The Windmills of Kinderdijk
Kinderdijk is not a museum village but a working landscape: nineteen windmills, most of them built in 1738 and 1740, that kept the Alblasserwaard polder dry for two centuries and still stand in two long rows along the water. UNESCO listed the mill network in 1997. Your private guide walks you along the dike, explains how the mills, the reservoirs and the pumping stations work together to keep the land below sea level dry, and takes you inside a museum mill where a miller's family lived until well into the twentieth century. The boat trip along the two rows of mills is part of your ticket, so you also get the view from the water. The tour takes up to ninety minutes when you meet your guide at the entrance, and a quick group is done sooner. If you add the Rotterdam start, your guide meets you at the WaterShuttle pier by the Erasmusbrug and sails with you to Kinderdijk, a half-hour crossing on the river; after the tour you take the WaterShuttle back whenever it suits you, the return ticket is included.
What you'll see on this tour
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Real reviews left by our guests on Google, Tripadvisor and GetYourGuide.
“What a lovely city and museum. We enjoyed every bit of this tour and our guide was very helpful and friendly. Lunch at the museum was also very tasty.”
“Excellent tour, very interesting and entertaining, presented with lots of passion by our guide!”
GetYourGuide · July 2025“Very pleasant and informative, Mario shared historical background and present perspective on the Netherlands. The Hague is a great blend of antique and contemporary. We especially liked the restaurant recommendation!”
Viator · May 2025What's included
Included
- Private guide
- Private guided tour of Kinderdijk, up to 1.5 hours
- Entrance ticket to the Kinderdijk World Heritage site: the boat trip along the mills, the museum mills and the pumping station
Not included
- Start in Rotterdam: your guide meets you at the Erasmusbrug and travels with you by WaterShuttle, return ticket included, €20 per person (can be added to your booking at check-out)
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities for the guide (optional)
- Pick-up and drop-off in another city (can be added to your booking at check-out)
What to expect
Meeting your guide
You meet your guide at the Kinderdijk Kiosk at the entrance of the World Heritage site, Molenstraat 236. If you added the Rotterdam start, your guide meets you at the WaterShuttle pier on the Willemskade instead, at the foot of the Erasmusbrug, and you sail to Kinderdijk together in about thirty minutes.
This tour has two starting points, one in each city. Pick whichever suits where you are staying and tell us when you book: At the entrance of the Kinderdijk World Heritage site, at the Kinderdijk Kiosk, Molenstraat 236. With the Rotterdam start: at the WaterShuttle pier on the Willemskade, at the foot of the Erasmusbrug. You can also choose a custom starting location. Just add it as a comment when you book.
The dike and the two rows of mills
A walk along the dike between the Nederwaard and Overwaard mill rows, where your guide explains how nineteen mills, the reservoirs between them and the later pumping stations kept this polder dry, and why a landscape this flat needed all of it.
Inside a museum mill
You go inside one of the museum mills, still furnished the way the miller's family left it, and see the wooden gearing that drives the scoop wheel. Flat shoes help: the stairs inside a mill are closer to ladders.
The boat along the mills
The boat trip along the mills is part of your ticket and gives the view you cannot get from the dike: both rows of mills reflected in the water. Your guide tells you when it sails so it fits the walk.
The end of the tour
After up to ninety minutes your guide says goodbye at Kinderdijk. You are free to stay as long as you like. With the Rotterdam start, your return WaterShuttle ticket is included, so you sail back to the Erasmusbrug whenever it suits you.
Highlights
See all nineteen UNESCO windmills of Kinderdijk with your own private guide
Go inside a working museum mill and understand how the polder is kept dry
Entrance ticket and the boat trip along the mills included; optional start in Rotterdam by WaterShuttle
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly does the tour start?
At the entrance of the Kinderdijk World Heritage site, at the Kinderdijk Kiosk, Molenstraat 236, which is also where the car park and the bus stop are. If you add the Rotterdam start at check-out, your guide meets you at the WaterShuttle pier on the Willemskade at the foot of the Erasmusbrug instead, or at your hotel if it is in the centre of Rotterdam: add the hotel as your start point when booking and you walk to the pier together.
