Portugal - Coastal Explorer Tour - Self Guided

After completing a recent 10 day trip with Al and Vicky in Sicily, I regret the five star review, because I would make it more like seven. I honestly believe GCA doesn’t play up their advantages as much as they should. There was tremendous value adds all through the trip. Don’t look at the price and say “I can get a bike on my own and do it for less”. Perhaps you could, but you wouldn’t have any idea how much you were missing out on in the process. The organization was top shelf, but there were also opportunities to be independent at times if you choose to do so. Always supportive, but never overbearing, GCA does an amazing job of sincerely caring that you have enjoyed yourself. Highly recommend.

The coffee/dining experiences and the introduction to the amazing history and sites on the trails were 100% rewarding. Definitely appreciated the very solid and reliable modern mountain e-bikes. Each day's hot and hilly biking was rewarded with superb accommodation, with rest and swim time included in the program. I can thoroughly recommend this tour. Thank you, Al and Vicky Cran, for this great trip, and for providing much laughter and enjoyment.

This ride (Sicily) with Global Cycling Adventures was so easy. All details and the full itinerary were on hand in plenty of time to book corresponding travel. Any changes were notified well in advance, and proved to be an advantage. The local owner/guide, Danielle, and team were totally organised and expected timely attendance at daily start times... which was beneficial for all.

Every day was a new adventure - biking around the coast, then in the mountains, then around volcanoes... then rafting, then visiting national parks... friggin' amazing. Only problem now is... which of Global Cycling Adventures' trips to look into next year???

I just returned from a cycling trip with Global Cycling Adventures in Sicily. . I have to say that it was the one of the best company and people I have used for this type of trip. From the beginning process , Al and Vicky were responsive to all questions. They were always available. The hotels, bikes, local staff, excursions food were the best. I highly recommend them if you want a first class bike trip with no worries! Can’t wait to go again.

Well organised, great communication with an awesome bunch of kiwis!

The tour was extremely well organised and every detail was expertly taken care of. The Tour Guides were top notch and absolute professionals in their roles. The bikes were new or near new which was as you would hope but not always the case on a bike tour. Costa Rica was spectacular and I loved every minute of my time there. I’m looking for my next Global Cycling Adventure…

This tour was a comfortably epic, active-relaxer-type holiday. We saw more of Costa Rica than anyone could under their own steam. The guides were incredible. For a few of us who went and were a little concerned it might be too much on the bike... we were soon at ease, knowing it was biking for the experience of being in different parts of Costa Rica and Panama. It wasn't heads-down-and-race - it was explore: take in the countryside, the people, the scenery, grab photos, eat and drink (very) well.

After 6 trips with Global Cycling this has to be up with the best! Mike our guide was outstanding. This tour was unforgettable, enough excitement without being dangerous, with very good quality hotels, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.

This was my first major overseas trip, and WOW what an experience. The trip was really well organised. I felt safe all the time, and the guides made sure that they took excellent care of us. We always knew what was happening and the non-cycling excursions were fantastic. I can't wait to do my next trip!

Excellent tour great to have 2 days at some places! Good mates and loads of fun! Rene was amazing - seems to really enjoy seeing the regular faces, always cheerful and ready to help!

The Croatian Islands are truly beautiful, each one with its own unique feel. We were lucky, due to an itinerary change, to also see the island of Brac. We met a great group of people on the tour and shared so much fun & laughter with them.The ceaseless attention and hard work of our guides (Toni & Josh) and their support crew (Captain Pave & his team) ensured that the week was absolutely amazing!

The trip was, as expected, fantastic. Weather great, food great, company great, and fabulous accommodation. It was nice to be able to get in from a long days ride, and have a nana nap in a really nice hotel. ... on the last day I rode one of the new fangled e-bikes for the last stage into Santiago, and am now a convert. My road bike will probably never go on another tour. What a revelation. ... So in closing, probably one of the best tours I’ve been, I thoroughly enjoyed it and would absolutely recommend it to anyone.

I keep coming back because of the excellent service and results. They truly care about their clients and it shows in their work.

Great experience overall! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, making the process smooth and enjoyable. I am very satisfied with the results.

Fantastic service! I was impressed by how quickly they responded to my inquiries and the quality of the final product. Highly recommend!

