Programme and features of our Rotalis cycling trips
Our cycling tour programme for 2020 offers a diverse range of 25 Rotalis cycling trips and 6 partner tours. The duration of the tours ranges from 7 to 16 days, the maximum number of participants for the SMALL + REFINED tour are 15 people, 16 people for the PEDELEC tours and 19 people for the CLASSIC tours. An exception to this are the cycling tours carried out with our contract partners with up to 20 people, as well as the Bike & ship tours with up to 42 participants. You will mostly be cycling away from traffic in enchanting nature on routes, of which some cannot even be found on detailed maps. Sections which are unsuitable for cycling will be bridged by bus, train or ship. Details about the daily stages as well as on the track characteristics can be found in the description of the respective journey.
Is this type of guided cycling trip suitable for me?
The average age of our journey participants ranges between 50 and 75 years. But it has become apparent time and again that our journeys also appeal to the younger generation. Rotalis tours are not cosy strolls, but they do not meet the requirements of athletic enthusiasts either. They comply more with the performance capacity of a trained cyclist, who would like a challenge but would also like to enjoy the cycling tour and the surrounding landscape. Route sections in unsuitable terrain or during very bad weather conditions are bridged by a transfer. A rainy day has rarely had a lasting negative impact on a cycling holiday or affected its value of recreation.
One should generally take into consideration that a cycling tour is a form of travel which requires more physical co-operation (cycling) but also an increased sense of improvisation (e.g. during rainfall, bicycle breakdown) and flexibility than during a conventional package holiday. You should be able to control your bicycle so well, that you are able to concentrate on the traffic and are also confident to travel on natural paths or during wet weather. It is up to you to decide whether you are in suitable health for the challenges of such a cycling tour and a long-distance journey. In cases of doubt, please contact your physician. Our cycling routes are generally manageable without any problems for leisure cyclists of all ages who are in good health and have a spark of sportsmanship. Do not hesitate to have a rest and to make use of the accompanying bus in order to regain one’s strength.
Flight information
The journey to Cuba includes the stated long distance flights. Connecting flights can be additionally booked depending on availability. Flights for all the other journeys can be offered on request. Depending on the available booking class, flight tickets must be issued approx. four weeks before journey commencement (a rebooking / reimbursement is no longer possible after this), or the flight tickets must be issued immediately, without any claim for reimbursement. Flights are generally booked in the Economy Class. Upgrades to higher classes can be additionally booked for a surcharge and depending on availability.
IMPORTANT: Before booking your flight yourself, please make sure that the necessary number of participants has been attained and that the flight times coordinate with the travel programme. It is not possible for Rotalis to refund the costs of the flight when the journey has been cancelled due to the minimum number of participants not being attained (see Terms and conditions §9).
Flight tickets must be issued with the names and surnames stated in the guests’ passport or personal identity document. Transport can be refused by the airline in the event of deviations.
Hotels
Every day ends in a pleasant comfortable way in one of over 200 good to very good hotels with a three- and four star category and some five star hotels. One will only reside in a simple hotel in exceptional cases. A re-booking at short notice can be necessary under certain circumstances (also into a simpler hotel if necessary), due to the usual daily changing of hotels.
Lunch
Your guided cycling holiday is booked based on half-board. Overnight stays, breakfast as well as the multiple course dinners are already included in the travel price. An exception to this is a lunch break in selected restaurants along the cycling route as well as the picnics lovingly prepared by your accompanying driver. Costs for the lunch breaks and picnics are laid out by your accompanying driver. These costs are then proportionally split between the travel group at the end of the journey. We ask you for your understanding that the calculation cannot be made according to the actual consumption of each traveller, but is equally split for all members of the travel group.
Service on-site
Our accompanying team is one of the special features that Rotalis has as a cycling trip organiser. With heart and mind, our guests are looked after, taken care of, and pampered with culinary delights. If you have any reasons for complaint, please contact your travel guide as soon as possible, who will do his/her best to provide assistance on-site.
Booking procedure
Your registration can take place either with the form at the back of the catalogue, or online at www.rotalis.com. It is appropriate to make a prior consultation by phone involving availability and a pre-reservation regarding the requested booking. After receipt of your registration, you will receive our confirmation of participation as soon as possible as well as a brochure with detailed travel information. With the confirmation of participation, a deposit of 20% of the travel price is due, and the final amount is due two to three weeks before the commencement of the journey with the dispatch of the final travel documents (guest list, luggage tags, flight tickets if necessary, etc.).
