Our battlefield tours for schools bring the First World War to life where it happened: the Ypres Salient, the Somme and Vimy Ridge, all within easy reach of each other. As a Belgian tour operator based in Flanders, we arrange the coach, accommodation and logistics, and put you in touch with experienced local guides.
Ypres Salient
The Menin Gate and the Last Post, Tyne Cot, the In Flanders Fields Museum, Passchendaele and Essex Farm.
The Somme
Just across the border in France: the Thiepval Memorial, Lochnagar Crater, Beaumont-Hamel and the Ulster Tower.
Vimy and Arras
The Canadian National Vimy Memorial, the Wellington Quarry in Arras and the Ring of Remembrance at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette.
Example itineraries
| Length | Itinerary |
|---|---|
| 2 days | Ypres Salient: Tyne Cot, Passchendaele, Essex Farm, Langemark, the In Flanders Fields Museum and the Last Post at the Menin Gate. |
| 3 days | Ypres Salient plus a day on the Somme: Thiepval, Lochnagar Crater, Beaumont-Hamel and the Ulster Tower. |
| 4 days | Ypres, the Somme and Vimy Ridge and Arras, or Ypres combined with Bastogne for the Second World War. |
Every itinerary is tailor-made: you choose the sites and themes that fit your curriculum, your pupils and the soldiers from your own region.
Why schools travel with us
- Local base: we are based in Flanders and know the region, the venues and the distances first-hand.
- Coach for the whole trip: from your arrival at the Channel ports or Brussels-Midi until departure.
- Accommodation near the battlefields: in or around Ypres, or near the Somme for longer tours.
- Guides and museums: we put you in touch with experienced local battlefield guides.
- One contact person, reachable day and night during the trip.
Tips for a battlefield tour
- Look up soldiers from your own school, town or region before you travel: finding their name on a memorial makes the history personal.
- Arrive in good time for the Last Post at 8 pm and agree in advance that the group stays silent; wreath-laying can be arranged with the Last Post Association.
- Combine museums with time in the landscape, and allow moments for reflection.
- UK pupils need a valid passport; check entry requirements for the Schengen area in good time.
Preparation sheet for your pupils: Ypres and Flanders Fields. More about Ypres and Bastogne.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart are Ypres and the Somme?
By coach, the Somme battlefields are roughly one and a half to two hours from Ypres, which makes a day trip from Ypres possible.
Can you arrange guides?
We arrange transport, accommodation and logistics, and are happy to put you in touch with experienced local battlefield guides and museums.
How do UK groups travel to the battlefields?
Usually by coach via the Channel Tunnel or a ferry crossing, or by Eurostar to Lille or Brussels with a coach waiting on arrival.
Planning a battlefield tour?
Tell us about your group, your dates and the sites you would like to visit. You will receive an answer within 2 working days.