Browse through our list of Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about what to expect from our multi-day supported/ guided cycle tours. There are also specific FAQ’s on each tour page.
If you’re not sure where you fit or have questions about a particular tour, get in touch! We love to chat and answer your questions plus our detailed itineraries have information regarding the terrains surface as well as the distances.
—
Level 1:
Basic fitness from exercise once or twice a week. Can ride flat or gently rolling terrain, mostly smooth surfaces at a steady pace. An enjoyable ride is usually 2-4 hours long with breaks.
Level 2:
Moderate Fitness from exercising two or three times per week. Can ride hilly terrain at a steady pace with more variable surfaces. An enjoyable ride is 2-4 hours with breaks.
Level 3:
Good fitness from regular exercise sessions. Can ride full days in any terrain on variable surfaces at a steady pace.
—
Please remember that our tours are fully supported, and the support vehicle is available if you would like to take a break from the saddle. The cycling distances listed on the itineraries are the maximum that we ride each day and can be shortened to suit you. To help with your pre tour training we can also provide a basic plan to get you out and about on your bike.
Our tours are fully supported cycle tours.
This means there will be a small crew arranging your luggage transport, liaising with our prebooked accommodation and helping arrange/ prepare your meals and snacks as per the tour itinerary. Your crew have mechanical skills to look after your bikes and first aid skills to look after you.
On some of our fully supported tours you will use a GPS to navigate yourself along the route, one crew will ‘hop’ ahead with the support vehicle to meet you along the way set up lunch and snacks and give you access to your gear in case you need anything, and the other crew will ride at the back of the group in case of a mechanical or first aid issue. These tours are:
On our other international tours there will two crew riding with the group, one will ride ahead and do all the navigating, and one will ride at the back to provide any mechanical and first aid support. There will also be a local interpreter, support vehicle and driver who will follow behind the group. We meet with the support vehicle often for snacks and water or in case you need to grab anything. These tours are:
Cycle Group sizes on each cycle tour will vary, but generally, you can expect somewhere between 8 and 12 cyclists.
Maximum numbers on each tour are:
10 bikers: Japan Cycle Tours, Canterbury Peaks to Plains Cycle Tours
12 Bikers: Tour Aotearoa, Cape to Cape, Marlborough Molesworth Epic, Kyrgyzstan, Colombia, Madagascar
14 Bikers: Kenya and Tanzania, Cambodia
Our accommodation ranges from guesthouses, safari tents, cabins, and lodges depending on the bike tour. We aim to support small locally owned accommodation business wherever possible; it is sure to be comfortable and we hope you always have a wonderful night’s sleep.
Accommodation is typically based on double, or twin-share basis. Individual travellers will be paired with another biker of the same gender to twin share with.
..OR Single rooms can be booked for a supplement on all of our cycle tours, single supplement equals your own bedroom and does not always equal an ensuite bathroom. Single rooms are always subject to availability. If you have concerns we recommend discussing the accommodation and any single bookings further prior to your booking, as each cycle tour is slightly different.
For general inclusions see below:
For specifics, please go to the tour page which you are interested in.
For general exclusions see below:
For specifics, please go to the tour page which you are interested in.
Escape Adventures runs two different styles of tour:
On our international tours there will be two tour leaders plus a local support crew, one tour leader will always ride at or near the front, navigating, and one will always be at the back. The local support crew, drive our vehicles and stay a safe distance behind the group ready for whenever we want to re-group and take breaks for snacks and water. Each location has a different set up which dictates the number of local crew needed.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, and on our Japan tour, our bike tours are run with just two tour leaders. There will always be one riding sweep (at the back) and the other will drive the van ahead to our designated snack and lunch spots along the route. Riders navigate for themselves on our New Zealand and Japan tours using the Ride with GPS platform.
Online: You can book directly from the cycle tour pages on our website. Head over to the page of the tour you want to book and use the booking form in the top right corner.
Email or phone call: Contact Alice on info@escapeadventures.co.nz or call +64 3 545 1789 and make your booking directly
In person: If you happen to be passing through Staveley then we would love for you to call by and have a chat about our tours. You’ll find Clare our operations manager at the office here; she can answer any questions you have and help to make your booking.
Yes, you can book an Escape Adventure Cycle Tour as a private group, with most of the Cycle Tours requiring 8 – 12 cyclists per departure. There are options for custom group bike tours for larger groups on some of the cycle trails, but they are each so unique… contact our expert team so we can explain the best options for your group size and abilities. Sometimes a few families who know each other, get together and use this option.
Get on to it now! We recommend booking at least 6-12 months prior to your tour departure. Our most loved cycle tours sell out quicker, so it’s best to book as soon as possible to avoid missing out. If you have a full group it’s still important to book ahead to ensure our top-notch biking guides are available for you.
When we say small, we mean up to 12 people per cycle tour. That lets us focus on you and your unique holiday, and not on a big unwieldy group of cyclists.
All our cycle tours are led by two of our own wonderful New Zealand based Escape Adventures leaders. We pride ourselves on the calibre and resourcefulness of these great people who you will be spending your holiday with.
We know that our most precious memories are of real people. We’ve been going to the same villages for many years. You’ll meet locals on their terms, and make friends that will seem like family when you leave.
By supporting local people, restaurants, accommodations, and small businesses we make a direct and real contribution to the economies of the areas we visit.
