The gift that doubles as a holiday
These days it’s possible to ride a bike almost anywhere in the world, thanks to the global growth of tourism and the global popularity of cycling, which has led to an enormous expansion of cycling infrastructure just about everywhere. And there now exist a fair number of companies that offer bike tours for practically anywhere in the world, of varying degrees of difficulty, different lengths of time and for different budgets. Many of these companies even allow you to custom-tailor tours according to your tastes, endurance and bank account. Below is a selection of tours, in different price ranges, offered by various global tour operators.
Cycling tours in Hawaii
How about cycling in Hawaii? At LifeCycleAdventures you can design your own itinerary, choose the style of your accommodations – Budget, Classic, Luxury – and the kind of cycling you wish to do, with options from Leisure to Challenging. You can also hire a guide or guide yourself, with behind-the-scenes logistics help from the operator.
That is, your guide will transfers you from your hotel, set up your bike and give you a route briefing. They then take care of all the logistics while you guide yourself along the routes, riding at your own pace and choosing the route difficulty that best suits you. Support vans are nearby if you need assistance, and the guides are available by phone. GPS units and cycling maps help you navigate while their guidebooks inform you about the towns you visit and sights along the route. For more information, including pricing, check here.
Bespoke adventures for advanced riders
For something a little more challenging, the people at Big Island Bike Tours offer – among other things – “bespoke” Hawaii tours for those with advanced cycling skills on road and mountain bike rides that are “too exclusive, secret, or logistically challenging to do every day – or just too darn difficult.” They take care of everything from airport pickup to bike builds, CPR-certified guides, a support vehicle, high-end carbon bikes and helmet. Check this and other offers here. Both of these operators also offer normal tours with guides and in small groups.
Discovering Central America by bike
Roar Adventures will take you on a 15-day tour of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama in 15 days. In their words: “Ride through colonial towns and enchanting rainforests as you search for the elusive Howler monkey and breathe in the salty air of the Caribbean.” The route covers 321 miles (about 517 km), averaging about 27 miles (43 km) a day.
The climbs are not steep and you only need to be moderately fit, capable of riding four hours a day for two weeks. The tour costs a little less than $6,000 (5,700 euros), which sounds like a lot. But it includes all the usual expenses and you’ll be seeing three countries with local guides. See more here.
Exploring Cuba’s rich culture on two wheels
Less expensive is the same company’s Cuban Highlights ride, 8 days and 145.4 miles (234 km) for a little more than $2,000 (1896 euros). The tour takes you through the UNESCO-listed towns of Cienfuegos and Trinidad will conclude in “enigmatic, charming Havana,” while visiting such iconic sites as the Bay of Pigs and Che Guevara’s Mausoleum. For more info, click here.
Spice up your cycling in Thailand
If neither of these options appeal to you, Roar Adventures offers an astonishing variety of bike tours all over the world. As does Spice Road Cycling, from which I’ve chosen their tour of Vietnam’s Kanchanaburi Hills, 650 kilometers covered in 8 days, including an average of 890 meters of climbing per day. The tour meets and ends in Bangkok, the group can range from 2 to 16 people and it costs $1,950 (1,850 euros).
In their words: “This tour of central Thailand takes in the historical and natural sights of Kanchanaburi before taking you around the beautiful Sri Nakarin reservoir, to caves and waterfalls and ending at a colorful floating market.” The cost includes accommodation, meals where indicated, snacks and drinks, guides and support vehicles. There is an additional fee for bike rental, from $240 to $480, depending on the make of two-wheeler you select. Again, if you don’t like that one, which is here, browse the site for other places in the world you might want to see by bike.
Journey through Jordan’s breathtaking landscapes
Finally, Responsible Travel, which does not specialize in bike tours, does offer an interesting cycling itinerary to the marvelous archeological site at Petra, Jordan, and the Wadi Rum valley and its spectacular landscape, which has been used in movies such as Dune and Star Wars.
The tour offers “a unique chance to explore spectacular desert scenery on two wheels,” they say. “Visit sandstone cities, float on saline seas and sleep under the stars at a Bedouin camp, supporting nomadic tribe culture.” You also get to sleep under the stars in the Wadi Rum and snorkel in the Red Sea.
You will spend a full day exploring the ancient, rose-colored rock buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage city of Petra. You’ll also visit a local market on the trip to buy vegetables and fruits and watch local food being prepared. Seven nights will be spent in hotels and one night in a “full-service campsite.”
It sounds like a unique cycling adventure. The price for the 9-day tour is 2040 to 2160 euros. The group size is limited to 16 people and the tours begin in March 2025. Responsible Travel also offers other, less costly bike tours in Jordan, which, the company says, has marvelous roads for cycling. Check out the offer here.
Important tips before booking your cycling tour
A last word. Before committing to a tour, make sure you know what you are getting for your money. Ask if the price covers accommodations for the length of the tour, meals and snacks, a bike, a helmet, water bottles – in short, everything you’ll need for a seamless and enjoyable holiday.
