Amsterdam & the Keukenhof Gardens: Tulips in Bloom

8 Days from $1,999 USD


Start dreaming in technicolor after you see millions of flowers—and thousands of tulips—at the famed Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam. In honor of the 400th anniversary of New Amsterdam (New York), Keukenhof is celebrating with a floral tribute to the U.S.—including a reproduction of the Statue of Liberty constructed entirely out of flowers!

Trip costs include:

  • Round-trip transatlantic air transportation with a major airline, airport transfers and escorts
  • The services of a bilingual Go Ahead Tour Director
  • 7 nights accommodation in comfortable and well-located hotels that include twin-bedded rooms with private bath or shower
  • All hotel service charges and tips, baggage handling and local taxes included
  • Full-day excursion to the Keukenhof Gardens with a stop at the Aalsmeer Flower Auction
  • Buffet breakfast daily
  • Private deluxe motorcoach
  • Go Ahead travel gift and membership in our World Traveler Club including credit toward your next tour

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 - Amsterdam

Your journey begins with a regularly scheduled overnight flight to the Netherlands on an internationally recognized airline.

Day 2 - Amsterdam

Touch down in Amsterdam. A Go Ahead representative greets you at the airport and escorts you to your hotel. Begin exploring the city as you wish this afternoon and evening. (B in flight)

Day 3 - Amsterdam

Explore all the charm of Amsterdam on your own today, or opt to join a morning guided tour of the city, from its canals to its gabled 18th-century homes. The tour includes a visit to the Anne Frank House. Here, you can climb to the attic room where a young Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding for two years during World War II. Next, you’ll visit a working Dutch diamond-cutting factory. Later this morning, on a narrated canal cruise, you’ll pass along some of the city’s many waterways and view the houseboats that serve as residences for many local citizens. (B)

Guided tour of Amsterdam $35 USD

Guided tour of Amsterdam

Join a morning guided tour of the city, from its canals to its gabled 18th-century homes. The tour includes a visit to the Anne Frank House, a diamond-cutting factory and a canal cruise.

Day 4 - Amsterdam

Enjoy another free day in Amsterdam, where you can explore its many wonderful shops. Or you can join a morning optional excursion to the rural fishing village of Volendam and Zaanse Schans, an open-air museum. Tonight, enjoy an optional Indonesian dinner, where you can sample the profound influence of the South Pacific in the Netherlands. (B)

Indonesian Dinner $75 USD

Indonesian Dinner

Just as Londoners live by their favorite curry spots, the Dutch go mad for the flavors of Indonesia. Join your Tour Director for a truly flavorful Indonesian feast that will make you feel as if you’ve just come in from a stroll on the beaches of these tropical South Pacific islands. 

Volendam & Zaanse Schans $59 USD

Volendam & Zaanse Schans

This excursion will take you into the countryside, where you'll visit the charming towns of Volendam and Saanse Schans, in addition to a clog factory and a cheese-making factory before heading back to Amsterdam!

Day 5 - Amsterdam

With its millions of flowers growing on 70 acres of gardens, Keukenhof has been a showplace for the Dutch floral industry for over the past 50 years. En route to this full-day special excursion, you’ll stop at the Aalsneer Flower Auction. Then you’ll arrive at Keukenhof, to the largest flower garden on Earth, where you’ll view over 7 million flowers in bloom, including daffodils, crocus, narcissi and hyacinths, as well as over 1,000 colorful and original varieties of tulips. And in honor of the 400th anniversary of New Amsterdam (New York), Keukenhof is celebrating with a floral tribute to the U.S., including depictions of Hollywood, Manhattan and Washington. You’ll even see a floral replica of the Statue of Liberty in the Keukenhof Sculpture Garden! (B)

Day 6 - Amsterdam

You'll have a full day to take in the sights of Amsterdam on your own. If the art of the Dutch masters interests you, plan to visit the recently renovated van Gogh Museum or the Stedelijk Museum (a collection of modern art). Instead, you might consider an optional excursion to two more Dutch cities, The Hague (European seat of the United Nations) and Delft, along with a visit to a flower market. (B)

Delft & The Hague $99 USD

Delft & The Hague

Your full-day excursion takes you to a flower market, to Delft, a charming village of canals and the Hague, seat of the Dutch Parliament.

