The Absolute-Best, Unmissable, Bucket-List Bike Trips on the Planet
Every ride has the potential to take you someplace new. And when you devote your vacation days to do nothing but eat, drink, and ride your way around an unfamiliar destination, that experience becomes next level. There’s really no better way to connect with the sights, sounds, and culture of a region than on two wheels.
When it comes to the actual planning, you could DIY, but between transporting gear and scouting routes, lodging, and sustenance, you’re usually better off going with an outfitter that has insider intel and experience with the unique logistics of bike travel.
While there are thousands of outstanding cycling trips to choose from, only some are worthy of a Bicycling Travel Awards designation. Here’s how we determined the winners.
Our well-traveled editors looked at hundreds of bike tour companies from around the world and scrutinized their itineraries for average tour size, traveler reviews, value, custom options, and quality of the rental fleet. We also considered timeless essentials like staff training and logistical expertise that differentiate the best from the rest. We surveyed industry insiders for insight on what’s hot right now—off-the-beaten-track destinations like Slovenia and Colombia, the wild popularity of gravel riding, and a wider range of self-guided trips for intrepid or budget-conscious travelers.
Whether you want to ride the iconic climbs of the Tour de France, catch fall foliage in New England, or whoop it up on unspoiled Arizona gravel, these are the absolute-best, unmissable, bucket-list bike trips on the planet. Get out there!
BEST OUT-THERE ADVENTURE
REI: Vietnam Cycling
This 12-day cultural excursion goes from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. Daily rides range from 12 to 40 miles, mostly on quiet country roads that traverse lush jungle, rice paddies, shrimp farms, and rustic seaside villages. The schedule is intentionally loose, with plenty of time for local experiences and exotic sites along the way—you can unclip to snorkel in the South China Sea, wander an 8th-century Cham temple, or explore important Vietnam War sites like My Lai. Though the mileage is modest, some burly dirt climbs will make you extra hungry for the rice noodles and other delicacies that magically integrate flavors from France, China, and Thailand. BYO bike or rent a Trek e-bike or hardtail mountain bike. 12 days / 188 to 191 miles / $3,699 REI members ($4,099 nonmembers) / Recreational-plus
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Butterfield & Robinson: Japan Biking Meander along the Sea of Japan on the rustic Noto Peninsula—expect relaxing hot springs, abundant tea ceremonies, and peaceful ancient shrines. 8 days / 193 miles / $9,495 / Recreational-plus
BEST FAMILY TRIP
Western Spirit: Redwood National Park Family Trip
Anchored around the world-famous redwood groves in northern California, this excursion offers opportunities for adventure and family bonding that are appropriately larger than life. Much of the riding is on gravel, doubletrack, or car-free roads. Highlights include picnic lunches on seaside bluffs, tidal exploration on remote beaches, swimming in the Smith River, and hikes through the profoundly Instagram-worthy forest. Kids can peel off each day for a cool side activity, giving parents an option to extend their riding. Bring your own bikes or rent from Western Spirit. 5 days / 23 to 75 miles / $1,295 / Recreational
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Backroads: Sweden to Denmark Family Bike Tour Visit castles, fjords, and horse farms; watch the sun set at midnight; and end in one of the greatest cycling cities on earth. 6 days / 33 to 136 miles / $5,499 / Recreational-plus
BEST LATIN AMERICA
Thomson Bike Tours: Trans-Colombia Challenge
Ride the home peaks where many of the world’s top Grand Tour riders—mountain goats like Egan Bernal and Nairo Quintana—honed their talents. You’ll crank out more than 70,000 feet of Andes vertical in eight days of riding. And you’ll walk away with bragging rights after conquering what might be the world’s longest paved climb: the famed Alto de Letras, which rises 10,500 feet over 50 miles. In fact, you’ll do it twice—once from each side. It’s not all hardcore climbing: You’ll pedal through coffee plantations and Andean jungle, and get a taste of cycling-crazy Medellín. If you don’t feel like flying with your bike, rent a Canyon Ultimate CF SL with disc brakes and Di2. 8 days / 567 miles / $3,995 / Advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Trek Travel: Colombia Bike Tour Rides range from 16 to 89 miles with a focus on cultural immersion, including visits to coffee roasters and an avocado plantation (and you still get to climb Alto de Letras). 6 days / 305 miles / $3,399 / Intermediate
