Giethoorn Tours and Tickets Compared
Seven Giethoorn tours and tickets sit on this page, priced from EUR 20 to EUR 138, split into three groups: local boat tours that start right at the dock in Giethoorn, day trips from Amsterdam that keep the whole day on the village alone, and combo tours that add Zaanse Schans's windmills to the same trip. I have ordered them from the ones closest to the water itself to the ones that travel furthest beyond Giethoorn, since that distance, not the price, is what actually separates a quick cruise from a full day out of Amsterdam.
Which Giethoorn boat tour starts right at the dock?
Two tours begin in Giethoorn itself rather than with a drive from Amsterdam. Giethoorn National Park Canal Cruise runs about 2 hours from EUR 20 with a local skipper at the wheel, continuing past the village canals into Weerribben-Wieden National Park, with free parking included at the dock. Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour starts from EUR 28 for a booked slot of 1 to 6 hours and hands you the wheel instead, no license or boating experience required, in a boat that holds up to 5 people. I would take the self-drive option if setting your own pace matters more than a guide's commentary.
Local boat tours
Giethoorn National Park Canal Cruise
Longer cruise into the national park
✓ Free cancellation available
Local boat tours
Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour
Steer your own boat, no license needed
✓ Free cancellation available
Which Amsterdam day trip keeps the whole day on Giethoorn alone?
All three day trips here keep Giethoorn as the only destination, so the difference is price, group size and departure point. Giethoorn Express Day Trip from Amsterdam starts from EUR 59 for an 8-hour day departing Amsterdam Noord, with a cheese tasting included before the 1-hour cruise. Giethoorn Guided Day Trip with Canal Cruise starts from EUR 85 for 7.5 hours from central Amsterdam and leaves close to 2 hours of free time after its cruise. Giethoorn Small Group Tour with Boat Ride starts from EUR 106 for an 8-hour day in a smaller Mercedes van, with an optional Zandvoort Beach finish. I would book the guided day trip first if Giethoorn alone is the whole point of your day.
★ Top pick Day trips from Amsterdam
Giethoorn Guided Day Trip with Canal Cruise
Best-reviewed pure Giethoorn day trip
✓ Free cancellation available
Day trips from Amsterdam
Giethoorn Express Day Trip from Amsterdam
Fastest direct coach route from Amsterdam
✓ Free cancellation available
Day trips from Amsterdam
Giethoorn Small Group Tour with Boat Ride
Small-group van, optional beach finish
✓ Free cancellation available
Which combo tour pairs Giethoorn with Zaanse Schans's windmills?
Both combo tours add Zaanse Schans to the same day, and the choice comes down to pickup and price. Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Tour starts from EUR 115 for a 10-hour day with a cheese factory visit, a clog-making demonstration and a Giethoorn canal cruise, departing from a fixed Amsterdam meeting point. Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Hotel Pickup starts from EUR 138 for 9 hours and adds hotel pickup within Amsterdam plus a self-driven electric boat ride in Giethoorn, though it rules out children under 6 and travelers with mobility impairments. I would take the windmills tour unless hotel pickup is worth the higher price to you.
Combo day trips
Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Hotel Pickup
Combo tour with hotel pickup included
✓ Free cancellation available
Combo day trips
Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Tour
Windmills, cheese and clogs plus Giethoorn
✓ Free cancellation available
Compare all 7 Giethoorn tours and tickets
Every price below is the lowest published per-person fare on 2026-10-15, and duration is the operator's own figure for the booked activity, not a loose estimate. All seven are sold as a fixed time slot rather than an open validity window: you pick a specific departure or rental slot when you book, not a day or two of unlimited use. The three day trips and two combo tours run as scheduled group departures, while the two local boat tours in Giethoorn itself are the ones where you can pick the exact hour you start.
| Tour or ticket | Duration | Best for | From | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giethoorn Guided Day Trip with Canal Cruise Day trips from Amsterdam 7.5 hours | 7.5 hours | Best-reviewed pure Giethoorn day trip | 85EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn National Park Canal Cruise Local boat tours 2.5 hours | 2.5 hours | Longer cruise into the national park | 20EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn Express Day Trip from Amsterdam Day trips from Amsterdam 8 hours | 8 hours | Fastest direct coach route from Amsterdam | 59EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour Local boat tours 1 to 6 hours | 1 to 6 hours | Steer your own boat, no license needed | 28EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn Small Group Tour with Boat Ride Day trips from Amsterdam 8 hours | 8 hours | Small-group van, optional beach finish | 106EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Hotel Pickup Combo day trips 9 hours | 9 hours | Combo tour with hotel pickup included | 138EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
| Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Tour Combo day trips 10 hours | 10 hours | Windmills, cheese and clogs plus Giethoorn | 115EUR per person | Check availabilityDetails → |
Prices checked: 2026-10-15 · prices may vary
What does every Giethoorn tour or rental actually include?
