Customized Group Tours. General Infos
We operate tours for all group sizes and had parties from 9 to 38 participants. Some of our partners in the US are specialized agencies and tour operators. But mostly we work directly with historical, genealogical or friendship societies, family clans, sister-city associations or privately organized groups. All tours include specific heritage programs as well as general sightseeing and leisure activities and cover German and European destinations. Usually everything start with initial E-mails from your side in which we learn about your tentative plans. We then add our thoughts and design a proposal including a draft itinerary and an estimation of costs. From there we continue in close communication with you and proceed with details such as arrival and departure logistics, hotel selections, local activities, transportation needs etc until the tour becomes final and ready for people to sign in. Welcome to Germany.
Costs for Customized Group Tours
As a figure to play with please calculate approx. Euro 200,-- per day and person. That is based on double occupancy and 20 participants traveling through Germany e.g. starting and ending at Frankfurt or Munich or Hamburg airport. Prices vary according to the number of participants, time of the year, hotel selections and itinerary but we have always found ways to match a budget and still provide excellent programs. Please see examples below.
We know that travel services are based on trust in our expertise, diligence and careful consideration of efforts and budgets. Please tell us about your plans and we will gladly send a proposal and cost estimation.
Logistics and Programs
You would handle air travel yoursel either for your entire group or leave it to the responsibility of your participants to finally gather at a defined meeting point. That can be at the airport or at the first hotel on our tour. Details for arrival and likewiese departure logistics will be clarified with you and your group.
A typical tour has 8 to 10 nights (11 days) in Germany and/or Europe. All Tours have carefully selected accommodation in meaningful locations. Usually these are 4 star hotels, but also luxury places or traditional family run country-side inns are part of our proposals. We contract reliable and experienced partners in accommodation, transportation and general services and ensure a smooth operation. A full breakfast is always included and the above mentioned costs includes one meal per day, transportation, guiding, local guides and entrance fees, everything from arrival to departure.
Programs and Activities
Tours usually include a specific 2 or 3 days heritage program in a town or region with local excursions, gatherings and activities as per the group’s motivation and cause of travel. Often these programs are the nucleus for the tour and an itinerary through Germany is built around them.
All activities are always planned in close co-operation with local hosts, organizations, city representatives, churches, archives, individuals or whoever contributes to your welcome. We provide our expertise and a respectful co-operation with everybody involved.
Examples of Customized Tours (2016 - 2019)
2018 Germany revisited with Tom Heuer and the Rosenbohm Family
May 06 - 16 11 days, 10 nights 21 participants Euro 2.080,-- p Pers
The Rosenbohms were farmers in Oldenburg. Tom Heuer from Colorado had already visited his homeland and brought back another group to visit the ancestral home and the today’s Rosenbohms furniture store. Distant cousins and friends joined us for the rest of the tour.
Frankfurt, Osnabrück, Oldenburg, Berlin, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Gotha, Bamberg, Würzburg, Sommerhausen
Highlights: Wine tasting at Europe’s oldest Riesling vineyard, Rhine river cruise
Overnight at Palace of Engers with festive dinner
Heritage program with the Rosenbohm home, furniture store and the Lamken farm
Buttenheim, birthplace of Levy Strauss
Sommerhausen: Birthplace of F. D. Pastorius, founder of Germantown PA in 1683
2018 The Drum Heritage Tour with Betty Drum Griffin
Oct 28 - Nov 07 11 days, 10 nights 16 participants Euro 2.140,-- p Pers
The group connects to George Drum, one of the palatine traveling musicians of the 19th century. In the US he became famous as composer of “Hail to the Chief”. We have explored the Drum heritage as well as the Palatine and Swiss migration experience on three tours with Betty Drum-Griffin from South Carolina since 2009. Participants and local hosts in and around Ulmet enjoyed many get togethers.
Frankfurt, the Palatinate, Freiburg, Colmar and Straßburg F, Lucerne CH, Black Forest, Munich and the Alps
Highlights: The story of the traveling musicians in the Palatinate
Church service at the Drum ancestral church at Ulmet
Lucerne, France, Switzerland and Black Forest
Sites of the Nazi Party Ralley Grounds and Nüremberg Trials
2017 The Pomeranian Tour: Germany and Poland
Aug 17 - 28 12 days, 11 nights 38 participants Euro 1.750,-- p Pers
A great tour with great people from the ports of farewell to individual ancestral places in Germany and Poland. Sponsored by the “Pommerscher Verein” from Wausau WI and Donald Zamsow. Had well prepared individual taxi excursions to ancestral places.
Bremen/Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven, Hamburg, Greifswald, Mistroy, Pila, PL then via Lutherstadt Wittenberg to Berlin.
Highlights: The migration experience at Bremen, Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven and Hamburg
The Peenemünde rocket test sites, on the Baltic sea into Poland
Individual taxi excursions at Greifswald Germany and Mistroy, Pila Poland
500 years celebration of Reformation at Lutherstadt Wittenberg
Farewell at Berlin
Facts and memories in the tour's coach log (click to open PDF at right)
2016 The Kleyböcker Family History Tour
July 19 - 30 11 days, 10 nights 25 participants Euro 1.650,-- p Pers
Johann Kleyböcker emigrated from Gehrde near Osnabrück to Freistatt MO. Dennis Kruse from Washington DC promoted a tour that brought the US descendants of Johann to the ancestral farm. A big family reunion with the German Kleyböckers, a major’s reception and highlights in Germany made a fantastic tour that was very typical for what we do.
Hamburg, Bremerhaven, Bremen, Gehrde, Osnabrück, Palace Engers, Mainz, Erfurt, Berlin
Highlights: Hotels at Hamburg and Palace Engers
The Kleyböker Hof, gathering, receptions and family reunion
Mainz, the Gutenberg Story and friends at wine places
Eisenach and Wartburg castle
Tours available in 2022 / 2023
2022 Passionplay with Germany and Austria
It was the 3rd tour with Tom Heuer from Colorado. We traveled together with his immediate family and the Heuer - Rosenbohm clan and friends from all over the US before. The Corona pandemic caused us to postphone the plans for 2020. But in May of 2022 we could finally go back on the road: Munich, Salzburg, the Sound of Music Story, the Silent Night Chappel, the Kehlstein Haus known as the Eagles Nest, many other attrations and of course the Passionplay.
You can download the original 2020 program on the button to the right.
Tours for 2023 have not yet been asigned.