BEST FOOD AND WINE
Duvine: Best of Bordeaux + Burgundy
This luxury trip hits two of the world’s most legendary wine regions. In Bordeaux, spin through vineyards, stop for lunch at a UNESCO World Heritage site, and enjoy VIP tastings at famed producers like Château Mouton Rothschild and Château Lynch-Bages, where you can blend your own wine. Then it’s on to Burgundy, where you’ll dine in the private wine cellar of a grand cru producer, and get private tastings at boutique pinot noir and chardonnay producers. Along the way enjoy five-star accommodations and work up an appetite as you pedal through bucolic villages and 800-year-old castle ruins. The price includes a rental Cannondale, like a Synapse Carbon Pro Disc or Neo e-bike. 8 days / 104 to 148 miles / from $9,995 / Recreational-plus
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Butterfield & Robinson: Napa & Sonoma Luxe Biking Private Private tastings, gourmet meals, and luxury hotels in America’s most famous wine regions. 5 days / 139 miles / $8,695 / Intermediate
BEST HIDDEN EUROPE
Tourissimo + Ride & Seek Bicycle Adventures: Friuli Venezia Giulia and Slovenia
This tour-outfitter collaboration takes you to two exotic and distinctive cultures. Meander north from the Adriatic and explore Friuli—known for producing many of Italy’s best white wines—where locals speak their own language. Cross into Slovenia, a darling of travel hot lists for good reason: In the foothills of the Alps, you’ll enjoy rustic meals, quiet and undulating roads, views of verdant valleys and snowcapped mountains, and a culture that’s exotic without being impenetrable. In six days of riding, you’ll cover 195 miles—leaving plenty of time for immersive sightseeing, long lunches, and multisport diversions like river rafting, hiking, and paragliding. BYO bike or choose from a fleet of Bianchi road, hybrid, or e-bikes. 8 days / 195 miles / $4,195 / Recreational-plus
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Eat Sleep Cycle Tour of Ireland’s West Coast Expect rural roads, seaside villages, emerald hills, and more than a few quality pints. 7 days / 300 miles / $2,775 / Intermediate/advanced
BEST MOUNTAIN BIKING
Sacred Rides: Wild & Sacred Seattle
This week of mountain biking and dirt culture features iconic riding in the Cascades wedged between two local mountain bike festivals (close your eyes and conjure up food trucks, a beer garden, and spirited group rides). For the first half of the trip, you’ll stay in a boutique hotel in downtown Seattle, hit farm-to-table restaurants, and ride singletrack in lush woodland. The second act unfolds in the Teanaway Valley on the east side of the Cascades, where the landscape is drier and more exposed, the downhills rip, and the singletrack will test your technical skills. Decamp at a large mountain cabin (with a pool and hot tub) where the culinary vibe is campfire s’mores and BBQ. 2019 Giant Trances are included. 7 days / 154 miles / $2,695 / Intermediate/advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE H+I Adventures: Cairngorms Adventure Scotland Highlands whisky and singletrack in the only Arctic ecosystem in the United Kingdom—keep an eye out for wild reindeer. 8 days / 100 to 115 miles / $1,958 / Intermediate
BEST EUROPEAN BASECAMP
The Service Course: The Grand Tour
There’s something to be said for not having to repack your bag every morning. That’s especially true if your home base is the cycling paradise of Girona, Spain. Owned by retired pro Christian Meier and his wife, Amber, The Service Course offers carefully curated guided rides that will help you understand why so many pros live in this sunny Catalonian gem—empty farm lanes, perfectly twisting climbs, and coastal roads tracing the edge of the turquoise expanse of the Costa Brava. Start each day with an exquisite breakfast at La Fabrica—an eatery owned by the Meiers, and linger over afternoon coffee and pastry at their Espresso Mafia café. You can bring your own bike, but once you examine their rental stable, you might opt to spend your week on a dream bike from OPEN, Argonaut, Speedvagen, or Bastion. The tour includes dinners at some of the city’s best restaurants every night, four-star accommodations, and two massages. 7 days / 258 miles / $3,600 / Advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Eat Sleep Cycle: Classic Climbs of Girona You’re on your own for a few dinners but are otherwise fully supported in this by-cyclists-for-cyclists sampler of the best-known climbs near Girona. 6 days / 283 to 373 miles / $1,532 / Intermediate/advanced
Editors’ Choice Top 10 Favorite Places to Ride in the U.S.
