FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you cannot find the answer you are looking for below, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team via the contact form and they will be happy to assist you.

Pricing & Financial

Is my money safe booking with The Slow Cyclist?

Yes, in accordance with travel industry regulations, your booking is financially protected and in the unlikely event of our insolvency you would receive a 100% refund. We partner with Trust My Travel to provide this independent protection for you. Within 5 weeks of booking you will receive an email directly from Trust My Travel which confirms this. You do not need to do anything other than quickly check that email and notify us if there are any factual inaccuracies. You can find further information on these website pages including how to check that you are covered and what to do in the event that you need to make a claim: About Us – Trust Protects and Protection – Trust Protects.

Are you registered with ATOL or ABTA?

No. We are not ATOL licensed because we do not provide flights for our guests. The only reason for being associated with ABTA is to provide financial security to our guests and we do this through membership of Trust My Travel.

What was your approach to guest money during Covid?

When Covid struck, we were forced to half all our holidays. This meant offering all those who booked to travel with us the choice of a 100% refund within 14 days or delaying travel to such a time when it would be possible again. The vast majority of our guests chose to delay travel, although where we were required to provide a refund we did so quickly and without fuss. Should a similar situation arise, we would do the same again.

Does any of my money go to charitable causes?

Yes. Each year we donate 1% of our revenue to causes aligned with our values. In 2022, we donated the vast majority to Hope & Homes for Children’s Ukraine Appeal but we also supported Association Yoyo who build a home for the stray dogs and cats that they rescue in and around their village in Transylvania.

What is included in the cost of your trips?

We include as much as we possibly can in the price of our trips. Over the years, many of our guests have told us what a joy it is not to have to reach for their wallet or even think about money while they are travelling with us because everything is paid for up front. So the prices you see advertised on our website and in our brochures almost always represent the sum total of what you’ll spend on our trips. Of course, please check the “Excluded” section of specific brochures.

Private Journeys

What is the difference between booking a private and a scheduled journey?

On Scheduled Journeys you do not need to worry about getting a group of friends together. We do the hard work for you. You can find our Scheduled Journeys listed here.

Private Journeys are exactly as you might expect; an opportunity for ultimate flexibility as you travel with friends and/or family.

That really is the only difference.

I would like to travel privately. What is the optimum group size?

Most of our private groups number between 8 and 12, although we do host a number of smaller parties each year. We rarely host groups of more than 14, although we have had fun organising a few milestone birthdays over the years. We once took over an entire village in Transylvania for a 60th birthday. That was a highlight.

Do you do corporate and incentive travel?

Yes. We often receive approaches from corporates. If we think we can do a great job we are more than happy to partner and create an amazing experience for you and your colleagues. Sometimes we do so in destinations not listed on our website.

Are you able to organise milestone events, like big birthdays?

Absolutely, we love a party and have facilitated a few milestone events for our guests over the years. Several of the properties and villages we know well are perfectly suited to large gatherings of friends and family.

Are your holidays suitable for young families?

We love hosting families. However, whilst most of our destinations are fantastic for young children, some are not. Please contact us to get further information.

Scheduled Journeys

If I book a Scheduled Journey, is it guaranteed to depart?

No. We tend to guarantee a Scheduled Journey will depart when there are around six Slow Cyclists booked. That said, it does vary so if you would like to know the status of a particular trip, do contact us.

All that said, it is incredibly rare that we do not end up running a trip that is advertised on our website.

How many people make up a scheduled journey?

We tend to set our group size for Scheduled Journeys at a maximum of 12 in most destinations. For certain trips it may be smaller for logistical reasons, and very occasionally it may be up to 14, never more.

There are no dates on your website that work for me. What are my options?

Very often we are contacted by single travellers, couples or small groups who wish to travel on dates that are not listed on our website. If they do not wish to travel privately, we often take the booking for specific dates and commit to making up the remainder of the group.

How do you know everyone on a Scheduled Journey will get on?

Slow Cyclists tend to be cut from the same – or at least a similar – cloth. We have very rarely, if ever, put together a group that did not get on. It is far more common that new friendships are formed and future travel partners are met!

While Travelling

Where are the best places and times of year to see wildflowers?

Of all our destinations, Transylvania is the most famous for its wildflowers. Nevertheless, our other destinations are also beautiful. If you are particularly eager to see wildflowers in bloom please contact us and we can talk you through your options.

Do I need to be a keen cyclist?

No. Most of our guests would not describe themselves as cyclists. They like cycling and exploring new places without being stuck behind a car windscreen. That said, you need to be comfortable riding a bike up- and downhill and some of the places we take our guests require higher levels of confidence than others.

Which of your trips require the most experience on a bike?

The vast majority of places we take our guests are suitable for all ages and levels of cyclist. That said, in Rwanda, Transylvania, Bucovina, Abruzzo and South Africa there are significant sections of dirt road or off-road cycling that require good balance and a degree of confidence. Our guides everywhere are skilled at spotting those who require a little more help. Importantly, a support vehicle is always available to drive you through any sections you do not wish to cycle.

FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you cannot find the answer you are looking for below, please do not hesitate to contact our friendly team via the contact form and they will be happy to assist you.

Pricing & Financial

Private Journeys

Scheduled Journeys

While Travelling

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