Amstelsport is an outdoor team-event location on the Ouderkerkerdijk, on the Amsterdam side of the Amsterdam–Ouder-Amstel boundary, where a walled garden called the Verborgen Tuin (Hidden Garden) sits right on the bank of the Amstel. It runs outdoor-sport workshops and organic catering for booked groups of roughly 12 to 65 people, about a 15-minute bike ride from the city centre. It is a group-booking venue rather than a drop-in attraction: programs are arranged by email or phone, and only one group is hosted at a time.
Quick facts
- Address: Ouderkerkerdijk 255, 1096 CR Amsterdam, behind a wooden door at the foot of the dike. A white Amstelsport flag is flown by the road when the location is open.
- Group size: programs are built for 12 to 65 people; each individual activity is set up for 10 to 20 participants at a time.
- Activity length: roughly 1 to 1.5 hours per workshop, each led by an experienced instructor.
- Catering: offered for groups from about 20 people, in the Hidden Garden.
- Contact: [email protected] or 06-41289309. There is no published rate card, so pricing comes by quote.
- Nearest public transport: Amsterdam RAI station, about 2 km away, with an OV-fiets bike-rental point.
What you can do on and along the Amstel
The program splits neatly in two: water activities on the Amstel itself, and land activities in the surrounding Amstelland green belt. Not every activity is cooperative — archery, SUP and disc golf are individual sports, while raft building, sloop rowing, Viking sailing, Big SUP, sheep herding and archery tag depend on the group working together.
| Setting | Activities | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|
| On the water | Sloop rowing, Viking ship sailing and rowing, SUP, Big SUP, raft building | Teams comfortable getting wet; Big SUP and raft building force real coordination |
| In the Amstelland | Archery, 3D archery, crossbow shooting, archery tag, sheep herding, disc golf, yoga | Mixed-fitness groups and anyone who would rather stay dry |
| In the Hidden Garden | Italian pizza workshop in wood-fired ovens, organic lunch or barbecue, drinks at the wood fire | Closing out a half or full day; catering starts around 20 guests |
The Viking ship is the genuine oddity
Amstelsport sails a replica Viking ship called the Draecker, which takes 12 participants plus a helmsman and can be both rowed and sailed on the Amstel. The company describes itself as the only place in the Netherlands where you can hire a Viking ship for a company outing or bachelor party. If a group wants one memorable centrepiece and a second, simpler activity to rotate through, this is the obvious anchor.
How a day is usually structured
Because each workshop caps at about 20 people, larger groups are run as a combination program: the group splits and rotates between activities, and guests can often pick their own selection on the day. Instructors focus on group dynamics rather than instruction alone, and the next task can be adjusted based on how the group handled the previous one.
For briefings or theory there is a covered shelter with an open fire, plus a small indoor space overlooking the Amstel that suits smaller groups. A typical shape is two activities, a catered break, and drinks at the wood fire — but the location markets itself on being flexible rather than packaged.
Best time to visit
April to September gives the most reliable conditions for the water activities and the garden catering, since everything here happens outdoors. Autumn along the Amstel is quieter and often still workable for rowing and raft building, though daylight shortens quickly in October and November.
Winter is the weakest bet. Cold water, short days and Dutch wind make paddling and raft building unattractive, and availability of specific activities is worth confirming before you commit a date. Whatever the month, ask which activities are actually running when you enquire, and tell participants to bring a windproof layer and shoes that can get muddy — the entrance is a dike path, not a car park.
How to get there
Amstelsport asks guests to arrive by bike, carpool, taxi van or boat, because the site sits in a nature area shared with other recreational users and the dike road is narrow. The Hidden Garden is genuinely hard to spot, including with satellite navigation, so plan on the last few hundred metres taking longer than the map suggests.
- By bike: about 15 minutes from the city centre, following the Amstel south. There is a bike rack inside the Hidden Garden.
- By public transport: Amsterdam RAI is the closest station at roughly 2 km, and it has an OV-fiets rental point for the final stretch.
- By car: only about 10 cars fit alongside the dike by the water, so carpooling needs coordinating in advance. There is ample free parking at the start of the dike.
- By minibus: vehicles up to 25 passengers can reach the dike. Full-size coaches cannot.
- By taxi: drivers generally know the location.
- By boat: there is a mooring directly in front of the entrance.
Booking and sustainability
Enquiries go through [email protected] or 06-41289309, and pricing is quoted per program rather than published. Amstelsport positions itself as the greenest event organiser in Amsterdam and pairs its workshops with organic catering, so the environmental angle is part of the pitch for companies with sustainability reporting to satisfy. Treat that as the operator’s own positioning rather than a certified claim.
Frequently asked questions
Can individuals visit Amstelsport, or is it groups only?
Amstelsport organises programs for booked groups, generally from about 12 to 65 people, and hosts one group at a time. It is not set up as a walk-in attraction for individual visitors.
Where exactly is Amstelsport located?
At Ouderkerkerdijk 255, 1096 CR Amsterdam, on the municipal boundary between Amsterdam and Ouder-Amstel. The entrance is a wooden door at the foot of the dike, next to the water, marked by a white Amstelsport flag when the location is open.
How long does each activity take?
Each workshop runs roughly one to one and a half hours and is set up for 10 to 20 participants, so larger groups rotate through a combination of activities.
Is there parking at Amstelsport?
Only about 10 cars fit along the dike beside the water, so the venue asks groups to carpool, cycle, or arrive by taxi van or boat. There is free parking at the start of the dike, and minibuses up to 25 people can reach the site, but full-size coaches cannot.
What food is available?
For groups from around 20 people, Amstelsport offers organic lunch or barbecue, a pizza workshop using wood-fired ovens, and drinks at the wood fire in the Hidden Garden.
What makes the Viking ship activity unusual?
Amstelsport sails a Viking ship replica named the Draecker, which holds 12 participants plus a helmsman and can be rowed or sailed on the Amstel. The operator states it is the only location in the Netherlands renting a Viking ship for outings and bachelor parties.
