Top bike tours in 2024

This superb race in the sun the Volta ao Algarve as become an important early season race for the best professional cyclists in the world. Make this your perfect start to the year with a visit to Portugal and enjoy all the spectacle of this fantastic race route in the Algarve. An event not to be missed with this amazing cycling week in Europe this February.

The Volta is the only Portuguese stage race on the UCI Pro Series circuit, with the race route exploring the Algarve in the south of Portugal.
The format of the race stays the same each year, and includes a time trial, challenging mountains of the Serra de Monchique and Serra do Caldeirao ranges, and sprint stages. Some thing for everyone and the ideal all-round test for the professional cycling peloton.
The 50th edition of the Volta ao Algarve Tour consists of 5 stages and will cover 752.9 kilometers and have an elevation gain of 14,455 meters.

Each year the Volta route includes quiet cycling roads we’ve been exploring for over 10 years.
Bike race tours are more enjoyable when you Unpack Once, Ride Everyday with this small group cycling vacation. With an exciting variety of contrasting stages on offer, join the action live and enjoy a selection of superb, tailored rides to suit all abilities.

Highlights:

• Get close to your favourite superstars of professional cycling in a relaxed environment
• Europe’s hidden cycling secret, the Algarve ‘Rocha Praia Mar’ – cliffs, beaches, ocean
• Get your cycling season off to a flying start with kilometers / miles in the sun!
• Great cafe stops during the tour at unique Algarve towns & villages; Silves, Monchique, Portimao, Lagos, Alte, Tavira, and Albufeira.
• Spectacular rides of the natural Algarve including the challenging mountains of the Serra de Monchique and Serra do Caldeirao.
• Insight to stage race action live from the roadside each day with stage starts, sprint finishes, mountain action, time trial power.
• Amazing Algarve, friendly Portugal, superb cycling & great local food!

Han River represents Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, South Han River represents Gangwon Province and Chungcheong Province, Nakdong River represents Gyeongsang Province, and Geum River represents Chungcheong Province, and Youngsan River represents Jeolla Province.After 4 Big River restoration construction, Korean government built the bike road next to 4 Big rivers, so now bike riders can cross all over Korea through 4 River Bike Road.

The most famous 4 River Bike Road is Han River Bike Road(209km), Saejae Bike Road(100km), and Nakdong River Bike road(324km), and we can ride bike between Seoul and Busan. It's approximately 640km.STB Bike Tour will be challenging for yourself, and also it would be fun and unforgettable experience to you.

STB(Seoul to Busan) Bike Tour is designed to discover whole South Korea on two wheels. While adventurers ride bikes everywhere in South Korea from Seoul to Busan as passing Seoul, Gyeonggi Do, Gangwon Do, Chungcheong Do, Gyeongsang Do, and Busan, the travelers will meet lots of locals and very unique Korean local cultures which are real face of South Korea. Time to ride bikes to discover South Korea.

Our self-powered caravan begins in Beijing, China, the political and cultural centre of China and crosses mysterious lands, fiery deserts, and forbidding mountains. Almost 20 weeks later riders will arrive in Istanbul, the majestic capital of Byzantium, the Roman Empire, the Ottomans and now the Republic of Turkey. The route follows the Silk Road northwest before dropping back south in Central Asia. Included are visits to destinations definitely off the beaten track - the Pamir Highway in Tajikistan where we will climb to over 4600 meters and cycle across the 'Roof of the World' and distant Mongolia, where riders will cycle along ancient trading routes through the vast steppes and meet the country's nomadic people, experiencing their age-old traditions.

Silk Route participants will ride to the mystical Central Asian cities of Samarqand, Bukhara and Khiva, and camp amongst the stunning meadows, rivers and peaks of Kyrgyzstan. There are points where quietness pervades and where the original travellers of the Silk Route seem to be just beyond the next hill, beckoning cyclists further along this arduous trek. Time and time again, riders will be amazed at the layers of history emerging from the sand, shake their heads at all that has been lost and take heart from all that is being preserved and created. Each group of Silk Route riders will be enriched by an intricate knowledge of ancient lands crossed and the inspiration that comes from sharing a grand adventure with new friends and fellow nomads.

