The Lancaster Bomber Experience
About the tour: The Lancaster Bomber Experience
Tour Introduction
The Avro Lancaster bomber is an iconic aircraft of WW2, used on many bombing raids in Germany, including Operation Chastise, better known as the Dambusters Raid. Join us on a unique tour where we follow the Lancaster story from training to bombing the Dams in Germany. We begin our tour in Sheffield, visiting Derwent Dam, used by pilots of the 617 squadron for practicing low-level flights, before moving on to the Lincoln area where we visit the International Bomber Command Memorial. Whilst in Lincolnshire we take a runway taxy ride in a real WW2 Lancaster, Just Jane, the only chance in Europe to be inside a Lancaster Bomber with all four Merlins running!
Tour Includes
- 2 nights hotel with English breakfast
- 3 nights hotel with continental breakfast
- Specialist Battlefield Guide
- Battlefield visits as described
We offer flexible payment options
Once you have booked your battlefield tour either online, or by telephone 01709 385 624, you have the flexibility of how you pay off the remainder of your balance. You can -
- Use our balance payment facility online to make and track your card payments. You can pay as much as you want up until your final due date or pay it all, the choice is yours.
- Send payments via online banking.
- Send payments via cheque.
- Call us and make a card payment, either a small amount or as lump sum until your final due date.
Our contact and online banking payment details will be on your confirmation invoice to remind you of your choices.
Tour Itinerary
For customers living outside of the UK, if you want to make a booking you will need to provide a UK postcode on our online booking system. If you are not able to provide a relevant UK postcode then you can enter the postcode for London Victoria Coach Station – SW1W 9TP. You should then be able to proceed to complete your booking.
If you do encounter a problem then you can speak to one of our friendly advisors who will be happy to help.
Please Note : After completing your booking, a member of our Customer Service team will be in touch to make sure everything is okay.
Either e-mail our Reservations Department or call on 01709 830 333 and they will check to see whether you can visit a particular cemetery on any of our Battlefield Tours, if we are not able to fit it into our itinerary then you could take some time out of the tour and do this independently by taxi or public transport.
Day 1
This tour begins at our hotel near Rotherham for a two-night stay.
Day 2 - Derwent Dam & the International Bomber Command Memorial
Today, we visit the Derwent Dams where 617 Squadron RAF practiced attacking the dam towers, which resembled their target in Germany.We then travel across to the Lincoln area and visit the new International Bomber Command Memorial. This commemorates the thousands of men who died serving in Bomber Command and we take time to see this and see the Visitor’s Centre.
Included meals: Breakfast
Derwent Dam (3)
Key Visits
- Derwent Dam
- International Bomber Command Memorial, Lincoln
Day 3 - Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride
Today we visit the Lincolnshire Aviation Centre to see the museum and displays, and in groups of ten people take runway taxy rides in an original WW2 Lancaster Bomber, 'Just Jane'.Restored to almost flying condition, the aircraft will power up and taxy along the runway: a totally unique experience!
Later we depart for Hull and an overnight crossing to Holland.
Terms and conditions apply, click here for more information
Included meals: Breakfast
Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride (5)
Key Visits
- Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride
- Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride
- Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride
- Lancaster Bomber Taxy Ride
Day 4 - Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery
After arrival in Rotterdam we visit the grave of Guy Gibson VC, who commanded 617 Squadron, and died in a Mosquito crash in 1944.We then visit Bergen op Zoom War Cemetery to see the RAF Bomber Command crews, including Dambusters crewmembers.
We then travel to the Dortmund area for a two-night stay.
Bergen op Zoom (2)
Key Visits
- Bergen op Zoom
- Guy Gibson Grave
Day 5 - Mohne and Eder Dams
Today we have a full day visiting the Möhne and Eder Dams, attacked in Operation Chastise in May 1943 by 617 ‘Dambusters’ Squadron.We discover the story of the raid and look at the dams which were attacked, seeing the local museum.
