With summer on its way, we’ll be leading hundreds of families to destinations around the world in the coming months and we thought it would be a great time to introduce you to some of our family trip leaders. They are responsible for making sure adults AND kids have fun (not an easy job!), learn a lot and have an opportunity to get an authentic view of the culture they’re visiting.

In today’s post, we’d like you to meet Rebecca Sorensen. Rebecca left her job as a film/TV production coordinator in LA to travel the world! After spending four months traveling, including biking in Thailand and biking in Italy, she decided she didn’t want travel to be a hobby but a lifestyle. Enter Backroads!

These days You can find Rebecca leading families on a variety of Backroads family bike trips and family hiking trips, including our Yosemite Multisport Tour in California. On that tour, she’ll take you rock climbing, walking through the giant sequoias, hiking past waterfalls and alpine meadows, and to a visit of the Ansel Adams Gallery. You can even enjoy a family game of bocce ball or ping pong!

Rebecca also leads the Hawaii Big Island Multisport trip where families get to walk through a rain forest, ride horses, snorkel, visit a coffee plantation and bike part of the Kona Ironman Triathlon course. Of course, we work in plenty of swimming and beach time, as well.

“I think families really bond on an active vacation, because they are out there every day experiencing new things together. There’s nothing like biking and hiking together as a family—exploring a national park, being able to smell the trees, pick up rocks and pine cones, and really appreciate the nature that surrounds you,” says Rebecca. “It’s beautiful, challenging, and in the end, it’s something you’ve accomplished together.”

Want to travel with Rebecca? Give us a call daily 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific at 800-462-2848 and we’ll answer any questions you have and get you booked!

Trip Leader Kimberly Johnson describes herself as a “happy nomad” who loves to travel all over the world whether it’s Myanmar, Mexico or Martha’s Vineyard.  ”Each region fills every one of my senses and never disappoints in the adventures and experiences,” says Kimberly.

Now in her fourth year as a Backroads Trip Leader, Kimberly loves to share the joy of active travel with others and has led trips to many different regions across the globe. One of her favorite travel quotes from Miriam Beard says, “Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living.” It’s a sentiment she heartily agrees with.

In April, Kimberly will be leading a Singles-Solos biking trip to Bali. Backroads’ Singles-Solos program groups individuals traveling alone for a social travel experience. Trip Leaders are essential in setting tone and fostering a chemistry between travelers. It’s a task Kimberly loves and our travelers attest to it!

The Bali Biking Trip takes guests through lush rice fields, exotic temples, local villages, busy markets, rough rivers and more to discover this artistic and devout Hindu culture. Highlights include seeing lava flows at Mount Agung, snorkeling the wreckage of the U.S.S. Liberty, preparing local cuisine and rafting the Ayung River.

Have you ever traveled with Kimberly? Share your experience! Want to travel with Kimberly? Give us a call from 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific daily at 800-462-2848 to book her Singles-Solos Bali bike tour or to find out what other trips she’ll be leading this year.

In this series of blog posts, we thought we’d tackle some of the most common questions we hear from guests who are considering taking a Backroads active bike tour or walking tour.

Many of our guests worry and wonder if they will be in the right physical condition to enjoy a bike trip or walking trip. So we’ll answer this common question: What kind of shape do I need to be in for the best bike tour or best walking tour experience?

We’ve got good news! Backroads’ active trips are designed for all levels of fitness. There are some trips that are more challenging than others, however, so be sure to check the Activity Level of the trip on our website or ask our Backroads’ Trip Consultants when you call.

We categorize bike trips and hiking trips from levels 1-5. A level 1 activity level on any given leg or day means an average time of 2-3 hours, 10-20 miles on a road bike, 10-15 miles on a mountain bike or 2-5 miles walking or hiking. Contrast that with a level 5 activity level which means 5-7+ hours, 56-75+ miles on a road bike, 31+ miles on a mountain bike or 11-13 miles walking or hiking.

Also, keep in mind that our Trip Leaders are often able to customize a trip for guests. So if you’d prefer to get in more activity, they may be able to provide you with a longer route. Or if you’re more tired than you expected after a leg, hop on one of our two support vans that accompany most trips and head back to the hotel for a rest.

To prepare for a Backroads trip, we recommend following an exercise regimen to improve your fitness and enhance your experience prior to your trip. Try working up to biking or hiking the distances you’ll be covering on your trip. We also recommend cross training, which combines different aerobic activities with weight training and stretching exercises. This is the exercise of choice for many of our Trip Leaders. The better conditioned you are, the more fun you’ll have!

Got questions? Our Trip Planners are happy to answer them 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific time at 800-462-2848.

Can you imagine going from never having changed a bike tire to leading a group of 60 on a bike tour to one of the country’s most popular regions? Meet Backroads Trip Leader Matt Sulkis! It’s not a challenge he shied away from!

In fact, Matt came to Backroads as a bit of a surprise. “I was not a cyclist, did not know how to change a tire and had never planned on traveling or guiding for a living,” says Matt. But he heard about Backroads’ adventure tours through a friend while he was still working for an environmental consulting firm in Vancouver. He decided to give it a go.

