Rhine River Cruise Biking

8 days
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4.9/5 Excellent
74 reviews  
96%
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Small Group Tour
Thanks to our friends at Uniworld and their splendid ship, the S.S Antoinette, you only have to unpack once as you explore Germany, Switzerland, France and The Nederlands in style and comfort. Live the river from both bike and ship as you take in stately cities, towering castles, terraced wine regions, and historic battle sites along one of Europe’s most icon...
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Explore Germany’s Black Forest
    • Explore the lush valley of the Neckar River
    • Ride around the Kaiserstuhl

What's this trip about?

    Thanks to our friends at Uniworld and their splendid ship, the S.S Antoinette, you only have to unpack once as you explore Germany, Switzerland, France and The Nederlands in style and comfort. Live the river from both bike and ship as you take in stately cities, towering castles, terraced wine regions, and historic battle sites along one of Europe’s most iconic waterways.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - 24 max
Age range12 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityBasel
End CityAmsterdam

Travel Themes

  • 50 plus
  • Cultural
  • Cycling & Biking
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

  • Europe
  • Switzerland
  • Germany

Attractions

  • Amsterdam
  • Basel
  • Koblenz
  • Strasbourg

Activities

  • Culture
  • Cycling
  • Nature
  • River cruise

Trip includes

    • 7 nights aboard the S.S. Antoinette in the stateroom class of your choosing.
    • All breakfasts, six lunches, and all dinners, including wine (some on-board and others ashore. Optional dinner on your own in Boppard if desired.)
    • Services of B&R guide(s), local guide(s) and support vehicle(s).
    • Use of a customized hybrid or racing bike with drop bars, equipped with handlebar bag and helmet.
    • Services of the ship’s fifty-person crew for all onboard needs.
    • A handlebar-mounted 7” Samsung Galaxy Tablet with preloaded GPS bike routes
    • B&R biodegradable water bottle
    • All baggage transportation.
    • All transportation from rendezvous to drop-off.
    • All gratuities for the ship’s crew, local guides, baggage, porters and hotel service.

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Itinerary

Day 1

Explore Germany’s Black Forest, then pedal through the picturesque valley of the Wiese River, stopping en route to sample a local specialty dessert. Dinner is onboard the Antoinette this evening, paired with well-selected wines from the regions that lie ahead.

Day 2

Spend the morning exploring the ship, taking in stunning views from all sides. Ride around the Kaiserstuhl, ‘the Kaiser’s Chair’, a renown wine region at the foot of the Black Forest and stop for a private wine tasting. Enjoy a sunset dinner onboard as we set sail for Kehl.

Day 3

Set forth along pristine bike paths and dreamy landscapes on a ride ending in Strasbourg. Take a guided tour through Strasbourg's timbered houses, sedate canals, and Gothic landmarks—this is truly one of Europe's most underrated cities.

Day 4

An overnight sail brings us to Mannheim, the gateway city to Germany’s economic and industrial prowess. Explore the lush valley of the Neckar River on a scenic route ending in the quaint town of Heidelberg—a must-see!

Day 5

Welcome to Rüdesheim, the village marking the unofficial entrance to the spectacular Middle Rhine. Set out on an easy traverse of the Rhine Gorge, where you'll be treated by a new castle coming into view every mile or so.

Day 6

Take in the iconic images of the Rhine as you meander toward Koblenz. Or, detour into the Lahntal, a tributary river valley with stark beauty all its own—both options stop at the remarkable Marksburg Castle!

Day 7

Wake up in Cologne and set out on a splendid urban ride, culminating at the splendid Kölner Dom cathedral. Return to the ship and relax on deck or arrange a well-deserved massage.

Day 8

After a final breakfast on the water, we part company in Amsterdam this morning. We highly recommend a few more days here in the Netherlands’ bustling capital, which our travel team can help arrange for you.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $7,995
Price per day$999
Single supplement (single occupancy)$3,000
Last Updated: 2/11/2019

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Butterfield & Robinson.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Butterfield & Robinson Reviews & Ratings

4.9/5  Excellent
Excellent
72
Great
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Other Butterfield & Robinson Reviews

J

Jeanne

Apr 2020

Butterfield & Robinson Company Reviewsby Butterfield & Robinson

Great Trip

Butterfield and Robinson just planned and executed a great, great trip for us to the Amalfi coast. All the services and hotels were wonderful and the guides were gre...

A

Alexis

Jul 2019

Butterfield & Robinson Company Reviewsby Butterfield & Robinson

The trip was a perfect

We just returned from our first family trip with B&R though Normandy. Our guides, Thilo & Sigrid, were incredible. The trip was a perfect balance of cycling,...

R

Renee

Jul 2019

Butterfield & Robinson Company Reviewsby Butterfield & Robinson

Incredible this trip

Just got back from an amazing trip with B&R from Vienna to Prague. This was my first trip with B&R and I was so impressed by every detail!!! Our guide was so...

