Elbe River Valley Bike Tour Reviews (page 2)
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★★★★★ Calista1226 September 29, 2016Incredible Experience
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This was my first bike tour and I cannot say enough positive things about my experience. Our group was small with 5 bikers and 2 guides. The other bikers were very friendly and we all got along well. The guides were incredible and I could not have asked for more supportive, friendly, helpful people to enjoy this experience with. The accommodations each night were very comfortable and in perfectly safe areas.
While it was definitely a physically demanding trip, it was attainable and we all completed the trip perfectly fine. While I do bike regularly, I'm certainly not the ideal specimen of fitness. I bike around 30-50 miles a week and found the trip a little more difficult than I anticipated. But again, I would not let this discourage you from going.
The guides were all from the Prague/Dresden area and so were able to share historical and relevant information about the sites and cities along the way. This trip was more than a bike tour--it was also a cultural tour. In addition, the sites are absolutely breathtaking. I'm giving myself a few weeks to recover and then planning my next one!
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept 17-Sept 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ New Yorkers June 27, 2017
Good variety, just enough challenge, 2 amazing cities
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
We really enjoyed this trip — this was our first guided tour. Overall, it was a comfortable pace, a few big hills but lots of flat areas, and plenty of stops.
Most of the riding was on paved bike paths, but some bits were on roads with cars, where the guides kept everyone safe and comfortable. Some of the riding was on dirt roads, but this was only a challenge one time, when the road was muddy and slightly uphill. Climbing big hills was always rewarded with amazing views & castles. Our group did all of the challenges, even if they had to walk and push their bikes up part of the hill. It was fine with everyone, and no one took advantage of the van (but you can if you want).
The route took us along the rivers, through small picturesque villages and towns, farmland and forests. The poppies were in bloom when we went, in early June. We took quick ferry rides across the river a few times, which was fun.
The biking started around 9am after a big breakfast. There were plenty of stops, snacks at the van by the side of a road, and coffee at a nice cafe in a beautiful town square. We would usually get to the hotel around 5-6pm and dinner was around 7pm. There was one day with less riding, where we had the option of spending the afternoon visiting the “Bohemian Switzerland National Park” (in the Czech Republic) or spending the time in Bad Spandau — a nice town on the river with hot baths and spa and cafes. We hiked and it was gorgeous.
All of the guides were Czech, and spoke English, some were fluent. They helped translate in restaurants and hotels when needed. They gave us lots of info about sites along the way. One was a “physical geographer” and had lots facts about the geology of the area. We had discussions about the communist history of both Czechoslovakia and Eastern Germany. One guide would ride with us, and one drove the van, and they switched off every day. They were professional, polite, always willing to help — no request was too big or too small. They had funny Czech senses of humor.
The accommodations were different each night, ranging from very fancy to basic, but always located in a beautiful historic town. Lunch and dinner locations were well chosen, the food was always good. We had lots of local specialties, and tried the local beers and wines. There was a vegetarian and a gluten-free person in our group, and their needs were accommodated.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 3, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ GobaGirl June 6, 2017
Wonderful way to see the Czech Republic
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
We did the self guided trip (more on that option later) and the actual bicycle trip was fantastic. The cities we stayed in were great - Melnik was amazing - and the route along the Elbe was just stunning. The experience was just wonderful. Food, beer, wine, lodgings, villages - all perfect. The only caution is if you opt for the self guided trip. Although the bike paths were generally well marked, it was sort of stressful always having to watch for the twists and turns. A guide would have made the whole experience far more relaxing and enjoyable. And we would not have found ourselves lost quite so often.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 12-18
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2 guided tours and many cross state
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Pedalann October 13, 2016
A lovely ride down the Vltava and Elbe Rivers
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Cycling along the major rivers of Europe is always a pleasure and this trip was no exception. Much of the path is asphalt-paved and hugs the river's edge. There are several small ferries and some bridges which allow cyclists to cycle on either side of the Vlatava and Elbe as one goes north from Prague towards Dresden. The bicycles supplied were well suited for the tour and the GPS, cue sheets and maps guided you on each day's ride. There are a few places where the path has been damaged or destroyed by floods so there are a few steep hills and "single track" sections to navigate. Our lodgings, except in Prague and Dresden, were always in the historic city centers so it was easy to walk around and learn about each place. Along the way, we discovered the history of these rivers and the importance of our stopping points - Melnik, Terezin/Litomerice, Decin, and Bad Schandau. We also had booked an extra day both in Prague and Dresden and easily could have spent more time in these special cities. We found the careful reconstruction of the historic buildings in these cities to be especially impressive.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 23 - 30, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- More than 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
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★★★★★ Barry Nashen July 12, 2024Pros and cons, as in most tours
Prague - City of a Hundred Spires Bike and Boat
Pros: Flawlessly organized, excellent food options, very attentive service, comfortable cabins, excellent choice of cycling itineraries.