Every ticket buys the boat time or the seat on the coach, and nothing more unless the listing says so. None of the seven include lunch, and only two add a food tasting as part of the fare: the express day trip's cheese stop and the windmills combo's cheese factory visit. Hotel pickup is included on exactly one tour, the Zaanse Schans combo priced from EUR 138, every other option meets you at a fixed point in Amsterdam or at a dock inside Giethoorn itself. A bottled water and stroopwafel snack come with the guided day trip and the windmills combo, nowhere else on this page.
- Free cancellation available
- Secure booking
- No hidden fees: pay at GetYourGuide checkout
How do you choose between these 7 Giethoorn tours?
Start from how much of your day Giethoorn gets, not from price. If Giethoorn is the only reason for this trip, the guided day trip or one of the two local boat tours gives the village the most room. If you only have one full day outside Amsterdam and want windmills too, a combo tour trades time in Giethoorn for a second destination, a fair swap if you will not be back soon. If you are already staying in or near Giethoorn without a car, the self-drive rental or the national park cruise gets you on the water without booking a coach seat first.
How does booking a Giethoorn tour work?
Every tour and rental on this page completes on GetYourGuide, which resells these operators' bookings, and this site earns a commission when you book through it. You choose a date and a time slot, pay at checkout, and receive a mobile ticket that scans straight from your phone, nothing needs printing. All seven list free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and the exact policy is confirmed at checkout rather than on this page. Checkout also shows the operator's current price, which is why every figure here carries a checked date.
FAQs
Which Giethoorn boat tour reaches Weerribben-Wieden National Park?
Only the Giethoorn National Park Canal Cruise. Its roughly 2-hour route leaves the village's main canals behind and continues into the open water of Weerribben-Wieden National Park, something the 1-hour cruises included in the day trips and combo tours never do, and a local skipper narrates the whole route.
Is a security deposit required for the self-drive boat rental?
No. You show your booking voucher on arrival rather than leaving a deposit, a detail that applies only to the Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour among the seven tours compared here. A short safety and handling instruction at the dock is included instead, free of any extra charge.
Which tour includes hotel pickup in Amsterdam?
Only the Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Hotel Pickup, priced from EUR 138. Every other tour on this page meets at a fixed point, either in central Amsterdam, Amsterdam Noord or a dock inside Giethoorn itself, so budget time to reach your meeting point on the day.
Is a cheese tasting included on any of these tours?
Yes, on two of the seven: the Giethoorn Express Day Trip from Amsterdam includes a cheese tasting before its cruise, and the Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Windmills Day Tour includes a cheese factory visit with tasting during its Zaanse Schans stop. The other five tours leave food to the free time in the itinerary.
Which tours are not suitable for wheelchair users?
Two of the seven: the Giethoorn Small Group Tour with Boat Ride and the Giethoorn and Zaanse Schans Day Trip with Hotel Pickup are both listed as unsuitable for wheelchair users or people with mobility impairments. The second of those also excludes children under 6 years old.
Can a Giethoorn day trip end somewhere other than Amsterdam?
Yes, on one tour. The Giethoorn Small Group Tour with Boat Ride offers an optional finish at Zandvoort aan Zee beach instead of returning to central Amsterdam, a choice you make before booking rather than on the day itself. None of the other six tours offer this swap.
Are dogs allowed on any of these boats?
Yes, on the self-drive rental. The Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour welcomes dogs aboard free of charge, a detail not mentioned on any of the guided cruises or day trips compared here. Confirm it directly with the operator if traveling with a pet matters to your trip.
Which tour spends the longest time on the water itself?
The self-drive rental, if you book the full slot. The Giethoorn Self-Drive Boat Tour can be booked for up to 6 hours on the water, longer than any single cruise included in the day trips or combo tours, and the price barely climbs for the extra hours.