Are you ready to book a bike tour, but not sure who you’ll be traveling with? Do you crave adventure and taking the scenic route, but prefer the insider tips from a guided tour? Bike touring as a single* may be the choice for you.
Traveling as a single bicycle tourist means you’re joining a small group of cyclists on a guided tour. There are many benefits to traveling this way—you get a feel for bicycle touring in a comfortable setting with expert guides. If you’re not new to bicycle touring, you appreciate the planning and knowledge of the guide and like traveling in a group.
1. Insider knowledge from trusted experts. BikeTours.com works with local bicycle tour operators across Europe. That means when you join a guided tour as a single, you’ll be traveling with an expert not just in bicycle touring but in the area as well. Find the best cafes and pristine views and get the inside scoop on top tourist spots. Bike tour guides know the ins and outs of the region and may show you spots on the path less traveled. Tune in to cultural history and points of interest from your guide or ask about how best to utilize free time.
If you’re new to cycling and bicycle touring, a guided tour will help ease you into the rhythm of traveling by bike—your luggage is transferred daily in the support van, your route planned and your day scheduled. And your guide will be there in case of breakdowns (mechanical or human).
2. Safety and street smarts. Traveling abroad exposes you to a world of cultures. Traveling by bicycle does the same—and more, because you’re on two wheels. Guided tours offer riders extra reassurance with planned routes and stops along the way, which may be particularly helpful on less traveled bike routes or in busy cities. Similarly, if you need an unplanned rest day to bridge more challenging or less attractive portions of the route, you can ride in the support van. Bicycle maintenance help is always nearby, too.
3. A shared experience. On a guided tour, you’ll have the company of typically 8-20 like-minded bike travelers likely from different countries. You’ll still have some choice about how to spend your day around group activities. By the end of the trip, you’ll make new acquaintances and international friendships!
4. A new way to see the world. Guided bicycle tours will expose you to new people, places and experiences from two wheels. With activities, meals, and hotels planned, you don’t have to do the legwork and planning for extra stops along your route—it’s already done for you, with the expertise of your tour guide. Sip local wines in a vineyard, tour a castle, or learn about the history of small villages along the route. You’re likely to finish your tour with a deeper understanding of place and culture than when you started.
Ready to book a guided tour? Check out our guided tours!
Let’s start with self-contained tours, because BikeTours.com doesn’t have any. The people you see lugging their gear on their bikes, they’re self-contained. They plan their routes themselves and arrange their own lodging, often camping out.
Self-guided tours give you a lot of the same independence, but they all include luggage transfers, planned routes with maps or GPS, lodging, and a service hotline in case you need support along the way.
With guided tours, you ride with a group and get all the features of a self-guided tour plus typically a ride-along guide, van support with a driver, dinners, and other activities.
As a single, you are joining a group of other cyclists on a guided tour. If you’re single and want to make sure you’re not alone, a guided tour assures you that you’ll be cycling with others including a group leader – sometimes even a support vehicle.
As a solo, you’re cycling on your own on a self-guided tour.
Guided, Self-guided, Solo travel, Travel tips