Boat and Bike Rhine Rotterdam - Cologne
Rhine bike path with boat and bike
Arrival Rotterdam
Embarkation in Rotterdam from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Enjoy your first evening on board or have a stroll through the city of Rotterdam with Europe’s largest port.
Cycle first along the Maas River until you reach Kinderdijk boasting the best-known windmills in the Netherlands. The 19 windmills, which date back to the 18th century, are beautifully preserved and are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Continue the cycle tour and after a short while, you reach today’s destination- Dordrecht. The oldest city in the Holland area lies on an island bordered by large rivers and is characterised by numerous historic buildings, city ports and a fantastic atmosphere.
For today’s cycle trip, leave behind the lively cities and dive into the quietness of nature: pass through the national park of De Biesbosch, an adventurous labyrinth composed of rivers with crystal clear water and small islands. It is one of the few tidal freshwater zones in the world.
Boat Tour Wijk bij Duurstede - Rhenen
Gorinchem – Wijk bij Duurstede, Cycle Tour, approx. 50 kmLeave the fortified city of Gorinchem and enjoy a bike ride through unspoilt nature. Follow the River Linge, a tributary of the Rhine, and by reaching today’s destination Wijk bij Duurstede. Enjoy an evening Boat Tour to Rhenen.
You cycle along the Lower Rhine and past the foreshore of the dike. Enjoy your Bike tour through the Betuwe – one of the Netherland’s largest fruit-growing regions. A detour to the city centre becomes a trip to bygone times with narrow lanes and picturesque buildings. In the night shipping from Arnhem to Emmerich by passing the Dutch-German border.
In Emmerich, start for today’s bike ride and cycle past the nature reserve of the Reeser Schanz to the Roman city of Xanten. The Archaeological Park is always worth a visit. Explore how the Romans lived and settles down 2000 years ago.
In the morning you will already have reached Düsseldorf from where you start your last cycle tour along the well-developed Rhine cycle path with a particularly attractive section where historic Old Towns and idyllic nature are interspersed with industrial heritage. The towns located directly on the Rhine, often boasting well preserved medieval town walls and towers, are well worth a detour. Eventually reach the Cathedral city of Cologne where the vivid riverbank of the Rhine invites for a stay. Enjoy a cosy evening on board or have a Kölsch, the typical beer from Cologne, in one of the numerous pubs.
Departure Cologne
Disembarkation after breakfast until 09:00 am.
Included Services
- 7 nights in outside cabins on MS ARKONA with private facilities and air condition
- Programme according itinerary
- Port fees included
- Captains greeting and Welcome drink
- Daily cabin cleaning, Changing of towels and bed cloths if wanted
- Full meals: 7x breakfast, 6x light lunch on board (non cyclists) or packed lunch for cyclists, 6x afternoon coffee break, 7x dinner
- Daily informational meeting
- Information pack with route book (one per cabin)
- Tour guide on board (does not cycle with group)
Services not included
- Journey to Cologne and from Mainz
- shuttles
- entrance fees and excursions
- bike rental
- ferry fares
- travel insurances
- parking fee
- drinks on board, tips.
Embarkation: between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. • Disembarkation: until 9:00 a.m. • Bike Hire on Board: smooth-running 7 speed - unisex- city bikes with hand- and back pedal brakes or with free-wheel hub (please indicate upon booking) and pannier bags. Electric bikes (limited availability – timely booking required) Please inform us about your body height upon booking. • To bring your own bike: on request only – due to lack of space on sundeck. Storage of bikes inside the ship is not possible. • Cycle Tours: unguided. You will cycle between 25 and 45 km per day. The kilometres indicated for the suggested cycle tours are approximate. • Cycle routes/ level of difficulty: The quality of the cycle ways along the route is excellent. Most of the stretches are paved or asphalted, and lead alongside the Rhine dikes without any gradients of note. This makes the trip suitable even for unpractised cyclist. • Optional Excursions: tour legs and the ship‘s time in port permitting, an optional excursion programme will be organised. Excursions can only be booked and paid (in cash) aboard the ship. • Luggage on board: We recommend waterproof rain gear, bike helmet, sun hat and sports shoes. We would like to ask you to do without hard-side luggage, as storage space in the cabin is very limited! • Alterations of schedule or programme: Subject to change. If a route cannot be shipped as a result of low or high water or bad weather, the captain reserves the right to change the route in view of your safety (this will not be accepted as a reason for free withdrawal). • Travel documents: EU-citizens (without special situations like dual citizenship, main residence abroad or a limited-validity passport) are required to have a valid passport or ID-card, not expiring within six (6) months of the return of your cruise. We kindly ask non-EU citizens, EU-nationals with multiple citizenship or anybody who has to respect special legal entry requirements for the country to visit, to inform about visa and entry documents at the competent embassy. • This trip is not suitable for guests with reduced mobility.
MS Arkona
Your ship:The MS Arkona is being completely refurbished during the winter of 2017/2018. The modern and elegant atmosphere aboard the vessel will make your journey a relaxed experience.
