Windmills and Dutch Ingenuity: A Kinderdijk Audio Walking Tour

5.0 (one review) 1 h 15 min – 1 h 45 min Free cancellation Private tour

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5.0

Windmills and Dutch Ingenuity: A Kinderdijk Audio Walking Tour — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

Windmills and Dutch Ingenuity: A Kinderdijk Audio Walking Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Kinderdijk is one of the most extraordinary feats of water engineering in the world. It’s a landscape that’s shaped not by geography – but by centuries of human determination to hold back the sea.

On this self-guided walking tour, you’ll discover how Dutch ingenuity transformed a flood-prone polder into a UNESCO World Heritage site, and how the millers who kept it dry still live and work here today.

You’ll walk along the Lekdijk, a dike protecting around a million people from the river Lek, and descend past modern pumping stations into the polder – roughly a metre and a half below sea level.

You’ll encounter two rows of windmills – round brick mills on one side and lighter octagonal wooden ones on the other – each reflecting the separate water boards that once governed this divided landscape. You’ll hear about the Hoek family, millers who’ve lived at Kinderdijk since the 1740s and whose descendants still operate the mills today.

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At a glance

Duration: 1 h 15 min – 1 h 45 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: VoiceMap Audio Tours

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Included: Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Included: App for Android and iOS
Included: Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
Not included: Food and drink
Not included: Transportation

Itinerary

Kinderdijk

Passing by

You’ll pass by Kinderdijk, the famous UNESCO-listed landscape of historic windmills that showcases the Netherlands’ centuries-old battle against water. Please note that admission to certain visitor facilities or attractions within the site is not included in this tour.
Stop 2

Passing by

You’ll pass by the J.U. Smitgemaal, a historic pumping station that played an important role in managing water levels across the Dutch polder landscape. Please note that entry to the pumping station is not included in this tour.
Stop 3

Passing by

You’ll pass by the Wisboomgemaal, a former steam pumping station that now serves as a visitor centre highlighting Kinderdijk’s historic water management system. Please note that entry to the visitor centre is not included in this tour.
Museummolen Nederwaard

Passing by

You’ll pass by the Museummolen Nederwaard, a preserved windmill museum offering a glimpse into the daily life of millers who once lived and worked here. Please note that entry to the museum windmill is not included in this tour.
Stop 5

Passing by

You’ll pass by the Blokweer Museum Mill, a restored polder mill that offers insight into the traditional engineering used to manage the surrounding waterways. Please note that entry to the museum mill is not included in this tour.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This tour starts in front of the Waardhuis. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.

End point

The tour ends at the Blokweer Museum Mill.

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

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Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. You've been sent an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour.

This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

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Once you've received your code, please follow these steps:

Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app

Create an account

Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes

Enter your code then select Download Now

PLEASE NOTE

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You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.

This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.

When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.

Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.

SUPPORT

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For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]