Bike Tour Reviews — 2251 to 2280 of 6274

This was my first barge trip. Everyone on the trip who had been on other barges informed me that I had started at the top! The crew was amazing and provide first class service. The chef is the captain's wife and cooked us 5 star meals. The lunch she packed for the bike trips was wonderful each day. She accommodated the gluten-free passengers. Our tour guide, Tamy was knowledgeable and friendly. I learned so much about the cities where we docked and the countryside where we rode. This was my first bike trip and the description was accurate. The ride was flat and easy which made looking around at everything pleasurable. I loved that there were only 24 passengers on the boat. I got to know them all and enjoy their company at meals and during the rides. Since this was the first tulip tour of the season, the tulips were not yet blooming in the fields. However, there were many other flowers blooming to see on our ride. We saw many many tulips and other flowers at the Keukenhof where we spent several hours. I am looking forward to traveling on the Merlijn again in the future!

Was the wonderful guide and the beautiful scenery we encountered every day. Peaceful countryside.The boat was top notch and the hosts went out of their way to make things nice . Food was well presented with lovely courses. I would recommend this tour to others.

This was my third cycling trip to Spain and the first time I have used a self guided tour like this. Tripsite’s Ebro River trip was perfect in every way. The route is absolutely spectacular with a constantly changing scene of medieval villages, vast pastoral panoramas and cruising alongside the river through deep gorges. The roads were not only smooth but empty of cars. The local partner Borja from Ibirocycle met us on time at the location we selected and provided well tuned road bikes for our week long ride. Every accommodation was superb, clean quaint with great food and lovely hosts. Note that there are some long hills so if you do not feel trained up enough for that - take the electric bike option. But for anyone who would like to see this outstanding part of Spain at a slower pace - I can’t recommend this tour enough!

It was worth exploring the country by bicycle. The garden route is beautiful and with the very good guide and the nice cycling company I had a wonderful holiday. There were very tough bike courses, the weather made the challenge bigger but I wouldn't have wanted to miss it.

Bikes were great. The tour group was accommodating in all our requirements. Hotels booked were very nice. Tour operator checked on us daily to see how it was going. I would be pleased to recommend this tour to others.

We are just finishing our trip in Coimbra and wanted to put in a review while the trip is still fresh. From the airport pickup to the briefing and all through the tour John and Sergio demonstrated that they really did care that we had a great time - and we did. The hotels they selected for us are top notch and the bike route gave us easy riding and great views of Portugal’s Silver Coast. The bikes were in top shape and performed well. Our second visit to Portugal and there will be more, the people are friendly and the country so wonderful.

I enjoyed tremendously the trails that were chosen in this itinerary! I liked the variety of them not only in terms of scenery but also in terms of complexity.
One moment I was riding by beautiful eucalyptus forests, the next I was side by side of peaceful rivers or agricultural fields to, my very favourites, riding along side the Atlantic ocean.
The attention to details and support received by the Top Bike Tours team (the owner, Sérgio, and Miguel) was truly outstanding! As a solo rider I never felt left alone or on my own; they were always there whenever I needed them and provided efficient support and guidance.

Bogota, Kartagena and Amazon were for me the highlights of my trip. Depends mostly on my previous visits to South America and the expectations I had . Visit to Rio Blanco not worthy. Tayrona park only if make the long circuit otherwise very crowded and sea visit definitely not ( speaking as a Greek ). Bicycling at the area of Filandia and visit of wax Palm area a great fun . Minca and the bird watching at the area not so interesting. Local office very helpful and professional in every detail !! Guides in all the places we visited educated in depth for their specialty !!

This trip and the tour guides exceeded all expectations! First, we never realized that "Alps 2 Ocean" is an actual designated trail with signs and directional markings at every turn. No need to worry about getting lost on this trail. The scenery is absolutely stunning, starting from the very beginning at the base of Mt. Cook, New Zealand's tallest mountain. Our tour guide Lewis picked up our group in Christchurch and made the five-hour drive to the start of the ride. The only communication issue was Tripsite said we had to be picked up in Christchurch. During the drive, our guide said they could have picked us up in Queenstown, which would have left only a two-hour drive to the start. We had flown the previous day from Queenstown to Christchurch just to be picked up. Mark, the new owner of the tour company, will remedy this with Tripsite. Mark was with us the first two days and drove us back to the Christchurch airport after the completion of the trip. Super nice guy. This was only the second group since he purchased the Cycle Adventures company and it is obvious he is focused on making it an amazing customer experience for all. Lewis, was with us all week. Cannot praise him enough. First, he is just a wonderful and personable human being. Very funny and supportive and made everyone feel at ease with his description of each section of the route. Second, each afternoon he checked the bike to make sure they were tuned up and ready for the next day. Third, he is a gourmet chef. Every day, he would prepare the most amazing salads and lunches for us along the route. He always found breathtaking lunch and coffee stops that just continued the feeling that we were on vacation in a magical location. Lewis is a rockstar.
Accommodations were very special. The first night at Braemer Station had the most amazing views of the entire trip. It felt like we were in the Sound of Music. Every location was super clean, and the owners were so delightful and customer service focused. I never realized how good the food is in New Zealand. Thank goodness we were riding each day because we certainly ate well. Bottom-line, it was the trip of a lifetime and it exceeded every expection. Highly recommend.