Highlights

• Mongolia's Gobi Desert & Steppes
• Tajikistan's Pamir Highway
• Silk Road cities of Central Asia
• Cycle down the Bosphorus into amazing Istanbul

SCT Cycling Tour to Korea's 4 Rivers Cross Country Cycling Road (or 4 Rivers Bike Path or Trail) is the most famous cycle route that stretched from Incheon down to the beautiful coastal city of Busan, a world-class cycle lane dedicated to only cyclist and pedestrians with the most breathtaking view of mountains, rivers, farmlands and many beautiful weirs, bridges and parks.

This cycling route is voted as one of the best bike paths in the world with a dedicated cycling path made just for bikes! Ranging from easy to challenging trails, this 4-Rivers Bike Path runs from the north-west corner of South Korea to the south-east corner spanning more than 600 km.

Our cycling tour from Seoul to Busan follows these connected cycling paths known as the Ara, Hangang, SaeJae, and Nakdonggang bike pathways, tracing the country’s 4 major rivers: Han, Nakdong, Geum & Yeongsan Rivers, with additional routes along the coasts.

Highlights

• Experience world-class cycling infrastructure bike paths
• Well-designed & safe designated cycling paths
• Good mix of easy, moderate and difficult paths
• Beautiful natural landscapes including lakes, mountains, rivers, pine forests, seasonal flowers, vegetable and fruit farms and more
• Delicious Korean food, quaint cafes & coffee stops throughout the journey

Jeju Round-the-Island (Fantasy Bike Path)
Optional: Extension cycling tour to Jeju island, where you will circumnavigate approximately 234km on its Circular Bike Path / Fantasy Bike Path, with the ocean always next to you! The entire route is made up of 10 courses that wind their way along the coast and past all the island’s lovely beaches & cafes.
We will make a stop at each course, for the stamp station, so you can collect all 10 of it & be eligible for an official certificate of completion issued at the Jeju Provincial Tourist Information Center at the airport or at Jeju Port. Come & Join us to experience Jeju by bicycle to feel the wind & hear the sound of the waves!

Dubai also hosts many top sporting events and offers attractions for passionate athletes. The United Emirates is an excellent destination for cycling, with everything from 200 km hilly routes to very long and challenging climbs. Here you can ride safely on wide cycle paths designed for road cycling training. Local cycling community organizes weekly races as well as Gran Fondos. Cycling in the Arab Emirates will surprise and delight you, and the beautiful beaches of this area are the perfect the place to relax after training. And after that? You will be in Dubai, a city that offers many entertainments! So this winter let's train in the warm United Emirates!

Highlights

• Ride among dunes and antelopes in Al Qudra
• Climb for more than 40 km to reach the 1.600 meter asl in Jebel Al Jais
• Ride your bicycle in the Yas Marina Abu Dhabi Formula 1 circuit

For those avid cyclists who have been following The UAE Tour, you would know it is the One & Only UCI World Tour Race in the Middle East.

Are you not "wowed" by the desert & "martian" alike landscape?

Imagine cycling through smooth tarmacs alongside those towering sand dunes out in the deserts, tackling the same climb up Jebel Jais & Jebel Hafeet used in the UAE Tour. It’s the country’s highest peak which offers stunning views of the desert.

This climb is similar to those frequently found in the Alps with a length of about 20km, at an average gradient of 4-5%, with picturesque hairpin switchbacks that will surely take your breath away.

Apart from these 2 climbs used in the UAE Tour, we will cycle out into the desert via the 90km Al Qudra Cycling Track, have fun in the incredible Dubai Autodrome Racing Circuit & the Yas Marina F1 Circuit in Abu Dhabi. Next region we have included in our itinerary is Al Ain. Al Ain has an abundance of quiet roads on the outskirts of town which can be linked to climb Jebel Hafeet (12km at 7%).