Included meals: Breakfast
Eder Dam (3)
Key Visits
- Möhne Dam
- Eder Dam
Day 6 - Rheinberg War Cemetery
On our final day we visit the graves of men who died in Operation Chastise at Rheinberg War Cemetery and then visit Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, the largest British WW2 Cemetery in Europe, where half of the burials are RAF crews, many from Bomber Command.We then travel for an overnight stay in Belgium or Holland.
Included meals: Breakfast
Rheinberg War Cemetery (3)
Key Visits
- Reichswald Forest War Cemetery
- Rheinberg War Cemetery
Day 7
We return to the UK today.
Included meals: Breakfast
IMPORTANT - Information regarding the Lancaster Bomber Experience
Lancaster Taxy ride Terms and conditions
Taxy riders must be able to board the Lancaster without any assistance and be able to exit the aircraft quickly, should there be an emergency, without any assistance.
Access to the Lancaster is by five steps with a hand rail. Riders have to be able to climb over the main spar, which is 30 inches high and 14 inches deep. There is a step up to this of 12 inches. The head space to climb over the spar in is 30 inches high and 32 inches wide. This area is an arc and the measurements are to the widest and highest points.
Without being able to cross the main spar, the rider would not be able to access the W/OP, Navigator, cockpit or nose areas of the aircraft. One of our 2 emergency exits is in the front of the aircraft and so it is important that the riders can cross the main spar in case the other exit cannot be used. The emergency escape route from the front and rear of the aircraft is by ladder and so riders must be able to use a ladder without assistance.
Anyone undertaking the Lancaster taxy ride experience must be able to hear and follow verbal and visual instructions in noisy surroundings. This experience may not be suitable for anyone who has disabilities affecting mobility, concentration, dexterity and co-ordination.
If we deem the rider unable to move around the aircraft with enough ease and sufficient speed to such an extent that they may put themselves and others at risk during an emergency, then sadly, it would not be possible for them to take part in the taxy ride. If this decision is made by the Centre upon the customers’ arrival, then no refund will be given.
Lancaster Bomber Experience - Please read terms and conditions to the left. (2)
Key Visits
- Lancaster Bomber Experience - Please read terms and conditions to the left.
Specialist Battlefield Guides
All of Leger’s battlefield tours are accompanied by specialist guides. Their individual in-depth knowledge of warfare will be informative, as well as enhance your overall experience, as they recreate a fascinating perception of the history and factual events of each battle. Discover the actual catalysts for war, the strategies employed and the final, inevitable outcomes, as well as experiencing the emotional human side of the front line.
Please note: On certain tours, you may get tour guides other that the ones listed below.
Hotel
If you prefer, then you can join the tour at the hotel. To do this, we will require a copy of your passport for identification purposes and you must advise us at the time of booking.
No reduction will be given if you should choose to do this.
All hotel rooms benefit from private bathroom facilities.
Some hotels have tea and coffee making facilities. Please check the tour pages for more information or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333
Most hotels have a lift, please call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 for more information.
Some hotels have ground floor rooms. Please email for information on individual hotels or call our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333.
Your hotels will supply towels in your room.
We are unable to guarantee that the hotel will be able to meet your dietary requirements. We find that the majority of European countries do not generally cater for vegetarians and that the meal supplied may well be what everyone else is having minus the meat.
We will of course endeavour to arrange for a vegetarian meal at the hotel. We do however suggest that you advise us of your dietary requests at the time of booking and recommend that you speak to the receptionist on arrival with regard to your request.
You will stay for two nights at the 4-star Hellaby Hall Hotel near Rotherham.
Overnight crossing from Hull to Rotterdam on board ship with P&O Ferries.
You will then spend two nights at the 3-star Leonardo Hotel Dortmund.
Overnight stay in Belgium/ Holland will be in a city-style hotel.