De dagelijkse uitdaging, elke rit weer. Alle grenzen zijn verlegd en je komt oersterk en uitgerust weer thuis.
Aanbeveling: avond iets meer rust. Een (half) uurtje extra bij aankomst voorafgaand aan diner. Of ochtend half uur eerder vertrekken? Of het diner samen wat eerder afronden, 21.30 ipv 22.00.

We took this trip as a self-guided tour in late January/early February in order to get a break from the cloudy, dreary weather in central France. We were a little worried about the weather conditions, but it turned out to be perfect - and no crowds! I started each day in a ski coat and double pants, but by the early afternoon would be down to just a light jacket. Ideal biking weather - never got hot, not very windy, and yet the sun was bright. Sergio had the trip set up perfectly - the bikes were top-of-the-line and worked well, the multiple GPS systems were accurate and useful, and he was always just a text away. A mix of accommodation types which were all good in their different ways, and a couple of them were just outstanding. The scenery and countryside were by turns fascinating and breathtaking. The coastline had spectacularly scenic rocky cliffs with interesting birds (including nesting storks). All the people we met were friendly, helpful, and welcoming. I would highly recommend including some extra days in Lisbon and Sintra.

We went on this tour in late September of 2022. We had previously been in southern Europe and became accustomed to the eighty degree temperatures. We were initially scheduled for the Loire Valley tour on the same barge (Clair de Lune), but the low water levels resulted in canceling the Loire and replacing it with Strasbourg to Nancy. Strasbourg is incredibly beautiful - we'd go back.

The barge - I'd been on a barge for three weeks (Bruges to Epernay on the Zwaanje - great trip) so knew what to expect. Can't say enough about the captain and crew. All aces. The chef (cannot call her a 'cook') was beyond excellent. She got applause every night after announcing the dinner selection. Truly wonderful dining. The weather, however, did not cooperate.

To coin a phrase, it was ratty. Rain, rain, rain. Temps in the fifties. I'm from the Seattle area and will not ride in this kind of weather. Nothing the barge crew cold do about it. I got in three days of riding.

Locks were amazing - one had more than fifty feet of lift. The barge elevator was really an experience. Seeing the abandoned locks was also quite cool.

The tour guide needs to be upgraded. His English was not excellent. eBikes were a bit tired, but adequate. Good tour, except for the weather. Would liked to have done the Loire Valley - maybe next time... Nine out of ten for the tour - the weather hurt.

We went on this tour in mid-October of 2022. Stayed in Cagliari before the tour and saw a professional triathlon. We watched the women's race - have never seen anything like that. Sardinia is wonderful. We only had one sort of gripe - the company that handled the tour (Rotalis) is German and we were the. only non-Germans on the tour. Had a few uncomfortable initial moments, but it eventually became a nothing burger. I was fluent in German as a kid and saw a lot coming back. It would have been nice to know about this sooner.

The tour was beyond excellent. First, Sardinia. It's incredibly beautiful. Lots of hills and forests. Marvelous downhills. Being able to cycle through an alpine environment in shorts and short sleeves was special. Alenka, the tour guide was quite good. She dealt with the German speakers initially then translated into English - hers was quite good. Dieter, the van driver was a gem. He took care of the support van and provided gourmet lunches. We split the costs at the end - amounted to about Euro 75 for each cyclist. A great deal - the lunches were certainly gourmet.

No negatives. The eBikes were a bit tired, but were entirely serviceable. Dieter always had a few spare batteries for those who needed them. The two islands off the west coast were not as spectacular as the mountains, though they were fine. If you decide to go with a Rotalis tour try to confirm that there's a diversity of cyclists. Expect a great tour and very attentive tour guides. Ten out of ten. Great tour! Thanks Tripsite.....

