KE Adventure Travel

National Geographic voted Donegal the Number 1 Coolest Place on the Planet and it’s true that this a region clings to its romantic remoteness, earning itself the Irish nickname of The Forgotten County. Biking here, it doesn’t feel like the modern world has had much impact – traditional Irish cuisine and language still play an intrinsic part of Donegal. The scenery has a wild, rugged beauty and you’ll cycle past Slieve League - some of Europe’s highest sea cliffs - through the haunting wilderness of Glenveagh National Park to the shimmering shores of fjord Lough Swilly and along the coastline to Ireland’s most northernmost point, Malin Head. We think that this is possibly the coolest, most remote, wildest part of Ireland!

Highlights

• Cycle the wildest, coolest and most off-the beaten-track part of Ireland
• Explore some of Europe's highest sea cliffs and he wilderness of Glenveagh
• Reach Ireland's northernmost point of Ireland, Malin Head - a Star Wars filming location
• Enjoy the freshest local food and unique lodgings
• Prices include full luggage transfer every day, support vehicle and expert guide

Where the fertile North Indian plains meet the mountainous state of Himachal Pradesh, the hills rise abruptly to a picturesque snow-capped crest known as the Dhaula Dhar. Here, during the days of the British Raj, a number of hill-stations were established, such as Dharamsala and Shimla. Flying in to Amritsar, there is the chance to witness the Pakistan-India border closing ceremony at nearby Wagah, whilst our early morning visit to the Sikh religion's amazing gilded Golden Temple creates a magical first impression of India. Then, setting off on our bikes, we begin a similarly unforgettable ride through this historic region, from the cobbled streets and medieval houses of Pragpur, to Mcleodganj, home of the Dalai Lama.

With its enviable year round climate, 300 days of sunshine and spectacularly mountainous interior, Spain's Costa Blanca has earned cult status amongst biking aficionados as one of the top short-haul cycling holiday escapes.

This fantastic mountain biking holiday in Nepal follows the route of one of the undisputed great trails of the world, the Annapurna Circuit, into the heart of some of the most sensational mountain scenery on the planet. With new sections of 'jeep road' through the Marsyangdi and Kali Gandaki valleys, the trail is becoming an increasingly attractive proposition for intrepid mountain bikers. Climbing through a series of dramatic panoramic zones, this is an undeniably tough trip, with long sections of carrying and pushing at altitude. However, there is also a lot of whooping and hollering to be had on some stretches of amazing riding, with fast dirt trails and rocky singletrack around a glorious centrepiece of the Annapurnas.

This classic 'out there' cycling adventure takes us through Indochina's most spectacular mountain scenery, close to Vietnam's border with China. After a couple of days biking at Sapa, we set off on a long traverse of some pretty wild country, that will eventually take us into Laos. Beyond the Tram Ton Pass (2000m), the highest road pass in Vietnam, we cross into a land known to the local Hmong people as 'beyond the clouds', with our route snaking its way between lofty passes and steeply terraced river valleys.

A thrilling journey, awash with geographical and cultural splendour, as we cross the amazing kingdom of Jordan. On this superb mountain bike ride we encounter many of the 'must see' locations of this engaging country and also experience its warm and traditional hospitality. From the spiritual site of Mount Nebo we'll witness the stunning views across to the 'Promised Land', before a descent to the shores of the Dead Sea - an incredible 400 metres below sea level!

This is the lowest point on earth and it's a truly unique experience to climb back up to sea level and beyond. On a mix of tarmac and jeep trails we then traverse one of the longest canyons in Jordan, arriving at the high mountain plateau of Dana

With its modern capital city, colourful history and unwavering tradition of hospitality, the Kingdom of Jordan is arguably the most attractive of Middle Eastern countries and with almost guaranteed winter sunshine, it is a superb destination for a road cycling holiday. Most people know about the star attractions of Jordan such as the 'Rose-red City' of Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. But, there's a great deal more to Jordan, as this 'End to End' road cycling journey will demonstrate.

The classic bike ride across Bhutan is one of the world's most challenging cycle holidays. At the eastern end of the Himalaya, sandwiched between India and Tibet, the 'Shangri La' kingdom of Bhutan is renowned for its colourful Buddhist culture and for the beauty of its unspoiled mountain scenery. A single spectacular road runs west to east across the country, traversing a succession of steep-sided and heavily wooded ridges. Presenting long climbs on easy-angled switchbacks, as well as mind-blowing descents that seem to last for hours, this largely deserted single-track highway provides the basis for one of the worlds' great bike journeys. Starting out from Paro and crossing several high passes, we accumulate a total of 15,500 metres of ascent and a staggering 18,200 metres of descent, en route to the eastern land border with India at Sandrup Jongkhar. Staying primarily in characterful lodges and with plenty of opportunity to meet the Bhutanese people, this is an unmissable adventure biking holiday

Our new bike traverse of Rajasthan is a medley of sights and senses as we ride on backroads from Udaipur to the Taj Mahal in just over one week. From Delhi, we fly down to Udaipur, the City of Lakes, where we begin with a tour of its fabulous landmarks. From here, we set off riding through the rolling Aravali Hills to Kumbhalgarh and the atmospheric lakeside town of Pushkar. Passing farmers working in the fields and the locals travelling to market by foot and oxcart, we get a true feel for the lifestyle here.

The Haute Route is one of the most famous routes in the Alps and our this exciting mountain biking holiday follows a variation of the 'walkers high level route' between the two great Alpine towns of Chamonix and Zermatt. We begin our mountain bike journey in the French Alpine town of Chamonix, which lies in the shadow of the highest mountain in Western Europe, Mont Blanc. We ride for 6 days to Zermatt in Switzerland, using cable cars where we can, across mountain passes and following trails which have been used for centuries to link the valleys which lie below. En route, we will have challenging climbs, superb views and sample some of the best singletrack in the Alps. The final day of riding above Zermatt is a fitting climax and makes use of the Gornergrat train to reach 3016 metres, high above the town and directly opposite the iconic peak of the Matterhorn. This cycling holiday offers a week of stunning views of snow capped peaks and glaciers, with great technical riding both up and down!