What suits a group outing in Giethoorn
In the centre of Giethoorn you sail, walk and cycle. A programme therefore usually consists of one part on the water, one part on land and a meal. Which combination suits depends on the reason for the day. A team day calls for working together, a school trip for an easy overview and a company outing often for a mix of both.
Putting together a team day or company outing
Start with the water. The whole group can steer their own whisper boat or sloop (electric boat), or you can join a boat tour with a skipper. For larger groups there are private boats with a skipper for groups of up to 20, 30 and 40 people. A traditional punter (wooden boat) is suitable for 1 to 6 people, so for a larger group you reserve several boats.
Then choose something to do together:
- Treasure hunt or game: with an interactive game you play in teams, per boat or during a walk, with questions and tasks on your phone. Several boats can play against each other.
- Escape: there is no classic escape room in Giethoorn itself. The escape page lists the escape games that are possible, and an escape game in Paasloo, 14 kilometres from Giethoorn, that you play with many participants at the same time.
- Archery: archery with guidance is possible from 4 people. You can turn it into a competition among yourselves.
- Mini golf: a competitive round of mini golf takes about an hour. With a larger group you split the participants into several smaller groups.
- Cooking workshop: a cooking workshop over a wood fire takes about four hours. In small groups you cook a dinner together. You book your own workshop for a group of 8 people or more, and there is room for parties of up to about 40 people.
End the day at one of the restaurants or terraces. How you eat as a group, you arrange with the business itself.
A school trip to Giethoorn
For a school trip, it works well to divide the class into smaller groups. Per boat, per game team or per canoe, a group of a few children with a supervisor is easy to oversee. You can take a boat tour with the whole class. For children there are special games, such as a treasure hunt and an escape box. Canoes and kayaks are available for 1, 2 and 3 people.
If you want to stay overnight with a school class, groups can go to a campsite with tent fields. The page group accommodation lists the options. Ask the rental company about the conditions for children and supervisors before you book.
How large can your group be
That differs per activity. Some activities you can reserve from just 1 person, such as a boat tour. Others have a minimum, such as archery with guidance and your own cooking workshop. At the upper end, the range sets the limit: for the private boats with a skipper, groups of up to 40 people. An escape game in Paasloo can take many more participants. If your group does not fit in one boat or one group, split it into teams and let them do an activity in turn or at the same time.
How to book a company outing via Giethoorn.com
You have three options. You choose a single activity or a complete programme at arrangementen.giethoorn.com, you reserve boats and boat tours at book.giethoorn.com, or you call +31 (0)521 360 099. If you want a tailor-made programme, fill in the contact form and choose the subject Groups, businesses & schools.
Have the following details ready:
- the date you want and an alternative date
- the number of people, with the split into teams or boats
- which activities you want: boating, a game or workshop, a meal
- special requirements such as dietary needs or participants who have difficulty walking
Cancelling or rescheduling is subject to the rental company’s terms. An overview of complete packages can be found in the article about group packages in Giethoorn.
Planning with a group
Besides the duration of each activity, allow time to gather, to park and to walk to the starting point. The page about parking in Giethoorn tells you where to go. With a larger group, reserve well in advance so that enough boats or places are available. For a cooking workshop there is a shelter, so a shower does not have to stop the programme.
