you will have a nice sail to Heusden, a very beautifully restored fortified city. Dinner tonight (not included) will be in town in a restaurant of your choice (recommendations available on board).
Day 6 Heusden – Gorinchem | Gorinchem – Vianen
41km25 mi
In the morning you will join the barge to Gorinchem, a charming town on the river Waal. From there you cycle through a typical Dutch landscape to Leerdam a little town on the banks of the river Linge. Leerdam is famous for its glasswork. In the afternoon you continue to Vianen, a small fortified town on the river Lek.
Day 7 Vianen – Breukelen | Breukelen – Amsterdam
42km26 mi
You will sail during breakfast. Today’s bike tour, that starts in Breukelen leads along the winding river Vecht to Amsterdam. In Loenen you will visit a mill. Final destination is Amsterdam, where you can take a tour through the canals or visit the Rijksmuseum or the van Gogh museum.
Day 8 Amsterdam
End of your tour: Disembarkation after breakfast until 9.30 a.m.
Good to know
Cycling route distances in the travel program are approximate.
On some days you can choose between a longer and a shorter cycling route. Please note that on the shorter routes you may not be able to visit all the highlights mentioned.
If you prefer not to cycle on a particular day, you’re welcome to stay on board and relax while the ship cruises to the next landing place.
The tour itinerary and route are subject to possible changes due to nautical, technical or meteorological reasons, or other unforeseen events.
On the arrival day, you can leave your luggage on board the ship from 11.00 am.
A detailed cycling map and a GPS app are available for guests who wish to cycle individually and at their own pace. The tour guide is always available via cell phone in case of questions, breakdowns or emergencies.
The bicycles of Boat Bike Tours
Always the best rental bikes
The rental bikes on our ships are unisex bicycles with a low bar and a comfortable upright sitting position. These are stable and dependable bikes, good for miles in the saddle. Decide which kind of bike you want to rent and simply fill in your preference with your reservation. We’ll make sure you get the right bike for you. On most of our tours, the bike rental cost is not included in the tour’s price.
Every Boat Bike Tour rental bike is well equipped. The bikes consist of a lightweight aluminum frame and have highly-responsive handbrakes, at least seven speeds, an adjustable gel seat, normal flat pedals (no clips), an easy-to-use lock attached to the frame, and special puncture-resistant tires. All told, this is a light, stable and reliable bike, very suitable for touring long distances pleasantly.
Our e-bikes also have at least seven speeds and handbrakes. The motor runs on a 400Wh battery and offers three levels of power-assistance. The e-bikes include comfortable gel seats that can be adjusted for height, have a lock attached to the frame, and sport anti-puncture tires. Note that some of the ships have their own bikes on board. They may look a bit different, but qualitatively they are equal to Boat Bike Tours’s e-bikes.
Bicycle helmets The use of bicycle helmets is not required in the Netherlands, but for safety’s sake they are suggested. If you wish to rent one, you can do so during the booking process. If you book a premium tour and rent a bike or e-bike, then the helmet and a “limit of liability for damage or loss” for your bike or e-bike is included in the rental price.
Other rental items Other items such as children’s bikes, tandems, family tandems (child & adult), tag-along, trailers to carry toddlers and child seats are available on request.
Taking your own bike or e-bike? The fee for parking your own bicycle is €10 per week. For an e-bike the fee is €25 to cover parking and charging the battery. For safety reasons it is not always possible to charge your e-bike batteries in your cabin. The crew will tell you where you can charge the battery on board the ship. Neither the crew nor Boat Bike tours is responsible in any way for any damage, loss or theft of a guest’s own bike or e-bike or its accessories. Note: not all the ships are suitable or have enough room for extra bikes, so make sure you check with us well ahead of travel.
Our bicycles have a lightweight aluminum frame and are furnished with highly-responsive handbrakes, at least seven speeds and a gel seat whose height can be adjusted. Attached to the frame is an easy-to-use lock and the wheels carry puncture-resistant tires.
E-bikes
Our e-bikes also have highly-responsive handbrakes and a minimum of seven speeds. The motor runs on a 400Wh battery and offers three levels of power-assistance. The e-bikes include comfortable gel seats that can be adjusted for height, have a lock attached to the frame and special anti-puncture tires.
Taking your own bicycle
It is possible to take your own bike or e-bike with you, as long as it doesn’t have mirrors or other elements that stick out. There’s only limited space available on board for guests’ bikes. You can reserve a place for your bike for a small fee. Boat Bike tours is not responsible for damage to your bike or for theft.
Prices & availability
Date
Departure
Ship
Saturday
May 2, 2026
Saturday
May 9, 2026
Amsterdam, Oosterdok
Guided
Flora
Available
–€200.00
Prices from
€1,509.00 p.p.
€1,309.00 p.p.
May 9, 2026May 16, 2026
Fully booked
Saturday
Jun 27, 2026
Saturday
Jul 4, 2026
Amsterdam, Oosterdok
Guided
Gandalf
Available
–€200.00
Prices from
€1,509.00 p.p.
€1,309.00 p.p.
Saturday
Jul 4, 2026
Saturday
Jul 11, 2026
Maaspromenade Maastricht
Guided
Gandalf
Available
–€200.00
Prices from
€1,509.00 p.p.
€1,309.00 p.p.
