Doing Holland - guided tours in The Netherlands - Deventer

Jamie Goodman

Wilbert is by far one of the best guides we have ever had! We were lucky enough to have the opportunity to go to Kukenkoff Garden and the Windmills with him. His unbelievable knowledge on so many subject separates him out from others. He knows a ton about wildlife, nature, agricultural, history and the country. He was truly able to answer any question we asked. On top of that he has a fabulous sense of humor and is extremely pleasant to spend time with. I would recommend him for any and all excursions in Holland. He was also always willing to take any pictures of us & help us to make dinner reservations while in Amsterdam. I only wish we could have had more time in Holland. What a wonderful day together!!

Jim Sweat

We spent two wonderful days with Wil, traveling from Amsterdam. What a fabulous guide and all-around wonderful person. Wil goes far beyond what one would normally expect, even for a private guided tour.

Our first day with Wil was an all-day trip covering Operation Market Garden (WWII). Wil has incredible knowledge concerning the complex battle plan that ended in failure at the famous John Frost Bridge in Arnhem, memorialized in the Cornelius Ryan novel and the 1977 movie A Bridge Too Far. Wil uses visual arts to portray positions of various units involved and has photographs from the time-period as family members lived in the area. Simply a must for those with an abiding interest for the war in Europe. We were thoroughly pleased with the tour, which was enhanced by Will’s wonderful personality.

Day 2 started with a trip to Kasteel de Haar, a castle beautifully restored in the late 1800s and early 1900s by a Rothschild Baroness and her husband. By the time we got there one of our party was suffering nerve pain from a back issue. Wil contacted a member of the staff who mounted a search for a cane with a rubber tip to prevent damage to the exquisite flooring. During the tour he researched locations where a cane could be purchased and found one a few miles away.

After lunch, and with folding cane in hand, we proceeded to Keukenhof Gardens, world famous for their tulips. (Their greenhouse orchid display is also wonderful.) Upon arriving, it was obvious that the injured party was not going to be able to walk the distances involved without constant pain. Not to be deterred, Wil soon returned with a wheelchair to accommodate the injured one, and then spent three hours pushing him around the Gardens. If that isn’t beyond the call of duty, I don’t know what is. Thanks, Wil!

After the Garden Tour, Wil took us to Delft, leaving himself a very long trip back home to Deventer. We can’t remember a single question about anything relating to the Netherlands that Wil didn’t have a ready answer for. Simply said, Wil delivered above and beyond our expectations at every turn. We can’t recommend him enough.

Kevin Currie

We had an excellent day visiting medieval cities in the east of the Netherlands. Wilbert is very friendly, knowledgeable (not only about history, but also about the natural surroundings, fauna and flora — we even took a little time on the tour to do some birding, at our request, which was great). Wilbert was also very flexible with arranging and adapting our tour to our interests, and according to some unpredictable weather conditions! We loved it.

Miriam GurArye

We had a truly remarkable tour this morning with Wilbert in Amsterdam focused on WWII, the Holocaust and the Dutch resistance. We will remember this special day.

Marcia Elkins

We spent four days touring in Amsterdam in the surrounding countryside with Wilbert. He was extremely knowledgeable and very entertaining. Because we had so much time he chose things that were off the beaten path for most tourist. I highly recommend hiring him to do your tour if he is available. Note if you want tickets to the Anne Frank house you must get them in advance which he did for us.

Ray Evertsen

Wilbert was an absolute professional, arrived on time as scheduled, extremely knowledgeable and provides superior customer service! The tours to Giethoorn, Kuekenhof, windmills, cheese tour and the surprise visit to the damn where Holland creates land from taking it from the sea absolutely all incredible! Our favorite stop was eating French fries with real Dutch mayo! Thank Wilbert for an extra ordinary service! All seeking to do do private and group tours should seek your incomparable service!

Peter Pritchard

We had a wonderful day touring the Dutch Deltaworks with Wilbert! He picked us up at our hotel in The Hague, drove us through the Dutch countryside to the southern part of the Delta where we had lunch (not part of the tour price), then northwards over the barriers that the Dutch have built to minimize flood damage from the North Sea, and dropped us off at the Rotterdam station. Along the way, Wilbert explained a lot about the Dutch, the tulips (it was Spring), and the massive Deltaworks project that we found easy to understand. What we loved most was his willingness to adapt to our schedule and not be bound by specific time deadlines. This made our day a relaxing and informative affair, without the stress.

Chuck Lebherz

Many thanks to Wilbert B. director of Doing Holland. His expansive knowledge of the Netherlands, it’s geological and natural history, and his efficient planning for our spectacular 4-day guided experience of all things Dutch has left a lasting impression on us of his beautiful country and it’s customs and people. From the beaches of the North Sea on the west coast to the forested areas and many small villages in the country’s outlying regions, the Polders, the lovely town of Deventer (our favorite), the many species of birds, of which Wilbert is very knowledgeable, delicious lunches in wonderful small restaurants (Dutch apple pie, Deval Ale, Pancakes, regional wines, the Kroller-Muller museum, the Open Air museum, the Tulip fields, the Keukenhof Gardens made our stay very enriching. His courteous and safe driving, and his sense of humor only added to our delightful experience. I highly recommend Doing Holland for a truly unique experience.