Finally, we will drive you out of Dubai towards Hatta, where undulating roads with short climbs averaging 10%-17% up the famous Hatta Dam climb (17%) used in the UAE Tour too!

Highlights:

• Al Qudra Cycle Track – 90km loop dedicated cycling track heading out into the desert
• Experience the wolrd-class Yas Marina F1 Circuit in Abu Dhabi & Dubai Autodrome 2.5km racing circuit
• Climb Jebel Jais of The UAE Tour, the highest point in Dubai over 35km ^1350m
• Al Ain Cycle Track with the climb up Jebel Hafeet 12km ^770m of The UAE Tour
• Cycle up to scenic Hatta green lake & dam of The UAE Tour

5 km outside of Nice you find the former fishing village Villefranche-sur-Mer.  Villefranche-sur-Mer attracts people from all over the world to visit the picturesque streets, the beautiful bay and wide sand beaches. Framing the bay you find Cap-Ferrat.

We meet in central Nice from where we start by going via the Promenade des Anglais. We pass the harbour and climb the ocean road in an easy pace. It starts with a 2 km uphill to Mont-Boron, but we go in an easy pace. You will be rewarded with a magnificent view in Mont Boron of the bays towards Nice and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat!

When we reach Villefranche, we stop in the old town for you to walk around and perhaps buy a snack or coffee. We can visit the old habour and the magnificent beach front.

From Villefranche, we climb to the main road again to go 2 km further on the road from Nice to make a round-trip at Cap-Ferrat.

The cap is known for glamourous villas, e.g. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild. We make stops to enjoy beautiful sceneries of the views to Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer and Eze. As we reach the lighthouse , we get off the bikes to discover the scenic rocks surronding it.

At this point of the trip, you make feel like making a stop in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for a drink, before we make our way back to Nice.

Jeju Island is Korea's volcanic island which is egg-shaped and located far southern part of South Korea. So it has many beautiful white beaches along the coastal line. Jeju Island is famous for its emerald color of the ocean and exotic scenery of tropical climate. But the best reason why Jeju Island is beloved by Korean riders is its 'Fantastic Bike Trail' along the ocean. Jeju Island built this safe and well paved bike path around the island as expecting bike travelers to enjoy bike riding so this 'Fantastic Bike Trail' leads bike travelers literally everywhere in Jeju Island so that bike travelers discover more and more of Jeju Island. Please come to Jeju Island and ride together. Oh and don't forget about amazing Jeju Island's sea food selection.

Make a genuine coast to coast journey across the entire continent of South America from the Pacific to the Atlantic, linking 2 fantastic cities and 2 fantastic countries – Valparaiso in Chile and Buenos Aires in Argentina. Our route climbs from sea level and traverses the high passes of the dramatic Andes mountain range, lifting you nearly 4km skyward before descending all the way down the other side…

The trans-African crossing from Cairo to Cape Town has long been one of the world’s epic journeys and an iconic goal for global adventurers. Over the years individuals have attempted to complete the route using every kind of transport imaginable, with many forced to abandon their quest due to physical challenges and geopolitical complications. The Tour d’Afrique Cycling Expedition is a unique test of mind, body and bicycle, an incredible physical and mental challenge that will ultimately reward the riders with an intense feeling of personal satisfaction and accomplishment.

Our trans-continental journey and flagship expedition crosses Africa from north to south as riders pedal along the Nile past ancient temples before flying to Rwanda to continue the journey through the ‘Land of a 1000 Hills.’ The route continues through the lush rainforests of Uganda and crosses the Equator in Kenya. The cyclists will spin past legendary Mount Kilimanjaro and Lake Malawi and stop to admire the incredible power of Victoria Falls. Finally, the track follows the edge of the magnificent Kalahari desert, past the towering red dunes of Namibia and finishes in the shadow of Table Mountain in beautiful Cape Town, South Africa.