Ahhh - the Ionian Islands! I've been on a dozen or so tours and I have to say that this was the absolute best cycling I've ever done. Hands down. Everything clicked - Dimitris and Alexandros were exceptional guides. The Med is the bluest of blues and extremely beautiful. The weather was unreal - high seventies to low eighties and not a cloud in the sky. Dimitris told us that this was the best weather he'd seen all season. The riding was also excellent. Wonderful vistas and small harbor towns. Islands with calderas. There were some downhills of about ten kilometers. Man, I was in heaven. Boat was fine - we had the on deck cabin. Food was quite good and very plentiful. We were on the last tour of the season also. Cheryl had a birthday during the tour and our guides found a sinful birthday cake on Dimitris's home island. Good Lord!! Martin (retired German judge) played 'Forever Young' with his guitar. Magical. Doesn't get any better than that. Probably fifteen on a scale of one-to-ten. Go on this tour if you have a chance.
Inselhupfen (Island Hopping) is the German company that handles the tour. This was my third tour with them. They are the gold standard for cycle tours. They have a retreat every for the tour guides - makes sure everyone is singing from the same sheet of music. We enjoyed this so much that we're doing the Cyclades with them this coming summer.
Really great tour.

We did the Camino tour with Sergio and Joao in early September of 2022. Just a wonderful experience. Sergio and Joao are aces - always there for us. Support was absolutely excellent. Great hotels. We used eBikes and they were excellent - fairly new with the big Bosch motors. The routes were sometimes challenging (cobblestones rattled your teeth) but they were handled well. Views were incredible. Can't say enough about this tour. Liked it so much that we've scheduled two tours with them for this coming summer. Ten out of ten.

Great self-guided tour! We received best written directions we have ever had on a self-guided bike tour. The route was basically flat along the rivers and the route directions were clear, understandable, and often offered options. The route information also included recommendations and directions along the way to get to sightseeing points, cafes, pubs, and restaurants. Lukas provided a thorough review of the trip on our arrival, and was available to answer our questions. We used the recommended GPS as a supplement, which was helpful for confirming our location and when there was an instance of unexpected road construction on the route. We also very much enjoyed the bike tour of Prague with Daniel and his willingness to share his personal insights into the history of the city.

I really cannot say enough good things about Tripsite and Green World Adventures. We wanted to get a sense of Costa Rica while being active and we really got that. Smart itinerary choices and great hotel choices too. I dont like paying top dollar for fancy hotels rooms we wont be spending much time in. All accomodations were very clean, with good beds, pools, ac, etc. some of them were quite amazing with hot springs, rooms in the jungle, etc. The transportation was always on time or early. Response time was excellent when we needed to reach GWA. The individual companies GWA contracted with were wonderful too, with knowledgeable and friendly guides. The activities were well chosen. We did so much and yet felt like there was more than enough down time too. I've been recommending this Tripsite trip to everyone I know.

I also really like how the company tries to accomodate individual interests, how they patch together shuttle transportation so you're not part of a big tour (which I don't like) but at most a small vanfull of people -- and not the same people. some of our activities were even private.

some recommendations: I would substitute the first mountain biking trip with white water rafting or a river boat trip. the hilly option was super hilly (and this is someone who bikes hill several times a week on a hybrid, not a mtn bike). The flat option did not seem that interesting. I would make sure to book a night time jungle tour at the Ara Ambigua Lodge. I would see about extending the trip a few days heading north up the coast, adding a Tour to Rincon de la Vieja, Volcan Tenorio and even a day trip to Granada, Nicaragua.

Three more things: be prepared for some windy chilly conditions. We couldn't believe we were 10 degrees north of the equator. Make sure to pack a windbreaker and be ready to layer up a bit for those higher terrain places, esp. at night. Also get your money from the ATM in the airport. It was not that easy finding ATMs elsewhere. All the ATMs we used offered dollars and colons. Most places accepted both. Also, plan to tip your drivers, guides, hotel cleaners, servers, etc. The internet says it's optional in CR, but these folks depend on gratuities to make a living.

Thanks again for such a great trip. We left eager to return.

The boat was comfy and well appointed, the beds were very comfortable, the biking along the river was fabulous with knowledgeable and friendly guides. I also enjoyed the sumptuous dinners each night. One of the best parts of this trip was getting to know our fellow travelers and make new friends.

This is an unforgettable trip that everyone should take! The guides, chefs, crew and captain were all knowledgeable, kind and fabulous!

The cycling, food, and service by ship’s staff were all great! We had the good fortune to meet some very interesting and fun people from Canada and Scotland, attended a couple very good concerts in both Vienna and Prague, and basically saw a part of Europe we never thought we’d see. Budapest, Vienna, Prague were all very interesting, and beautiful cities, and our guide, Thomas, made it all even better! Juergen, the cruise director, was very helpful, as well, finding us when we lost our group at one point and getting us back to the ship. Between Thomas and Juergen, we were able to sample a lot of good food while on the bike rides, and they provided great company at dinner, as well. I believe Thomas ate with us nearly every evening.

A couple notes: 1) I brought pick-pocket proof pants, as I’d heard that we needed to be careful. I didn’t really need them. Probably a better purchase if you’re visiting Paris and/or Barcelona. 2). The 3rd level rooms had balconies, where the 2nd level rooms do not. The room for the balcony is taken from the indoor room space, so you actually pay more for a balcony, but lose space in the room. We had a 2nd level room and the other 2 couples we traveled with both had balconies. They were envious of our extra room. Be sure to take along a travel clothes line to dry your clothes.

