The excursions capture the charm, history, and natural beauty of the Netherlands. These outings will provide numerous opportunities to explore, learn, and photograph some of the country’s most picturesque locations.
The excursions listed below each have a link to a more detailed description:
- De Hoge Veluwe National Park (Tue. 19/8, €75)
- The Battle of Arnhem (Wed. 20/8, €60)
- The Dutch Water Defence Lines (Thu. 21/8, €60)
- Doorwerth Castle and boat tour (Thu. 21/8, €45)
- Utrecht and Railway Museum (Fri. 22/8, €80)
- Dutch Open Air Museum (Mon. 25/8, €60)
- Wageningen City Walk (Tue. 19/8, Wed. 20/8, Thu. 21/8, Sun. 24/8/, €6)
Availability of each excursion is subject to sufficient participants. To confirm booking of the excursions we need to know if there are sufficient participants by mid-April. So please don’t wait too long to book your favourite excursions.
Most excursions are by luxury coach which means that there is a limit to the maximum number of participants. Availability is on a first-come, first-served basis. If the maximum number of participants is reached, we can place you on a waiting list or possibly book additional transportation if there is sufficient interest.
Museumkaart
A Museumkaart is a personal card that gives free entrance to some of the destinations of our excursions. Entrance fee for these destinations is included in the price of the excursions. For holders of a Museumkaart we will try to get a discount on the excursion price since with the Museumkaart they would have free entrance. This will typically apply to residents of the Netherlands.
If you have a Museumkaart and want to use it for the excursions, please tick the box on the registration form.
At the moment, we cannot say if, and if so, exactly how much price reduction is possible. Until then, we will charge the full excursion price and give you any refunds later.
If you indicate that you want to use your Museumkaart and we can arrange a discount for you, you must show your Museumkaart at the relevant destinations. If you cannot, you will pay the normal admission price at the destination.
De Hoge Veluwe National Park
Tuesday 19 August 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 hr – € 75
De Hoge Veluwe
De Hoge Veluwe National Park is the most surprising national park in the Netherlands. The park covers 5,500 hectares of coniferous and deciduous forest, heathland, grassland, farmland and sand drifts and is the habitat of deer, mouflon and wild boar, among others.
The national park is the legacy of one of the most prominent couples in recent Dutch history: Anton and Helene Kröller-Müller. Anton was an enthusiastic hunter and Helene a passionate art collector. Their dream was to bring nature and art together. This is why the park has plenty of space for special cultural-historical elements and architecture.
Jachthuis Sint Hubertus
Jachthuis Sint Hubertus is the former country residence of the Kröller-Müller couple. It is one of the most important monuments in the Netherlands. The striking house was designed by architect H.P. Berlage. Berlage was one of the Netherlands’ best-known architects and was influenced by the work of Frank Loyd Wright. The excursion to the National Park starts with a tour of about 45 minutes through this beautifully located complex.
After the tour, the bus will take you to the Kröller-Müller Museum. Alternatively, you can enjoy nature by walking through the National Park to the museum. Depending on the route, this is 4 to 5 km (2.5 to 3 miles). Or go by bike on one of the free White Bikes.
Kröller-Müller Museum
A visit to the Kröller-Müller Museum, located in the national park, is an experience. The museum for modern and contemporary art and its sculpture garden, together about 25 hectares, enjoy international fame. The museum, also called the most beautiful treasury of the Netherlands, is characterised, among other things, by an extensive collection of works by Vincent van Gogh. For stereo photographers, a walk through the museum garden, including Snelson’s famous Needle Tower, is a must.
Park Pavilion and Museonder
In the Park Pavilion, information is available on the nature, landscape, wildlife, culture and history of De Hoge Veluwe. The Museonder offers a surprising view of everything that lives and has lived under the earth’s surface! The Park Pavilion and the Museonder are about 1 km (0.7 miles) from the Kröller-Müller Museum.
Lunch
Lunch is not included in the price of the excursion. There are restaurants near the Kröller-Müller Museum and the Park Pavilion where you can have lunch. Or bring your own packed lunch and eat at one of the picnic tables scattered throughout the park.
