Iron Donkey Guided, Supported Group Bike Tours

The Iron Donkey program of guided supported tours open up the magnificent Iron Donkey biking routes to those who prefer to tour with others in the company of a knowledgeable local guide. Guided tours have scheduled departures and are generally one week long. We have several itineraries – whichever one you choose, you won’t be disappointed!

If you are unsure whether to choose a guided tour or a self-guided tour, then the information below should help you to arrive at the right decision. If you still have questions, contact us and we will be happy to give you a call.

The main advantages of a group tour are:

1. The greater security that comes with a group tour appeals to those who may not be entirely comfortable with the idea of traveling unsupported in new and unfamiliar surroundings.
   
   
2. The presence of a sag wagon means that you do not have to worry about having to complete a route if the weather turns nasty, it the hills become a bit too challenging, or if lunch has proved a bit more indulgent than was strictly necessary or prudent. Again, a lack of knowledge of basic bicycle mechanics is not a problem on a group tour, but it does have the potential to cause headaches on a self-guided tour.
   
   
3. The group dynamics play a big part in a group tour, and many who have participated in group tours will assert that the dynamics and interactions between the participants provide one of the most enjoyable aspects of the whole experience. There is something about shared adventures on the road that breaks down barriers very effectively, and a group tour allows you to meet with people with whom you know you have at least one important characteristic in common – a passion for adventure travel.
   
   
4. Solo travelers can enjoy and appreciate a group tour as it enables them to meet new people, to make new friends and to share experiences over a beer or a glass of wine after dinner.
   
   
5. The flexibility with respect to the biking routes is ideal for couples or traveling companions where one has greater cycling experience and/or ambition then the other. While the more ambitious can test themselves on some of the route extensions, those inclined towards a more laid back lifestyle can content themselves with the core routes and can be relaxing with a book in the bath or in the bar when their partner eventually staggers into the hotel.
   
   
6. A guide who knows the region intimately is an obvious asset on any tour. Besides being a mine of information on the tour region, the guide will know the best places to eat lunch, the best pubs to go for music in the evenings, where to find internet access at eleven o’clock at night, the best place to get your laundry done…..and so on! The guide will also be on hand to answer your questions and to solve any problems that you may encounter along the way.

Does a guided group tour have any drawbacks when compared to a self-guided tour?

1. Group tours are scheduled, so you need to find a tour that fits with the dates when you are able to travel (as opposed to a self-guided tour which you can generally book to fit with your preferred dates).
   
   
2. Guided group tours are more expensive than self-guided tours. On a guided group tour you are paying towards the costs of the services of a guide and driver (and their accommodation), and for a sag vehicle. However, guided group tours also have most (if not all) evening meals, bike rental, and luggage transfers included in the price. When all these factors are taken into account the price difference is not nearly as marked as it first appears. We believe that our group tours are very competitively priced and represent excellent value.
   
   
3. There is, naturally, less independence on a guided group tour than on a self-guided tour. However the Iron Donkey group tours are long on flexibility and short on regimentation. If you have a mental picture of a column of cyclists leaving a hotel as the clock strikes eight in the morning, then erase it! You are free to ride as far as you want each day at your own rate, and to stop wherever and whenever you choose for as long as you like. And should you decide at any point that you have had enough for the day, then the sag wagon will appear as if by magic to pick up you and your bicycle and to whisk you on to the hotel.
   

Although there are slight variations in the details between individual tours, the fundamental components of all Iron Donkey guided group tours are the same:

1. The tours provide superb biking on very low traffic volume routes that take in the best of the scenery and visit all the sites of interest in the tour region.
   
   
2. A great deal of flexibility with regard to daily cycling options, making the group tours suitable for cyclists of all levels of experience.
   
   
3. Excellent accommodations that have been have been carefully selected not just for location, individuality, comfort, standards of service and (of course) quality of the food, but also for their ability to offer a genuine flavor of the region. We have built up excellent relationships with our accommodation providers over the seasons, and Iron Donkey groups are guaranteed the warmest of welcomes and first rate service wherever we stay. Your accommodations will provide one more highlight of your Iron Donkey tour experience.
   
   
4. High quality bikes and equipment. Travel by bicycle is a wonderful experience - but the level of enjoyment is directly related to the quality and condition of the bicycle you are riding. The Iron Donkey provides excellent quality bicycles that are ideally suited to the routes you will ride and that are scrupulously maintained and serviced before every tour. We carry a wide range of frame sizes, and you can choose between dropped and straight handlebars. If you prefer, you can bring your own favorite saddle and /or pedals to be fitted to your rental bike. We also carry tandems (for Ireland tours only).
   
   
5. A guide who not only possesses a comprehensive and intimate knowledge of the region, but who is also committed to ensuring that your Iron Donkey tour experience is everything that you had hoped that it would be, and more. This is one new friend that you can be certain of making during your tour!
   
   
6. Excellent food. We believe that a day spent in the saddle entitles you to treat yourself at the dinner table in the evening – and the fare on offer will not disappoint! The trick is to is in discipline yourself to exercise sufficient self-restraint so that you don’t overcompensate for your energy expenditure on the bicycle and finish the week five pounds heavier than you started.
   
   
7. Easy access to your tour. Tours are designed so that is generally a very straightforward process to get to and away from the tour by public transport (train, bus or taxi) whatever your points of arrival in and departure from the country. We will be happy to advise you on the alternatives for getting to and from the tour that best fit with your particular travel arrangements.
   
   
8. Fun (and plenty of it)!

Is an Iron Donkey guided tour for you?

It would be impossible to pin down the “typical” rider on an Iron Donkey guided group tour. We have riders of all ages, occupations, religions (including none), and interests. They all share a love of the outdoors and most, if not already hooked on bicycle travel before coming on a tour, are almost certainly hooked by the end. The tours attract both riders with a great deal of experience and riders who only get on a bicycle once in a blue moon. There are couples, solos (generally about one in three places on a tour would be taken by a solo rider), family members, and groups of friends. Characteristics common to all who sign up for a tour is an enjoyment of the outdoors and an appreciation of the bicycle as a great way to see and experience the countryside. A sense of humour is also an asset!

If you are still unsure whether a guided group tour is for you, then contact us and we will be happy to forward a couple of email contacts for riders who have experienced the Iron Donkey’s particular brand of guided tours. Hopefully they will be in a position to give you an objective view of what to expect from a tour.