Photo: Wouter de Bruijn (CC BY 2.0)
Keukenhof and the Tulip Fields — Private Day Trip from Amsterdam
Seven million bulbs in one garden, and stripes of colour running to the horizon in the fields around it. A spring-only day, and the one that books out first — from mid-March to mid-May.
- 6.5 hours
- 1.5hours riding time
- 5hours standby at the destination
- Up to8passengers
- Mercedes sedan, V-Class or Vito
Seasonal tour:mid-March to mid-May — Keukenhof opens around the third week of March and closes in the second week of May. The fields outside peak at slightly different times depending on the weather — tulips are usually at their best mid-April.
Tour highlights
- Keukenhof — seven million bulbs, replanted by hand every year
- The flower fields around Lisse, in stripes of solid colour
- A driver who checks which fields are actually in bloom that week
- Time to stop for photographs where the light is right
- Indoor pavilions, so rain does not ruin the day
- Optional stop at a working bulb grower
Keukenhof — only for a few weeks a year
This is the most seasonal thing we do. Keukenhof opens around the third week of March and closes in the second week of May — and that is it for the year. The fields outside follow their own schedule, usually peaking in mid-April, though a warm March can pull everything forward by two weeks.
If you are in the Netherlands during that window, do it. If you are here in June, we will tell you honestly that there is nothing to see and point you at something better.
The garden and the fields are two different things
Keukenhof is a designed garden — 32 hectares, seven million bulbs, all replanted by hand every autumn. Winding paths, formal beds, a lake, and indoor pavilions where the orchids and lilies are staged. It is the picture everyone has seen.
The fields are farmland, and they look nothing like a garden. Solid blocks of one colour running flat to the horizon, divided by ditches, with the odd farmhouse and a church spire in the distance. There is no entrance and no ticket — you just have to know where to be.
That is the real reason to have a driver on this particular day. The blocks change every week as different varieties open and as growers top the flowers off to push the goodness back into the bulb. A field that was scarlet on Monday can be bare stalks by Friday. Our drivers check what is open before you set out.
Please stay out of the rows
Worth saying plainly, because a lot of visitors get it wrong: the fields are someone’s crop. Walking between the rows for a photograph damages the bulbs, and growers have started fencing fields off because of it.
There are marked spots set up for photographs, and your driver will take you to them. You will get a better picture there anyway.
Flying out the same day?
Keukenhof is about twenty minutes from Schiphol. If your flight is that evening, we will keep your luggage in the van and drop you at the terminal on the way back — no extra charge, and a much better last day than sitting in departures.
Where is it?
Photos
Your day
- 08:30
Early pick-up
We start early on purpose. Keukenhof at opening time is a different garden to Keukenhof at noon.
- 09:15
Keukenhof gardens
Three or four hours is right for most people. Formal beds, wooded paths, the indoor pavilions, and a windmill you can climb for the view over the fields.
- 13:00
Into the fields
This is the part the coaches miss. We drive the small roads around Lisse and Noordwijkerhout looking for the blocks that are open right now.
- 14:30
Photograph stops
We stop where it works. Please stay on the paths between the rows — these are working farms and the bulbs are the crop.
- 16:00
Back in Amsterdam
Dropped at your door.
What's included
- Private Mercedes V-Class or Vito minivan
- Hotel or apartment pick-up and drop-off
- English-speaking driver for the day
- Fuel, tolls and parking at Keukenhof
- Bottled water and free child seats
Not included
- Keukenhof entrance ticket
- Food and drinks
- Flower or bulb purchases
Can be added
Bulb grower visit
A short stop at a working grower to see how the bulbs are sorted and stored, and buy some to plant at home.
Ask us
Add Madurodam
Both sit on the same side of the country, so they combine neatly into one long day if you are travelling with children.
Ask us for the combined price
Schiphol drop-off on the way back
Keukenhof is twenty minutes from the airport. If you are flying out that evening, we can take you straight there with your luggage on board.
Free
Frequently asked questions
When exactly do the tulips bloom?
The season runs from about mid-March to mid-May. Mid-April is usually the peak for the fields, though it shifts a week or two with the weather. Keukenhof itself is planted so that something is always flowering.
Can I see the fields without going into Keukenhof?
Yes, and some people prefer it. The fields are free to look at from the roadside, and we can spend the whole day driving between them instead. Tell us and we will drop the garden from the plan.
Do I need to book Keukenhof tickets in advance?
Yes. Keukenhof uses timed entry and sells out at weekends. Book online before you travel — we will send you the link and match your pick-up time to your slot.
Can we walk into the flower fields?
Only on the paths at the edges. The fields are farmland and stepping between the rows damages the crop. There are places set up for photographs where you are welcome, and your driver knows them.
What if it rains?
Keukenhof has large indoor pavilions with orchid and lily displays, so the day still works. The fields photograph surprisingly well under grey skies.