Price € 75
Includes:
- Transport by bus from the WICC and back
- Entrance National Park De Hoge Veluwe
- Park Pavilion
- Museonder
- Use of the White Bicyles
- Guide tour of Jachthuis Sint Hubertus
- Admission Kröller-Müller Museum
The Battle of Arnhem
Wednesday 20 August 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 hr – € 60
Airborne Museum at Hartenstein
The Airborne Museum ‘Hartenstein’ in Oosterbeek, The Netherlands is dedicated to the Battle of Arnhem in which the Allied Forces attempted to form a bridgehead on the northern banks of the Rhine river in September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. It has an extensive collection of weapons, clothing, equipment, interviews, photographs and videos. The museum not only focuses on the Allied side of the story, but also shows the German side and the civilian population involved. The museum aims to show that freedom can never be taken for granted. Besides the exhibited collection, the museum also contains the award-winning Airborne Experience. In this underground space, visitors themselves follow in the footsteps of a British paratrooper.
After the visit to the museum, the bus will take us to Arnhem where you can have lunch (not included in the price) and explore the city centre and Airborne at the Bridge.
Airborne at the Bridge
Airborne at the Bridge is an information centre on the Battle of Arnhem, located on Arnhem’s Rijnkade, opposite the very bridge that the Allied troops tried to secure. The bridge is now named after Lieutenant Colonel John Frost, commander of the 2nd Battalion that held the bridge from 17 to 21 September 1944. The information centre is operated by the Airborne Museum. Visitors can view objects and listen to stories related to the Battle of Arnhem. Also, with the help of a 3D presentation, visitors can follow the paratroopers’ landings, the advance to the bridge, the defeat of the British and the flow of refugees that got underway in Arnhem.
On the way back to the WICC the bus will stop at the Airborne Cemetery.
Airborne Cemetery
The Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery, more commonly known as the Airborne Cemetery, is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Oosterbeek, near Arnhem. It was established in 1945 and is home to 1,764 graves from the Second World War. Most of the men buried in the cemetery were Allied servicemen killed in the Battle of Arnhem.
Price € 60
Includes:
- Tranport by bus from the WICC and back
- Admission to the Airborne Museum at Hartenstein
Admission to Airborne at the Bridge and the Airborne Cemetery are free of charge.
Lunch is at own expense in Arnhem.
The Dutch Water Defence Lines
Thursday 21 August 2025, 08:30 – 12:00 hr. – € 60
The Netherlands, Waterland
The Dutch have been controlling the water since the Middle Ages. Initially with dykes and locks to make the land suitable for agriculture and housing. But later, they also used water as an ally, as a military defence strategy. In war situations, wide stretches of land were inundated, flooded…This created a large expanse of water and made the land impassable for soldiers, vehicles or horses. At the same time, the water was too shallow for boats to pass through.
Dutch Water Defence Lines
The Dutch Water Defence Lines tell the special story of two of the many waterlines in the Netherlands, namely those of the Defence Line of Amsterdam (Stelling van Amsterdam) and the New Dutch Waterline (Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie). Together with the many defences, these places form a 200-kilometre-long chain. Connected by over a thousand military and hydraulic objects: inundation channels, locks, dikes and quays, forts and other military structures. Years were spent building the line and adapting the defences to the new development in warfare.
With the arrival of aircraft, the Dutch Water Defence Lines lost their significance. Now, this landscape full of ingenious waterworks and forts has become special nature reserves. In 2021, it acquired UNESCO World Heritage status.
Fort Pannerden
One of those military structures of the New Dutch Waterline is Fort Pannerden, south of Arnhem and the easternmost fort of the line.
The imposing fort is the destination of our half-day excursion.
In its existence, the fort had a military function from the beginning for a long time. This is because it is located not far from the border with German at the junction of the River Rhine, the River Waal and the Pannerdensch Canal, an important ‘tap’ of the New Dutch Waterline. The fort is therefore extremely strategic, partially hidden under the earth and five stories high.
