About Toms Travel Tours

Local. Personable. Knowledgeable. FUN. Private guides that you really want to spend time with.

Toms Travel Tours is a top-rated tour company offering private tours in Amsterdam, the countryside, and beyond. Tom van der Leij is the enthusiastic founder & owner of Toms Travel Tours.

Established in 2013, our company consists of a team of highly skilled local professionals. Our private guides are trained experts in various disciplines - from art and history to architecture and beyond. With proficiency in English, Dutch, Spanish and German, our guides are ready to welcome and guide visitors from around the world.

One thing we all definitely have in common is our passion for travel.

Meet the Toms Travel Tours team below!

About ‘the Tom’, Founder & head honcho of Toms Travel Tours

Born and raised in Amsterdam, Tom’s love story with travel and storytelling began long before he ever donned a guide’s badge. At the age of 10 he received his first camera—and never put it down. His early years were shaped by a journalism education at the Hogeschool van Utrecht and at the Rhodes University in South Africa, where his curiosity for people, places and narratives first took flight.

Tom’s career as a travel editor, photojournalist and documentary photographer sent him to remote corners of the globe. From the tribes of Papua New Guinea to landscapes in South America and Africa, capturing wilddogs, rainforests & deserts, and daring adventures with equal passion. These visual and narrative adventures gave Tom a unique perspective on what makes a place truly memorable. (visit also his travelphotography website: tomvanderleij.com

In 2013, Tom turned his lifelong love of travel and his eye for detail into a brand new venture: Toms Travel Tours. What started as a modest idea has grown into one of Amsterdam’s top boutique private-tour operations, offering tailor-made experiences in the city, Dutch countryside and Belgium.

What sets Tom (and his team) apart?

• Local roots, global vision: As a true Amsterdammer, Tom knows the hidden courtyards, secret canals and local stories that don’t make map-markers.

• Storytelling meets sightseeing: With his photo-journalistic & travel background, Tom builds experiences you’ll remember, not just checklists.

• Personalization to the core: Whether it’s a family on bikes, art lovers in a museum, or a group craving countryside windmills, Tom’s team shifts pace, mode and mood based on your interests.

• Visual memory-making: Many guests leave with not just memories, but a collection of expert photographs and stories Tom’s own camera helped capture.

• Service with personality: From pre-tour logistics to surprise extras (yes, sometimes Tom himself shows up with a bottle of champagne or unexpected detour), the human touch matters.

When Tom isn’t leading a tour or behind his lens or developing his unique organic Tulip Herb Tea (see: tomstuliptea.com you’ll find him exploring Dutch dunes on his bike, flying his drone over windmills, or devising his next adventure. With Tom, your time in the Netherlands isn’t just a visit, it’s a narrative you’ll want to revisit.

About our private tour guides and their specialties

At Toms Travel Tours, we turn Amsterdam private tours, Dutch countryside adventures, and Belgium day trips, and much more into smooth, story-rich days you’ll actually remember. Our multilingual team blends deep local knowledge with friendly, flexible hosting - so you see more, skip hassles, and feel like you’ve got a local on speed dial. Here are some specialities on offer.

Art & Museum Tour Specialists

Love art, galleries, and world-class museums? You’re in the right place. Toms Travel Tours offers expert-led art and museum tours in Amsterdam, The Hague, and across Belgium, including the Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, and hidden-gem galleries. Our local art historians connect Flemish and Dutch masters across borders, share insights on iconography, restoration, and composition, and help you discover how to really look at a painting. Tours are personalized for first-time visitors, art students, and families, blending culture, storytelling, and the joy of discovery.

History, Architecture & Urban Heritage Specialists

Step back in time with our architecture and heritage tours across the Netherlands and Belgium. From Amsterdam’s Golden Age canal ring (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) to the medieval heart of Bruges and Ghent, we reveal the why behind the wow. Our guides bring context to Jordaan courtyards, canal houses, gables, and grand guildhalls, uncovering stories of trade, innovation, and artistry. Whether in Brussels, Antwerp, or Delft, expect immersive history, not lectures, and a deeper connection to each city’s design and spirit.

