Half Day | Wilderness Ride - Durban
Q. How long has Bike & Saddle been in business and who owns the company?
A. Bike & Saddle was founded in 2007 by a group of leading southern
Africa based active travel professionals, as a new and exciting
international brand within the eco-active travel market. They bring to
the business a combined professionalism, creativity and experience
spanning 27 years. The business is proudly South African, and based in
the fairest of cities, Cape Town.
Q. How can I reach Bike & Saddle?
A. You can e-mail us at trips@bikeandsaddle.com. You can also write, phone or fax us at:
PO Box 51196, Waterfront, Cape Town 8002 South Africa
tel: +27 21 813 6433
fax: +27 86 520 2216
Q. What do your trip prices include?
A.
- All accommodation
- All breakfasts, lunches and picnics and all dinners except for one,
when you’ll have the opportunity to sample local fare on your own
- Personal and professional services of our experienced guides
- Snacks and beverages between meals
- Additional guides and experts from the region on all trips
- Van shuttles to support a variety of route options
- Comprehensive Travel Planner with detailed pre-trip information
- Private guided tours at museums, historic sites, wineries and other select attractions
- Special events, including wine tastings and other select attractions as mentioned in the Travel Planner
- On biking and multisport trips, use of fully equipped Bike & Saddle composite bikes plus helmet and accessories
- Equipment and experienced guides for kayaking, rafting, snorkeling,
sailing, horse riding and canoeing as described in the Travel Planner
- All park and other entry fees
- All fares for trains, ferries and other modes of travel as listed in the Travel Planner
- Select coach transfers
- Baggage transfers and porterage
- Bike & Saddle T-Shirt and water bottle gift (only on multi-day trips)
Not
included: airfare, some alcoholic beverages (wines and sparkling wines
are mostly included), gratuities for trip leaders and personal expenses
Q. What kind of shape do I need to be in to enjoy my trip?
A. Bike & Saddle vacations are designed for all levels of bicyclists,
walkers and multisport enthusiasts. Some trips are more challenging than
others and we suggest that you refer to the Activity Level Options page
or talk to one of our Trip Consultants about your current activity
level and the type of adventure you're looking for. They’ll help you
pick the right trip for you. Call +27 21 813 6433 to speak to a Trip
Consultant daily from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. (GMT+2 local time).
Q. How should I train for my trip?
A. You’ll get the most enjoyment out of your adventure if you are
reasonably fit. Try running, hiking, swimming or other aerobic activity
for at least 20 minutes, three times a week, to help you stay in shape.
If you’re choosing a biking trip, the best training is to get out and
ride—hills and flats—several hours at a time on consecutive days. The
key is to just do it—and want to do it again the next day. Once you
reserve a vacation with us, we'll send you specific training tips for
your trip.
Q. How do you accommodate people of varying abilities?
A. On most days of your Bike & Saddle vacation, you’ll have a choice
of three mileage options. One day you might go for the most challenging.
The next day, you may take it easy by choosing the shortest route,
leaving more time for relaxation, exploration or mingling with the
locals. You and your fellow travelers may spread out over several miles*
or you may choose to ride or walk together. For your peace of mind, one
leader covers the route in a Bike and Saddle van, ready to offer
assistance, refreshments or a lift to the hotel (or campsite). *Special
rules apply for our Safari Cycle Trips where spreading-out is not an option.
Our
trips attract people of varying abilities so there’s typically someone
else traveling at your speed. This is ideal for friends and couples with
different paces; they can spend the day with similarly fit travelers
and then reunite for the evenings.
Q. How long will we be active each day?
A. It’s up to you to decide how far you want to travel. Depending on the
route options you choose and the pace you set, you’ll typically spend
three to five hours each day, biking or walking or—on our multisport
trips—engaging in a combination of biking and walking along with such
activities as kayaking, rafting or snorkeling.
The number of activity hours you can expect for each level per day:
Level 1: 2-4
Level 2: 3-5
Level 3: 4-6
Level 4: 5-7+
See our Route Rating info provided for each trip for more details about time and distance involved in each level.