Day 7 - Amsterdam

Today is free for you to spend how you wish. Enjoy a lazy day people-watching from one of the city’s many cafés, or take a racy turn through de Wallen, the city’s infamous red light district. You might also discover the city’s heart with a walk along the 17th-century concentric canals known as the Grachtengordel. Or bone up on more culture with a visit to the Rijksmuseum, which possesses the largest and most important collection of classical Dutch art, followed by a stroll through the 19th-century Vondelpark. This evening, celebrate your last night in the city with an optional Canal Cruise with dinner. (B)

Amsterdam Canal Cruise & Dinner $115 USD

Amsterdam Canal Cruise & Dinner

On this evening cruise, you'll experience charming Amsterdam by canal boat, passing through its more than 100 canals with views of its famous attractions.

Day 8 - Amsterdam

Transfer to the airport for your return flight home. (B)

Protect your investment with affordable travel protection


Basic Trip Cancellation/Interruption Coverage
Protect yourself in the event you need to cancel your trip or leave your tour unexpectedly due to an emergency. Or choose one of the comprehensive packages below, and receive a discounted rate!

TravelSafe Plus — For one low price, you’ll receive:

  • Trip cancellation & interruption protection
  • Medical & accident protection
  • Baggage & property protection

TravelSafe Gold with Flight Cancellation Protection
Take advantage of the best possible deal for your investment dollar. For $60 USD more, you’ll get all of the above plus additional coverage (up to $1,000 USD) if the flight to your tour is cancelled due to reasons beyond your control.

Purchase your travel protection package early and receive an added benefit!
Purchase one of the above TravelSafe packages within 14 days of reserving your tour, and you’ll automatically receive AnyTime Travel Protection at no additional charge. This means you can cancel for any reason up to 72 hours prior to the departure of your initial flight and still protect your investment. You will be provided with a credit voucher towards your next Go Ahead tour.

What’s unique about these protection plans?

  • Most primary travel protection companies don’t cover international travel.
  • Under the AnyTime Travel Protection Plan, you can cancel for any reason and your investment is protected in the form of a credit voucher.
  • Efekta travel protection covers lost or stolen cash while on tour.
  • Efekta travel protection covers the cost towards replacement of valuable documents—such as passports, airline tickets and visas while on tour.
  • In the event that your roommate cancels for a reason covered under the policy, you will be reimbursed for the single supplement fee, should you still choose to travel.
  • The following policies are also available to be purchased separately:
    • Medical & Accident: $70 USD
    • Baggage & Property: $60 USD

Extended Protection Plan
The Extended Protection Plan allows you to purchase extended coverage for any travel you do before or after meeting up with your Go Ahead Tours tour group (with flights arranged by Go Ahead Tours).

For more detailed descriptions of the benefits available under Efekta Insurance International LTD's Travel Protection Plans please call 1-800-597-0350 or download a PDF copy of the Efekta Travel Protection booklet here.

Travel Guide

Passport & Visa

U.S. and Canadian citizens are required to have a valid passport to enter the Netherlands. No visa is required.

If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, please contact the country's consulate for specific entry requirements.

Health

There are no recommended immunizations for travel to this country.

Transportation / Walking on tour

For some optional excursions, be prepared for some walking through elaborate monuments and museums with steps.

Clothing & Packing Tips

Light, versatile layers and sturdy, comfortable walking shoes are essential. A lightweight jacket and emergency rainwear are also recommended. If you plan to visit an elegant restaurant or attend the opera or theater, you should bring a formal outfit. Also, remember to cover your legs and shoulders when visiting churches or other religious sites. Entrance may be denied on the basis of bare legs and shoulders.

Be sure to visit www.travelsmith.com, official outfitter for Go Ahead Tours. Please enter JY9220 in the field for Catalog Key Code when creating your account!

Currency

The currency that you’ll use on your tour is the euro. ATMs are easily accessible throughout Amsterdam. Major American credit cards are accepted all over. We suggest that you inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international travel purchases for fraudulent charges.

Tipping

At the conclusion of your tour it is customary to offer your Go Ahead Tour Director and driver a gratuity.

We recommend 2 Euro per person per day for your driver and 4 Euro to 6 Euro per person for your tour director. If applicable, we also recommend 1 Euro per local guide.

Tips may only be paid in cash.