How to Choose a Cycling Tour: Our Top Guide’s 6 Tips to Getting it Right
There’s a whole world to discover on our small-group cycling tours. How about tackling the tea hills of Sri Lanka? Or riding the coastal paths of Portugal? Maybe the infamously tough climbs of Albania? Picking the right trip will maximise your enjoyment, but how do you choose a cycling tour that matches your fitness, riding style and interests?
That’s where João Colaço comes in, our 2025 Tour Leader of the Year. João is a dedicated cycling leader from Portugal, guiding two of our most popular European cycling tours: Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride and Lisbon to Algarve Ride.
Over his time with Exodus, he’s developed a reputation as a standout guide, combining meticulous planning, expert local knowledge, humour, and warm hospitality. Plus, his cycling knowledge is second to none. Now, he’s here to show you how to choose a cycling tour that matches your fitness and interests. Lead on, João.
João’s Top Tips for Picking the Right Cycling Trip
If you’re wondering how to choose a cycling tour, there are plenty of things you could think about. Instead, concentrate on these six essentials, chosen by cycling expert João.
1. Consider your fitness (and train before you go)
Understanding the difficulty of the trip is fundamental to choosing the correct adventure for you. To make things easy, all Exodus adventures are assigned an Activity Level, which provides an excellent insight into how challenging the trip will be. Additionally, the Trip Notes detail the daily distances, ascents and descents. So, assess your fitness and pick the Activity Level that matches your current abilities.
Once you’ve booked your spot, remember that training for your adventure is the best way to maximise your enjoyment. On most trips, we also offer the option to upgrade to an e-bike, which can help you to enjoy an easier ride.
2. Be honest about your cycling experience
All small-group cycling holidays require a certain level of cycling experience, which varies according to the Activity Level. Matching your experience to your trip will ensure you maximise your enjoyment and ultimately keep you safe.
Tougher routes require more experience and, while all our trips are designed with your safety in mind, it’s important to know the basic safety rules for riding and how to handle the terrain. Of course, you can always count on the help of your guides, and your experienced tour leader will brief you in detail on what you need to know. From the tour leader to the vehicle support, they are there for you.
3. If in doubt, pick an easier trip
On our trips, people are normally looking to challenge themselves in a healthy way, which is fantastic. But remember, you’re there to enjoy yourself! You don’t want to overestimate your fitness or cycling skills, as this will impact your experience.
In my experience, it’s better to choose a trip with a lower Activity Level and take steps to improve your skills than go higher and compromise the main goal: fun! If you’re in any doubt, contact the Exodus office for advice – it’s full of experienced cyclists.
4. Consider your riding style
There are many different cycling styles, so think about what suits you best. Beginners typically prefer flatter rides, while those with plenty of experience often want to test themselves against challenging hills or climb up to mountain passes. You should also look at the terrain: do you prefer to only ride on paved roads? Or do you want to get into nature by tackling gravel paths?
It’s therefore essential you read the Trip Notes before choosing a tour. Exodus provides a day-by-day itinerary, detailing what you can expect – reading this is fundamental to having an unforgettable trip.
5. Check the off-the-saddle experiences
Cycling tours aren’t always about riding from A to B, particularly with Exodus, when you’re guided by a local tour leader who’s an expert on the culture and keen to share their world with you.
For example, on the Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride, I begin the trip with a walk through the historic centre of Porto, before we enjoy a guided wine tasting in a traditional port wine cellar. There’s also free time to relax by the beach and explore the Leiria Pine Forest, where local schools and communities, supported by the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, are replanting trees after a devastating fire in 2017.
6. Don’t forget about the accommodation
Accommodation makes all the difference when it comes to cycling tours. Of course, the quality of the hotels matter (all Exodus trips have Comfort Level ratings to help you with that); but of equal importance is how many different accommodations you have.
On some trips, you change hotel every night. This allows you to explore further, test yourself against different terrains and see varied landscapes.
On others, you’ll stay in one place for longer, allowing you to explore a single area deeper, unpack your luggage fewer times, and really settle into the hotel.
One is not better than the other, it just depends on what type of experience you’d prefer.
Small-group cycling tours for every level of cyclist
So, you’ve considered the essentials… now it’s time to find your trip. To make things easy, we’ve picked out some of our top cycling adventures and divided them by experience level. There’s sure to be an adventure you love with Exodus.
Best cycling holidays for beginners
For your first cycling adventure, consider one of our trips rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). You’ll still need to be reasonably fit, as we ride from three to five hours per day, but there’s more down time and limited elevation gain. They’re an excellent opportunity to learn the basics of group cycling from an experienced tour leader, before you go on to tackle harder trips.
For a European adventure, consider Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride – you might have the pleasure of joining João. It’s one of our most popular cycling trips, allowing you to ride between two culture-rich cities by taking a relatively flat coastal route.
Alternatively, join Cycle the Coast of Kerala to experience the easy-going side of India, where you’ll find beautiful coasts and calm backwaters. Our Cuban Highlights Ride is also popular, allowing you to immerse yourself in this unique island nation with plenty of cultural activities to keep you busy off the saddle.
Porto to Lisbon Atlantic Ride
Follow scenic forest and ocean-side paths as you cycle the Atlantic coast of Portugal
Best cycling trips for intermediate riders
Are you a confident rider with good fitness and a few long rides under your belt? Our Activity Level 3 (Moderate) and Activity Level 4 (Moderate & Challenging) trips are perfect. Depending on the rating you pick, you’ll be on the saddle for five to seven hours a day and may tackle some bigger climbs.
You have plenty of options in the Exodus collection, but one of our most popular cycling trips, Cycling Vietnam, is always a winner. It takes you from bustling Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi with the chance to explore Vietnam beyond the guidebooks and enjoy an overnight cruise among the stunning limestone peaks of Ha Long Bay and a two-night stay on the tropical Whale Island.
Alternatively, cycle the heel of Italy’s boot on Cycling Puglia & Matera. It starts in the 10,000-year-old cave town of Matera, before you ride between beautiful villages, through country and along the coast. As with any trip to Italy, great food, wine and coffee accompany you throughout.
Option three is Cycle the Back Roads of Sri Lanka. It’s a well-balanced trip that combines riding in the tea hills and along the coast with an exploration of Sri Lanka’s highlights, including climbing the rock fortress of Sigiriya and enjoying a game drive in the lesser-visited Block 5 area of Yala National Park.
Cycling Vietnam
Ride from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi, witnessing Vietnam’s beauty unfold
Cycling adventures for experienced cyclists
If you know your derailleurs from your drivetrains, you might be ready for our Activity Level 5 (Challenging) adventures. You’ll be riding for six to eight hours a day, tackling longer distances (up to 75mi/120km) and tougher climbs. You might also tackle trickier terrain, which is when those training hours in the saddle pay off.
For the experienced road riders, Cycling in Albania offers a stunning variety of landscapes, from the soaring peaks of the Albanian Alps to the glittering Albanian Riviera. The welcome is warm in this part of the world, while the scenery is just reward for some tougher climbs.
Alternatively, head to the rugged Atlas Mountains for Cycle Morocco’s Great South. The adventure takes you from the Atlas peaks, including a challenging climb to the Tizi n’Test Pass, to the laidback seaside city of Essaouira. You’ll see the best of Morocco as you go − kasbahs, souks and traditional villages − before ending in pulsating Marrakech, the perfect spot to end an exciting cycling tour.
Cycling in Albania
Discover the beauty of this previously isolated country by bike