Highlights

• Ancient Egypt's most famous sites
• Rwanda’s mountain gorillas
• Mosi oa Tunya (Victoria Falls)
• Namibia's stunning desert landscapes

The NC 500 - North Coast 500 cycle tour is a breathtakingly scenic route that loops around the northern Highlands of Scotland, covering approximately 500 miles of rugged coastline, majestic mountains, and charming villages. Our NC500 cycle tour offers a unique way to experience this stunning region, allowing you to immerse yourself fully in the natural beauty and rich culture of the Scottish Highlands.

This tour is designed with the ‘avid’ rider in mind as it has some testing terrain and the added uncertainty of changeable weather conditions too! We recommend you come prepared.

The NC 500 cycle tour is a challenging tour with some longer days in the saddle. Days vary, but generally the route has some climbs of medium difficulty and a few which are challenging such as the well-known climb of Bealach na Bà on day 2. A winding single track road through the mountains of the Applecross peninsula.

You will most likely need to train for the event and ensure you are fit enough to complete the distance and climbing.

Highlights

• Muir of Ord Whisky distillery (we do pass many others but we have incorporated ‘tasting time’ here into Day One)
• The infamous climb up Beelach Na Ba to Applecross
• Lochinver Larder - The World Famous Scottish Pie Shop
• The Lochinver Pass
• Smoo Cave
• Sandside Bay and the nearby world famous beaches of Achmelvich, Clachtoll, Oldshoremore and Sandwood Bay
• Loch Loyal
• EU funded Timber Haulage Route from Thurso
• The ‘Falls of Shin’ at Lairg
• Johnny Foxes Bar in Inverness (We start and end here. You may remember the start)

Why this route? This is the shortest route from coast to coast at 2940 miles, yet you’ll still have bragging rights of cycling across the country.

The timing will be perfect for those who want to get a big jump on their 2025 miles. As we progress West to East, we should have the best, consistent temperatures ranging from the 60s to perhaps the 80s–perfect cycling conditions.

While we won’t guarantee freshly paved bike trail for the entire route, we will boast that we have sought the most accommodating routes available in the area and you will enjoy scenery to include: seashores, mountains, ranch lands, wildflowers, bayous and citrus groves.

This southern route takes us through wonderfully warm towns in southern California. We climb out of San Diego and head toward the Arizona border, Tucson, Tombstone, and the Chiricahua Mountains before taking on our 3rd state, New Mexico (Land of Enchantment).

Then, we are on to Texas where we will ride 1/3 of our tour crossing TX at its widest part. We enjoy the flat ranches of western TX, the TX Hill Country, just outside of Austin, and on to the rolling hills of east TX.

From there, it’s a few days of riding across Louisiana. Time to enjoy some Cajun cooking. We cross the boot heels of both Mississippi and Alabama, then take a ferry across Mobile Bay to enter FL’s panhandle. North Florida has a varied landscape of strawberry fields, lush Live Oaks, horse farms, small college towns and orange groves, as we move toward the coast. If you are curious, try connecting the dots:

San Diego, CA · Tucson, AZ · Tombstone, AZ · Columbus, NM · El Paso, TX · Del Rio, TX · Austin, TX · LaGrange, TX · De Ridder, LA · St. Francisville, LA · Poplarville, MS · Mobile, AL · Dauphin Island, AL · Pensacola, FL · Tallahassee, FL · Gainesville, FL · St. Augustine, FL

The Central West Cycle trail provides a 400 km circuit through the rolling rural landscape away from the main road. Located in the state of New South Wales, Australia the circuit has been developed by local cyclists who know the backroads between the towns.

