Istria E-Bike & Boat

My wife and I set out on this trip not sure what to expect - WOW, we were blown away by the experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone. From the boat to the crew to the other guests, everything was great! I also felt the amount of bike riding was well balanced with downtime, exploring the cities we visited, and other activities. It was a good value for money, considering food, lodging, and activities for 8 days.

The Andela Lora was a fine, well-maintained ship as our home base for bike riding in Croatia. Our stateroom was small but clean, had ample storage space under the bed for luggage, and something I appreciated...a nice shower with lots of hot water. For one week we rode e-bikes on the Istrian Peninsula, discovering ancient towns while riding aggressive trails and paved roads. The bike rides along the coast were especially scenic and fun. Our bike guides went above and beyond to care for us as guests and to plan routes that showed the best of what the Istrian Peninsula had to offer. Actually, all of the crew, those with whom we had personal contact and those running the ship, did everything possible to make our trip comfortable and memorable. Our chef prepared delicious meals and is skilled at accommodating special dietary restrictions. Our bar tender/food server was professional, kind, and worked hard to ensure we were all indulged. We will remember the beautiful coastal bike rides, the iconic harbor towns, making new friends, and a fantastic crew.

The trip overall was excellent! The professionalism and organization of the cycling guides was first rate. The bicycles were in excellent shape and very well suited to this trip. The food on board was excellent and the bar/wait staff were first rate and very professional. The tour guides provided for the city walking tours were excellent.

My comments are as follows:

when anchoring for a swim, there should be a life preserver/throwing equipment to assist swimmers who may be in distress. Also, I would recommend ensuring that guests understand if there is a strong current at a swimming location.

As there was gravel involved, and some technical sections, I think some of the guests might benefit from a little cycling lesson, to assist them riding in the gravel properly and understanding the appropriate gear to be in for these conditions. Along the lines of a group ski lesson that you might take at a ski resort, for a bit of a refresher.

Also, I think it would be helpful. If the tipping directions were a little more clear, as the direction we received from our trip preparation package was for a lump sum tip, and when we were on board, we were told there would be two envelopes, provided , one to tip the staff on the boat, and one for the cycling guides.

Beautiful scenery, quality bikes and guides, very nice boat and great crew

Only downside was a large amount of the biking was on gravel roads which should have been made very clear. Original information just said some gravel riding. If you weren’t a very experienced gravel rider the rides were difficult. We have done 2 other bike and boat rides through TripSite and neither had any significant gravel riding. Do to the difficulty I skipped 2 of the rides which was really disappointing.

The food served on board was Excellent. The views from on board as we moved between towns was also excellent – far superior to any public ferry or catamaran. The bicycle touring was thoughtfully managed and routed, and very enjoyable. Our state room was very comfortable (up in the bow and far from the engine room), and the common areas were well appointed and fun to hang out in (very "yacht-ty"!). Laundry lines strung along both sides of the boat were invaluable for drying our cycling gear after light laundring/rinsing during the trip.
In all a great travel value.

The towns visited. Wish we had a bit more time in a couple of them.

I enjoyed seeing the islands and really enjoyed our group on the boat.

In spite of the weather being extremely hot (end of June), it was a wonderful trip with two excellent guides. The Adriatic was so lovely; I would have liked swimming option stops while on the bike portions. We did have a few swim options from the anchored boat, but generally too much of a current & chop to enjoy. The rides were challenging so we really loved having the Ebikes. Also challenging was the amount of time on loose gravel. We were not alone with that opinion. The food was good, not gourmet, but good enough. Happy to have lots of fruit in the morning. Cabin was very comfortable. Boat was clean & fancy. We very much enjoyed the two guided walking tours of two of the villages. I would recommend this trip; just be mindful of the weather. I’m sure we would have enjoyed it more if it was cooler.

Everything was top notch. The Andela Lora was a beautiful ship and our upper deck cabin was superb. (Probably the best of the four bike and boat tours we've done.) The scenery was stunning: very blue sky, and blue water. The rides were good and very scenic. There was a fair bit of gravel and hills - my wife and I were very thankful to have e-bikes. In our group of 33 riders, there were only two non-motorized bikes. One was ridden by a guest, the other by one of the 30-something year old guides.

Its hard to pick just one place or one aspect of the trip. Our guides were fantastic, the crew was attentive, the boat is gorgeous and comfortable. The guests were friendly and like minded travelers. Croatia is a beautiful country.

Both my husband and myself were very impressed with the Andela Lora, her crew, the guides, the route and the food were all just exceptional. We have been on several bike and barge/boat trips and we both agree this trip definitely rates high in our books! The guides, Kristopher and Dominic, worked well together and everyone felt safe with clear instructions and kept the guests well informed regarding route changes and updates. The ability to download the route on our cell phones even added further clarity to what each day would be like. Thank you to all who was involved on making this trip so wonderful. Of note, the scenery is just breathtaking too!

Wonderful experience! Everything about the trip was memorable from the e-bikes, to the tour guides, to the food and accommodations. Weather was a little challenging in October but between the tour guides and the boat captain, the itinerary was adjusted so we never got wet riding and the trip experience wasn’t compromised.

Enjoying beautiful rides, fabulous meals with new friends. Crew and guides were wonderful.

The food was incredible. The guides were friendly and helpful!

This boat and bike trip was really an ideal combination accessible cycling for all in our party (with a mix of e-bikes and gravel bikes), fantastic gourmet food onboard the Andela Lora and great way to experience getting to know Isteria. The boat was well-appointed and comfortable for the 34 guests and we all felt very well looked-after!

We had a wonderful experience on the tour. The boat exceeded our expectations in terms of accommodation and the food was delicious. Our tour guides were knowledgeable and very organized - clear about bike directions and safety conscious. Biking was a mix of roads and gravel trails. E bike recommended unless you are a strong cyclist.

The tour was great. The staff were very attentive. The guides were helpful.
The breakfast was basic but the lunch and dinners were excellent. The beds are comfortable but the AC could be better esp if traveling when warm. Toiletries are not included so one should bring or buy when you arrive. The bikes are comfortable and really ding thru the countryside was beautiful

We had an amazing time on our Istrian bike/barge trip in May/June 2024. We loved the guides and the crew and the food was amazing! The scenery and bike routes were spectacular and we really enjoyed the extras (Croatian language lesson, Croatian history/geography lecture and city guides) ! Would recommend and hope to do again.

Great group, amazing food!!, beautiful surroundings, well chosen routes, catered to a variety of capability and fitness levels. We all could do it. The e-bikes were reliable and made the trip doable for all.
The ship was clean and comfortable and the crew super congenial. We were grateful to have an above deck cabin.