Travel Options
Departure times given for each region are approximate. Please check your travel documents to confirm the actual timings.
Front row seats can be reserved for £14pp (up to 6 days duration), £22pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £25pp (9 days duration and over) on all European tours. In addition to this seats on the second row can be reserved for £7pp (up to 6 days duration), £14pp (7 & 8 days duration) and £15pp (9 days duration and over). This offer is only available for bookings of two or four persons on the front row and is subject to availability. Guaranteed front/second row seats cannot be reserved on feeder journeys to/from the U.K. port. Children under 15 years cannot occupy a front row seat due to French Law. Central view seats are free.
Please note: On some coaches the legroom on front seats may be slightly less than that available on other seats due to the presence of a modesty board in front.
If your tour is cancelled for any reason and front/second row seats are not available on your new tour you will be refunded the supplement. No other compensation will be payable.
Alternatively, we can take seating requests on your booking. However, requests are not guaranteed. All seat numbers are confirmed on travel documents approximately 7-10 days prior to departure.
We guarantee that all passengers on the same booking will be seated together on the main tour coach. Seats on the transfer coaches to and from the U.K. port are not allocated.
Hot and cold drinks are served on the main tour coaches. Prices are approximately £1 or 1.25 Euro per drink. Prices will be confirmed by the driver. Drinks may also be served on the transfer coaches but this is not guaranteed.
Transfer vehicles are routed approximately 2-3 weeks before departure and will depend on where passengers are booked to travel from on any particular date as to which route is taken. If you require further detailed information regarding the route to the port you can contact our Customer Service Department on 01709 830333 two weeks before you are due to travel.
With regard to the route taken by the main tour coach, this is determined by the driver.
All main tour coaches have on-board toilets. Transfer vehicles to and from the U.K. port may not have on-board toilets. When non-British coaches are used on transfers and tours (air holidays only) an on-board toilet may not be available. However, comfort stops will be made during long journeys.
All coaches feature air-conditioning. Should the air-conditioning system break down for a period exceeding 12 hours, compensation will be awarded up to a maximum of £10 per fare-paying passenger per tour.
Depending on the location of your pickup point, you may be picked up by coach (not necessarily the on you are touring on), minibus, taxi, National Express or Megabus service. You may then be taken to another centralised pickup location or service station. We operate a passenger interchange at Stop 24 Services, where you will meet the tour coach you are holidaying on and then continue on with your outbound journey. Similarly, on the way home, you may also change transfer vehicles at another location, to take you to your final drop off point.
One medium sized suitcase per person, which should weigh no more than 20kg when full. We may refuse to carry larger or heavier cases. Hand luggage can be stored in the overhead racks aboard the coach.
It could be either - This will be confirmed in your travel documents.
When it comes to getting to the Battlefields, Leger Holidays make it easy, with a selection of travel options for you choose from.
Travel Extras
With an overnight stay, a Door-to-Door pick up or the option to meet us at the interchange, our travel extras allow you to create a travel experience to suit your needs...
Join coach at Interchange
+ Find out moreJoin your tour coach at the interchange.
On most tours if you’d prefer to join your tour coach at Stop 24 services, you can park your car in the car park which is accredited by the Park Mark safer parking scheme and is monitored 24 hours a day by CCTV. Payment for the parking is made on arrival using the self-service machines.
Excludes tours to Ireland and the U.K. and tours travelling via Brittany Ferries.
Door-to-Door service
+ Find out moreOn Battlefield tours of 7 days’ duration or more, you don’t even have to think about getting to your local joining point. Our Door-to-Door Service collects you from your home and takes you to meet your transfer vehicile, then brings you back at the end of the holiday. Door-to-Door Service is available within a 20-mile radius of one of our free joining points and is from £90 per car, return (up to 4 passengers per vehicle).
If you live a little further afield, you can also take advantage of this convenient option for an additional charge – please enquire at the time of booking.