Minimum number of participants
The following minimum number of participants applies to our group cycling tours: Tours in Europe: 8, Long distance journeys: 10, Bike & ship rides: 20 people. Journey cancellations on the grounds of the minimum number of participants not being attained takes place five weeks before the commencement of the journey at the latest.
Availability of Pedelecs
We have a limited amount of Pedelecs on offer for all our journeys. We empathise with our guests and try our best to fulfil each of their requests, but we do however also ask you for your understanding should this request not be possible to fulfil. Furthermore, you will also be able to participate in various tours which are implemented as exclusive Pedelec tours.
Mixed groups – standard bikes and Pedelecs
Cycling with motor assistance is a pleasant and enjoyable experience, creating care-free travel for the group. This is why we have a limited amount of E-bikes on offer on all our tours, as all cyclists are welcome at Rotalis! Our cycling friends take each other into consideration and our travel guides are trained to specify a speed tempo to suit all the guests. We ask you for your understanding that an E-bike travels faster on a mountain; but our E-bikers also show their consideration for the “standard bikers” and will wait together after a mountainous cycling stage. Cycling is an enjoyment for all, and there is no room for stress while on a holiday.
- Why do we offer cycling trips with mixed groups?
- Mixed groups mean a higher guarantee of implementation à journeys only have to be cancelled occasionally
- Less athletic cyclists are also able to enjoy the fabulous Rotalis cycling moments
- E-bikers travel with the group, they do not rush. This is not only ensured by our travel guides, but also by the Rotalis cyclists.
- A shared enjoyment of a fabulous cycling experience: Those cycling with muscle strength enjoy the moments he/she has managed by his/her own strength. The E-biker is happy to experience the Rotalis travel experience with assistance.
One’s own bike
If you would like to bring your own bicycle (conventional bike/Pedelec), then please take note of the following specifications: Max. 28 inch tyre diameter, tyre width max. 4cm, wheelbase max. 117 cm. If your bicycle happens to exceed these measurements, then transport with the Rotalis team cannot be guaranteed and if necessary be denied on-site by the travel guide. It is not always possible to avoid damages during loading and unloading as well as during transport with the bicycles on the trailer. Meticulous attention is always given to the safety of the bicycles. Theft however cannot be excluded. Rotalis cannot assume any liability for not wilfully inflicted damage or in the case of theft. Those travelling with their own bicycles have no right to claim any discount of the travel price. In the case of a break-down, your travel guide will be happy to assist where possible. Rotalis travel guides are not responsible for the charging of the batteries of your own Pedelec.
Levels of difficulty
All the Rotalis guided cycling tours are planned so that they are well manageable for a trained cyclist to travel on. Extremely difficult cycling tours are not offered by Rotalis. Our support vehicle is also available during steeper ascents.
The levels of difficulty refer to the average requirements of each respective journey. The subjective perception of each traveller may of course differ from this.
1 – Easy cycling without any considerable ascents, almost only on asphalt.
2 – Easily manageable daily stages with short ascents, partly on natural paths.
3 – Easy to moderately difficult journey, occasional ascents.
4 – Moderately difficult journey in hilly terrain, partly with longer ascents.
5 – Very challenging route with many long ascents.
Bicycle helmet
Although it is only obligatory to wear a helmet in Spain, we highly recommend you to always wear a helmet. Falls are rare, but a helmet can significantly decrease the risk of a severe head injury.
Information regarding traffic
Guided cycling tours on public roads with hardly any traffic are only seldom possible. Thanks to thorough and continuously updated route exploration, you will be able to enjoy your cycling trip away from general traffic to a large extent. A summary of the route characteristics can be found for every tour.
Travel insurance
Please take note that significant costs can arise in the case of a journey cancellation. We therefore strongly recommend taking out travel insurance, which, in the case of a journey cancellation, protects you on the grounds of an illness, an accident or another compelling elementary event. (Please refer to the conditions of the insurance company). If you would like to take out travel insurance via Rotalis, then please click here for further information.