Our Favourite Experiences
Introduction
Time passes at a gentler pace in the misty, watery world of Durgerdam. It feels like a million miles from the bustle of city life – the reality is just 15 minutes from Amsterdam – yet your shoulders drop, fresh air surrounds you and somehow life feels simpler and more relaxed. De Durgerdam has a special kind of magic; Blending unfussy luxury with relaxed hospitality and paying homage to its nautical heritage, a whole world of experiences awaits you at De Durgerdam.
Nautical escape
Glinting under a huge sky, punctuated by wooden pontoons that jut out into the water, the IJmeer lake is where yachts cruise by from the sailing club, and historically the fisherfolk of Durgerdam cast their nets. In this collection of activites we invite you to discover the maritime myths of the former Zuiderzee.
NAVIGATE THE SLOW LANE FROM AMSTERDAM
NAUTICAL ESCAPE
PADDLEBOARD ON LAKE IJMEER
Duration: 2 hours
Price: €30 per paddleboard.
Advance booking recommended
Paddle out onto the peaceful waters of Lake IJmeer, while soaking in the breathtaking scenery that surrounds you at your own pace.
SAIL THE ZUIDERZEE
Duration: Full-day experience from 10:00- 18:00. Shorter experiences are available upon request.
Price: From €1500 for a maximum of 10 people.
Advance booking required. NAUTICAL ESCAPE
Step into Amsterdam’s maritime history and navigate the former Zuiderzee aboard a 100-year-old, restored sailing boat.
Enjoy a full day experience including:
• Welcome on board with coffee, tea & cakes
• Farmer’s lunch including juices
• Feel the wind on your hair while sailing away or help the captain to learn
• Drinks in the harbour including wine, beer & soft drinks and “borrel” bites
This is a third-party booking, food and beverage will be catered by the third party. Cancellation made less than 10 days before the experience will incurr a 50% fee. Experience subject to weather conditions. Ex-
CLASSIC SALOON BOAT JOURNEY
This is a third-party booking, food and beverage will be catered by the third party. Free cancellation up until 72hrs. After that, full fee will be charged.
Duration: 1.5 hours from Amsterdam to Durgerdam. Other routes available on request.
Price: From €450 for up to 12 guests
Advance booking required.
transfer between Amsterdam’s city centre and De Durgerdam.
NAUTICAL ESCAPE
This is a third-party booking, food and beverage will be catered by the third party. Their cancelaltion policy is applicable. Experience subject to weather conditions.
WAJER YACHT ADVENTURE
Duration: 4 hours. Longer experiences are available upon request.
Price: on request, depending on boat
Advance booking required.
Venture out onto IJmeer lake or explore the hidden shores around the nearby villages aboard a Wajer Yacht — the pinnacle of Dutch design and craftsmanship. Whether you’re racing across the lake at high speed, or cruising leisurely with a glass of rosé in hand, the experience is yours to define.
Awaken yoursenses
At De Durgerdam, nature sets the pace. Rooted in Dutch heritage and guided by a love of simple pleasures, we invite you to unwind, reconnect with your senses, and settle into a world of relaxed hospiatlity and unfussy luxury.
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
EXPLORE AT NATURE’S PACE
Duration: Our guide, Roos, is happy to accommodate your preferences in this tour.
Price: From €200
Advance booking required.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable. Expeirence subject to weather conditions.
Step outside and discover the serene beauty of Waterland by bike or on foot, guided by someone who knows its quiet secrets. Meander through historic villages, wide open fields, and along still waters, where every turn brings a new perspective.
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
YOGA BY THE WATER
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: From €150
Advance booking required.
This is a third-party booking, free cancellation up until 72 hrs.
Begin your day with a slow, grounding yoga session led by a local instructor. Whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned yogi, each class is shaped by breath, flow, and the peaceful rhythm of our natural surroundings.
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
KAER EXPERIENCES
Immerse yourself in the quiet charm of Durgerdam, where the light dances across the lake and time seems to gently slow. These Kaer experiences invite you to reconnect with nature, your senses, and yourself. Choose your own rhythm, or surrender to stillness with a curated Kaer day.
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
COLD PLUNGE BY KAER
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: From €200
Advance booking required.
Reawaken your senses with a refreshing cold-water plunge in the lake. Guided and invigorating, this experience is both energising and restorative — the perfect reset for body and mind.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
GUIDED
MEDITATION BY KAER
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: From €200
Advance booking required.
Step into stillness with a private meditation session. Led by a certified guide, you’ll explore simple techniques to calm the mind, soften the body, and create space to simply be.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
REFLECTION WALK BY KAER
Duration: 90 minutes
Price: From €200
Advance booking required.
Wander through the serene village of Durgerdam on a mindful walk designed to foster inner clarity. Guided along quiet dike paths and open landscapes, this journey invites you to turn inward, toward presence, perspective, and self-discovery. Each step moves you gently beyond mental noise, while each breath reconnects you with awe, spaciousness, and your full human potential.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable
AWAKEN YOUR SENSES
MASSAGE THERAPY
Duration: 60 minutes
Price: From €125
Advance booking required.
