In the Saddle: Top Picks for Cycling Holidays
Book a cycling holiday for your next trip and you’ll get more than a work out. Visit a country on two wheels – whether it’s self-guided or on a tour – and you’ll see the slower side of life, spotting wildlife, scenery and beauty that too often passes us by...
This is a feature from Issue 16 of Charitable Traveller.
Dramatic Landscapes in Madagascar
There’s more to Madagascar than just tropical beaches and rainforests – as spectacular as they are. On this 14-day cycling holiday, you’ll pedal past everything from the surreal geysers of Analavory to the waterfalls of the Lily river, travel the red-dust roads of Ambalavaro and through gnarly rock formations towards the Horombe plateau, and take in thrilling descents through thick forests and ravine canyons. There’s also time off the saddle – including hiking the Isalo National Park that’s full of natural swimming holes and white sandy beach time at the fisherman’s village of Ifaty.
Supporting communities is at the heart of much of what Exodus offers, and this trip uses local guides, and locally-owned restaurants, hotels and other businesses as much as possible. Included are eight days of road cycling with a support vehicle covering on average 77km a day. Starting in Antananarivo, tour the largely quiet roads in the middle of the world’s fourth-largest island, before ending on the coast.
DETAILS Cycle Madagascar is a 14-day tour through Madagascar with Exodus Travels, including B&B accommodation, tour leader, support staff and all planned activities but not flights
Pre-historic Wonders in Jordan
Take your time seeing both Jordan’s world-class wonders and the more ordinary – but no less fascinating – side of the country on Intrepid’s nine-day cycle tour through this Middle Eastern heartland. Float in the Dead Sea, gaze in awe and wonder at the majesty of Petra, then hop in a jeep to explore the extraordinary desert scenery of Wadi Rum and its huge sandstone mountains, before spending some time with the Bedouins and sleeping under the stars in a far-flung desert camp. Experience all this and more from your saddle as you cycle up to 45km a day and are transferred between rides by an exclusive support vehicle.
DETAILS Cycle Jordan: Petra & Wadi Rum is a nine-day tour through Jordan with Intrepid, including both hotel and desert camp accommodation, most meals and transport but not flights.
Meander to the Med in France
There’s something extremely satisfying about travelling from coast to coast, and that’s exactly the aim on this cycling holiday across France. Starting on the Atlantic coast at Lacanau and finishing at the Med on the beaches near Narbonne, over the course of 15 days you’ll wend your way past some of the best Bordeaux vineyards and through the most picturesque medieval villages before joining the sun-speckled towpaths on first the Garonne Canal then the Canal du Midi.
Spend the nights in such historically charming towns and cities as Agen, Carcassonne and Toulouse and your days clocking up the kilometres pedalling from fresh market stall to vineyard tasting to
lunch with a view. Each day expect to cover between 40 and 50km on good cycling surfaces; on two days it’s more like 70km.
DETAILS French Leave Holidays offers 15-day self-guided cycling tour, the Great Coast to Coast Crossing, including flights, B&B accommodation, luggage transfers, bike hire and detailed route guides.
Cycling Bavaria's Lake Chiemsee in Germany
Take the high road in Girona, Spain
Coast to coast in Cyprus
Ready to make your travel plans count?
Call us now on 020 3092 1288 or email [email protected] to plan and book these incredible experiences!
This is a feature from Issue 16 of Charitable Traveller.
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