After you browse our tours, narrow your choices, and finally book your bicycle vacation, your travel planning begins. To help you navigate this journey, we have compiled a comprehensive and chronological pre-trip planning checklist for you to consult once you book your tour.
The following list assumes a long lead time on planning your travels, so if you book your tour closer to the departure date, you’ll just need to compress these steps. You will find this information included in all of our tour itinerary packets, so you’ll always have it handy.
Do this as soon as you book your tour
| o | Read through your booking confirmation and follow the links we sent to you as they contain important information we’d like you to know. For example the “After you book” link will give you a great overview of the most frequently asked questions and what to expect next to help you plan your trip! |
| o | Check the date on your passport. The expiration date should extend six months past your date of return to your home country. If you find you need to renew it, start the process as soon as possible to allow for potential delays, and so you have it ready once you start booking flights and other travel. |
| o | Complete the Customer Information Form (CIF). This form helps us collect/re-confirm important details as we plan your trip. It also covers the required legal release. |
| o | We recommend you take out travel insurance. Start looking now, research policies and be sure you are aware of any potential deadlines to gain extra benefits that might be more expensive when added on later. Start with our information page on travel insurance. |
| o | Start thinking about getting in shape for your chosen tour level and choose a bicycle training program. Learn more about your destination, take a look at hotels and find other tips and recommendations as you browse around on our Travel Planning Pages. |
| o | Learn more about your destination, take a look at hotels and find other tips and recommendations as you browse around on our Travel Planning Pages. |
6 to 3 months before your tour start date
| o | Refer to your Tour Packet to see step-by-step arrival and departure information for your tour, meeting place and time, if a reservation on a complimentary ExperiencePlus! shuttle is required (when applicable), and other important information to help you plan your tour arrival and departure. Start making those arrangements. |
| o | You may reserve your flights once your departure is confirmed. See how you can get help with finding your perfect flight itinerary. |
| o | Download your training plan and start training. |
| o | Book any desired pre- and post-nights at tour hotels. We’re happy to help with this! Just reach out. (Gravel Explorer tours excluded.) |
| o | Final payment for your departure is due 90 days (120 days for Bike & Boat tours) prior to the tour start. Please refer to your Invoice and the Final Payment Reminder e-mail we send 10 days prior to the due date for detailed instructions. |
6 to 2 weeks before your tour start date
| o | Start reading one of the books or watching one of the movies from our Reading and Movie Lists. |
| o | Start packing! Refer to our Packing List for tips on what to bring, or not, and for luggage size and weight restrictions. |
| o | Check your email for final departure information. About two weeks before your tour, we’ll email you an access code to your tour’s RideWithGPS Experience. This app-based program is free to use and houses all your relevant tour information like cultural information and details on daily rides, your hotel itinerary, participant roster, Tour Leader contact information, emergency numbers and more! As a bonus, GPS-tracks are provided but are not necessary for navigation on Classic, Expedition and Bike & Boat tours. |
Day of your flight
| o | Pack one day’s worth of cycling gear (including your helmet) in your carry-on. Helmets can be clipped to the outside of a bag or backpack. |
| o | Get as much sleep on the plane as you can. |
| o | Hydrate |
| o | See you soon! |