Cons: 100% of passengers were couples (50 yrs+), no possibility for changing tables at meal times for a variety of interactions, lack of events to encourage mingling/meeting others.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic
-
★★★★★ MD 2 months ago
Nice trip
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This was my 6th ride with Biketours.com, It was a nice ride, but not as amazing as some of the other rides we have been on. There a few hills but nothing too difficult on a regular, non- electric bike. The hotels were comfortable and clean and the scenery was pretty.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Donald Allen September 29, 2024
Improvisation on the river
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Due to the flooding of the Elbe river much of the bike pass was under water. The tour company rep, Lukas, did it wonderful job of working out a route for us each day. Unfortunately we had to bike some of our journey on busy highways, there just was no other way. Everything went smoothly, no small matter with the situation at hand, and we were again pleased with our trip. Looking forward to our next adventure with Bike Tours.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Kathleen Wilford June 29, 2024
Scenic and interesting
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Overall--a great trip.
There was some confusion at the beginning, as we were given a different hotel name than the one we were actually scheduled to stay in. Also, connecting with the taxi driver took several calls and emails. Things went smoothly after that--we were met by the tour leaders for an informative meeting.
The maps and information were basically good. But the information should stress more strongly that riders should look for the little yellow signs. This works much better than trying to follow the maps. We also found the GPS app NOT helpful. The turn by turn uses too much battery, and the downloaded maps are no better than the paper maps.
The route was well set up, with appropriate biking distances each day and good tips on sights to see along the way. We loved the Czech Swiss national park.
Hotels were reasonable except for the U Zamku in Melnik. The room was primitive and smelled musty, and the breakfast was terrible.- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Gib Egge June 11, 2024
Nice ride for cultural imersion
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Nice ride between two wonderful cities. Mainly along bike paths with the occasional road bike lane and urban, on-the-street moments when riding within larger cities. Ride has a manageable climb the first day but otherwise, not too much climbing unless you decide to embark on some optional side visits along the way. Outside of Prague, few people spoke good English, so have a good translator app with you. One member of our group had to ride the train for part of the journey and it was difficult to get him a ticket not speaking Czech. We were able to find a German-speaking ticket vendor and someone in our group could speak German. Just be aware of the language barrier in this part of Czechia. Parts of the trail on the first couple days were a bit muddy and more like a mountain bike trails. Took a bit more effort to traverse these sections. Hotels were very nice and the towns we stayed in were as well. Didn't see any other Americans along the ride. The food was very good and most places were even able to accommodate a vegan that was riding with us. We did have some mechanical issues with our bicycles that were addressed by the local tour company. Used the vendor for airport transfers and those were perfect. Navigation involved downloading Mapy.cz on our smartphones and uploading their trail maps. Maps were accurate and more or less essential for an optimum riding experience. Our hotel room the last two evenings, and the dinner we pre-paid for with biketours.com were not pre-paid by the vendor at arrival so we needed to pay for it. Currently working with them to get that refunded. If you're looking for less-traveled, easy/intermediate ride, and you are ok with navigating the language barrier, this is a good choice.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Karen Hanson October 17, 2023
Beautiful (and manageable) trip