How does the start in Rotterdam work?
For €20 per person, added at check-out, your guide meets you in Rotterdam and travels with you to Kinderdijk on the WaterShuttle, a direct crossing of about thirty minutes from the Erasmusbrug to the Kinderdijk mills. Your return ticket is included. After the tour your guide leaves; you can sail back with the next WaterShuttle or stay at Kinderdijk as long as you like and take a later one.
What does the entrance ticket include?
Your ticket covers the whole World Heritage site: the boat trip along the two rows of mills, the two museum mills, the Wisboom pumping station with its exhibition and film, and the audio tour in the Kinderdijk app for after your guided tour. Nothing else needs to be bought at Kinderdijk.
How long should we stay at Kinderdijk?
The guided tour takes up to ninety minutes, and less if your group moves quickly. Many guests stay another hour or two afterwards for the second museum mill, the café or simply the walk to the far end of the dike, which is why the tour ends at Kinderdijk rather than back in Rotterdam. With the Rotterdam start your return WaterShuttle ticket is valid for any later sailing that day.
Does the WaterShuttle sail all year?
From late March to late October the WaterShuttle sails every day, roughly every seventy minutes from the Erasmusbrug. In winter it sails on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, and Kinderdijk itself closes for part of January and opens weekends only until early March. If you book the Rotterdam start on a day without a sailing, we contact you to arrange the bus from Rotterdam instead or to move the start to Kinderdijk.
Can we reach Kinderdijk without the Rotterdam start?
Yes. There is parking at the entrance, bus 489 runs from the Rotterdam Kralingse Zoom metro station to Kinderdijk Molenkade in about thirty-five minutes, and you can also buy your own WaterShuttle ticket from the Erasmusbrug and meet your guide at the entrance. The Rotterdam start is only there for guests who would like their guide with them on the way.
Is the tour suitable for children and for guests with limited mobility?
The dike walk is flat and easy, and the boat is accessible. The inside of a mill is not: the stairs are steep, so guests who cannot climb them stay on the ground floor while the rest of the group goes up. Children love the mills and the boat; our price per person is the same for every age.
Can I be picked up and dropped off in another city?
Yes. We offer paid pick-up and drop-off within roughly 100 km (62 mi) of the tour's meeting point, which covers Amsterdam and most of the Randstad. You can add this during the booking checkout, or book it separately, before your tour date. For longer distances, contact us for a quote.
How can I pay for my tour?
You can pay securely online during checkout with Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit or debit card, iDEAL, Bancontact or Sofort. Prices are listed in euros; your bank converts the amount automatically if you're paying from abroad.
Can my tour also start at another time than the ones listed?
The start times follow Kinderdijk's opening hours, which are shorter in winter. If you need another time, add it as a booking comment or contact us directly, and we'll check what is possible on your date.
Do I need to book this tour in advance?
The earlier you book, the better, but online bookings close 24 hours before the tour's start time. For a last-minute booking within that window, call, text or WhatsApp us at +31 6 46 52 69 11.
Is this tour weather-dependent?
This tour runs rain or shine, and the mills turn best on a windy day. In strong wind the boat along the mills can be cancelled by the site; the walk and the museum mill go ahead. If you'd rather not walk in the rain, you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before the start time.
What is the cancellation policy?
You can cancel this tour free of charge up to 24 hours before the scheduled start time.
Is a gratuity included in the tour price?
No, the tour price doesn't include a gratuity for your guide. Tipping is never required, but it's always kindly appreciated.
What if I'm not satisfied with my tour?
We want you to enjoy your visit. If you weren't satisfied, let us know and you'll receive a refund, excluding external costs such as transport, food or entrance tickets. We always appreciate feedback to improve future tours, too.
Do you offer gift cards?
Yes. You can buy a digital gift card for any amount, and the recipient can redeem it for any tour on hollandcitytours.com, discover-delft.com or discover-the-hague.com.
I have another question.
For any other questions, do not hesitate to contact us. Email info@hollandcitytours.com or call/WhatsApp +31 6 46 52 69 11, we respond quickly.
More about Kinderdijk
What else there is to see, how to get there, and when to come.
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