At The WADDEN SEA CENTRE we arrange tours for associations, schools, boards, youth educations, tourist groups and citizens - in short all kinds of groups, who wishes to join us for a trip on an excursion into the Wadden Sea. A selection of tours can be found just below. Naturally, we adjust all private tours to your wishes, the tides and the season.
We also arrange public tours, all of which you can find in our tour calendar.
Book a nature guide to take you on a tour through our exhibition. A guided tour usually lasts for around 45 minutes, and gives a good introduction to the Wadden Sea, the migratory birds and the tides. It can either be a good start or a good way to end a guided tour to the Wadden Sea. See more about the exhibition here.
The WADDEN SEA CENTRE arranges a variety of tours were one is able to gather oysters and mussels. We have oyster trips to oysterbanks not far from the coast where both children and adults can join us - and also more demanding oyster safaris, where one walks far on the seabed and through high water. On a mussle trip one is able to gather a wide selection of the different kinds of edible mussles living in the Wadden Sea, and cook them on an open fire. Read more.
Season: October until primo april
We will meet at THE WADDEN SEA CENTRE, where we will pack our bags with equipment for exploring. The expedition leader will lead you to the Wadden Sea, where we will go hunting for the strange animals in the mudflats and water of the Wadden Sea. We will bring back some of our catch to THE WADDEN SEA CENTRE, where we will examine the animals really close up in a stereoscope.
Can you become a real-life SEA EXPLORER?
With nets and forks we discover what the dry mudflats and the low water contains. Here we will find different kinds of mussels, worms, crabs, shrimps and small fishes. We will taste plants and hear little stories about the life in the Wadden Sea - the largest National Park in Denmark.
This tour can either take place at Mandø Ebbevej near The WADDEN SEA CENTRE or on the mudflats on the island Mandø.
Come along on a hike to one of the large seal sandbanks. We will go on the tractor bus to the dikes on Mandø, from here we will walk app. 2,5 km along the dike, and out on the mudflats to the sealbank. A tidal inlet app. 300 meter across seperates us and the sealbank. We will bring telescopes along and through those observe the around 200 seals, who typically rest on the sandbanks.
Season: Marts-april and august-october
We have no tours in the summer, as we do not wish to disturb the seals, while they give birth and raise their pups.
In the spring and the autumn huge numbers of migratory birds gather by the Wadden Sea and in the marsk. Experience the impressive sight of starlings gathering in giant flocks and making "black sun" above the forrest of reeds - or join us on a bird tour by the Wadden Sea and experience the large flocks of waders and geese, who rest and feed here on their migration from the Arctic to the southern wintering areas. Read more.
Experience the fauna and the great open spaces on a hike across the seabed, or watch birds and listen to historical stories on a bike trip in the marsh lands. See our selection of different hikes and bicycling tours on the mainland and on Mandø here.
Do you wish your birthday or the company picnic to be a bit different this year? Then join on of our nature guides in our contest "The Wadden Sea Challenge".
Equipped with nets, forks, team spirits, as well as a good portion of competitive spirit, the participants compete in teams in categories as ragworm-digging, shrimp-catching, race the mussles and a lot more. The nature guide initiates the contest, functions as judge and let your learn more about the nature of the Wadden Sea, which functions as a background for "The Wadden Sea Challenge".
If you are part of a larger group, which wishes to try an interesting method of fishing, we are able to offer you to drag a trawl. Through teamwork and raw strength we will drag the big trawling net through a tidal inlet on Mandø. After some hundred meters it is time to see the catch of the day - there is good chances for lots of shrimps and different kinds of species of flat fish and crabs.
We will take a tour along salt marshes of the coast and in the plantation behind the dikes. Here we will search for the herbs and berries of the season to be used in spiced schnapps. The nature guide tells about the use of the plants in cooking and as medical remedies in the old times. At the same time we will experience the Wadden Sea and hear stories about the animals and birds we meet on our way. The trip is 3-4 km and will be spruced up with tasting schnapps brewed on the herbs of the Wadden Sea.
With the unique nature of architect Dorte Mandrups building - where reeds are used on facade, roof and underlay, and lists of robinia-wood make the already existing building melt seamlessly together with the new building - the result is a structure, that almost seems to grow from the ground - gently and adapted to the flat marshland.
The exhibition "THE MIGRATORY BIRDS' WADDEN SEA" is likewise adapted to the singular center. In cooperation with THE WADDEN SEA CENTRE, architect Johan Carlsson has with his thorough design created a poetic, aesthetic and modern exhibition, which with great perception shows the Wadden Sea and the migratory birds. Here are experiences which catches and involves the guests of the center - young as well as elderly - in the wondrous world of the Wadden Sea.
Read MoreOkholmvej 5 • Vester Vedsted • 6760 Ribe • DK • Tel. 75 44 61 61 • CVR.: 24245861 • info@vadehavscentret.dk
Opening hours:
The center is closed from 1. december to 9. february (both days included).
November until April:
Monday to Sunday from 10 am until 4 pm.
May until October:
Monday to Sunday from 10 am until 5 pm
Entrance fee for 2023:
Adult: 140 DKK
Children (4-13 years old): 50 DKK
Age 0-3 is free.