- Written requestat least 2 weeks in advance from Tourism Ypres
- No minimum number of persons required
(smaller groups can also book a guide) - € 80,00 per guide for 2 hours
€ 40,00 per additional hour - Group must provide its own (bus) transportation - not included in the price
- Smaller groups must provide their own transportation - this is not included in the price
Tracking Traces of the Great War
- Ypres Salient North
On this tour we will learn about the gas attack of 1915. We explore the area around Passchendaele where the Allied armies launched an infantry attack on the German lines in inhumane conditions in 1917. We start our tour with a visit to Essex Farm Cemetery and the restored dressing station where John McCrae worked. This Canadian doctor wrote the famous poem "In Flanders Fields. Via the German Cemetery in Langemark we drive to the largest cemetery Tyne Cot Cemetery in Passchendaele. From here we overlook the 1917 battlefield and enjoy this unsurpassed example of British garden architecture. Via Zonnebeke and the French cemetery Saint-Charles de Potyze, we return to Ypres.
Guide: € 120 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
(number of guides depends on group size)
Duration: 3 hours
- Ypres Salient South: Wytschaete - Messines - Kemmel
This more southern part of the front line is scenically very interesting and crosses part of the green
Heuvelland. We first visit the restored site of Hill 60, the last piece of authentic battlefield in Flanders. There we see the results of several mining explosions. We continue our tour and search for remains of the June 7, 1917 attack when 19 deep mines exploded. The Peace Tower in Messines' Irish Park is a beacon in the landscape that seeks to permanently commemorate the sacrifice of the Irish people, both Catholic and Protestant. In Ploegsteert, we visit the impressive Memorial to the Missing and the cemetery. Through one of the largest Commonwealth cemeteries, Bedford House Cemetery we return to Ypres.
Guide: € 120 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
(number of guides depending on group size)
Duration: 3 hours
- Highlights/Access Points Frontline Ypres Salient
'Today's landscape as a witness of the past'. The front line around Ypres, the Ypres Salient, was defined by some remarkable elevation changes. On this round trip you will view Ypres from these telling places in the landscape. The three boarding points, North, East and South, explore the still visible relics along the Ypres Salient.
Entry Point North, located in the reconstruction farmstead Klein Zwaanhof, highlights the Second Battle of Ypres,at Pilkem Ridge. From this entry point you also take a short walk up to the Yorkshire Trench: a restored British trench system.
Passing some small cemeteries, you head toEntry Point East, next to Hooge Crater Museum, where Bellewaarde Ridge is highlighted. The route continues through the valuable site Hill 60 and the immense crater, Caterpillar.
Entry Point South is located in the provincial park De Palingbeek and offers insight on the underground war from Hill 60 to Sint-Elooi, using the digital application to view historical photos. (With Palingbeek included: only in 4-hour round trip).
Guide: € 160 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
Duration: 4 hours or shortened to two entry points (North + East or East + South) in 3 hours (€ 120 for the guide)
- Theme tour: The balance of four war years
Each time 100 years after the date, the past few years have dwelt on dominant moments of the First World War. Through the story of John McCrae at Essex Farm Cemetery and the first gas attack in April 1915, you'll move on to the Canadian battles at the Hooge and Hill 62 in 1916.
The signs of the June 1917 mine battle are still visible at Hill 60 (Caterpillar) or the Pool of Peace at Wytschaete. 1918 is a year full of stories of the coming end: the Spring Offensive of the Germans, Operation Georgette on Mount Kemmel and the contribution of American troops along the Kemmelseweg bring you back to the heart of the town.
Guide: € 120 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
(number of guides depending on group size)
Duration: 3 hours
- Tour Reconstruction
The First World War left Ypres and the surrounding area completely destroyed. Full of good cheer, the Ypres people began clearing the rubble and laying the foundation stone of their devastated city. The guide will accompany your bus and show you spots where the reconstruction had an impact on the surrounding area.
Guide: € 120 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
(number of guides depends on group size)
Duration: 3 hours
Tasting of Ypres and surroundings
- Delicacy Tour
We tour around the beautiful landscape of the Ypres Ommeland and treat you to some delicacies from our region. The guide will tell you fun historical facts about the sights. We stop in Langemark at an artisan chocolatier. We also taste various cheeses accompanied by a Passendale beer at the Oude Kaasmakerij. We meet an authentic Flemish wine farmer in Heuvelland. This way you get to know Ypres and its surroundings from a different angle. Give it a try?
Price: € 16,50/pp for the different snacks
Guide: € 160 (one guide/bus) group must provide own bus
(number of guides depends on group size)
Duration: 4 hours
Practical: not on Sundays and public holidays
- Picon route
During the tour, you will learn about different types of preparations with Picon and also learn a bit about the history of the brew. Each time you will be offered a tasting with a piece of culture.
More information: www.piconroutes.com