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Following the Vltava and Elbe rivers, with mostly excellent bike paths and a reasonable amount of miles per day, made for a lovely honeymoon trip! The Czech countryside was about to hit fall colors, and chestnuts were aplenty. The bikes they provided were in great shape (Trek and Specialized), and the gps files worked well. Highly recommend showing up at least two or three days early to spend extra time in Prague and get used to the time change. We weren’t able to take advantage of many of the optional side visits and biergardens along the way because many were closed already for the season, but we still enjoyed passing through small/tiny towns. And we made sure to pack our own wine and cheese for breaks! In the high season, we imagine it must be a much different scene. Overall, really enjoyed the trip and would recommend it for those who are looking for a relaxing vacation.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Brink June 13, 2019
Beautiful way to see small Czech and German towns
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
The bike path was generally well marked along the rivers and the towns picturesque. People were friendly, the food good and the hotels good, except for the hotel in Dresden.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 25 May—31 May 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Beanaloca October 22, 2018
beautiful
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This was a fun tour overall. I enjoyed biking along the rivers, it made for a scenic trip. A few of the towns we overnighted in were specatacular.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 7, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Sandy89 September 18, 2018
Tour Great/Less scenic than others
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Loved the company, the equipment, and the guides! This is our third bike trip in Europe and we were on a very specific timetable. That being said, the itinerary was the only one available for our dates, and wasn't as scenic as other tours we have taken. A lot of the river paths were alongside industrial areas (as many river paths are), so some of the scenery wasn't ideal. That being said, the hotels and the meals were amazing, and the sites that we visited were interesting!
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 3
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Brian1624 September 17, 2018
Wonderful Bike Tour
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Easy Route to fallow with 90% bike paths. Good notes on what to see along the way. Hotels were good but WiFi was average.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 20-26th 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Mandy July 16, 2017
Prague to Dresden Along the Vitava and Elbe Rivers July 30-July 7th 2017
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
Overall great trip! Guides were great. Needed better handouts (not self guided for guided tour) and would cut the brewery where you pour your own beer.
- What was the date of your tour?
- July 1-July 6th
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Mikay July 5, 2017
Beautiful, Romantic, Historic, Adventurous
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
This trip was a blast! It was especially cool to see how the geography and culture changed as we moved out of Czech Republic and into Germany. This tour has a little bit of everything to satisfy everyone's tastes. Our favorites were the last two days: Hrensko, thermal bathes in Bad Schandau, Fortress in Koenigstein (well worth the hike to the top), and Bastei in Oberrathen (do the hike and visit the medieval fortress). Also, as far as navigation, we used the maps.me app and mounted our smart phone to the bike, which made getting around super easy. We had turn by turn directions throughout the tour.
A couple tips I wished the tour company had provided, major sites along the route are closed on Mondays. We traveled from Litomorice to Decin on Monday. Unfortunately the Strekov castle and restaurant was closed (we found that out after climbing to the top of the hill). Additionally when we reached Velke Brezno to visit the brewery we found out it also is closed on Mondays. Therefore, if a day of your tour falls on a Monday it would be good to prioritize scheduling one of the hiking days (e.g. Decin to Bad Schandau or Bad Schandau to Dresden). In general, it would be nice to know in advance what days the points of interest are closed, so the group can manage their time at other sites better. If the tour company does not provide this info, I would recommend looking it up in advance.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 23, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- 0
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Joseph Tevaarwerk May 13, 2024
Nice trip, but some issues.
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
The trip overall was good. The hotels were from very nice to adequate, and the weather was good for biking. Luggage handling was perfect.
