The modern traveler is all about being active. Besides camping and hiking, cycling is in the top tier of outdoor activities anyone can do. It’s eco-friendly, good for health, and will show you the unfiltered features of your destination. More importantly, it will help you reconnect with nature and get to know it better, regardless of going on a one-day cycling tour or riding across the country.
From easy routes to ride with your family to challenging landscapes for experienced riders, here are the most amazing cycling trails in the world for sustainable travelers.
1. Extreme cycling of L’Étape du Tour in France
The most famous cycling race in the world has to be the Tour de France that takes place every year from Albertville to Val Thorens. Only professional cyclists can participate in the official race, but amateurs can ride its part called L’Étape du Tour. This section is 84 miles long and has challenging climbs with the most vicious one taking you 22 miles uphill. Cyclists from all over the world are not discouraged by this and 15,000 amateurs come here to be among the fastest ones over the finish line.
If you decide to give the whole Tour de France a chance, know that it lasts for 23 days over 2,200 miles and has only two days to rest. However, this is a team competition and you need to be a part of the squad with high International Cycling Union rankings to participate.
2. Gorgeous nature of the Carretera Austral Route in Patagonia
Route 7 or the Carretera Austral Route in Chile is a 621 miles cycling trail that will take you through Patagonia. This is a hard trip to take since most of the terrain is unpopulated, but nature is worth the effort. Here you will find 10 of 17 national parks of Chile full of mountains, lakes, and glaciers.
Unpaved roads, potholes here and there, and harsh weather are some of the obstacles you will find during your cycling. Take a break in one of the towns along the road, like Puerto Aysén, and get to know the cultural heritage of the area.
3. Pushing the limits on Pokhara to Kathmandu road in Nepal
When someone mentions traveling to the Himalayas, the first thing that comes to mind is climbing one of its peaks. However, cycling in this high-altitude mountain chain is equally popular today. A cycling trail from Pokhara to Kathmandu is one of the most favorite among adventure cyclists, taking you across Nepal. This 12-day ride will take you as close as possible to breathtaking Annapurna Massif and along the Marshyangdi River.
Altitude sickness is possible, so travel the elevations slowly and at the pace, you feel comfortable. Towns along with the rain, like Gorkha, are inhabited by a friendly local population and full of Nepalese culture. Before you arrive in Kathmandu, you will have to go uphill to the Kathmandu Valley but it’s nothing you can’t deal with considering you made it this far.
4. A scenic ride of the Baltic Route in Europe
Baltic Route will take you across three European states — Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. During your 11-day cycling, you will see magical architecture and miles of wild nature. You will ride through the city of Tallinn in Estonia and proceed to Route 10 that will take you across the Baltic Sea.
This is a peaceful route where you will feel like you are in a fairy tale with forests full of bird songs, farmhouses, and shiny lakes. You can even spend the night in one of the farmhouses or install a tent at some stretch of the road and sleep under stars. Keep an eye for dunes in the Curonian Spit National Park in Lithuania, and if you want to take a longer break, bars in Riga in Latvia are the best to start.
5. Experiencing the old world on the Silk Road in Kazakhstan
The Silk Road used to be a trade route 600 years ago, but its importance is still talked about today. The remnants of the old road are still there, mostly in Kazakhstan which attracts a lot of cyclists eager to cross it. The starting point is under the Tian Shan Mountains, from gravel road turning into the green valleys where villagers let their sheep and horses feed.
If you happen to be close to one of the villages, buy produce from the local farms to stock up with fresh food for your trip. The Silk Road route ends in the dunes of Altyn-Emel National Park where you can leave your bike and climb the Singing Sand Dune. Also, find time to visit Keygen Plateau, Lake Tuzkol, and Charyn Canyon — three of the most magnificent sights of the old Silk Road.
6. Family adventure on the Sunset Coast Trail in Australia
One of the most beautiful Australian cycling trails, the Sunset Coast pathway, starts in Munster and runs to Burns Beach nearby Perth. It’s around an 8,5 miles long trail over easy terrain that won’t take more than a day to finish. This means that you can bring kids bikes and the whole family on this adventure to meet the wilder, west side of Australia.
However, you can spend more than a day on this trail. Marmion Marine Park has great beaches for snorkeling, while Hillarys Boat Harbour offers shops, cafés, and boats for rent. Kids will especially enjoy stopping by each of the eleven signs and reading more about the flora and fauna of this Australian area. If you like meeting other people then cycle when it’s busy, on weekends, otherwise, take a ride some other day of the week.
7. Bikepacking through the United States on the Great Divide
The Great Divide is the most popular mountain bike route in the United States that goes from Banff in Canada to Antelope Wells in New Mexico. Simply put, bikepacking on this route will take you from Canada to Mexico across the United States, from north to south. This is an off-pavement road stretching over 2,700 miles of wilderness and different elevations will take you at least two weeks to finish.
This route is for well-prepared cyclists since at some points it will test your endurance, both mentally and physically. However, the scenery is worth all the pain and strain since you will ride through undisturbed nature and old mountain towns. Grand Teton National Park, Boreas Pass in Colorado, and the Gila Wilderness in New Mexico are some of the natural beauties you should stop to admire. You will go by the grasslands, mountain terrains, wild rivers, and deserts of the Chihuahuan Desert when getting closer to the end of your ride.
Finally
We spend most of our days disconnected from nature and, in a way, ourselves. These amazing cycling trails offer escape and peace for sustainable travelers who want to experience nature in this raw setting. As you’ve seen, even if you can’t ride the Tour de France, you can still find equally demanding trails or something completely opposite to cycle with your kids.