Types of cycling vacations in India

2 min summary When to go Map & highlights Types Rajasthan cycling Kerala cycling Tips All our India guides

TYPES OF CYCLING HOLIDAYS IN INDIA

Every single sense was bashed every single day. Smell, sight, taste, heat, just everything. That’s why it is amazing to travel by bike.

– Lyn Hill, Finance and Office Manager at Responsible Travel. Read more in an interview with Lyn about her cycling vacation in Kerala

Where you want to cycle in India is just as important as which style best suits your fitness levels and cultural or natural heritage expectations. You could become part of a guided, small group or you might prefer a tailor made trip cycling independently, with your bags being transported for you. You can choose between moderate level, between 30-50km a day on flat, tarmac roads such as along Kerala’s coast or in some parts of Rajasthan, to more mountainous terrain like southern India’s Western Ghats, or the Himalayan hill stations.

Cycling vacation companies are real experts and also honest about the levels of cycling you will be undertaking. Because ultimately, this is a vacation. And while for some that means pushing themselves up to a tropical mountain viewpoint and, for others, it means pushing themselves to the next tropical beach bar. So when choosing from the types of cycling vacations on offer in India, be honest, enjoy yourself and choose a cycling vacation which appeals for all the right reasons.

See all our India cycling Vacations

Give us a call

Our India cycling Vacations

Moderate

You won’t find any easy peasy cycling vacations in India perhaps because tour operators reckon that if you are going to come all this way, you’re best to really throw yourself into it and spend at least a week here, cycling every day. There are plenty of moderate cycling vacations in India, however, covering between 30-50km per day with the odd hill thrown in now and again, but nothing too drastic. Good examples include cycling the coast of Kerala, cycling in Rajasthan which is hot, but flat, or pedaling through the Maikal Hills in Central India. Hills may worry some, but they are gentle and there are plenty of beauty stops which can be added into a tailor made trip along the way here. Cycling in the states of Goa and Sikkim are also considered moderate, although the latter does have some Himalayan valleys so it is definitely borderline brawn. Another borderline one is this tropical Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu cycling vacation which has some breezy stretches but also some full on ascents thrown into the mix.

Challenging

There are different challenges out there, of course, just as there are different types of cycling styles and bikes. The coast to coast cycle from Kochi in Kerala to Chennai in Tamil Nadu is tough because it is two weeks in the saddle covering a wide array of landscapes, but this is also a fantastic way to really immerse yourself in southern India’s tropics, temples and traditions.

But then we have Himalayan hard, which is a whole other ball game. You don’t have to be a triathlete to take these on, though, as these cycling vacations are well paced, guided and always have superb support.

Challenging

Travel Team

If you'd like to chat about India cycling or need help finding a vacation to suit you we're very happy to help.

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

1-866-821-6866

Call toll free

Calling from outside the USA

rosy@responsibletravel.com

Tailor made

Many cycling vacations in India are for small group; however, if you prefer to cycle independently, and at your own pace, there are superb options out there. An organised but independent cycling vacation takes all the work out of it for you, providing maps, copious notes, accommodation, luggage transfers and sometimes food. And of course, bikes. So all you have to do is cycle. Cycling in Central India’s Maikal Hills, in the eastern Himalayan region of Arunachal Pradesh through tribal villages as far over as the Chinese border as well as several tailor made cycling trips in southern India are some of our most popular bespoke bicycle odysseys.

Small group

Joining a group of likeminded cyclists takes the pressure off the organisation front. All you have to do is cycle and the rest is all laid on for you with luggage transfers, accommodation, support vans and so on. Small group cycling tours in India cater not only for people who are happier cycling in numbers, but those who really want a shortcut to the cultural and natural highlights of a cycling destination. And cycling tour companies are experts at knowing all the best local secrets too, from the best Ayurveda spa at the end of the day in Kerala to the top Himalayan tea houses to quench your thirst. They also know the best food stops to fill those hollow legs, and there is no shortage of great food stops in India.

Small group

More about India cycling

India cycling vacations guide

This India cycling guide is not really for Lycra loving roadsters. If Rajasthan means more to you than Rapha, national parks more than national road races, then read on…

Best time to go cycling in India

The best time to go on a cycling vacation in India depends on the region you are visiting. Read on for more of our weather wisdom…

Top cycling routes in India

Our map and highlights of cycling vacations in India take you down through southern India, coast to coast, up north around Rajasthan as far as Ladakh…

Cycling vacations in Rajasthan

Cycling vacations in Rajasthan are as much about the desert culture as the desert. The great cities as clocking up the kilometres. Read on for more details...