We also found the e-bikes were well worth the extra $$. Both my wife and trained using standard bikes, and physically were in decent shape for the bike rides, which were all pretty easy, fun rides. We found the e-bikes let us relax and enjoy the trip a bit more than we might have on regular bikes.
The ship, the Swiss Crown, was in excellent condition. The food was very, very good, and seemed to get better each day, as did the bike rides. The table service on the ship was excellent and the servers were all very personable, helpful, and friendly. One member of our group was vegan, btw, and the ship did a great job of accommodating him.

In all, we had a great trip and would do it again! Thanks to all for a wonderful time!

Did the self guided your in August 2022. I've done a few cycle holidays in the last few years but this was by far my favourite. The landscapes and views were incredible. The food was amazing and the places you get to see on route are so diverse, from Lakes and Mountains of Western/Southern Albania all the way down to the Seas and beaches of the Med. What an experience.

The Mountain climb at the end (car is optional) was one of the most rewarding sections of roads I have ever cycled, lunch and cold beer at the top of the mountain felt pretty perfect.

I highly recommend Albania, everything is cheaply priced and it's just as beautiful as Croatia. Go there before the masses find it!

The crew, guides, and food were great - Thankyou for a wonderful time. The Ave Maria is a very well appointed barge. The trip exceeded expectations and we have taken several bike and boat tours with Tripsite.

There is magic in the Galapagos Island. The kind of enchantment which unites an eighteen-year-old daughter, on the cusp of leaving for college, a fifteen-year-old son who is fascinated by animals and photography and us--their parents--who, being from Alaska, love active adventures. On so many moments on our trip, we were all united with the same sense of awe, beauty and wonderment. Of course, the sea lions captivated us with their love of play (we saw one bite the tail of a marine iguana just to be ornery). The inquisitive Nazca boobies waddled up and delighted us. However, there is one memory that stands out; snorkeling and seeing hammerhead sharks coolly cruise by below. There was collective squealing through the snorkels as we pointed out the sharks, who are so distinctive in appearance and smooth in movement. Later that day, at dinner, that was the memory which elicited excitement and the feeling of "Did we really just get to do that?".

Our whole family loved every single second of this trip, from the food and accommodations, to the crew and all the tours. A special shout out to the Captain of the Beluga who let us come into the Bridge on the boat who let us see the equator latitude and take pictures when we crossed the equator on water. A trip of a lifetime for these Alaskans. We are grateful.

A fantastic tour, that provides great diversity from the rich river flats of the Dordogne to hills & valleys that the river snakes through on the journey, and the food, wine & sites are extraordinary. The last day is a loop ride to La Roque Gageac, hard to imagine a more picturesque town. Recommend e-bikes to anyone other than a serious cyclist, & recommend an extra night in Bergerac to break the trip up with plenty to see in the fascinating city.

Istria to the Adriatic Tour
We are now back from our September biking trip and wanted to take this opportunity to our wonderful guide Andrej, you, and everyone else involved in planning this tour. We had the best time and for us, it was an experience of a lifetime. While we are active boomers, we are not bike ridders and didn’t have a total idea of what to expect. The tour met and went above our expectations. When Andrej asked what the highlight of our trip had been, all I could say was that everything in the tour was a favorite and special. From biking the beautiful coast and country side, to stopping at local roadside cafes for refreshment breaks, to visiting historic and quaint medieval villages and towns, it just didn’t get better than that. Our group was small and intimate and much fun. We managed on the many different terrains, some which we found to be more challenging than others. The highway rides were scary, but all part of the adventure. The food was excellent, wine and hotel rooms, all terrific.

Continued success and again many thanks!
Teri and Robert Biancardi

The food, the guide and the route and biking were all great. Excellent value for a low budget trip.

The paradors were incredible! And riding along the coast of Portugal and Spain... magical.

My best bike trip ever. The route has some challenging sections but exciting. Will definitely go again.

You will love, love, love the quiet days on the road, the accommodations, the sights and the breakfasts. You may not love the instant coffee in some locations or the fact that the gps system stops talking to you in the towns where you most need it. The Evora loop day was a bit of a disappointment due to travelling on a highway for a good part of it, especially after having so many glorious days prior to that.

My wife and truly enjoyed this tour on the Caprice in 2018. The reviews previously posted are very informative and descriptive about barge life on the Caprice, the itinerary, guides, and dining. We booked early July in order to take pre-boarding day trips to the lavender fields outside Avignon. As with all of our bike-barge tours, we have met and befriended the most interesting and wonderful people. Summer heat and some challenging ascents could be mitigated by reserving an e-bike.