The issue we had was with the bikes. In our case the bikes we rented were delivered to our hotel. I had emailed specific instructions about my wife's bike set-up regarding saddle height and handle bar height. When the bikes arrived we noticed that the saddle could not be adjusted low enough for her comfort. We had to call the AVE rep and he had to bring a different saddle stem to fix that problem.
Another problem was with my bike. The frame size was too small for me, and the handle bars were too low for comfort. Since we had already lost time to get my wife's bike corrected, I decided that I could manage with the bike that was delivered. That was my mistake!
Half way into the trip the front telescopic forks collapsed and I had to ride nose down, which was very uncomfortable and outright dangerous. We managed to get it pumped up at a bike shop, but they lost pressure again while biking.Last year we had none of these problems. The big difference was that last year we had to collect our bikes at the rental shop the day before. This gave us the opportunity to have both bikes adjusted to the right settings, and to make sure that they were of the correct frame size.
I don't need to stress how important a reliable and well fitting bike is for these bike tours. I suggest that you make it essential that the bikes are collected at the rental site the day before the trips start. This will give the participants the opportunity to make essential corrections.
Myself, for our next trip I will insist that we will collect the bikes at the rental shop the day before the trip starts, and that they are reliable and well fitted bikes.
I think it is wise if you make this part of your overall policy as well.Joseph.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
-
★★★★★ Janna R Poll August 21, 2022
Needs a bit more sophistication
· Prague to Dresden Along the Vltava & Elbe Rivers
1. There was no GPS. They insisted it was easy and we had maps, but they were in Czech and hard to read and the street were rarely marked.
2. I had two flats within the first mile ( two more to come). They need to put liners in their tires. Our pump was also so bad that after a lot of work it was still too low to ride. Usually other riders would stop and let us borrow their more superior pumps.
They delivered a new bike in Prague because my brakes were also broken. To get to their delivery car I had to go down a wet slope and across a divided highway. I fell on a wet grid and hurt my knee bad and ripped the entire butt out of my only pair of bike shorts for the whole trip ( remember the missing luggage). This. Detour meant we couldn’t ever seem to find the bike bath again and since we had a late start of 3:30, we rode hard for six straight hours. It was extremely dangerous after dark and we had no food out in the farmland. I was using my phone to try to find the towns with path.
I complained about the promise of a GPS and not having one. So they forwarded maps to use on a a special app on my phone, but that took a day to understand where we were on the map. I got a GPS the third day, but it didn’t have a charge and the charging unit didn’t go with the unit I had.
4. Not only did we have flats, but my kickstand didn’t work and more importantly, the fender supports in the front was missing some rubber tips. That meant when I put down my foot when stopping and the wheel was turned at all, the snipped off metal of the support would slash my inside knees badly. This happened a lot and was very painful and bloody.
5. Several of the hotels had some real problems with super warm rooms, (no A/C anywhere over there), loud streets, and no ice. Two at least had fans. the nice hotel in Bad Shandeau put us alone up on the 4th floor and said we were to leave the windows closed because of smoke from the fires, which was blowing the opposite direction. Our attic room was well over 90F w no ventilation. We opened the narrow attic windows anyhow
The best hotel was a little pensioner on the first night. That frog even gave us ice for our water bottles. It was a very hot week.6. The path ran right by a forest fire before Bad Schandau. Breathing was bad and stinky.
They guys were generally responsive, though the main guy was on vacation. We are fairly unde manding most of time, changed our own FOUR flat tires, tried to find our way, dealt w the bike faults, but feel they were tired of us the first day. In fact he said if we were ‘one of their clienta it would be different. If they took the money from you, we WERE their client!
Overall, it was a bit disappointing on the bike side, though the river is lovely and biking is still the best way to see a country! SHOW MORE
Janna Poll Olender
Pic of what the fender was doing. The bruise was from trying to get to their van w new bike in Prague.
SHOW LESS- What was the date of your tour?
- July2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- Five
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids
- Do you recommend this tour?
- No
- Countries included in this tour?
- Czech Republic, Germany
