Cycling holiday in the Baltics
Highlights
Baltics | Estonia | Tallinn | Lahemaa National Park | Peipsi Lake | Otepaa Latvia | Riga | Jurmala | Lithuania | Klaipeda | Curonian Spit National Park | Kintai village | Vilnius | Trakai castle |Description of Cycling holiday in the Baltics
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Activity:As cycling is a self-powered form of transport, we generally have a low impact on the environment. When we do use motor transport we ensure that it is always proportionate to our small group size and never excessive. We are aware that in some places, erosion of popular cycle paths can be an issue, so guides are careful to keep the group on agreed routes. We have also volunteered in the Curonian Spit National Park doing conservation activities in order to protect the environment we see on this trip.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
The Impacts of this Trip
Accommodation and Meals:
You will spend 10 nights in locally run hotels, all in good locations and some with sustainability certification (Konventa Seta in Riga). The hotels use locally produced ingredients wherever possible for breakfast and picnic meals- this is usually a combination of fresh bread, cheeses, meats, fruit and vegetables. Where meals are provided, the food will often be typical of the region; however we do encourage clients to use authentic, small restaurants and cafes as well. Your guide will be able to recommend or take you to some traditional restaurants, selling sauerkraut, borsch, veal and fish dishes.
Local Craft and Culture:
We are enthusiastic about exploring the culture of each of the three countries on our route. There are several cultural stops on the trip, like the fisherman’s museum in Kamsu, Trakai Castle and Palanga Botanical Gardens, which benefit from our support. The manor house at the Gardens is now home to an amber museum where clients can purchase handmade souvenirs. There are handcrafted amber products and paintings widely available for sale from many small vendors, particularly in Lithuania. Clients can also locally produced specialties such as smoked fish on the Curonian Spit or kama (milky drink made from grains) in Estonia.
A Fair Deal:
All of our guides are local to the Baltics and in exchange for their insider’s knowledge and passion for the area, we ensure they are paid and treated fairly. You will also find that those working in the hotels and museums are locals as it is a natural requirement for those in the tourist industry to speak all three Baltic languages. Our support of locally staffed businesses helps to provide alternative employment opportunities in areas which are sometimes quite rural. The economy and local community therefore benefits.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
Activity:As cycling is a self-powered form of transport, we generally have a low impact on the environment. When we do use motor transport we ensure that it is always proportionate to our small group size and never excessive. We are aware that in some places, erosion of popular cycle paths can be an issue, so guides are careful to keep the group on agreed routes. We have also volunteered in the Curonian Spit National Park doing conservation activities in order to protect the environment we see on this trip.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
The Impacts of this Trip
Accommodation and Meals:
You will spend 10 nights in locally run hotels, all in good locations and some with sustainability certification (Konventa Seta in Riga). The hotels use locally produced ingredients wherever possible for breakfast and picnic meals- this is usually a combination of fresh bread, cheeses, meats, fruit and vegetables. Where meals are provided, the food will often be typical of the region; however we do encourage clients to use authentic, small restaurants and cafes as well. Your guide will be able to recommend or take you to some traditional restaurants, selling sauerkraut, borsch, veal and fish dishes.
Local Craft and Culture:
We are enthusiastic about exploring the culture of each of the three countries on our route. There are several cultural stops on the trip, like the fisherman’s museum in Kamsu, Trakai Castle and Palanga Botanical Gardens, which benefit from our support. The manor house at the Gardens is now home to an amber museum where clients can purchase handmade souvenirs. There are handcrafted amber products and paintings widely available for sale from many small vendors, particularly in Lithuania. Clients can also locally produced specialties such as smoked fish on the Curonian Spit or kama (milky drink made from grains) in Estonia.
A Fair Deal:
All of our guides are local to the Baltics and in exchange for their insider’s knowledge and passion for the area, we ensure they are paid and treated fairly. You will also find that those working in the hotels and museums are locals as it is a natural requirement for those in the tourist industry to speak all three Baltic languages. Our support of locally staffed businesses helps to provide alternative employment opportunities in areas which are sometimes quite rural. The economy and local community therefore benefits.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
3 Reviews of Cycling holiday in the Baltics
Reviewed on 17 Sep 2019 by Duncan Nuttall
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Reviewed on 27 Sep 2017 by Margaret Sheridan
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
The excellence of our tour guide, Vaida; the standard and quality of the hotels, and bikes. The overall organization of the whole trip was terrific. In our group of 16, 12 cyclists were returned guests using our tour operator.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Build in time to see the city as a tourist. We were very organized regarding cycling. I regret not having enough time to enjoy Riga, Latvia as a tourist.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we used small, local restaurants; and moderate, comfortable hotels. We also visited local markets and shops to buy snacks.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
Excellent. Will return as an enthusiastic alumna.
Reviewed on 07 Jun 2013 by Edward Milford
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
Cycling along the beach near Riga, and then down the Curonian Spit on beautifully maintained cycle routes through trees were both wonderful.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
Averaging about 50km a day on mainly flat routes, the cycling is easy and should appeal to almost any cyclist who likes a potter, but might frustrate those
looking for something more challenging.
Easy countries to holiday in and things essentially worked really well. Do take
mosquito repellent - most places are fine, but occasionally you really need it.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
A really enjoyable combination of scenery, cycling and cities.
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