Pedal Nation Cycling Holidays

It is perfect for keen road cyclists who like the idea of a coast to coast challenge but don’t want to take part in the pressurised Raid Pyrenean (the famous West to East ride that must be completed within 100 straight hours and includes sections on very busy dual carriageways). Please note, however, that this is still a “challenging” ride! It is a memorable, bucket-list type of tour from which you will get a great sense of achievement and lifelong happy memories, and not necessarily a “stop and smell the roses” kind of bike touring holiday.

Unlike fixed based tours, you will also enjoy the changes in culture, scenery and climate that you will experience as you journey through the regions of the Pyr√©n√©es-Atlantiques, Hautes-Pyr√©n√©es, Haute-Garonne, Ari√®ge and Pyr√©n√©es-Orientales. The ride tries to avoid the busier French roads and as well as the hill climbs it enjoys many sections alongside fast-flowing rivers, through steep-sided gorges and beautiful vineyards.

Starting with a dip in the Atlantic Ocean, day one provides a gentle warm up to the rest of the week as we gradually head into the foothills of the Pyrenees. The following six days includes some of the most well-known mountain passes of the Pyrenees that feature frequently in the Tour de France including the Col d’Aubisque, Col de Soulor, Col de Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, Col de Peyresourdes, Col de Portet d’Aspet and Col de Pailheres.

We will be cycling between 50 to 135km per day with between 1000m and 2700m of ascent. Making an early start each morning gives us plenty of time to each cycle at our own pace up the climbs and spend time enjoying the scenery, stopping for espressos and pastries and taking the time to make the most of the numerous photo opportunities en-route. Although many of the climbs are challenging our support van will wait at convenient points along the route to provide any assistance you might require. The main aims of each day are to have a great time, laugh a lot and make it to the hotel before sunset.

This is our new trip in the Cantabria region of Northern Spain. Cantabria is a region interspersed with mountain ranges, emerald valleys, canyons and gorges and rugged beautiful coastlines and is a pleasure to explore, especially on a bike. And yet by Spanish standards it remains relatively undeveloped.

Six days of excellent cycling covering around 370 miles and with over 27000ft of ascents this trip is aimed at those with experience of multi-day cycling trips and with good fitness. Our cycling support team will be on hand to offer guidance and encouragement, with the support van waiting at convenient points along each route to provide assistance.

The trip starts in Santander where we spend one night before setting off for Reinosa and our hotel for the next 5 nights. Reinosa, set on the river Ebro, dates back to the Middle Ages and will be a delightful base with a choice of restaurants offering traditional Cantabrian food.

Arriving in Mumbai, you will have the option of spending the first day sightseeing the Gateway of India. On the first day of cycling we enjoy glorious views of paddy fields and green countryside before arriving at the coast near Murud. Here we may visit local highlights such as the Janjira Fort, Phansad Wildlife Sanctuary, a few temples and the wonderfully clean, untouched beaches. From here the route takes us south, along coastal routes, passing though fishing villages with their large drying nets and bright, colourful boats. We visit many pristine clean, untouched beaches with stunning views of the sea. Our final day of cycling sees us cross over the River Terekoil which separates the two states of Maharashtra and Goa. Our final destination is Morjim Beach, located at the mouth of the Chaopra River and famous for its nesting and hatching habitat of the endangered Olive Ridley sea turtle. From here we take a transfer to the quiet beaches of South Goa to enjoy two days of relaxation/sightseeing.

This moderately challenging trip is suitable for all regular cyclists. There are lots of hills but they are all gentle climbs.

The climate of Mumbai remains tropically wet and dry. Mumbai experiences four diverse seasons that make the city pleasant to live in. Winter in Mumbai begins in the month of December and lasts until February, with summer lasting from March to May. The monsoon season starts in June and ends in September. The post-monsoon season in Mumbai lasts from October to December.

Being located near the Arabian Sea and in the tropical zone, Goa enjoys a warm and humid climate for almost all the year round. The climate of this small state has little variation in seasonal temperature and remains between 26°C and 29°C all round the year. Winter in Goa begins from mid November and last till February. During this period, nights remain cool with 20°C temperature and days remain warm with 29°C. It enjoys a moderate humidity during this period.

Enjoy riding through picturesque white washed villages, head inland to take in the scenery of Lake Vinuela or the mountains over the Zafaraya Pass.

Having the best climate in Europe, clear roads and fabulous coastal and mountain routes to challenge all abilities it has everything you need and more to make it the perfect cycling holiday destination.
After arrival in Malaga on Sunday we transfer to our accommodation, located just 2kms from the bustling coastal resort town of Nerja, this is our base for the next 7 days.  Within walking distance or via the local bus service, the town has a seafront promenade,

Balcón de Europa, with views of the Mediterranean and surrounding mountains. Below it lie sandy beaches and cliffside coves.  The town has plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants set along the main streets along with an abundance of shops.  Cueva de Nerja, a nearby cavern with unusual stalactites and stalagmites, can also be explored when not cycling.

The tour runs from Sunday to Sunday with 6 days cycling and includes both coastal and mountain routes on good quality, traffic free roads, with plenty of coffee and water stops en route.

