Forget the luxurious spa treatments and enticing poolside cabanas this fall and book your clients on an active vacation that will have them biking through some of the world’s most scenic areas.
Cycling Across California
Pure Adventures’ self-guided Napa Valley Wine Country Hybrid Cycling bike tour leads guests on a California expedition through the state’s Wine Country. The 6-day tour is designed for easy-going riders looking to explore the natural landscapes and wineries in Northern California.
Upon arrival, local experts review guests’ itinerary, go over their Route Book, suggest customized rides or activities, and provide a bike fit. The next morning, guests head out for the city of Calistoga in Napa Valley for a moderately paced journey over the hills that separate Napa Valley from Knights Valley. Next, guests engage their five senses on a scenic ride through the Silverado Trail. The historic pathway is teeming with the sights, smells and sounds of the surrounding wineries; guests can consult their Route Book to find out wineries Pure Adventures suggests visiting.
Later in the journey, guests pedal to Mount Veederm and then bike six miles around the southern end of the Mayacamas Mountains. The tour concludes with a ride through Sonoma Valley as guests travel north through the village of Glen Ellen to Kentwood. There, guests power through a steep climb to Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, a family-friendly campground nestled in the Mayacamas Mountains. The park features the headwaters of the Sonoma Creek and an observatory for stargazing. The Napa Valley Wine Country Hybrid Cycling tour starts at $1,595 pp dbl. Booking dates are available between May and October 2016. For more information and additional itineraries, call (800) 960-2221 or visit pure-adventures.com.
Traversing Through Tuscany
Autumn in Tuscany means less tourists, lower temperatures, and the chance to taste the tasty food the region produces during harvest season. It’s the perfect time to explore central Italy’s vineyards, foothills, and mountains on Ciclismo Classico’s Best of Tuscany bike tour.
The 7-day tour takes guests through the Best of Tuscany as they pedal through 174 miles of hilly terrain in Tuscany’s countryside. The tour begins in Radda, a medieval town in Chianti, where guests ride down the rustic Via Chiantigiana (Chianti Street). Later, they taste Tuscan red wines in Montalcino, Greve, and Panzano, as well as learn about and sample Tuscan dishes, wines and olive oil in the home of local producers and Ciclismo guides. As a bonus, local experts teach a cooking class in their kitchen. In Southern Tuscany, guests will visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Val d’Orcia and Crete Senesi, two areas known for their rounded hills, vineyards, olive groves and woods. In Siena, guests explore piazzas, Siena’s marble cathedral, and the city’s famous 334-ft. high, 14th century bell tower, Torre del Mangia. Rates start at $4,295 in 2015; $4,595 in 2016, including hotel accommodations. For more information, call (800) 866-7314 or visit ciclismoclassico.com/trips/bike-tour-tuscany-chianti-pienza-siena.
Zipping Around New Zealand
H+I Adventures’ 13-day New Zealand itinerary is aimed at intermediate to advanced mountain bikers ready to take on 242 miles of forest, mountain and backcountry trails. Before setting out, an H+I Adventures guide will brief guests on the journey ahead.
The tour’s bike routes include a heart-racing ride 5,249 ft. above sea level in Queenstown, a 6,561-ft. ride up Mount Pisa in Otago, and a 4,593-ft. climb up Old Ghost Road, New Zealand’s longest single-track. In the Port Hills mountain range, guests embark on a 2-hour coastal ride before taking a dip in the South Pacific, and in the small fishing town of Kaikoura, guests are able to watch whales and dolphins. Additional activities include soaking in the Hanmer Springs, watching the sun set over the rainforest on New Zealand’s west coast, and viewing Craigieburn Range’s Flockhill rock formations used in the “Lord of the Rings” and “Narnia” films. Rates start at $3,910 pp, for travel on Jan. 25, March 11, and Nov. 21, 2016, as well as Jan. 24 and March 13, 2017. For more information and additional itineraries, visit mountainbikeworldwide.com.
