Recreational Tours

English and Dutch. I was born and grew up in Flanders, the Dutch-speaking part of Belgium. But I have studied, worked, and lived in the United States and Australia for a combined total of some twenty years.

Absolutely not. I have made a name for myself in World War II and Battle of the Bulge history with books that The Wall Street Journal and best-selling authors like Antony Beevor and Alex Kershaw have praised for their fast-paced narratives and the unique way in which I weave personal stories of triumph and tragedy into the bigger picture of a battle. That is the same unique up-close-and-personal experience you will get when I take you along on a visit to the battlefield as my guests. However, if you indicate in your emails that you are a World War II buff and would enjoy a more specialist military exploration, then that can always be arranged too, of course.

The private tours with my guests always commence on the battlefield. Guests will have to travel to their specified area of interest with their own or a rented vehicle or use public transportation and arrange accommodation in the vicinity. I do not pick up guests at airports, train stations, or bus stops, near or far.

Details regarding the exact meeting place will be discussed in our email communications. But, generally speaking, for Those Who Hold Bastogne tours, I can meet guests who have accommodation in Bastogne at their hotel in town or at the Bastogne visitor’s center on McAuliffe Square. Those driving in from further away in the morning should head for the Bastogne War Museum, conveniently located just northeast of the town. I will be meeting you at the museum’s spacious parking lot.

The meeting place for all of the Silent Heroes tours is the parking lot at the entrance of the specified American World War II cemetery and memorial.

To some degree that depends, of course, on the season and the amount of daylight time that is available. But, generally speaking, Those Who Hold Bastogne tours will run from 9am to 5pm. Silent Heroes tours will run for about two hours.

I provide private tours and private tours only. This means that you will be my one and only guest or that you will explore the battlefield in the company of those people you have chosen to travel with, be it a small group of relatives and/or friends or a larger group of colleagues from work or acquaintances from an organization that you belong to.

In other words, my private tours will never mix you and your fellow travellers with other kinds of company. I find that this concept ensures a more intimate and relaxed atmosphere, regardless of the size of the group.

The answer to that is closely related to the previous question. Most of my guests tend to travel in small groups of no more than four people. This allows for the most personalized and relaxed atmosphere. Even more so because it makes it possible for me to drive my guests around in my own vehicle, a Volkswagen Caddy with comfortable seating, lots of head and leg room, and large scenic windows that can carry a maximum of four passengers in addition to the driver.

However, for those traveling in larger groups who are looking for a private battlefield guide, I can switch to a hop-on format whereby I join my guests in their own vehicle (van, minibus, tour bus, a combination of cars). The guests then take care of the driving themselves while I focus on the guiding.

I do not take children under the age of twelve on tours. Tour days are long and intense and the subject matter is tailored for more adult audiences.

No, I do not.

Even when we are not exploring the battlefields in the dead of winter, the weather in the Ardennes can be very changeable with gusts of wind, crisp temperatures, and regular downpours of rain and sleet, especially in (late) autumn and (early) spring. So be prepared for all of these circumstances with layered clothing and a waterproof jacket with a hood.

Also, we will, of course, be getting out of the vehicle at regular intervals and be heading off to the occasional meadow or forest that can be soggy and muddy. In other words, do select sturdy footwear for our day or days of battlefield exploration.

The simple answer is: not too much. Do note, however, that we have many things to see during what for many is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. That is why we take only limited breaks for a light lunch and a few bathroom stops. In such circumstances it is good to carry some nut bars or bananas or any other snacks that can give you an energy boost fast. Above all, make sure to carry plenty of water. Please note that the cost of meals is not included in the price of my private tours and that food cannot be consumed inside my vehicle.

Prices differ for the various kinds of tours on offer. And they vary also according to the number of guests in your group. So the best way to find out the cost of a tour is to contact me via email and to let me know what your specific interest is and how many people will be taking part in the tour.

Guests who have a bank account within the EU can transfer money from their EU account into my Battlefox account. As soon as a booking date has been decided on, I will via email provide you with the account details, including BIC and IBAN codes.

American guests, and those from elsewhere outside the EU, can transfer money via Paypal.

Once we have discussed your tour requirements and you have decided to book, I will generate an online invoice for a 15% deposit. The balance has to be paid 2 months before the tour. If you prefer, I can take full payment at the time of booking. For bookings within 2 months of the tour date, I take full payment in advance straightaway.

Upon receipt of the advance payment (of 15% or in full), I will send you an email confirming that you are definitely booked for the day agreed upon. Upon receiving the balance of the payment, I will reconfirm the booking one last time. After that, I will see you at the place and time of appointment agreed upon.

I think it is important to make clear arrangements here. I run private tours only. This means that whenever guests book a tour with me in advance (often quite some time in advance), I will not accept any other guests for that same day. But this also means, of course, that if guests cancel a booking, more often than not I can no longer make up for lost customers for that same day.

That is why, if you cancel more than 30 days before the booked tour, I will refund only 85% of the total tour payment.

If you cancel less than 30 days before the booked tour, I will refund only 50% of the total tour payment.

If you do not cancel but fail to show up at the agreed upon place within half an hour of the agreed upon time, I will head back home and there will be no refund.

It is, of course, always a good idea to take out travel cancellation insurance for exactly such occurrences.