Excellent trip. I can't give Jo (tour leader) enough praise for the job he did and the support he gave us. The conditions for the majority of our trip were really challenging (weather-wise), and he was always there with a positive and friendly attitude. Ten stars!!! Lorna (guide) was incredible plus her salads were divine. The day cycling through Edinburgh was amazing, I so loved it in every way. The history, the miles of cycle paths - we went straight through the city center - just fabulous. I also loved Scone Palace for tea and scones, and cycling into Bettyhill - a relaxed day of beautiful scenery and easy riding. Guide lunches and snacks fantastic - so thoughtful and tasty for hungry riders!!

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Had an epic trip.

Well organised, great food, super accommodation, brilliant  guides.

Bloody amazing Weather.

So pretty happy.

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Super well organised - guide’s were very attentive to us all.

Super weather 1hr of rain for the whole 22days - John-o Groats was 14 degrees sunny, no wind,  beautiful.

Well fed - morning and afternoon teas and lunches too.

Well worth the effort.

A great way to see the country at a slower pace.

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Andrew and I enjoyed our time in Madagascar immensely. The team were very well organised (in the context of the general chaos that is Madagascar!)

Naina, Tina, Fenu and Tulca were all excellent, and went to great lengths to make sure that we were having the best experience possible.

The route was very interesting and traversed evolving landscapes and communities as we headed South.

The rides were interspersed with non-riding days, that had hikes or interesting stopovers and/or gave us exposure to native flora and fauna.

The team provided excellent fresh food each day, with great variety and plenty.

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“We would highly recommend Global Cycling Adventures golf tour to Scotland. Our trip was very well organized playing a range of challenging Links courses on Scotland’s East Coast.

The Hotels, transport and staff were superb. A golf enthusiasts dream come true!”

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It was our first tour and was way above expectations---thank you

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The overall experience was wonderful. A mix of fantastic scenery, daily exertion on the bikes, excellent tour guides who blended history ,geography and language with ensuring all participants were treated well.

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This is a thank you and a huge recommendation to anyone interested in seeing Croatia the way we did with Global Adventure Guide. Everything about our trip in September was perfect, the boat, the guides, the food, the riding and Croatia itself was awesome. Our global adventure was brilliant!!

I enjoyed the Croatia bike and sail tour very much - making new friends, learning to e-bike and the beautiful warm clear azure blue sea are great memories of the trip for me.

The guides and crew were exceptional on our tour. I can’t say enough about how pleasant they all were.

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The tour guides and all crew made the experience exceptional. We chose this tour so that I had the option of either the Ebike or ordinary and ended up deciding each day which I would choose depending on the climbs.

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Fellow cyclists were a great bunch, we were lucky that we all got on so well, a lot of laughs. The most clearest of water and to be able to swim off the back of the boat, fab.

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Our special experience was the close encounter with the Lemurs at small nature reserve of Anja exceeded expectations.
Mora Mora.

The group was very good, good atmosphere and help from all participants.

The whole tour was fantastic. Loved the food/culture/people and of course the bike riding. The support from staff during the tour was beyond the call of duty and the local guides were wonderful.

It was excellent! Our tour leader was helpful on every front, plus we had 5 others as part of the support team. They all worked really well together, were lovely and made things seamless for us. We ate really well, the lunches they prepared for us on the road were great, I might even say they were the best I had on a cycling tour. The restaurants they picked for the restaurant meals were good choices to give us some variety.
The routes were generally good, giving us a nice variety of landscapes and towns. To my surprise (I’m not much into hiking) I enjoyed the hikes and parks on the non-cycling days, particularly the latter 2. I wanted lemurs and I got many as well as cool other creatures in those parks as well as in our stay at Camp Catta (great location).
Our group got along really well & friendships were made. Anyway, it was a great trip, I am really happy with the experience. So a big thank you for everything!

I have done a few bike trips with GCA and Costa Rica/Panama lived up to the usual high standards. We had excellent care and service from the local guide (Mike) and his crew. The biking highlight for me was descending the Irazú volcano, a drop of some 2000 meters on excellent road. Some non riding highlights would be Ziplining through the tropical rainforest.

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The Costa Rica/Panama cycle tour was a magnificent blend of biking and exploring these two countries hitting all the high points, from sandy beaches on the coast to active volcanoes in the interior as well as numerous other activities, including rafting, exploring wildlife in the immense jungles and of course the canal; couldn't think of a better way to do it, Global Cycling put together a truly memorable itinerary. Amazing to think what was packed in to just two weeks!

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I want to give a big shout out to Ralph and Global Cycling Adventures (GCA) for the recent bike tour through Costa Rica and into Panama. This was our second tour with GCA (following a tour through Vietnam and into Cambodia back in 2019). My wife and I joined the Costa Rica tour with 15 others and had a blast. Throw some zip-lining and white water rafting in and there was something new and different every day. A highly recommended this tour for those who want to experience Central America through Costa Rica into Panama via MTB.