Fort Pannerden was built from 1869 to 1872 as a pentagonal barrage fort with a dry moat around it. It had to prevent an attacking army from advancing via the river Waal towards the New Dutch Waterline, near Utrecht. In addition, the fort had to prevent the Pannerdensch Canal from being dammed up, possibly depriving the New Dutch Waterline of water.
Fort Pannerden has been voted the most beautiful fortress in the Netherlands. On top of Fort Pannerden, the panorama terrace offers spectacular views over the wide surroundings. The showpiece is a replica cannon that can roar during demonstrations.
Price € 60
Includes:
- Transport by bus from the WICC and back
- Entrance Fort Pannerden
- Guided tour
Doorwerth Castle and boat tour
Thursday 21 August 2025, 13:30 – 17:30 hr. – € 45
This excursion combines a boat tour on the Lower Rhine and a visit to the monumental Doorwerth Castle.
Safari ship De Blauwe Bever
The boat has open and covered decks with plenty of space to take pictures.
The boat leaves at 13:30 and sails east along the Lower Rhine past Wageningse Berg, Renkum and Noordberg to the monumental Doorwerth Castle. It is located just west of the dam complex in the Lower Rhine at Driel, which is visible from the boat. The boat will dock at the castle’s jetty around 14:30.
Doorwerth Castle
After arrival, it is a few minutes’ walk to the castle’s drawbridge. Doorwerth Castle is a sturdy medieval castle that shows how people used to live on an estate.
The rich history of the castle spans more than seven centuries and has seen both glorious and less pleasant times. Nowadays, Doorwerth Castle shines in all its 17th century glory, and includes a gatehouse, coach house and stables. Inside, you can marvel at the richly decorated period rooms and imagine what it was like to live in the castle. In the south wing, you will find a comprehensive exhibition about the history of the castle, forest management and hunting in the Netherlands. The photogenic castle is surrounded by beautiful footpaths, a historic kitchen garden and an orchard with apiary.
A guided tour is included in the excursion, but there will also be time to walk around on your own.
At 16:30 De Blauwe Bever will take us back to Wageningen.
Price € 45
Includes:
- Boat tour with safari ship De Blauwe Bever
- Entrance Doorwerth Castle
- Guided tour in the castle
The boat leaves from the Rijnhaven (Rhine harbour) in Wageningen, about 2 km from the WICC. You can walk or drive to the harbour (free parking is available). If you do not have transport and the distance is too far to walk, let us know one of the days in advance at the registration desk and we will try to arrange something for you.
It is not allowed to take your own food and drinks on board. On board, snacks and hot and cold beverages are available (not included in the price).
Accessibility
The boat has a narrow gangplank and steep stairs. Passengers are required to be able to walk across the gangplank independently. Also, walking aids such as rollators (walkers) may not be taken on board.
In the castle, walking frames can be borrowed for visitors with mobility problems. Wheelchairs, rollators and mobility scooters cannot enter the castle but can be used outside the castle.
If you cannot take the boat tour but do want to participate in the visit to the castle, please indicate this in the Notes on the registration form. We will inform you on the possibilities and the discount on the excursion price.
Utrecht and the Railway Museum
Friday 22 August 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 hr – € 80
Utrecht
Utrecht is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands and the fourth largest in the country in terms of population. It is often seen as the intimate alternative to Amsterdam. It has beautiful canals and parks, vibrant restaurants, interesting museums and special historical buildings. But Utrecht is smaller and without hordes of tourists. The city centre alone is definitely worth a visit!
It originated as a Roman fortification. In the seventh century, a small church was built on the site of this fort and in the centuries that followed, larger churches sprang up here. In 1122, Utrecht received city rights as one of the first cities in what is now the Netherlands. Thanks to its location on the river Rhine, Utrecht grew into a major trading city in Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries and remained the largest city in the Northern Netherlands until the early 16th century. At the time of the Industrial Revolution, Utrecht was the centre of the national steel and railway industries.
