CYCLING ADVENTURES 2017/2018 BROCHURE 79 CYCLING HOLIDAYS 2 Introduction 3 CONTENTS 4 YOUR ADVENTURE, YOUR WAY: A life in 97% Ways to travel 6 WHAT’S NEW? From Finland to Bhutan, a selection of our travellers would recommend of new trips you’ll love us to their friends 8 ASK THE EXPERTS FAQs, training tips and essential motion bike information Welcome to our brand new Cycling Adventures brochure – filled with ideas, inspiration and advice. And, of course, our very latest 10 ASIA UNCOVERED The sensory wonders of Southeast Asia hand-picked selection of cycling holidays. 98% They say there’s no better way to see the world than from the saddle. We don't disagree. For over 14 ENJOY THE FRUITS OF YOUR LABOUR We map out a wide selection of our most 40 years Exodus has built its reputation on taking our cycling adventurers to places other tours rarely reach. of our travellers think we design and refreshing wine routes For me, it's the best way to explore. See more, get closer to the action, and leave no trace other than a cycle operate trips to benefit the local track or two. That’s how we do it – low impact riding, covering more distance than you would on foot with community and environment 16 SLEEP BENEATH THE STARS plenty of chances to stop; whether to chat to welcoming locals, sip on a fresh roadside refreshment or to take a Nights spent under canvas with photo of that perfect view you could only have seen when travelling on two wheels. unrivalled starlit panoramas We believe the beauty of cycle holidays is that they're for everyone. That's why we create adventures with lots 18 COASTING ALONG of different grades to suit all types of cycling enthusiasts – whether a club cyclist with a need for speed or a Our top coastal cycle rides, between more casual rider who prefers to slow down and soak up the surroundings. Our rides can amble or race 4.7 out of 5 average trip rating mountains and sea through some of the world’s most amazing locations, and at day’s end, all that fresh air and pedal power is based on the past 100 online customer reviews rewarded with yet another delicious dinner and an ice-cold drink. 20 CUBAN REVOLUTIONS The beauty of cycling through Cuba and So what are you waiting for? There's a whole world out there, waiting for you to see from your saddle… enjoying a local homestay Andy Ross, Head of Product 24 WILD THINGS Discover how cycling gets you that much closer to nature 26 5 GREAT DESCENTS Downhill rides guaranteed to take your breath away 28 IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT THE BIKE Our top five post-saddle treats 30 ACROSS THE BORDER Multi-country adventures taking you further 34 ONE NIGHT IN: A KERALAN HOUSEBOAT Drift away on a southern Indian backwater cruise 35 HOLIDAY LISTINGS Find all our cycling adventures with essential information from page 35 Cover photograph: Cycling in Romania (Sighisoara) by Dave Sear, Exodus Staff, MVF, page 44 Main photograph: Thingvallavatn Lake in Iceland, MSI page 36 4 Your Adventure, Your Way 5 Private Adventures The idea is simple: have your adventure tailored to suit you. We can offer most of our holidays as private adventures, perfect if you’d like to travel with a group of friends or YOUR ADVENTURE, family, or fellow cycling club members. We can run these 4 >> Your Adventure Your Way trips with a minimum of just two people travelling, but the more people who travel, the less it costs per person. All you need to do is let us know which trip you fancy, how many YOUR WAY people are travelling, and when you’d like to go. And, of course, you still have all the same benefits of a We know how difficult it can be to find your next adventure. That’s why, here guided group trip, including the all-important local guide at Exodus we offer a range of different ways to travel dependent on what suits and their invaluable knowledge of your destination. you. We’re flexible on how and when you travel, and even who you travel with Cycling India’s Hill Stations – whether that’s with the like-minded travellers of a group trip, or friends and CHRIS BATTEN, EXODUS TRAVELLER family on a self-guided or private tour… For Exodus customer Chris Batten it was a case of no compromise. He’d set his heart on an itinerary that we’d temporarily rested, Going Solo and contacted us to see if we could make it SUE CLARKE, EXODUS TRAVELLER happen. The answer? Of course we could. “We’re a group of eight friends who had undertaken Sue Clarke has taken at least six trips our own trips before, and we really liked the look of the with us now to destinations as diverse Cycling India's Hill Stations tour. It had the look and feel Guided Groups as Croatia and Tanzania: “There have of a ‘backroads trip’ which, in our experience of Exodus been times when I’ve only been able trips such as Vietnam and Sri Lanka, means meeting and to take a holiday at short notice, interacting with local people just going about their everyday Our guided group trips are our most popular type of holiday. making it easier to jump onto a group trip than lives,” he says. Guided exploration, with small like-minded groups is how arrange anything with friends or family. Apart The trip, book-ended by two great highlights – the we began, and we’ve been doing it for over 40 years now. Our from once, I didn’t know anyone else on the trip Golden Temple at Amritsar and the colonial hill station before the starting point. It’s a wonderful way to groups average 10-12 people. This means our trips aren’t of Shimla, really does dig deep to reveal the wonders of see varied and interesting places in great company, disruptive to the places we visit, and having a smaller number this magical corner of India. with a really good combination of solo travellers, “Having done several Exodus group trips before it was of guests creates a good group dynamic too. You’ll get to know couples and friends. a range of people who come from different backgrounds but interesting to reflect on the differences to a private group have a shared interest in travel. "Apart from once, I didn’t know of friends. We basically had a party for two weeks running! We knew each other’s foibles and strengths, we were able to And with a local expert on every adventure, you’ll experience anyone else on the trip before the look out for each other during the day and then we’d arrive the true nature of your chosen destination. Our passionate starting point. But I’ve kept in at a new destination each night and have a great evening. The Exodus driver had an uncanny ability to deliver a and knowledgeable guides are famous for going the extra mile touch with people from them all…" case of cold beer to our destination each day just as we to make sure your holiday is the best it can possibly be! arrived (officially known as a landing beer) which somehow makes the aches of the day’s ride mellow,” Chris laughs. But asked what really made the trip live long in their memories, Chris had no hesitation. “Our trip leader, Sanjay,” he says. “He was engaging, warm-hearted and generous – he made it a special trip for us. One example of many was when we were huddled around an open fire outside a guest house most of the way up the Jalori Pass and Sanjay started singing a traditional Hindi song.” And I’ve kept in touch with people from all of exodustravels.com/privateadventures them, mainly through Facebook. It’s always been good to see what trips they go on, and add them to the wish list! It’s also meant I’ve visited some amazing locations that I hadn’t been planning to see, and places that I wouldn’t have come across Self-Guided Adventures without local knowledge – beautiful views, or unusual restaurants and bars. On my trip to Petra, our brilliant guide took us on a back route over Rather than following a guide who points you in lots of rocks past Berber caves so that we came the right direction, the decisions are yours to make; out on an outcrop of rocks overlooking the famous based on personal interests and preferences and Treasury, rather than at ground level – giving us detailed route notes that offer you all the information some great photo opportunities.” you’ll need for your destination. Prefer to spend a exodustravels.com/types-of-holiday/small-group-activity-holidays lazy afternoon picnicking by a riverbank? With self- guided travel you set your own pace, which means Around half of our customers there’s always time for that paddle in the sea, the travel solo, booking onto detour to visit the nearby chateaux, that extra piece small group trips with a of cake at lunchtime! For those looking for a little mixture of couples, other solo travellers and groups more independence, self-guided travel provides the of friends. It’s a great way to meet opportunity for you to explore things in your own like-minded people who share the same way. And of course, we take care of your luggage passion for travel.