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Enjoyed the Gobi Desert with visits to Flaming Red Cliffs and Singing Dunes. The friendly locals and the little 'treats' they gave us.

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An amazing experience for a keen mountain biker who has been with Global Adventures for several trips throughout the world and for years to come. My wife also loves the way she is catered for as a non-biker. The experience starts with the promotional material, then the detailed notes, the trip itself and the final celebratory dinner.

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This trip was an awesome adventure to a very special unique country. The nomadic people showed us how simple yet rewarding life can be, in what can be a very harsh environment.

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A very special challenging 3 weeks spent in a gorgeous part of the world with awesome company. To quote the feelers "It's as good as it gets".

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Fantastic trip. Cycling the HCM trail was superb. We understand many of the cycling trips are only down the southern coastal route but the northern sector from HaNoi down the HCM trail is a must. Highly recommend Global Adventure.

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The whole thing was special for us, we had a great time. Great group of people.

Ajaccio to Calvi was one of the best road rides I've done anywhere, Excellent mountain roads, well graded climbs, coupled with great scenery, through a world heritage area & overlooking the Mediterranean.The Sardinian Island of San Pietro was nice riding and very interesting from a traditional cultural perspective.Robert, our guide was extremely helpful and looked after the riders very well. He was attentive but still allowed us to do our own thing. VERY safety conscious which is crucial.

The wonderful scenery & the choice of towns/cities were well researched. We both had a great time.

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Our special experience: Mingling with the "real" people of Africa and realising how lucky we are in NZ. Our in- house quote was DIA, meaning 'dis is Africa!

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Twice on tour I had the best day of my life!

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The people were wonderful - so friendly, the children would run from far in the fields to see us on our bikes for lots of high 5's. The game drives were amazing, we saw so much in Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara...I loved Tanzania and this experience got me out of my comfort zone

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If you could hand pick your group you would never come up with a team like this one. The biking is the catalyst but it was so much fun that some days, the face and the sides hurt more than the legs.
It seemed that most of the time there was a thrilling view or a surprise around every corner.
The inclusion of some iconic cultural and heritage sites into the program is a highlight.

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So many special experiences with lots of "Firsts" ie. 141kms in one day!!!! Klaus and Sabine's dedication to us, making it such an awesome experience with their ongoing help in explaining and interpreting local customs and language.

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If you want a tour where every day is different, the scenery stunning and the distances long enough that you have earned that extra piece of apple strudel then this is the tour for you!

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The trip exceeded my expections and we all loved Hoa. He was perfect for our group! Even the things out of our control (weather, flights being on time, etc) went perfect.

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We had an amazing time on our trip and would like to take this opportunity to say how great the three guides were. They looked after us so well, providing snacks, checking our bikes and ensuring that our experiences were outstanding. I have no hesitation in recommending this tour and the Halong Bay trip to anyone that will listen. Thank you to you for your part in the organization of our trip as well.

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I thought the Island of Corsica was the highlight. Cycling predominately near the coastline,and the deep blue of the Mediteranean was very picturesque. Looking forward to the next trip.

Everything was done very well. South Africa is a magical destination for cyclists.

The e-bikes certainly enhanced our enjoyment of the spectacular journey this tour offers. Totally would recommend e-bikes on this tour!

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Overall the tour was excellent!

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My special experience of the tour was: My decision to go with the ebike. Great experience using the Stromer. Made my holiday very enjoyable.

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The whole tour was fantastic. Loved the food/culture/people and of course the bike riding. The support from staff during the tour was beyond the call of duty and the local guides were wonderful.

Destination excellent, fellow passengers like a family outing, very congenial atmosphere.

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Fantastic experience and great scenery.

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Great fun and a wonderful way to sight-see.

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Top notch, as good as it gets. A very special trip spreading the Kiwi love.

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We had an awesome time in both Bhutan & Sikkim. The cycling was hard in both places - either up or down - there is no flat - but the scenery, people, culture etc. made all the effort worthwhile.

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The guides and crew were exceptional on our tour. I can’t say enough about how pleasant they all were.

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A great blend of adventure, fun and social activity!

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What an incredible romp through Bavaria and along the Danube! An amazing journey of changing sights and sounds, whether biking through meadows accompanied to the sound of cow bells, past castle ruins, under historic Abbeys, through vineyards, or alongside the mighty Danube it was never a dull moment.