FAQs

We welcome your requests for private trips and customized, bespoke itineraries.

If you would like a customized plan, please fill in the form below with details, and we will propose a plan for you.

If you would like to create a private departure, please get in touch with us or fill out our reservation form indicating in the comments whether you would like to travel with others or you want to keep it private. Please choose a new date, not currently advertised as a scheduled guided date. Private guided departures usually involve a surcharge, depending on the group size and destination. Self-guided tours are more independent experiences in that there are no group activities, except that transfers may be shared with others following the same route.

The single occupancy charge is added to cover the extra cost of having a room to yourself, and can be found in the “Dates & Pricing” tab on the tour page. If you would prefer to share a room and avoid the extra fee, please let us know that you would like to share, and we will try to match you with a roommate of the same gender.

Yes. You can join a tour and ride in the support vehicle (or follow in your own vehicle, in which case a trip-specific discount may apply; call us for details). In many cases, you will be transferred to your destination of the day early enough that you can explore under your own steam. Bear in mind that on inn change days, you may not be able to check in early.

Once we have confirmed your reservation, you can count on your trip, with the following conditions: self-guided trips have a two person minimum, so solo travelers must join a date when others are doing the same tour. Guided trips have a four-person minimum. If the four-person minimum is not met, the options are to pay a premium to switch to a privately-guided tour or switch to self-guided format of your trip, if available. Please see our Terms & Conditions page for full details.

Please consider looking at our “About Us Page” for more information. In short: Small groups, and the small inns we can use. The care we put into trailside nutrition. Our willingness to customize, and the care we put into all the details. Our new Trek bikes in Canada. Our local guides and their network. Our resilience in the face of pandemics, etc. Our family-run creative approach to making your experience extraordinary.

The more time you give us, the better lodging we are able to assign to you, and the more likely it is that you will be part of a well-rounded small group. On certain destinations, we are sometimes able to fit you in even with short notice, but it is much better to anticipate further in advance, and we welcome your bookings even a year or more ahead.

Unless you are a private group, our guided group size rarely exceeds 12 participants. The guide to guest ratio is usually 1:6 or better, so that we can use small inns, while you get unparalleled service, more personality, more flexibility, and more fun.

Get in touch with our office at any time (Contact Us). We love to know you want one, and will get it to you as quickly as is possible.

Please refer to the “Cancellations” and “Your Changes” sections on our terms and conditions page for full details.

Yes. We cannot advise you about exactly what insurance to secure based on where you live, but we do strongly recommend that you have insurance in place to protect you against loss. If you do not have it through your credit card or another source, we do recommend providers we have had positive experience with in the “Cancellations” section on our Terms & Conditions Page.

We cover all gratuities on included meals and lodging, with the exception of your bar bills, if you have any. It is customary to offer a gratuity if you feel your guide(s)/support person(s) has served you well; the average is approximately $25 per person, per guide/driver, per day.

There are extra costs if you need single occupancy or bicycle rental. These are listed along with prices on our tour pages in the “Dates & Pricing” section. You will also need to secure your own transport to the start point and from the finish point. During the tour, you need to pay for any meals not listed as included, any activity listed as optional, and all bar bills. We cover gratuities at the restaurants, but it is customary for you to tip your guides or drivers at the end of the tour.

We usually recommend one of our green circle “easy” adventures, so that you can more easily cover the routes with lower exertion and without the need for vehicle support, but we welcome your participation on more challenging trips, too. On cycling trips, the support vehicle can help if you have bitten off more than you can comfortably chew. You might also consider an e-bike if you want some extra power. On hiking trips, it is more important that you match your ability to the difficulty level, because you will spend much of the day away from the support vehicle, and will not be as happy if you’re the slowest in a group. If you tell us more about yourself before booking, we will try to recommend the best fit for you.

If you are choosing a guided bike tour, you will be looked after whatever your fitness level, even if it means getting boosts from the support vehicle. On self-guided trips, you will normally need to cover the distances on your own, but will have a support driver nearby in case you need help, and who will be moving your luggage and can give you a boost at the same time. If you are choosing a walking or hiking adventure, please look at the distance, elevation profiles, and route notes to make sure they look like a good fit with your stamina and ability.

For bicycle tours, we suggest you go for several short rides (5-10km) in the weeks leading up to your holiday, and at least one longer, sustained ride (20-30km). This helps eliminate the soreness associated with the first ride after long periods of abstinence. It also gets your body used to riding positions, and may show you what clothing will make you most comfortable.