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Tour Operator

Butterfield & Robinson

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It's been almost 50 years since we made a conscious decision, on the back of a cocktail napkin, to encourage people to "slow down to see the world." Ever since, Butterfield & Robinson has been leading trips that amble where others stride, linger where others inhale, bike where others motor and sip where others quaff. In the words of Gypsy Rose Lee, a woman who, if nothing else, knew the value of doing things very, very slowly: "Anything worth doing well is worth doing slowly."

There’s so much more to B&R than the high thread count of your sheets. Our kind of luxury takes you to a place you never knew existed. It’s a feeling of freedom. A feeling of exuberance. A feeling like you don’t need a watch or a wallet and you haven’t a care in the world. Wherever we travel, we delve deep into the heart of the local culture, your meals are some of the best in your life, and your sleeps every bit as delicious. But this merely sets the stage for the magical, ineffable part of B&R—the moments of discovery—and self-discovery—that you’ll never, ever forget.

The B&R difference is the best biking and walking routes in the world’s most incredible places. It’s the most capable and genuinely friendly guides you’ll find anywhere. It’s the most interesting hotels the region has to offer. It’s amazing culinary experiences. It’s state-of-the-art equipment, great wines at dinner, a water bottle that’s always filled, route suggestions you won’t find in any guidebook, et cetera! Are you starting to get the picture?

Our Expertise

Incomparable Service

From the first phone call to the final nostalgic photo swap, we pride ourselves on anticipating and answering each and every question you might have before, during and after your trip – plus a hundred more we thought you might like to know. That way, the only surprises on your trip are good ones.

50 Years of Experience

BB&R’s been slowing down to see the world since 1966, and while a steady diet of good food, great wine and miles of biking and walking has kept us feeling sprightly, we can’t deny the truth: we’re about to turn 50. Fortunately, “mid-life crisis” isn’t in our vocabulary—in fact, we’re actually pretty excited about it. 

Amazing Routes

We meticulously map out easy-to-follow route notes for our trips. By no means do you have to follow them, but if you do, we promise nothing short of spectacular (think quiet country lanes, glorious vistas and, often, being the only ones in sight). Our guides always have additional scenic routes up their sleeves, too. Up for more of a challenge? Ask and you shall receive.

Impeccable Guides

B&R guides are an exceptional group: consummate hosts, mind readers and raconteurs, among many other things. Think teachers, painters, travel writers, architects, botanists and biologists. The only documents thicker than their CVs are their passports. They’ve lived all over the world. They speak a gazillion languages. And they’re ridiculously fun.

Expert Trip Designers

Our talented team of Trip Designers are the best in the world at what they do—and what they do is turn fantasies into reality. (We thought about changing their title to “Dream Weavers,” but we didn’t want to re-print all those business cards.)

Exceptional Hotels

Winning hotels are a hallmark of B&R; we go to great lengths to find properties that are unique expressions of the region. Often that means they’ve had a previous life as a monastery or a castle. Think of them as the charming and intimate garnish atop your trip. Best of all? We’re friends with our hoteliers, which means preferential treatment for you.

What they’re known for
Premium personalized active adventures at a slow and comfortable pace with a special focus on cycling tours.

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Logistics

Accommodation

,Uniworld's S.S. Antoinette All B&R cabins on the S.S Antoinette boast French balconies affording wide views of the riverscapes and feature high-quality beds and linens, marble bathrooms with Hermes and L’Occitane accessories. The restaurant, often resupplied with fresh regional ingredients en route, offers an array of beautifully prepared starters and entrées, as well as a sumptuous daily buffet breakfast, all in a panoramic setting.
Ship & cabin information
S.S. Antoinette
All B&R cabins on the S.S Antoinette boast French balconies affording wide views of the riverscapes and feature high-quality beds and linens, marble bathrooms with Hermes and L’Occitane accessories. The array of beautifully prepared starters and entrées, as well as a sumptuous daily buffet breakfast, all in a panoramic setting.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
12 years and up
Additional Information

Recreational

Most of the riding on this trip is gentle to rolling on quiet roads, urban biking lanes, or other dedicated bicycle paths. There are a few hills to be biked, especially on Days 2 and 6. There are numerous long options for eager riders. Road surfaces are either paved or consist of hard-packed dirt and gravel. B&R therefore recommends the use of hybrid bicycles for casual riders on this trip. Daily elevation gains range between 50m (165feet) and 450 m (1500 feet).

The Bikes

You can’t enjoy a great biking trip without a really great bike. On this trip you’ll be riding a customized hybrid or a racing bike with drop bars. We also equip you with handlebar bag, helmet and water bottle.

Trip ID
Butterfield-RhiRivCru

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