Q. How do your leaders support the biking and walking routes?
A. On biking trips, one leader drives the support van,
sweeping the route several times during the day and providing lifts and
assistance as needed. Another leader rides the route, roving between
groups traveling at different speeds. On walking trips, one leader
usually takes the lead while the other brings up the rear. The amount of
van support depends on the location of the walking routes. On trips
with kayaking and rafting excursions, leaders typically team up with an
experienced local guide to give you support and instruction.
Q. Do I have to carry any of my own luggage or gear?
A. The leaders transport all luggage between hotels (or campgrounds) in
Bike & Saddle’ special trailers. They’ll also gladly pick up and
transport any purchases you make along the way. You need only carry
snacks, clothing and personal items for the day’s activities.
Q. Who travels with Bike & Saddle?
A. About half of the people who travel with us are between the ages of 35
and 55. Older and younger travelers are also well represented. Depending
on your trip, you may meet solo travelers, families and couples.
They’ll exhibit a diversity of interests and occupations and share a love of active travel and the outdoors.
Q. How large will my group be?
A. The average group size on all Bike & Saddle trips is 10. Maximum group size is 15.
Q. Are children welcome on all Bike & Saddle trips?
A. Bike
& Saddle offers trips exclusively for families with kid-sized
routes and activities. These trips feature family-friendly pricing. If
you’re not able to take a Family Trip,
your family may be able to join a non-family trip. We recommend that
you talk to a Trip Consultant (at Call +27 21 813 6433 to speak to a
Trip Consultant daily from 7 a.m.-5 p.m., GMT+2 time) to select the best
trip for your family.
Q. If I'm traveling alone, will you find me a roommate or can I have a private room?
A. Our
prices are based on double occupancy (two people per room). If you
would like a roommate, we often can pair you with one (same gender). If
no roommate is available, there is no additional charge if you sign up
more than 60 days in advance of trip departure. If you sign up within 60
days, and Bike & Saddle cannot pair you with roommate, a single
occupancy supplement will apply. On some occasions, twin rooms consist
of one bed and one rollaway or foldout sleeper. On a few trips, twin
room availability is limited; a single occupancy supplement applies if a
twin room is not available, regardless of the number of days before
departure.
Q. Should I bring my own bike?
A. Included in your trip price are Bike & Saddle’ high-quality, custom-designed composite bicycles for use and enjoyment on all biking and multisport trips. In rare
instances when Bike & Saddle bicycles are not available, models of
comparable quality will be provided. If you choose to bring your own
bike, your Trip Consultant can offer tips on the best ways to ship it to
the trip start.
Q. Do you provide children's bikes?
A. We offer children's bikes on all Family Trips, as well as trailer carriers to tote children 60 pounds and under, and the Giant Halfwheeler for children ages 4-10 or up to 85 pounds.
Q. Can you provide me with guest references for your trips?
A. Absolutely.
Your Trip Consultant will be happy to give you the names and telephone
numbers of people who have participated in the trip you're considering.
Q. How far in advance do I need to reserve my vacation?
A. The farther in advance you book, the greater availability of dates
you'll find. For holiday periods and popular summer destinations, such
as Cape Town & The Kruger National Park, to name two, we recommend reserving at
least four to six months before the trip you’re interested in departs.
Q. Can I reserve my Bike and Saddle vacation with my travel agent?
A. Yes,
Bike & Saddle accepts reservations from professional travel agents.
If you prefer to have your travel agent handle your Bike & Saddle
booking, please have him or her contact us directly. Pricing is the same
whether you book directly with Bike and Saddle or with your travel
agent. If you need an agency referral please let us know.
Q. Does information found on this Web site differ from that found in your catalog?
A. Because
this site is continually updated to ensure posting of the most current
information, trip dates and other details may differ from those found in
our printed materials.
Q. What is Bike & Saddle's privacy policy?
A. Please refer to Bike and Saddle Privacy Policy page.