Unwind completely with a restorative massage, tailored to your needs and rhythm. Whether you prefer a deep, focused release or a soft, calming touch, our skilled therapists will bring the treatment to you. A couples massage can also be arranged for a quiet moment of stillness to share, side by side.
Wander the surroundings
Uncover De Durgerdam’s lively history and Admire the rows of wood-clad fishing houses, painted in milky whites and aqua hues as per tradition. The story goes that they were used as moonlit beacons for returning sailors. Or journey deeper into Amsterdam Noord’s hinterland, where natural wetlands, historic villages, food markets, and seasonal restaurants are steeped in Dutch folklore and time-honoured traditions.
WANDER THE SURROUNDINGS
NEARBY VILLAGES TOUR
Duration: Rentals are per day, feel free to use at your own pace!
Price: Regular bike – €20 per day E-bike – €40 per day
Advance booking recommended.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable.
Discover the peaceful countryside of Durgerdam by bike at your own pace. Sense the gentle breeze as you pedal through charming lanes of traditional Dutch houses and luscious fields. Or venture further into the nearby villages of Ransdorp or Marken to learn about the history toegther with a private guide
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable. Experience subject to weather conditions.
WANDER THE SURROUNDINGS
HELICOPTER HINTERLANDS TOURS
Duration: 60 min
Price: From €1500 for up to 4 guests.
Advance booking required.
See Durgerdam and its surroundings from above on a scenic helicopter ride over the quiet Dutch countryside. From winding dikes and small farms to the shimmering lake and wide-open fields, you’ll get a new view of the peaceful world just beyond the city. A calm, beautiful way to take it all in from a little higher up. See everything the country has to offer: Amsterdam, the Zaanse Schans, the coastline, star fort Naarden, Muiden Castle, and much more.
This is a third-party booking, their cancellation policy is applicable. After that, full fee will be charged.
WANDER THE SURROUNDINGS
HINDELOOPEN PAINTING WORKSHOP
Duration: 1,5 to 2 hours
Price: From €600 for up to 6 guests
Advance booking required at least 2 weeks prior.
Discover the quiet charm of Hindeloopen painting, a traditional Dutch folk art once found in homes and boats along the IJsselmeer, including villages like Durgerdam. In this hands-on session, a local artist will guide you through the distinctive floral and maritime patterns rooted in centuries-old craftsmanship. You’ll learn, paint, and leave with your own small piece of this enduring coastal tradition.
WANDER THE SURROUNDINGS
ZUIDERZEE MUSEUM VISIT
Duration: 4+ hours
Price: €25 (ticket only)
Advance booking required. Private transport can be arranged upon request.
Tucked away in the harbour town of Enkhuizen, the Zuiderzee Museum brings the old life of lakeside villages to life, just like Durgerdam in earlier times. Wander through old homes and workshops, see the tools and stories of past generations, and get a real feel for the history that inspired De Durgerdam’s own design. It’s not just a museum, but a living memory of old Dutch coastal life.
Savor the moment
Let local ingredients lead the way as you discover the quiet richness of the region, its makers, its traditions, and its taste for the simple, the thoughtful, and the well made. Each experience invites you to slow down and connect with the land, the craft, and the people behind every bite.
SAVOR THE MOMENT
WINE TASTING IN THE SNUG
Duration: 1,5 hours
Price: From €90 per person
Advance booking required.
Our private collection of wine is reason enough to spend time in the Wine Snug. Surrounded by vintage labels and the restored walls of our cellar, you’ll taste a curated selection of 5-6 European wines, guided by our sommelier who will share the stories behind each label. An intimate experience best enjoyed in good company, with a glass in hand and the soft glow of candlelight setting the mood.
This
SAVOR THE MOMENT
PRIVATE CHEESE TASTING WITH
FROMAGERIE KEF
Degustation Intermédiaire: 9 cheeses, 3 wines – €120 per person
Degustation Mémorable: 12 cheeses, 3 wines – €145 per person
Alcohol-free pairings available Advance booking required.
Experience Dutch cheese culture at De Durgerdam with our exclusive private cheese tasting with KEF. During the tasting, an experienced cheese monger from Kef will tell you in detail about flavors, Dutch cheesemaking tradition and about the many great makers with whom they work. From cheese farms that can only be reached by a rowing boat to a cheesemaker that started at thirteen years of age. Get acquainted with new cheeses and special flavor combinations paired with fine wines from Restaurant De Mark.
SAVOR THE MOMENT
SUNSET PICNIC BASKET
Price: €150
Advance booking required. Alcohol-free options available, food items might change pending availability and seasonality.
As the sun begins its slow descent over the Durgerdam meadows, the garden comes alive in a warm, golden glow. The light softens, the breeze quiets, and everything slows just enough to be felt.
Pick your favourite spot to enjoy the peace of this magical moment and take a basket with you! Inside your basket, you’ll find a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Champagne, Brandt and Levi sausage, homemade nut mix, and sweet treats along with all you need to setup a lovely picnic.