Fast forward three years and Matt is now leading Backroads’ annual Bikefest bike trip through Wine Country. On this sojourn, which we like to describe as deluxe camping, singles and solos bike through the rolling hills of northern California, sip wines from myriad wineries and enjoy rollicking campfires and live music every evening. It is a “fest” indeed!

Now, says Matt, “I now own a quiver of bikes and have been moving all over the world nonstop for three years. It has been quite a gift.”

“I think that seeing the world by bicycle is unique,” says Matt. “You are engaging so many of your senses, have complete control over where you go and what you see, and are being green in the process. I love that our guests choose to see the  world this way.”

If we haven’t convinced you to travel with Matt yet, well, then check out his tent set-up skills in this quick, fun video below. On a Backroads deluxe camping adventure tour, our Trip Leaders set up camp for you, so all you have to do is show up, relax and lay your head on the pillow. Take a look:

Interested in our Singles Bikefest? We’ve added a second date for 2013 due to its popularity last year. Party with us in either July or September. [Read our blog on Bikefest for more information] or call us at 800-462-2848 7 a.m.-5 p.m. daily to save your spot!

We know that our Trip Leaders are the best in the world and that’s why we want to introduce you to them one by one. Nothing makes an adventure tour memorable like an amazing trip leader.

Meet Vincent Soyer, a French trip leader who specializes in Argentina adventure tours and Patagonia adventure tours. Vincent has been with Backroads since 2004 and led our walking tours and biking tours all over the world.

Vincent studied international commerce in Montpellier, France and started his career by selling software all over Europe based out of London. But that job didn’t satisfy his wanderlust…

His travel adventures began at Club Med and several other companies throughout Europe. Vincent has traveled across the world, including Pakistan, Cambodia, Tibet, China, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal. He’s also traveled extensively throughout South America and lived in Argentina where he taught managers working at international firms.

Vincent now calls Spain home and began his time with Backroads in 2004 after looking for an active travel company that focused on fewer guests per trip. “I was looking for more individual connections,” he says.

“I have enjoyed the chance to be part of an unbelievably organized team, where each and every in

dividual is a source of help, knowledge, happiness and kindliness,” says Soyer about his time with Backroads.

Want to travel with Vincent? Try our Spain Walking & Hiking Trip or our Pyrenees to Costa Brava Biking Trip. Call us at 800-462-2848 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific to book a Backroads tour today.

Have you ever traveled with Vincent on a Backroads tour? Share your experience about this enthusiastic and knowledgeable Trip Leader.

Dreaming of an adventure to New Zealand full of dramatic waterfalls, lush valleys and breathtaking vistas at every turn? If you travel to New Zealand with Backroads, the legendary Paul Smith just might be one of your Trip Leaders.

A history major and a former minor league baseball player, Paul recently celebrated leading his 300^th trip to New Zealand and is a true expert on this gorgeous country. With 22 years as a Backroads leader who’s led more adventure tours in Backroads’ history, it’s safe to say he’s seen it all.

Paul didn’t start his Backroads journey in New Zealand, however. His first start was a bit of a rough initiation with a camping trip on the Russian River. He and his co-leader (now his wife and mother of his two sons) forgot their sleeping bags and slept wrapped in tablecloths in their van while it rained outside. He hasn’t forgotten his sleeping bag since!

Paul’s attention to detail, witty humor, knowledge of the local haunts and an uncanny ability to discern the needs of each guest is well-known and celebrated. During his 22 years with Backroads, Paul has fallen in love with Chinese culture and the joy of riding a bike through its sometimes crazy countryside; learned about world religions by leading Bhutan walking tours and Bali bike tours, where he became fascinated with prayer wheels and Hindu gods; and lived each summer in the San Juan islands, knowing the way the light looks on the water at all hours of the day, from all viewpoints, like a local knows it.

Plus, Paul can add to his list of credentials that he’s done more laps around the South Island of New Zealand than anyone in Backroads history! “All it takes is a single visit to fall in love with New Zealand’s extraordinary scenery and down-to-earth welcoming people,” says Paul. “And if you’re like me, you’ll find it’s a destination you dream of returning to again and again.”

Interested in taking a New Zealand walking tour or New Zealand bike tour with Paul? Give us a call at 800-462-2848 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific.

Have you taken a Backroads walking trip or Backroads bike trip with Paul? Give us some firsthand insight to this wonderful Backroads Trip Leader! Here’s to another 300 trips!

Backroads is known for our amazing Trip Leaders, with all of our guests consistently rating them a 9.7 out of 10 on post-trip surveys. We work hard to find leaders who are passionate and knowledgeable about the regions where they are leading tours and who love nothing better than to share that part of the world with you.

This week, meet Namgay Tshering, who leads our Bhutan Walking Trip and our Multisport Bhutan Biking Tour.

A longtime friend of Backroads, Namgay truly knows Bhutan as a former member of Bhutanese parliament and is able to open doors to you which are normally closed to foreigners. He serves not only as a trip leader but as host to his country and he’s excited to show you its abundant mountains, forests, plants and birds.