• Day 1: Dubbo to Wellington via Geurie – 64km
• Day 2: Wellington to Gulgong via Goolma – 76km
• Day 3: Gulgong to Dunedoo – 58km
• Day 4: Dunedoo to Mendooran – 63km
• Day 5: Mendooran to Ballimore – 52-61km
• Day 6: Ballimore to Dubbo via Wongarbon – 55km

Over 5 weeks we’ll cycle from storied Dublin to the waterfront of Copenhagen. Through Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. To the great cities of Belfast, Edinburgh, York, London, Bruges, Amsterdam and Hamburg. Each day’s journey through lush green countryside, villages and historic cities giving us an opportunity to discover a new land, a new brew, a new spirit!

We’ll have a unique hotel each night and we’ll share our meals together in local eateries. For it is in the pubs where the community meets, where stories are told and retold and where local life unfolds.

After a night of sampling a couple pints of the 'real' Guinness and perhaps a few shots of Bushmill's Irish Whiskey the riders will head out from the historic Temple Bar area of Dublin and head north through the green Irish countryside before catching a ferry to Scotland. After a day sipping some of Scotland's finest single malt whiskies in Edinburgh's legendary pubs the cyclists will spin south stopping each evening to sample some of the local brews. Another day off will allow the riders to explore some of England's most fascinating medieval architecture - the walled city of York. The last stretch takes the cyclists through the fabled university city of Cambridge before cycling into London past Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Tower Bridge. This cosmopolitan city marks the mid-point of this amazing adventure.

Leaving the British capital after a couple of days of exploring the city's numerous pubs, the riders will head south to the White Cliffs of Dover. There they will board a ferry to cross the English Channel to the European continent and Bruges, a picturesque town whose medieval old town is a UNESCO World Heritage sight. Here riders will enjoy a rest day, giving the participants a chance to sample some of the world's finest beers, perfected over the years by Trappist monks, initially to aid in their fasting. A few days later the tour spins into the home of Heineken, Amsterdam and its renown cafes, canals, bicycles and red light district.

The route now takes the cyclists across Northern Germany stopping for a rest day in Hamburg, the country's largest port. Here riders can revel in the city's maritime spirit and, over a litre mug of the local brew, remember how this city started the Beatles on their storied career. In another couple of days the cyclists will find themselves on a ferry heading for the shores of Denmark, the last country on this tour. Home to Tuborg and Carlsberg, two of the world's most well-known breweries, the friendly and welcoming city of Copenhagen marks a fitting end to the Pub Ride.

On our Portugal End to End tour you will cycle the length of this wonderful country from North to South mainly on the popular N2 route. The N2 in Portugal is known as Europe's Route 66. The tour starts in Chaves - located in Northern Portugal, next to the shores of Tâmega river and only a few kilometres away from Spain, Chaves is a city that has both a natural beauty and an incomparable historical and cultural legacy.

Accommodation is in good quality hotels that we have personally selected and visited. You will enjoy a fantastic breakfast each morning to fuel you for the day. Your luggage will be transferred each day. Our support van will be there in a jiffy if you need any assistance during the day. Water and bars and snacks are available without limit each day!

There is a lot of choice when it comes to stopping off for lunch in local cafés and restaurants. Lunch and evening meals are not included in the price. On occasions you may choose to have an evening meal together with the group, or you are free to stroll around and explore the local cuisine which Portugal is known for!

Our guides will take you on a full-day bicycle tour through the winding alleyways, and gorgeous plazas that served as a backdrop to some of the most pivotal moments in Spanish history. The tour starts at our office in Madrid. From there we’ll drive to Toledo, and cycle along the Tagus river towards the city. Once inside its medieval walls, we’ll be stopping to see the fortresses, cathedrals, synagogues, and museums.

A three-course lunch is optional after which, we’ll continue seeing some more of the city. Before heading back to Madrid, we make one final stop at the Parador hotel and enjoy a well-earned drink, taking in the spectacular views from its dazzling roof terrace.

Many riders have cycled the United States from East to West or the other way around. Of course, a great achievement.

