If you love luxury almost as much as you love cycling, then considering luxury cycling holidays for your next break has to be a no-brainer. Who says that those taking to two wheels have to rough it? Not InGamba, Butterfield and Robinson, DuVine, Trek Travel or Backroads – the five luxury bike tour companies featured here.
Wondering how we’ve picked these five? Well, over the years they’re the names we’ve most often heard talked about when friends and industry contacts have been talking about luxury cycling trips.
So if luxury is what you’re looking for, we hope this article helps. Below we compare and contrast what they offer, covering what they’re all about as well as practical matters like pricing, group sizes, accommodation, bike hire and where they go. Plus what to expect in terms of how hardcore the cycling actually is…
Have you travelled with these luxury cycling tour operators? Let us know your experience in the comments below!
This article is based on the information on each operator’s website. We’ve done our best to ensure our summary is accurate, but please double-check everything with the operator since the information on their website could be out of date or could have changed since we wrote the article. It’s even conceivable (heaven forbid!) that we may have made a mistake.
The companies are listed in alphabetical order.
Backroads
Backroads offers the discerning cyclist adventure, activity and taking the road less travelled in over 50 countries worldwide.
Perhaps they can entice you to visit one of their more unusual destinations: is Vietnam, Montenegro, Tanzania, Jordan, Ecuador or Tahiti on your must-visit list?
Founded back in 1979, Backroads specialises in hiking, biking and adventure trips for those who love to explore. If you’re an active type who loves visiting places that are a little off the beaten (cycle) track, then Backroads could offer just what you’re looking for.
These are not your average luxury family cycling holidays, but Backroads does offer trips tailored for parents plus their children, teens or even adult kids. In addition to those aimed at couples, solo travellers and friends travelling together.
- Where: Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, North America and the Pacific
- Average group size: 16
- Accommodation: Mostly premiere hotels offering luxury, charm and character
- What’s included: All accommodation; most meals, snacks and drinks; bike, helmet and water bottle; experienced leaders; activities, transport costs and entry fees as stated; local gratuities, comprehensive travel planner
- What’s not included: Flights, transfers, travel insurance, private room charges, Backroads guide gratuities, dinner during free evenings, optional extras
- Bike hire: Custom-built titanium bikes, e-bikes or Cannondale pro carbon bikes. Tandems and e-bikes may also be available
- Level of cycling: All levels of fitness are covered by the trips – some are more challenging than others
Butterfield & Robinson
Butterfield & Robinson go beyond bikes. Their trips include travel on foot, by boat or on safari. Whatever the mode of transport, slow travel is their mantra.
Founded in 1966, Butterfield & Robinson is a well-established tour operator that goes way beyond the usual luxury cycling holidays in France, Italy, Spain or the US. If you want to experience it, they can ensure you do it.
Options range from cycling holidays to cultural and wellness holidays or extended journeys and expeditions to taking a safari or a trip by sea. Top of the list, though, is luxury cycling tours of Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Here’s a taster of some of their itineraries. You can take an active cycling trip around the Adriatic Islands for eight days, or tour central Japan by e-bike for the same duration. Join a small group to explore Ireland on two wheels, take an e-bike around Morocco or combine a Rhine River cruise with cycling in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
If you want to take luxury cycling holidays in Europe at a more relaxed pace, Butterfield & Robinson might well be your best bet.
- Where: Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America
- Average group size: 16
- Accommodation: Stylish hotels with a local, slow travel feel
- What’s included: All accommodation; most meals, snacks and drinks; regular or e-bike and gear; expert guides; activities and entry fees as stated; local gratuities
- What’s not included: Flights, transfers, travel insurance, Butterfield & Robinson guide gratuities, dinner during free evenings, optional extras
- Bike hire: Regular or e-bikes included as per individual itinerary
- Level of cycling: Slow travel – it’s all about moving at your own pace
DuVine
DuVine is all about luxury bicycle tours with a focus on food, wine, local character and culture.
DuVine offers high end bike tours that showcase some of the world’s best cycling areas. Comfort plus challenge is the focus of their luxury bike trips. The company offers cycling holidays in Puglia, Switzerland, the French Alps, Zion, Rioja and Scotland, to name but a few destinations.
Food and wine regions are a speciality, and local character and culture the focus.