Utrecht is the headquarters of the Catholic Church in the Netherlands and of the Archdiocese of Utrecht. At 112.32 metres, the Dom tower is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands and the symbol of the city. As a result, Utrecht is also known as the Domstad.(Dom city).
Railway Museum
The excursion to Utrecht starts with a visit to the Railway Museum in the former Maliebaan station. In the amazing ambiance of the station, the time of the past is felt. 175 years of railway history in a spectacular railway experience with different worlds, railway counters, station barber, royal waiting rooms, sets, 4-D simulator, a theatre and even a real experience ride along trains from the 1920s and 1930s.
The visit ends with a lunch (included) in the museum restaurant.
Canal cruise
Lunch is followed by a wonderful cruise of about one hour through the old canals of Utrecht. During the canal cruise, a guide will be on the boat to tell you all about Utrecht’s history.
After the canal cruise, you have about 1.5 hr to explore the photogenic old inner city on your own until the bus will take us back to the WICC.
Price € 80
Includes:
- Transport by bus from the WICC and back
- Entrance Railway Museum
- Lunch at the Railway Museum restaurant
- Canal cruise
Dutch Open Air Museum
Monday 25 August 2025, 09:00 – 17:00 hr – € 60
Dutch Open Air Museum
The Dutch Open Air Museum covers an area of around 44 hectares and is full of all kinds of authentic, unusual buildings. Each of these has its own fascinating history and an interesting story to tell.
In the museum park you will find around 100 historic buildings, farmhouses and mills. Not only can these be viewed from the outside, but you can also step inside for a look around! This brings you closer to history and gives you the chance to experience the past again. The activities taking place at the museum and the craftspeople practising their crafts bring the historic buildings to life.
Around and between the buildings in the Dutch Open Air Museum you will find different gardens. You will find old, cultivated plants, forgotten vegetables, medicinal plants, too many to mention. These gardens, and the museum buildings, are situated in a vast, green museum park.
Historic tram
No visit to the Open Air Museum is complete without a ride on a historic tram.
There are 6 stops along the route: Entrance, Country Estate, Linear, Gardens, Countryside, Village and Farmfields (these are the main sections of the museum). The rolling stock at the museum includes trams from the Rotterdam Electric Tram (RET) transport company.
The Canon of Dutch History
The Dutch Open Air Museum includes the indoor exhibition of the Canon of Dutch History.
Based around 50 windows to the past, the Canon of Dutch History leads you through the most important events, people and objects that have helped shape the Netherlands we live in today. Spectacular ‘film sets’, flowing one into another, tell stories from the Canon, spread across 10 successive periods of history. In the exhibition you will come face to face with historic figures from each era.
Lunch
Lunch is not included in the price of the excursion. There are several restaurants where you can have lunch. Or enjoy freshly baked poffertjes (very small pancakes) at the atmospheric ‘’Old Dutch‘’ poffertjeskraam. You can also bring your own packed lunch and eat at one of the picnic tables scattered throughout the park.
Price € 60
Includes:
- Transport by bus from the WICC and back
- Entrance Dutch Open Air Museum
- Access to the historic buildings
- Rides on the historic tram
- Canon of Dutch History
Historic Inner City Walking Tour Wageningen
Tuesday 19, Wednesday 20, Thursday 21, Sunday 24 August 2025, 15:00-16:30h – € 6
Discover Wageningen, a city with roots stretching back to the year 1263 AD, where history and progress intersect. Known for its annual Liberation Festival and internationally recognized Wageningen University & Research (WUR), Wageningen offers a wealth of stories, landscapes, and experiences to explore.
Historic Inner City Walking Tour
Stroll through centuries of history with our local guides on this 1.5-hour tour through Wageningen’s charming streets and well-preserved medieval sites. Wander alongside the nearly intact city canal and city wall, both protected national monuments. From picturesque views to fascinating anecdotes, this tour reveals Wageningen’s vibrant history in every step.
Price € 6
Includes:
- Walking tour with guide