BEST FOLIAGE
Backroads: Vermont to Quebec Bike Tour
This part of the world gets magical when the stands of oak, birch, and maple turn color in September and October. This six-day cruise, which winds from Burlington, Vermont, up to Montreal, hits an endless procession of classic New England and French-Canadian highlights: technicolor foliage, covered bridges, cobbled city streets, glacier-carved valleys, small-town antique shops, and craft breweries. Along the way, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to sample such local delicacies as pure maple syrup, homemade sharp cheddar, hot apple cider, and duck foie gras. The mileage isn’t huge, but the terrain is never flat—consider yourself warned before you churn up Smuggler’s Notch. 6 days / 144 to 241 miles / starts at $3,499 / Intermediate
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Pure Adventures: Quebec Bike Tour This self-guided adventure hits a foliage gold mine in late September to early October. 7 days / 175 miles / $1,085 / Intermediate
BEST EPIC
Grand Tours Project: Ride Every Kilometer of the Giro d’Italia
Here’s your chance to ride each stage of the most atmospheric Grand Tour on the same days the pros do. There will be predawn starts and episodes of existential suffering. But there will also be unforgettable moments—grinding up the legendary climbs of the Dolomites with the tifosi cheering you on, crossing all 21 Giro finish lines, an endless string of sublime coffee breaks, and VIP seating. Count on three weeks of full support and hearty Italian meals. For those who lack the time, fitness, or hubris to tackle the entire thing, you can sign up to ride three to nine stages in the same manner. BYO bike or rent a Bianchi Infinito CV Disc with Ultegra Di2. Roughly 2,200 miles total / Up to 24 days / $13,000 / Advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE The Cyclist’s Menu: Alps Road This journey through the Alps from Italy into France dishes out 35,000 feet of climbing but a lot of memorable meals, too. 8 days / 373 miles / $3,850 / Advanced
BEST VALUE
Van Gogh Tours: Edam to Amsterdam
This leisurely, self-guided tour through the Netherlands will have you meandering on flat terrain along canals, through charming fishing villages, and into the friendly chaos of Amsterdam. The trip is based in the famous “cheese city” of Edam, where riders who feel comfortable navigating from detailed maps and daily directions are set up with charming hotel accommodations, a daily breakfast buffet, and a sweet Dutch city bike with gears and panniers. There’s plenty of time to linger over coffee, sample witbier from the vibrant Dutch craft beer scene, and eat enough Edam and Gouda to reach a rapturously semi-soft place. 3 days / ~80 miles / $635 / Recreational
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Western Spirit: Bryce to Zion A fully supported trip that visits two iconic national parks and traverses single- and doubletrack in the scenic Southwest. 5 days / 111 miles / $1,495 / Intermediate
BEST PRO-LEVEL TREATMENT
In Gamba: Portugal—Lisbon & the North
Though In Gamba is known for unparalleled cycling experiences in Italy, there’s no getting around the company’s Portuguese roots—more than 80 percent of the staff come from Portugal, including the founder, João Correia (former pro racer and Bicycling publisher). And this trip—which heads north on quiet roads from Lisbon, through the wine lovers’ Douro Valley, and ends in Port—taps that native brain trust to show riders a side of the country that is at once authentic and luxurious. Everyone gets pro-style perks like a Pinarello Dogma F12 with eTap, daily bike wash, kit laundry, and massage from a real soigneur. And with more than 35,000 feet of climbing on the itinerary, that massage might be a lifesaver. 7 days / 380 miles / $7,950 / Advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE In Gamba: Chianti Classico Nobody does pro-style pampering like In Gamba does, and this is the company’s most classic offering—a unique blend of exquisite riding, food, wine, and atmosphere. 7 days / 262 miles / $4,950+ / Intermediate/advanced
Editors’ Choice Top 10 Favorite Places to Ride Outside the U.S.
BEST GRAVEL
The Cyclist’s Menu: Arizona Gravel Camp
What do you get when a retired pro mountain biker and a professional chef pair up, hire some gregarious endurance cyclists (like Lael Wilcox) as guides, and decamp to a tiny town nestled at 4,000 feet near the Mexican border? You get something resembling unpaved paradise—especially since the expansive public lands surrounding aptly named Patagonia, Arizona, are laced with empty gravel roads. Trade stories over farm-to-table meals (think traditional borderlands fare such as mole, Pozole, and fresh street tacos) at the unpretentiously rustic hotel where you’ll stay in downtown Patagonia. And with a pro photographer present, you’ll go home with better-than-Instagram mementos. 5 days / 175 to 250 miles / $2,420 / Recreational-plus
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE DZ Nuthouse Ride with retired racer Dave Zabriskie on secret Malibu gravel. 4 days / Mileage varies / $2,500 / Advanced
BEST RACE-ADJACENT
Trek Travel: Spring Classics Ultimate Experience
This 11-day VIP tour in Belgium and northern France is one of the most storied pilgrimages that bike-racing fans can make. After all, the eight days that bridge the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix comprise cycling’s Holy Week. Tackle the short but jarring segments on these bucket-list monuments, like the Paterberg and the Arenberg Forest, then watch Peter Sagan, Philippe Gilbert, and other legends crush the cobbles from exclusive seating on the Kwaremont and the Roubaix velodrome. In between, take in more iconic races and faith-testing rumbles through the stark beauty of Flanders. There will be hard days that you’ll remember for years, but there also will be Trappist beer, crispy pommes frites, and Belgian chocolate. 8 days / 354 to 451 miles / $7,099 / Advanced
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE Thomson Bike Tours: Tour de France Alps & Paris KOM Challenge Ride the iconic Alpe d’Huez, Col de la Madeleine, and Col du Galibier, and enjoy VIP access and hospitality along the way. 8 days / 124 to 315 miles / $8,495 / Intermediate/advanced
Editors’ Choice photo credits: Trevor Raab (Bentonville); Scott Markewitz (Sedona, Asheville, Moab, Vermont, Whistler, New Zealand); Jake Szymanski (Big Sur, Oregon Coast, Taiwan); Natalie R. Starr (Western Colorado); Donalrey Nieva (Hudson Valley); Jess Daddio (Stokesville); espiegle/Getty Images (Patagonia); AsianDream/Getty Images (Copenhagen); olegmit/Getty Images (Pyrenees); Chiara Redaschi (Tuscany); Atlantide Phototravel/Getty Images (Amsterdam); Lars Schneider (Norway); Dennis Stratmann/Getty Images (Switzerland)
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