DuVine is all about seeing the world by bike. Not only at a surface level, but delving deeper beneath the skin of each destination. Whether it’s Sicily, Mallorca, the Champagne region or Holland, you’ll stay in accommodation and eat at restaurants that reflect the culture and cuisine of each location. Hotels are handpicked not only because they offer deluxe accommodation, but also because they give those staying there a genuine sense of place.
If you like to combine luxury with cycling and adventure, it’s worth taking a look at DuVine’s luxury cycling trips.
- Where: France, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland and the USA
- Average group size: 14
- Accommodation: Luxury and boutique style to reflect local character
- What’s included: All accommodation; most meals, snacks and drinks; bike, helmet and branded gear; experienced bilingual guides; activities and entry fees as stated; local gratuities
- What’s not included: Flights, travel insurance, DuVine guide gratuities, dinner during free evenings, optional extras
- Bike hire: Included. If bringing your own bike, you need to arrange shipping, maintenance and assembly
- Level of cycling: Anything from relaxed to challenging. Options include hopping into the van for sections, or choosing between harder and easier routes
InGamba
For the avid cyclist who is also looking for some luxury, InGamba’s trips will be of interest.
Their trips are led by former pros, soigneurs and mechanics. Some of their itineraries are pretty pacey.
InGamba offers guided cycling holidays as well as private tours with an itinerary to suit your interests. As with DuVine, the food and wine you’ll sample along the way are integral to the experience. It’s about providing you, the guest, with the best rooms, restaurants and routes that each place has to offer.
If taking luxury cycling tours in Spain, Italy, France or any of their other destinations appeals, InGamba offers private tours. These are for up to eight travellers, and can be chosen from their tour list. Alternatively, the InGamba team can tailor a tour just for you.
Another factor making InGambia stand out is the staff. Theirs have worked as soigneurs or mechanics with some leading cyclists, and even in some cases as pro cyclists themselves. For the professional touch, this cannot be beaten – and just imagine the tips you’ll be able to pick up!
- Where: Arizona, Argentina, California, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain
- Average group size: 11
- Accommodation: Good quality hotels throughout
- What’s included: All accommodation, meals, snacks and drinks; bike and gear; former cycling professionals as leaders; daily bike wash, laundry and massage
- What’s not included: Flights, transfers, travel insurance, gratuities, optional extras
- Bike hire: Pinarello Dogma F Disk with SRAM RED eTAP AXS
- Level of cycling: Some are for serious, experienced cyclists only, so choose your trip carefully if you’re not up for a big challenge.
Trek Travel
Trek Travel was born from the award-winning bike maker, so you’re in good hands wherever in the world they take you.
Trek Travel has been offering luxury cycling vacations for over two decades. The company offers a good range across the board, from national park adventures for active types to e-bike tours for those who like to take things a little easier. Trek Travel’s unique selling point is that their luxury cycling holidays in the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, Asia and South America are all inspired by award-winning Trek bikes.
If you want to take luxury bike tours in the USA – and specifically the National Parks – then Trek could be the operator to book with. They also go to areas some other luxury cycling vacation companies don’t – such as the Czech Republic, Japan, Norway, Chile and Slovenia. All kinds of Trek bikes can be ridden, including their electric bikes that give you a helping hand with those hills.
Whether you want luxury cycling holidays in Italy, South America, Asia or Spain, if riding the latest Trek bikes is a priority then Trek Travel are the bike experts to offer a great experience.
- Where: Asia, Canada, Europe, South America and the USA
- Average group size: 12 to 24
- Accommodation: Deluxe 3 to 5 star hotels depending on trip and location
- What’s included: All accommodation; most meals, snacks and drinks; Trek bike, merch and gear; two or more guides; activities and entry fees as stated; local gratuities; GPS app customisation
- What’s not included: Flights, transfers, travel insurance, single supplements, Trek Travel guide gratuities, dinner during free evenings, optional extras
- Bike hire: Trek bikes included. If bringing your own bike, you need to arrange shipping, maintenance and assembly
- Level of cycling: Flexible, to suit your style. Options include travelling by van for sections, or choosing between harder and easier routes
Have you been on a luxury cycling trip?
Tell us about your experiences in the comments below!
Interestingly, all the operators in our list are USA-based – a fluke or a reflection of the demands of their clientele? We’d love to include some non-USA based operators too, so get in touch if you’re in the luxury market and think we should know about you. Get in touch.
And if you’re looking for great cycling hotels (but not a whole tour), don’t miss the hotels section of our website and, in particular, this article on the best luxury bike hotels in Europe and this article on the best hotels in Europe.
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