See all 11 photos

Dutch Wetlands Canoe Safari from Amsterdam

Get back to nature on a guided canoe tour of the Dutch wetlands just 15 minutes from Amsterdam. This active safari will introduce you to fascinating plants and birdlife, and take you on a journey through unique landscapes, past floating villages, and to a charming island for a picnic lunch.
Duration 5 hours
Private tour available in English, Dutch
Private tour pricing from 68 EUR per person
Group tour available in English, Dutch
We (with husband and 10 yr old son) went on a Wetlands Safari tour in July last year and it was THE highlight of our Amsterdam vacation. Majel is a pro – booking the tour was easy; communication was smooth; she gave clear instructions. On the day of our tour, Majel was easy to spot in our meeting place with her sign. The bus ride to the starting point was short; and we started with a brief orientation in a café (convenient if you need to use the washroom or have a drink before leaving, or need to apply sunblock – A MUST). The canoe ride was VERY nice...a beautiful and very personal way to experience the famous canals. The scenery is like out of a dream – so picturesque and good for the soul. Our first stop we got to explore Polder Land and learned how it is basically a mat of vegetation. During the demonstration, my son felt like he’s on a giant trampoline. There’s lots of flora and fauna facts that Majel enthusiastically explained and showed us. Very interesting! We had a picnic midway – assorted fruits, cheese and deli, and other Dutch munchies – and a swim in the canal. Overall, the experience is unforgettable, unique and amazingly fun. Some say life is too short to do anything twice but this is one exception. I’d do it again if/when I’m back in Amsterdam!

Highlights

Explore the Dutch wetlands by canoe and head deep into dense reed-land

Admire the picturesque Dutch landscape

See black-tailed godwits and other birdlife up close

Smell the wonderfully spicy aroma of wetland plants and their fascinating flowers

Enjoy a picnic on a peaceful island

Take the chance to walk on water!

start canoeing at a local house of the owner of Wetlands Safari

Description

Wetlands Safari is an active nature excursion that has been operating since 1995. This tour gives you the chance to experience a peaceful canoe ride deep into the Dutch moorland meadows just 10 minutes from Amsterdam Nortfh (meetingpoint metro statiom Amsterdam Noord. You will be guided through tranquil waterways reminiscent of 17th-century landscape paintings, passing villages built on both water and land along the way. In this unique setting dominated by dense reed-land, you will also see numerous song- and waterbirds, and smell the wonderfully spicy aroma of fascinating wetland plants.

Where possible, we will get out of the canoes and take a small walk into the reed-lands. Your professional English-speaking guide will tell you about plants and wildlife in the area, and also explain the origins of this special landscape – the very same landscape that inspired some of Holland’s most famous painters including Rembrandt and Ruysdael back in the Golden Age.

Halfway through the tour we will visit an island and enjoy a peaceful picnic. You will feel as if you are a million miles from Amsterdam.

We are working with small groups, maximum 10 adults

What’s included & not included

Public transport from Amsterdam Noord

Friendly and professional local guide

A drink before and after the tour

Canoe

Picnic including a selection of Dutch products

Hotel pick up

Meeting point

Termini, Amsterdam, Nederland

Reviews from travelers (16)

5.00/5
We (with husband and 10 yr old son) went on a Wetlands Safari tour in July last year and it was THE highlight of our Amsterdam vacation. Majel is a pro – booking the tour was easy; communication was smooth; she gave clear instructions. On the day of our tour, Majel was easy to spot in our meeting place with her sign. The bus ride to the starting point was short; and we started with a brief orientation in a café (convenient if you need to use the washroom or have a drink before leaving, or need to apply sunblock – A MUST). The canoe ride was VERY nice...a beautiful and very personal way to experience the famous canals. The scenery is like out of a dream – so picturesque and good for the soul. Our first stop we got to explore Polder Land and learned how it is basically a mat of vegetation. During the demonstration, my son felt like he’s on a giant trampoline. There’s lots of flora and fauna facts that Majel enthusiastically explained and showed us. Very interesting! We had a picnic midway – assorted fruits, cheese and deli, and other Dutch munchies – and a swim in the canal. Overall, the experience is unforgettable, unique and amazingly fun. Some say life is too short to do anything twice but this is one exception. I’d do it again if/when I’m back in Amsterdam!
We really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in the peace and quiet of the wetland canals; pleasantly different from busy Amsterdam. The canoeing was gentle and relaxing though narrow, wide and open canals between the moss and reed formed islands. Majel is very knowledgeable of the area; the history and the current working climate which benefits the people and the wildlife of the Netherlands. We stopped for a mini tour of one of the islands and she brought out a fantastic feast: cheese, bread, seasonal fruits, apple juice and other healthy nibbles. Very good value for money.
Taking a canoe trip with Majel and Wetlands Safari is fantastic in many different and unexpected ways. Yes, we really enjoyed getting out of the city and seeing the Netherlands country-side. Yes, the fresh air and the easy canoe paddling was such a refreshing break from site seeing. Yes Majel's amazing ability to keep everything light and easy was so enjoyable. Yes building a small small group camaraderie around a local and delicious picnic was so nice. But here's what I didn't expect to get from a canoe trip tour: a much richer understanding of the Dutch culture, people and history. As you paddle along beautiful farm villages, wetlands, cows and sheep, Majel casually weaves together stories and information about what you are seeing and experiencing in such a way that you come away with a real sense of what the Dutch people have built and how that building shaped them. What a great experience in so many ways!
Amsterdam
Termini, Amsterdam, Nederland
+31653552669
info@wetlandssafari.nl
Majel Tromp
Other Tours & Activities in Amsterdam