This tour is aimed at cyclists who like a challenge but is such that the mileages aren’t too long to ensure that the climbs are achievable for most regular cyclists, however some hill training beforehand is essential. Our cycling guide will be on hand to offer guidance and encouragement, and our support van will wait at convenient points along each route to provide assistance.

Intended for anyone booked on one of our holidays, considering one or just wanting a fun weekend cycling in the Peak District our aim is to make your two days as enjoyable and instructive as possible. We hope you'll leave not only having improved your group riding skills, navigation and hill climbing techniques but also with good memories of a fun weekend.

The event is planned as an example of how a day could be on one of our holidays along with the added advantage of useful tips from our guide. The course aims to give you the opportunity for some back to back days cycling and to have the opportunity to discuss some of the issues around riding in groups. We'll also cover the essentials of bike maintenance and roadside repairs. We will be supplying gpx files of the routes beforehand so you can practice using any navigation device you are planning to use for your holiday.

We have a full day cycling into the Peak District planned on Saturday and a half day on Sunday, a good way to get some hill climbing practices and give you a chance to cycle with and meet like-minded people who could be your fellow trip mates on your next holiday with us.

Welcome to our exciting new tour, which takes us on one of the most famous roads in Portugal. The tour runs from Saturday to Sunday with 7 days of cycling which will take you down the backbone of Portugal, from North to South, providing the opportunity to ride on the longest continuous road (N2), crossing 4 mountain ranges, 11 rivers and 29 municipalities.

This tour is aimed at cyclists who like a challenge with an overall distance of 729km and almost 10,000m of climbing needed to reach our end goal of the resort of Faro. The tour has been planned so that mileage and climbs are achievable for most regular cyclists, however hill training and consecutive days in the saddle beforehand is essential. Throughout the tour our cycling guide will be on hand to offer guidance and encouragement, and our support van will wait at convenient points along each route to provide assistance

This part of northern India. Ladakh, often called ‘Little Tibet’ or the ‘Land of Many Passes’, is renowned for its stunning mountain landscape and Buddhist culture. Locals make their living from pastoral farming by irrigating small plots of land to grow buckwheat and barley. Traversing the region by bicycle means that we can observe at close quarters some truly spectacular scenery and get the chance to interact with the villagers who reside in this tough, arid landscape.

We believe you will find it an exhilarating, challenging and life-affirming adventure. If you’ve tested yourself on our Lands End to John O’Groats tour or Road to Vienna, maybe this could be your next adventure?
You will cycle against the backdrop of the magnificent Ladakh Range, which is a segment of the Karakoram mountain range. It spans the borders of Afghanistan, China, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan. We have designed the High Passes of Ladakh cycling holiday so you can enjoy the best that the region has to offer.

Highlights:
Cycling in the Himalayas
Crossing highest motor-able road Khardungla 5602m
Beautiful scenery
Buddhist culture
Opportunity to see some interesting animals such as the Asiatic ibex, Himalayan marmot, the dzo (which is a cross between the yak and domestic cattle), the Himalayan blue sheep (also called a bharal – which is the staple diet of the snow leopard) as well as the kiang, a native of the Tibetan plateau and only found in Jammu and Kashmir.

At times, the deserved popularity of Rajasthan's key sights leaves little room for a spirit of adventure. Traveling by cycle and taking of the big draw cards like Jodhpur, Ranakpur, and Udaipur is the perfect answer.

Our back-road discovery tour takes us to remote villages through the barren desert and lush oasis where the traditional life of Rajasthan continues, as it has done for centuries untouched by the outside world. We start our journey cycling up through the Aravali Hills, then the route passes through back-country flatlands to the holy town of Pushkar. Next up is Jaipur, a town overlooked by the splendid hilltop Amber Palace. We take rest stops along the way at the principal attractions as well as at a few more remote places where there is a chance to experience rural Rajasthan first-hand. We also visit Bharatpur National Park and the magnificent Taj Mahal, surely one of the 'must see' sights of the world.

The Himalayan scenery is stunning and the fresh crisp mountain air, combined with the very light traffic conditions make Bhutan a very appealing destination for cyclists of all denominations.

We find the best bicycle for this tour is a hard-tail mountain bike, equipped with slick tyres. As you would expect in the Himalayas there are some strenuous climbs but these are ameliorated for by the beauty of this landlocked diminutive kingdom which measures just twice the size of Wales.

You will remember for many years to come the rice terraces that cling limpet-like to the hillside and valleys carpeted with patchwork of various shades of green cultivated by generations of Bhutanese subsistence farmers. Beyond the cycling there are some amazing cultural sights that we will be visiting including the world famous Taktsang Monastery (Tiger's Lair). Although visitors are actively encouraged to this Buddhist kingdom, the numbers of tourists are strictly limited by the government which takes the time to measure the Gross National Happiness of its people.

Over the course of the tour we will be ascending some of the most famous mountain passes in Bhutan including Dochula, Pelela, Yotongla and Thrumshingla and for every climb you will be enjoying kilometre after kilometre of exuberant descent. At the end of this cycle tour you will have a lifetime to ponder on the nature of Bhutan, is it a modern day 'Shangri La' ? Come on this tour and you may come closer to the answer.

New for 2020, we’ve added to our “Road to…” collection of cycle tours with this fantastic holiday, cycling from the Hook of Holland, across the Netherlands and Germany, and finishing in Berlin.