Storytelling, Creative & Photography Specialists

Discover destinations through the eyes of writers, artists, and photographers. Our creative tours combine local culture with personal narrative, helping you see and capture each place’s unique character. Led by journalists, designers, and visual storytellers, these experiences reveal hidden corners, share photo composition tips, and inspire your own creative lens. You’ll leave with memorable stories, and the perfect shots to match.

Belgian Local Guides & Specialists

Experience Belgium with those who know it best, its locals. Our Belgian tour guides open doors to authentic neighborhoods, family-run cafés, comic art trails, and markets beloved by residents, not tourists. From Brussels’ Marolles to Antwerp’s old docks and Ghent’s student quarters, every tour combines cultural nuance, humor, and insider recommendations. Expect regional food tips (yes, the best fries, beer, and chocolate), local legends, and a real connection to Belgian life.

Genealogy & Research Specialists

Trace your roots through the Low Countries with our genealogy travel experts. Whether your ancestors lived in Zeeland or Friesland, we help uncover family stories through church records, municipal archives, and historic registries. Our ancestry-focused private tours in the Netherlands bring those records to life, with a chance to walk the same streets and visiting the same towns your relatives once did. Ideal for family historians or travelers beginning their heritage journey, these tours make the past deeply personal.

Active & Outdoors with Cycling Experts

See the Netherlands and Belgium the local way, by bike. Our cycling tours are led by experienced guides who know every canal path, forest lane, and scenic village route. Choose from Amsterdam city rides, Flemish countryside day trips, or multi-day cycling holidays that mix culture with fresh air. Along the way, enjoy local snacks, photo stops, and storytelling from guides who love the open road. Routes are customized to your pace and interest—perfect for casual riders and seasoned cyclists alike.We guide in English, Dutch, Spanish, German, French, Italian, among other languages. More importantly, we speak “traveler” - clear plans, cultural nuance, and zero jargon (ok, maybe a little).

Hear what people have to say about our guides….

“Two awesome tours! One with Rein to the Windmills, small towns and North Sea! And another amazing day seeing the Tulips with an exceptional bike ride to the fields. Tom was a pleasure to tour with! My family had a blast! Highly recommend.” - Les - Tripadvisor

“If you haven't already booked with Tom, do it now! Tom planned an extraordinary four days for our family during the peak tulip tourist season. We had an amazing private guide (Stan) in Amsterdam for both biking and a food tour. Tom personally took us to the tulips fields, biking in Holland, and to see the windmills, where my college-aged daughter loved his engineering expertise. We also thoroughly enjoyed day trips to Bruges and Delft/The Hague. Our great guide in The Hague (Renee) personalized the tour for lesser-known sites that interested our 20-year old daughter….We unexpectedly ran into Tom at a restaurant in Amsterdam, where he sent our family a nice bottle of champagne. Way to go to Tom and his entire team for creating an amazing vacation experience for our family!” - Wendy, Google Reviews

"You MUST go with Toms Travel Tours. Based on various reviews we contacted Tom for a private countryside tour. His communication before meeting was great and we were actual able to go with him personally. My wife and I could not say enough about this experience. Tom was extremely knowledgeable and engaged with us the entire time. He had all the right connections at each stop, was always aware of our safety in some unfamiliar environments, and had everything else from snacks to sunscreen. Finally, he is an amazing photographer and sent us a couple of hundred pics the next day. You will miss an incredible opportunity if you don’t go with Toms Travel Tours. - Rick, Tripadvisor

“The best part was having a knowledgeable guide. Ingrid had a breadth of information for us, especially in the Van Gogh Museum. We did 2 morning walking tours and couldn’t have been more pleased. I was so happy to have all the arrangements through one agency. They were responsive from my first inquiry and continued to answer all questions before we booked. We expect to return to Amsterdam in September and will use them again.” - Nancy, Tripadvisor

Want to join our team as a specialist tour guide? We’re always on the lookout, and here’s what we look for in a guide.