Where do you want to take your water break?
These expeditions are about feeling the road below your feet, winding through prairie hills or climbing over mountain passes. There is something about gripping the bars of the bike that makes it all the more satisfying.
Ride the Friendship Highway in the Tibetan highlands or traverse the route from the Pacific to the Caribbean via La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica. It doesn’t matter where, just ride.
Choose your trek!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our cycling tours span the gamut of two-wheeled challenges: from a leisurely ride through Vietnam to cycling across landscapes of Cuba. Some of these trips include cycling as just one of a number of active adventures, others are more cycling focussed (ie. You’ll be riding almost every day).
Bringing your own bike – If you are a dedicated cyclist or just want to take your bike on a holiday, you can usually bring it along for the ride. You’ll need to box it up for transport on the plane: the easiest way to do this is to go to your local bike shop and ask if they will do it for you (a fee may apply). They often have boxes on hand from old stock and have the tools to remove the pedals and secure your handlebars. Airline fees will also apply, so check with your airline about costs. It’s worth remembering not all trips will be able to accommodate your own bike, so let us know what you’re planning at the time of booking.
Hiring a bike – The bikes we use are from proven brands, very well maintained, typically less than 3 years old (most are newer) and specifically chosen to suit the terrain you’ll be cycling on the trip. They come in the full range of sizes from extra small to extra large and usually have front suspension, flat bars, and 27 gears. The only thing you need to do is advise us of your height at the time of booking. We’ll handle the rest. If you’d like, you can always take your own saddle (seat) or gel over-cover for comfort sake, and if you want to use cleats, bring your pedals and shoes too.
All airlines will have their own rules and fees when transporting bikes. Make sure you contact the airline (preferably) before you pay for your flights to see what charges and requirements they have.
Before you go, you must box your bike for transport. See our section ‘taking your own bike vs. hiring one’ for more information.
On all of our cycling tours your accommodation is pre-booked and your luggage is transferred from one point to the next. All you have to carry is water, and any snacks or gadgets you may want and a few layers to keep you dry and warm. A small, lightweight backpack may come in handy.
If the trip happens to be super off the grid we will coordinate all the logistics with you.
Helmets are compulsory on our cycling tours, so you can either bring your own or (to save on luggage space) buy one at a local bike shop once you arrive in-country. We also recommend you bring your own water bottle/hydration pack, and closed shoes. You may also wish to bring Cycling shorts, and (if you ride regularly at home) your own saddle and pedals. Many of our clients who do not ride regularly find a gel seat cover helpful in making the ride more comfortable. For more info on packing, check out the What to Pack section of your Trip Notes.
All you need to enjoy our cycling trips is the ability to ride a bicycle and a passion for seeing a destination on two wheels. That’s about it.
While there are occasionally longer days on some itineraries, the vast majority of our cycling days are between 30-60kms and are done at a leisurely pace with plenty of opportunities to stop and enjoy the scenery/just take a break. Anyone with a reasonable level of fitness will get by with no troubles.
Our cycling trips are done predominantly on sealed roads (with the odd unsealed section), but none of the trips require any specialist cycling skills. We’ve also researched extra riding routes in each of the destinations we visit, so if you want to stretch your legs a bit more, you can.
We run risk assessments on each and everyone of our cycling trips to make sure they’re up to scratch, and your cycling leaders have personally ridden every inch of the itinerary in advance. We’ve assessed the road conditions, the level of traffic and any potential blackspots. Our leaders are trained in cycling health and safety, as well as basic first aid, and we usually have a vehicle following us if an evacuation ever becomes necessary. We’ve also made sure our cycling tours depart during the milder months, when the weather isn’t too hot or too cold, so the ride should be as pleasant (and safe) as possible.
We have general travel insurance policies that we can provide you. For most of our trips we are making it a requirement for you to have insurance as for many of the different country protocols that developed post COVID.