Cycling Tour Options

Guided and Self-Guided Cycling Tours

Deciding to go on a cycling tour can very well be one of the best decisions you can make. This will not only give you much needed exercise, but will also allow you to recharge your batteries by taking in the view of the country and breathing fresh air.

Cycling of any kind is an excellent way to burn calories and shed some pounds in the process. Cycling tours, on the other hand, provide you with an even more effective means of losing weight because you will be far away from your usual temptations and you will actually be more inspired because of the sense of adventure.

Among the first decisions you have to make when going on a cycling tour is to select a destination. You will then have to choose whether to join a guided tour or follow your own instincts. While some people may feel safer with a guided tour, we actually recommend going on a self-guided cycling tour, which offers more flexibility and allows you to enjoy the experience so much more. You will still receive a copy of the route, but you will be able to cycle at the speed that you prefer without worrying about staying with the rest of the group.

Companies that offer self-guided cycling tours will provide you with a host of bicycles to choose from, some of which even have GPS navigation systems that will give you a sense of security even when following unfamiliar paths. The hotel accommodations will all be taken care of as well. All you have to do is to get yourself checked in, get yourself a good night’s sleep and get ready for another day of cycling the following morning.

There are some things that you will have to do on your own, though, like replacing flat tires or handling other types of repairs. You will also have to bring a helmet to use for the tour because these are usually not provided by the tour companies.

If you prefer a more organized plan, you can opt for the guided cycling tour, which means that you will be traveling with a party of other cyclists and a couple of tour guides. These guides will provide you with everything you need along the way, and you will have to follow a strict itinerary along with the rest of the cyclists. Most cycling tours usually last for about a week or so, and coves about 52 miles (60 kilometers) a day.

Guided and Self Guided Cycling Tours

Cycling tours are made for fun vacation holidays. They are perfect for friends, families, and lovers. Your sense of time slows down and you relax when you take a cycling tour.

Even if the countryside scenery is already familiar to you from auto trips, you’ll see an entirely different view from the seat of a bicycle.

On a cycling tour, you meet your need for daily exercise as you get from one place to another. There’s no need to find a gym, schedule a workout, and take time away from your vacation. Daily cycling burns lots of calories, so you can eat and drink just about anything without guilt or weight gain.

Once you decide where to go, the biggest decision you need to make about your cycling tour is whether you will take a self guided or guided tour.

Self Guided Tours

One of the best ways to take a cycling tour is to take a self guided tour. On a self guided tour, you cycle with your own group of friends or family at your own pace. The self guided tour operator provides you with bicycles, a cycling route and schedule and makes all the necessary provisions for your hotel, luggage transportation, and breakfast buffet.

The bicycle provided will be comfortable and safe, and some tour operators now offer GPS systems on the handlebars. Often helmets are not provided, so be sure to bring your own helmet with you.

The tour operator will also provide maps and written descriptions of points of interest along your route. The tour operator also provides a service hotline you can call if you have an emergency on the road, but in general you are responsible for getting yourself to the next hotel by nightfall.

Cyclists are expected to fix their own flats and do their own repairs on self guided tours, but the tour operator will step in with a replacement bike in the event of a complete breakdown.

Guided Tours

On a guided tour, you will be grouped with other tourists and a guide will ride along with you. A second guide drives a support van. Every event is planned and taken care of, including hotels, routes, meals, luggage transportation, and sightseeing excursions. You may bring your own snacks to eat along the route. On some tours, the group pools funds to purchase a picnic lunch, which the guide prepares. Tours usually begin the day after you arrive at the start city and end the day after your last leg of your route. Thus a seven-day event includes just five days of a cycling tour.

Cycling tours are a great way to have fun and spend your holiday. You also get to stay fit and healthy on your holiday, plus you see the scenery from a bicycle seat and get to enjoy the views at a slower pace.