Saturday
Jul 11, 2026
Saturday
Jul 18, 2026
Amsterdam, Oosterdok
Guided
Sarah
Available
Prices from
€1,579.00 p.p.
Saturday
Jul 18, 2026
Saturday
Jul 25, 2026
Maastricht, Maaspromenade dock 5
Guided
Sarah
Available
Prices from
€1,579.00 p.p.
Saturday
Aug 29, 2026
Saturday
Sep 5, 2026
Amsterdam, Oosterdok
Guided
Sarah
Available
Prices from
€1,579.00 p.p.
Saturday
Sep 5, 2026
Saturday
Sep 12, 2026
Maastricht, Maaspromenade dock 5
Guided
Sarah
Available
Prices from
€1,579.00 p.p.
Practical information
Included in this tour
8 days/7 nights
7 x breakfast
Packed lunches
6 x 3-course dinner
Coffee and tea on board
Welcome drink
Use of bed linen and towels
Daily cleaning of the cabin
Daily briefings
Fully guided cycling tours
Some short walking tours
BBT cycling map (1 per cabin)
GPS tracks
Use of a waterproof pannier bag
Biodegradable water bottle
Fees for ferries
Entrance Museum Ceuclum in Cuijk
Wi-Fi
The CO2 emissions from this trip will be offset through Trees for All and plastic recycler Orca
Entrance fees and excursions (not mentioned under included)
Transfers to/from the docking place
Parking fees
SGR Insolvency protection (mandatory consumer contribution SGR insolvency protection guarantee scheme: € 5 per person – will be specified separately on the booking confirmation)
Helmets: A helmet can be rented for € 10 per week, only on prior reservation and payment.
Parking own bicycle: € 14 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
Parking + charge station own E-Bike: € 28 per week (only a limited number of parking places available: pref. reservation by booking)
Please click on this link for more information about the rental and own bicycles/E-bikes
Parking in Amsterdam (valet parking): prices and pre-booking here.
Transfer between Amsterdam and Maastricht: There is a good train connection between these two cities. Please visit the following websites for timetables, tickets or more information www.omio.com or www.trainline.com.
Loyalty Discount
Explore our Loyalty Discount!
After your tour, you’ll receive an exclusive discount code:
You get 3% on your second tour with us.
From the third tour onwards, you will receive a 5% discount.
Enjoy savings on any of our upcoming trips in 2026.
Check your post-tour email for details. You can combine this discount with other promotions for additional savings. Join us again for another adventure by boat and bike!
Discover more
The Netherlands is a paradise for cycling and sailing enthusiasts. Discover more tours in the Netherlands with routes through tulip fields, historic cities, and scenic countryside.
Another fantastic trip for us with Boat-Bike! This was our third trip with you and this time we brought our family to experience this kind of travel. We appreciated very much how the boat staff on the Gandalf (Hans, Saskia, Edwin) and guide, Cara, made this such a positive experience for all levels of abilities, ages and biking experience. The accommodation was good, food was fantastic (dank je veel Roos & Alesandra) and route from Maastricht to Amsterdam was interesting and beautiful. The side tours, like the glassblowing in Leerdun, Isvogel Distillery, and history/archeology tour in Vianen and dairy farm were great too and added to our knowledge of the area. My only regret is not having enough time in some of the places to explore more, but that just means I have to come back. :). My only recommendation for this late season cruise would be able to have access for heat in the rooms or access for extra blankets/duvet as the evenings were quite cool.
Gary and Rosanna Strong
Oct 3rd, 2025
5 / 5
The routes were varied and beautiful in&
The routes were varied and beautiful in unique ways, from elegant urban gardens along the canals, to bucolic, traditional farms in the lush countryside. Our guide was entertaining, resourceful, attentive and flexible, to make our daily rides as dry as possible during rains, adjusted routes during heavy headwinds, and accommodated our distracted attention during interesting side trips! Our chef was creative and varied in her daily menus, and the capitain(s) and crew were efficient and good natured!
Judit Smits
Sep 25th, 2025
5 / 5
Maastricht to Amsterdam
Super nice trip with a good guide and fine service on the boat. Can highly recommend the trip from Maastricht to Amsterdam.
Reply from Boat Bike Tours
Thank you for sharing your experience! We re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your bike boat tour. We hope to welcome you on board again for another great adventure! Best regards, Team Boat Bike Tours
The staff aboard the Sarah are outstanding. Tom is a fun and engaging tour leader. Agnes is an outstanding cook ably assisted by Romek and Silvia. We greatly appreciate Silvia washing our clothes. it makes the trip more enjoyable to put on clean clothes in the morning. Romeo s smile is contagious. He adds to the overall good feeling on the boat. And, of course, Martien puts it all together. As a former manager, I admire his style of giving the staff independence yet still encouraging teamwork. Well done!
Reply from Boat Bike Tours
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review! We re thrilled to hear your kind words about the crew of the Sarah. It s wonderful to know that Tom, Agnes, Romek, Silvia, Romeo, and Martien all contributed to making your journey so memorable, both on and off the bike. We truly value your recognition of their teamwork and dedication. We hope to welcome you back on board for another unforgettable trip! Best regards, Team Boat Bike Tours
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Netherlands: Amsterdam – Maastricht or or Maastricht – Amsterdam
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