It is probably a bigger challenge to traverse the United States from North to South over the dirt roads of the Rocky Mountains, following the Continental Divide. The divide of roughly 2,800 miles between Canada and Mexico splits the North American Continent in two. Drops of rain that fall on your left side flow into the Atlantic or the Gulf of Mexico. Drops on your right side will find their way to the Pacific. The drops of sweat from your brow will evaporate in the thin air of the Rocky Mountains or fall to the trail and eventually make their way to one of the two great Oceans. This is the trail of “The Great Divide” !!!

In 1998, the Adventure Cycling Association developed and published the world’s longest off-pavement cycling route and called it “The Great Divide Mountain Bike Route”. The original route starts in Banff, Canada, zigzags along the Continental Divide, climbs over isolated passes and finishes in Antelope Wells at the border of Mexico.

The Great Divide takes you through a wide variety of terrain and geographic features. You cycle through isolated river valleys, mountain forests, wide open grasslands, high desert, alpine wilderness, and, at the end of the ride, a section of the Chihuahuan Desert. Along the way you can expect to meet cowboys who drive their cattle across the prairie. You will cycle through pristine woods full of deer and elk, and of course there is always some trepidation that you may stand face-to-face with a grizzly bear. Colorado's Indiana Pass is the highest point on the route at 11,910 feet.

Experience an impressive bike and boat trip along the majestic Danube, which takes you from the "Bavarian Venice" of Passau to the heart of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire. This unique tour combines cycling and cruising with the opportunity to explore three of Europe’s most charming capital cities: discover Vienna’s waltz, Bratislava’s royalty and Budapest, the "Paris of the East"....

Look forward to a mixture of culture, history and breathtaking nature, enjoy regional specialities, the impressive river landscapes of the Danube and the exclusive atmosphere on board your premium cruise ship.

Individual or guided tour? The choice is yours... Choose between an individual tour or a guided group tour. Your tour guide will show you all the hidden treasures and sights.

The cycle route is completely flat with only slightly gradients, ideal for cyclists with less experience and children. Do not feel like cycling? Without effort you will also reach your destination by ship.

#eurovelo6

The west coast of Ireland is rich in awe-inspiring landscapes, fascinating characters and foot-tapping music. Cycling Ireland End to End from the most southerly point to the most northerly will leave you with rich memories, new friends and a thirst for more!

There is no better way to explore the wild beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way from Mizen Head to Malin Head than from the saddle. The grandeur of the Cork and Kerry mountains. The warmth and joy of a night in a Galway pub. The lunar like landscape of the Burren. The packed mountain ranges dominating the horizon of the Connemara National Park. The giant Sea Loughs of the Inishowen Peninsula. Your end-to-end journey of seven days has a breath-taking finish on the rocky promontory of Malin Head.

Suitable for the 'Avid' Rider.

For a more leisurely ride check out the Mizmal Relaxed tour

#wildatlanticway #eurovelo1 #EV1

Combining food, Slovenia Green-certified destinations, beautiful and varied landscapes, challenging and safe cycling, and “the world’s most sustainable country,” the BSGGR has something for everyone but never forgets its roots — the communities scattered across this magnificent Central European nation.

The route, which only visits green-certified destinations, crisscrosses nearly all of Slovenia, which was named the European Region of Gastronomy for 2021. Good food and wine are a part of the country’s culture and since 2020 Slovenia is on the map of Michelin awarded restaurants as well.

The Bike Slovenia Green Gourmet Route begins in Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, from there transfer is organized to the Soča Valley. Cyclists then pedal to Brda and Vipava Valley, roll into the Karst Region, and then take another train back to Ljubljana and furthermore towards east. After discovering the Sava River region, travelers go north to Ptuj, along the Drava River, to Maribor.

The BSGGR is a route that travels at human speed and makes nature, food, great wine, and green-certified destinations its main must-see activities. But, perhaps the most important aspect of the new itinerary is that it makes the people along the trail its most important asset.