13 Of The Best Cycling Holidays In The World

Bike getting dusty because, now that summer’s over, you’ve gone back to the warmth of public transport? Well, get it out of the shed, because we’ve found 11 of the world’s best cycling holidays to get those legs back in action. 

1. Cairngorms, Scotland

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Like mountain biking, whisky tasting and beautiful Scottish landscapes? Then the Cairngorms Adventure Scotland tour was made for you – providing you’d consider your bike skill level ‘intermediate’.

As the UK’s largest National Park, The Cairngorms is home to beautiful rivers and lochs, forests and farmland – not to mention some super friendly Scots.

The trip costs £1065, including seven nights accommodation, and you can find out more info at Mountainbikeworldwide.com.

2. Dubrovnik to Split, Croatia

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If you’re up for cycling 27 miles a day and taking in Croatia’s beautiful Dalmatian Coast, then keep reading. This self-guided tour will allow you to see the Dubrovnik city walls, Ston’s ancient salt works, Diocletian’s palace and loads of gorgeous beaches.

For €1640 (£1475) you get six nights bed and breakfast across Dubrovnik, Korcula, Hvar and Split, plus your bike rental, luggage transfers and necessary private boat and ferry transfers. Just add flights and a bunch of mates! Check out Biketours.com for more info.

3. Cuba

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Now we’re talking. Cycle the length of Cuba, taking in Havana, Trinidad and Santiago, as part of a guided group. Taking 10 days total, 13 of which will be cycling (the others are flight or free days), this trip is ideal for intermediate cyclists.

Priced from £2,199, the trip includes return flights from London, all accommodation, all breakfasts, 11 lunches and five dinners, plus activities, bike hire, your guide and a tourist card visa. Sounds positively heavenly. Hit up Exodus.co.uk to book and for more info.

4. Morocco

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Camel riding and camping in the Sahara sound like fun? Then book yourself a cycling holiday in Morocco, where you’ll pass through Draa Valley, the Sahara desert and dreamy Marrakech.

The 8-day tour is suitable for intermediate cyclists and costs from £629 without flights or £799 with flights, including accommodation, guide and airport transfers. Visit Explore.co.uk for more info.

5. Idaho, USA

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Visit Idaho’s Sawtooth Mountains and check out the famous hot springs. The six-day course is designed for more experienced riders and you’ll camp along the way, with all meals, snacks and sports drinks provided.

Priced at $1,390 (£1,141) without flights, all the deets you need are at Usabiketours.com.

6. Highway 1, USA

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Don’t drive or would rather see California and the Pacific Coast by bike than car? You’re in the right place. Cycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles via the wine estates of Napa Valley and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, over 11 days, with one travel day to start and a day in LA at the end. 

Prices start from £2,529 including 11 nights accommodation, bike hire and most meals. Check out Grandamericanadventures.com for all the info.

7. Byron Bay, Australia

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Beaches, beaches and more beaches lie within this route from Ballina to the Gold Coast, as well as the (big) small town of Mullumbimby, the valley of Eltham and Mount Warning.

Suitable for beginners, the trail takes four days and five nights, with prices available on request from Cyclingtours.com.au.

8. London to Amsterdam

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It might sound like a schlep, but London to Amsterdam is a fairly easy, flat route. You’ll start in Greenwich, ride through to Kent and take the ferry from Dover, before cycling through France and into Belgium. Arriving in Amsterdam on the seventh day, you’ll enjoy an overnight stay there, before the tour ends at breakfast the next day. Of course, if you want more time to enjoy the windmills, canals and everything else the city has to offer, you can always book additional hotels and hang out for a bit longer.

The tour costs €890 (£800), including seven nights accommodation, some meals, ferry transfers and luggage transfers. Get all the info at Biketours.com.

9. Namibia, Africa

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Get up close and personal with Namibia’s wildlife, including giraffe, zebra and oryx, as you travel on bike, foot and Landrover. The 12-day trip is suitable for novice cyclists (yay!) and includes 11 nights accommodation with breakfast, plus nearly all your lunches and dinners, as well as all your water and energy drinks for £2,380.

Get more info at Mountainbikeworldwide.com.

10. Bangkok to Phuket, Thailand

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This 800km trail is split over eight riding days, with a rest day by the beach on day four, and a chilled last day on Phuket Island. Take in beach towns like Hua Hin, National Parks like Sam Roi Yot and the beautiful Khao Lak, all by bike.

The trip costs $2,075 (£1,703) including accommodation and guide, as well as a constant supply of cold drinks and fresh fruit, and all meals on cycling days. Check out Spiceroads.com for all the info.

11.Tenerife and La Gomera, Spain

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This two islands tour gives you the chance to explore both Tenerife and La Gomera in just one week, staying at four and five star hotels all the way, including the gorgeous Costa Adeje Gran in Tenerife. What’s 240 miles of cycling when you’ve got luxury accommodation every night and beautiful weather all year round?

Priced at €1,295 (£1,165), almost all meals are included, as well as your guide, coaching, airport transfers and a cycling jersey. Check out Tenerifebiketraining.com for more info. 

12. Costa Rica - Pacific Coast to Caribbean Coast

You read that right. A 12-day cycling (and whitewater rafting!) trip that takes you from the east coast of Costa Rica (hello Pacific coast) to the west coast (OH HAI Caribbean coast).

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Along the way you'll traverse actual volcanoes, bike off-road through jungle and across ravines, and end up - knackered - on a beautiful sandy beach on the other side of the continent.

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As far as central American adventures, they don't come much more spectacular.

Prices start from $2,350 USD - check out Bike Hike Adventures for more info.

13. South Island, New Zealand

ICYMI, the South Island of New Zealand is one of most beautiful, geographically stunning, smorgasbord-y landscapes on the planet.

So hurrah for a biking tour that allows you to traverse from top to (almost) bottom, taking in some of the country's most iconic scenery along the way.

From staying in mountian huts so remote that your luggage has to be flown in by helicopter, to soaking in hot springs, and even taking a breather to whale watch off the coast of Kaikoura (sidenote: from personal experience, one of the best things you'll ever do), this trip offers life experiences to match the exercise highs.

Prices start at $3,525 (£2,350) - head to H+I Adventures for more info.