As a resident of his country, Namgay gives you the true flavor of what it’s like to live there and can answer any question you throw his way. When you travel on our active Bhutan tour, you get to participate in the daily Bhutanese life led by Namgay.

For example, you’ll receive a blessing at a 15^th century temple and hang traditional prayer flags. That’s just what Backroads is all about – getting you outside the car and into the world to meet locals, smell the scents and see the sights as you cycle or hike past.

We love Namgay’s spirit of giving in his community. He’s very involved, overseeing many programs to help disadvantaged children with their education and to improve their living conditions.

Want to travel with Namgay? Call Backroads today at 800-462-2848 to get scheduled on an upcoming Bhutan adventure tour.

In this special series of blog posts, we’re going to give you the opportunity meet some of our amazing Trip Leaders. If you’ve been on one of our walking trips or bike trips, then you know the important role these folks play in making your trip one to remember. They are each unique and different, but all wonderfully special and full of enthusiasm and knowledge about the destination they’ll be guiding you through.

Melissa Sher is originally from St. Louis, Mo., but has lived across the country. Before joining us as a Backroads Trip Leader, she was a raft guide on Oregon rivers. At Backroads, she leads adventure tours in Death Valley, Hawaii and Yellowstone & the Tetons.

“I love Backroads trips because, inevitably, at least one person, every day, will accomplish something that they haven’t before,” says Melissa. “If I can witness that, my day is made.”

In 2013, Melissa will help to kick off our brand-new Winter Fit trip in California. It’s designed for active individuals and gives you the opportunity to experience cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and yoga while traveling from the Sierras to wine country and San Francisco.

Have you taken a tour with Melissa? If so, give her a shout out!

For more information about these trips or to book your adventure getaway, call us 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific time daily at 800-462-2848.

Photo Credit: Warren Zelman

When you come along on a Backroads trip, your focus should be your destination and the local experience. We don’t want you to have to worry about anything else! That’s why here at Backroads we have focused on making our service unparalleled in the active travel industry. When you join one of our Backroads adventures, you can rest assured you’ll be taken care of like royalty! Here are just a few examples:

Three Exceptional Trip Leaders

When you travel with Backroads, we provide you with the most experienced trip leaders, who can create a truly life-changing experience for you. We give our trip leaders the most training and the most resources to guide their travelers toward an unforgettable vacation. Never ranking lower than a 9 out of 10 on our guest satisfaction surveys, they are often cited as what truly sets Backroads apart from other active travel companies.

On our Family Adventures, we also provide a dedicated Kid Coordinator, whose sole job is to make sure your children are entertained and having fun. Don’t you wish you could take them home?!

On most trips, we also provide you with three trip leaders to make sure they have ample time to be with all guests on a bike tour or walking tour. Most other bike tour or walking tour companies provide no more than two per departure and often they are subcontracted locals.

Here’s just one of many amazing comments about our trip leaders: “The quality of your guides never ceases to amaze me. They are friendly, have a great sense of humor, roll with the punches and are resourceful and delightful. Thanks for hiring such fantastic people.” — Suellen White – Stockholm, Sweden

Read more comments about our trip leaders.

Two Vans Are Better Than One

On almost all Backroads trips, we provide our guests with two vans to ensure the highest-quality service. The vans ride along the route, whether you’re walking or biking, to help you with anything you might need.

Perhaps you need a snack or your bike needs a tune up. The van is there to help! Or you may have decided you’re ready to hop off the bike and head back to the hotel. No problem. One van can take you back while the other stays with the route. Is your spouse a speed demon while you prefer to take it slow? One van can stay with the faster walkers/riders, while the other stays with the slower group.

Having two vans allows us to be truly flexible and cater to all of our guests. We promise you’ll notice the difference over other companies who send only one van per trip!

Our Guests Agree

Sure, we can talk all day long about our great service, but can we back it up? You bet! HALF of our guests have traveled with us before and choose to travel with us again. AND 30% of people who travel with us have been referred by a past guest. We think that speaks volumes.

Here are a few more comments from some of our guests about our service:

“Over the last 30+ years, I’ve taken 96 biking trips all over the world. Anyone can print a brochure or put up a website promising a great active travel experience. Only Backroads delivers exceptional performance—not just promises—every time.” — Richard Seltzer – Wynnewood, Penn.

“Taking a Backroads trip is like enjoying the sweetest part of the watermelon, the planners and trip leaders trim away everything but the sweetest core of the trip. They worry about the logistics, the problem solving, so that as a guest, the most you worry about is what to order at dinner and how far to go on each daily option.” — Jeff Tanji – Davis, Calif.

“I am so impressed with Backroads – your company is the most customer friendly and supportive travel company I have ever had the opportunity to interact with. You deserve off the chart marks on all levels of your service from calling to sign up to the actual trip quality and quality of leaders…” — Patsy Gleason – Green Valley, AZ

Come try a Backroads vacation and experience our service for yourself. Call us 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Pacific time for more information or to book your next adventure trip. You can also request a catalog from us so you begin dreaming of your getaway.