Amsterdam · CANOES & KAYAKS
This is the shortlist you would send a friend: 9 kayak trips worth the money, each with its price, its traveller verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.
Leave Amsterdam with guide Tristan for a five-hour bike-and-kayak outing through North Holland. Ride quiet paths, cross a canal by cable ferry, paddle the wetlands near Watergang, and stop at a historic windmill and church cafe. Bikes, kayaks, and small-group guidance are included.
“Very family friendly for kids. Would have liked to know this prior to booking as the pace was very slow for an avid biker.”
Leave Amsterdam Noord by bus for a five-hour canoe trip through Waterland. Guide Majel leads you past reedbeds, villages, birds, and islands, with a local picnic, two drinks, and an optional swim. Canoes hold two or three people, and the route suits beginners with moderate fitness.
“This was an amazing experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and energetic and a lovely woman.”
Leave Amsterdam by public transport for Waterland, where guide Majel welcomes you with a drink before leading an easy canoe trip through reeds, meadows, and village waterways. Stop on an island for a picnic with two drinks, sunset views, and a possible swim.
“Très belle expérience en périphérie d'Amsterdam. Maje, la guide, vous partage sa passion pour son pays, sa région et la nature qui l'entoure. La navigation en canoë est simple et facilement gérée dès les premiers coups de pagaye. Activité très bien indiquée en famille. Langue utilisée: néerlandais ou anglais. Nous recommandons certainement cette activité et encore merci à Maje pour son accueil !”
Guide Tristan leads a small-group ride from A'DAM Lookout into North Holland, with a stop at d’Admiraal Windmill, two hours of kayaking, country lanes, farm animals, and a break for food and sightseeing. Bikes, kayaks, waterproof storage, and route planning are included.
“Tristan took us on a superb trip through the Amsterdam countryside today. We were both little bit apprehensive when we arrived for the trip, both being over sixty years old, but Tristan soon put us at ease. His approach is both very professional and knowledgable, it was most definitely the highlight of our holiday. We saw parts of Holland that can only be seen from a bike or a kayak, we visited a small scale zoo run by enthusiastic volunteers. We visited a working windmill, and had lunch in a 14th century church in a lovely village well off the regular tourist route. Thanks again Tristan for a superb day.”
Leave Amsterdam for Watergang, a tiny canal village surrounded by Dutch wetlands. Your English- or Dutch-speaking guide leads a two-hour canoe trip for up to eight people, explains water management, provides a drink halfway, and stores your belongings safely while you paddle.
“A fantastic canoe tour with a truly lovely host. If you're looking to experience the Dutch spirit from a fresh angle, this is a must-do.”
Meet your guide in Watergang, 15 minutes from central Amsterdam, and paddle into the Waterland wetlands in a two-seater Canadian canoe. The two-hour trip enters a Natura 2000 reserve reachable only by boat, with a drink stop, wildlife, and time for lunch afterward in the owner’s garden.
“We had a wonderful time canoeing through the islands. We learned about local culture and history, enjoyed a light snack and got to paddle peacefully through the Dutch countryside with a few other people. Saw ducks, geese, cows, goats, fish and more. Truly a peaceful paddle through a freshwater paradise. Loved it.”
Meet guide Majel at Amsterdam Noord and travel by canoe through reed-filled Waterland, passing villages, birds, and windmills. The five-hour outing includes coffee, a regional picnic on an island, drinks before and after, and a small group of no more than 8 to 10 people.
“It was a lot of fun, intimate setting with a local guide. Met a friend, too.”
Join an English-speaking guide for a private two-hour stand up paddle tour from a quiet canal near Brewery het IJ into central Amsterdam. Learn the basics, cross the Amstel, pass canal houses, bridges, the Red Light District or de Oude Waal, and finish by the Nautical Museum and replica ship.
Meet your Dutch or English-speaking guide at Amsterdam Noord, then ride a short bus trip to a village home for a drink. Paddle past farms, mills, animals, flowers, canals, and water birds, with a local picnic and possible lake swim before returning by public transport.
“This was an incredible evening! The highlight of our trip! Majul was a wonderful guide and the canals were absolutely stunning!”
Pick a canal, a museum or a village.
