We’re looking back on the mountain biking travels we managed to squeeze into the summer of 2021!
After a tumultuous 2020, heading into this year we didn’t know what lay in store for adventure travel. Would we be able to make our rider’s dreams a reality?
With much toing and froing, checking of travel restrictions, weekly (sometimes daily!) catch ups with our in country teams, more checking of restrictions, we feel incredibly grateful that we have been able to finish this season with several adventures under our ride belts.
Our intrepid mountain bikers made the effort to join us from all over the world to several of our destinations, and here is a short round up from some of their mountain bike adventures 2021…
“We had an absolutely wonderful time on this tour – from the beautiful and fun trails, to the scenic medieval towns and coastal villages. Dani and Matej were awesome guides and so helpful and kind. This tour is perfect for seeing parts of Croatia (and of Europe) not as well known, but not to be missed. We had fantastic people in our group and really enjoyed everyone and learning about their lives and countries.
“Dani and Matej, thank you for all your patience and teaching on the trails, and for making sure we were always enjoying the adventure. Victoria, thank you for all your help in getting us on the trip, keeping us Covid-informed, and just being in general an awesome person. Can’t wait to join H+I on a future trip!”
– Alisha A and Tim G
“As a seasoned H+I customer I am happily able to compare my recent BC trip with several others; Chile, New Zealand and Scotland, each of which have been fantastic experiences. It’s hard, however, to beat British Columbia, Canada. The landscape is so vast, the mountain biking so embedded in the local communities it truly makes for a special holiday. Our guides were fizzing with enthusiasm and good humour as they showed us their local trails.
“We were minded without being cosseted, and encouraged to choose our own adventure over the 7 days. There were challenges both up and down even for the most seasoned of us, but every day finished with us grinning ear to ear.
“I’m back a week now and am still buzzing. Couldn’t recommend it highly enough.”
– Robert K
“What an adventure! This trip has everything from fast, flowy singletrack, to challenging rocky sections and lots of “baby drops” to play on.
“Louise is the best guide I’ve ever had. She’s extremely skilled on a bike and is very attentive and friendly to the various needs of the group both on and off the bike, such as making sure I had gluten free meals (which isn’t the easiest thing to do in Italy!).
“The EWS Travel trip to Finale Ligure, Italy was the perfect combination of great riding, fun camaraderie with the guide and group, delicious food, refreshing post-ride dips in the Mediterranean, and so much culture and history to enjoy. This was definitely a trip to remember, and hopefully to do again soon!”
– Tracy C
“Three Words: Book This Trip! This vacation was 18 months in the making due to Covid, but thanks to Catherine and her amazing customer service, we made it to Slovenia!
“From the moment you meet your guides, Blaz & Matej, you know the week is going to be magical. Their attention to detail, fun personalities and enthusiasm makes this trip 5 stars.
“We live, love and play in the mountains. The Julian Alps are beautiful, the trails challenging and diverse. This trip is perfect for intermediate+ riders as rated, and if you enjoy climbing resulting in unbelievable views and single track descents… You will LOVE this trip. Each day is a fun filled adventure – the guide’s coaching helps with whatever the day brings and you continue to become a better rider, and the pace is perfect with stops for re-grouping and fuelling.
“Accommodations and food exceeded all expectations – we never stay in such luxury nor eat 4 course meals while traveling, so this was such a treat. Thank you H+I for making memories of a lifetime – words can’t do this trip justice. You need to experience it to understand, so if you are considering this trip, book it NOW! There are few guarantees in life, but, I guarantee you will love Slovenia, experience an inspirational journey and meet amazing people.”
Debra L and Scott R
“This trip was amazing. The location, the H+I team, the accommodations – everything was “Tip Top.” Every day our group was treated to the most incredible rides the region had to offer. Kurt and Dom, our guides, not only mapped out amazing rides, but they took the time to coach my riding skills to make me a better MT-Biker at the end. The trip offers a full array of riding environments, from flow trails, high alpine riding, chunky technical, to sweet down hill speed runs.
“The MTB culture in Switzerland is amazing and H+I is the team to ensure you get a top notch trip. It’s hard to fully appreciate all the planning and coordination that H+I does in the back ground – as a rider the only thing I had to do was wake up every day and be ready for an awesome ride. The lodging, food, and attention to trip planning that H+I provided was great. I highly recommend the Switzerland adventure. I can’t wait to go back, and look forward to signing up for another H+I trip.”
– Rick D
“This was my second tour with H+I and I’ve already reserved a third. Over the course of the Highland Odyssey, the magnitude of the vistas and technical difficulty of the riding will progress. None of it is less than stunning – this tour delivers. The food is excellent, the accommodations are great and varied. The new friends I made I’ll take with me and I hope to ride with them again. A real standup group.
“Chris is a consummate professional. An exceptional guide who is able to push your riding abilities, keep everyone safe, handle diverse challenges gracefully and deliver the fun. Mountain biking in Scotland is indeed a “living thing,” as they say. Bring an attitude of adaptability, resilience, and good gear, and you’ll have an extremely fun and fulfilling tour.
“Other things to bring: a wide-angle lens, respect for the packing list, more socks than you think you need!”
– Michael F