On walking and hiking trips, we suggest you go for a few hour-long walks in the weeks before you come, and to try to string at least two days together, with walks of 2-3 hours each.

Our challenging rides tend to attract people looking more vigorous activity, and are designed to make you pleasantly tired after each day. You are welcome to join for the sake of the location and scenery, but may need to accept boost rides in the support vehicle, and bypassing rigorous activities that don’t offer mid-way alternatives. As an example: The Gros Morne Mountain on our Newfoundland: Viking Trail trips is not van-supported, and demands eight hours of steady hiking, partly on steep slopes.

Because of van space concerns, we cannot provide transport for bike boxes, except by prior arrangement, usually at an extra cost. However, we can usually find ways for you to store your bike box at the start/finish point, and can sometimes arrange a taxi pickup at the airport when you arrive. You should arrive prepared to put your own bike together, and to re-pack your bike at the end of the tour. Our guides have many concerns to which they must devote their time, and are not free to help you with mechanical issues until all other needs have been met. If you are not comfortable putting your own bike together, we suggest considering the rental of one of our bikes, or finding a nearby bike shop prior to the tour start, and after the tour end. Be sure to account for this in travel plans. Please ensure your equipment is mechanically prepared ahead of time. You might also want to ship your bike to a bike shop and ask them to re-assemble it for you, but we urge you not to ship across borders, where they tend to get delayed.

We strongly recommend that you obtain insurance protection as part of any travel plans. We have seen it work well many times, especially when the reason for cancelling is medical or professional. If you do not have coverage, or if your changes are not covered under the policy, please refer to our Terms & Conditions Page.

That’s up to you! We suggest coming with proper clothing to keep you dry and warm whatever the weather. It is wonderful to be outside and active, if you are well prepared to stay comfortable. However, if you prefer to have a relaxing day, or to pursue other independent activities – your guides will do what they can to assist/facilitate. Please note: If anyone in the group is prepared to ride/hike/paddle – this will be prioritized over facilitating additional independent activities, given the circumstances. If it’s an inn change day, you may have to anticipate some time in the support vehicle with your cheerful guide or driver!

We seek and provide excellent nutrition for hungry adventurers. We ask you for information about your dietary restrictions and preferences before you arrive, and are able to adapt our trailside picnics to your needs. We inform your guides and innkeepers so that they are aware ahead of time. You will need to follow through at restaurants to advocate for yourself, but vegetarians, vegans, seafood lovers, children, and other discriminating palates can usually be well accommodated. If you have kosher, celiac, or other very restrictive dietary needs, please ask before booking so that we can give you trip-specific expectations.

As a family or multi-generation group you may book any Freewheeling Adventure, and can request a private version if you like. Otherwise, once you have reserved, we will do our best to attract other families with similar ages.

If young children are part of your family plans, please call us to include us from the start, and to ascertain the suitability of your tour choice. We will work for you to maximize the fun and ease the planning for you. We are a family business with plenty of experience with family groups. We know that young children like to slow down and play at every opportunity, and that parents and grandparents sometimes like to play a part in that fun while also covering the day’s route. We adapt to these mixed needs with a flexible guiding style, sensitive to the preferences and dynamics of each family group. It is common for us to adjust the pace to suit the youngest or oldest, while asking for the indulgence of faster explorers, to keep the holiday spirit at its best. If you instruct us otherwise, we listen to that, too.

There are discounts available when three people share a room. If a third participant 12 years old or younger shares a room with two other full-paying guests, they receive a 20% adventure discount. This becomes a 50% discount if the third participant is 4 years old or younger. We avoid the use of temporary beds for adults, but if you can accept one for your children, it can open up more sharing possibilities and savings.

Children’s bikes, trailer-bikes, and trailers, when rented in association with a Canadian tour and other adult bicycle rentals, are complimentary. We extend this saving to adult bikes ridden by teenagers travelling with parents on a Canadian or European trip having a minimum of four participants. Burley d’Lite trailers, with a total weight of 17lbs, and a towing capacity of 100lbs, are available for those who are yet too young to pedal. They are suitable for one or two children and have storage pockets, rain covers and sunscreens. Availability is limited, so please reserve well ahead. Trailer bikes attach to the back of any adult bike to turn into tandems suitable for children up to 4′ tall. The children can assist you by pedaling or can simply freewheel as you do all the work while they focus their attention on the passing sights and your conversation. Tandem bikes are also available in some locations.