WHAT'S NEW IN 2008
Resting—on our laurels or otherwise—isn’t something that comes easy to us here at Backroads. Our trip planners are passionate about finding new destinations for you to explore, and we think our 2008 lineup showcases our finest offerings to date. We’ve uncovered hidden gems ripe for biking and hiking and put new twists on some old favorites.
We’re always looking for ways to make traveling with Backroads even smoother, and we’ve made two enhancements to do just that. The first: We guarantee your trip will run!* We won’t cancel a departure due to low enrollment—once you’re confirmed, you can count on a great Backroads vacation. The second: With expanded hours, it’s easier than ever to reach one of our experienced Trip Consultants. We’re open 7 days a week from 7 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific time. Give us a call at 800-GO-ACTIVE (462-2848) or 510-527-1555.
Your 2008 adventure awaits:
- We’re pleased to introduce Insider Trips—a whole new way of traveling with Backroads that leaves the biking jerseys and hiking boots at home. On an Insider Trip you experience the essence of a place in even more depth with less focus on physical activity. Enriched by our network of local experts and welcoming friends, Insider Trips highlight inspiring travel experiences you couldn’t orchestrate on your own.
- Our newest Eastern European biking adventure takes you from the canals of Venice, through Italy's idyllic Collio wine region and into Slovenia, where you'll find majestic mountains, old-world villages, glamorous resorts, epic history and some of the continent's most welcoming people.
- In Turkey we combine yacht-based exploring on the Turquoise Coast with a walking exploration of the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia, an area of otherworldly rock formations concealing ancient dwellings.
- In South Africa and Botswana our private flights connect renowned game reserves for walking and big-game viewing on a unique active safari with multiple activity options each day and stays in luxurious lodges and camps.
- In Peru our fully supported lodge-to-lodge trek explores one of the ancient world's most extraordinary sanctuaries, Machu Picchu, with visits to isolated communities where pre-Columbian cultures still thrive.
- Fire up your adventurous spirit and discover Northern Argentina—while it's still undiscovered. Mountain bike off the tourist path and into arid orange-tinged hills, subtropical forests and high-altitude vineyards. Find an extraordinary cultural mélange, from pre-Hispanic ruins and gaucho traditions to posh haciendas.
- From Civil War history to Southern hospitality, you'll find it all on Mississippi's Natchez Trace, where we round out superb days of biking along one of America's greatest roadways at exquisite antebellum estates.
- On our new epic Crater Lake trip you can bike your way from historic Ashland to Oregon's famous lake-filled caldera and up to Bend, where ponderosa pine forest meets high desert, uncovering a Northwest wonderland rich in wildlife, soaring peaks and deep alpine lakes.
- Discover a kingdom of giants in Northern California's Redwood Empire. Bike and hike amid thousand-year old redwoods and kayak along a bird-filled lagoon, just a stones throw from the Pacific. Settle in at secluded campgrounds nestled beneath towering canopies and at the edge of golden prairie land in this hidden corner of the north coast.
- In the Canadian Rockies try our heli-hiking adventure around Lake Louise and into the wild Bugaboos by helicopter, reaching areas so remote it would be an epic challenge to get there on your own if you could get there at all.
- Are you looking for a shorter vacation? Perhaps a weekend getaway or a departure you could tack on to a weekend? We have quite a few options for you: Bryce & Zion Biking, Wine Country Biking, Death Valley Multisport, San Juan Islands Biking, Alaska Multisport.
*Backroads guarantees the departure of every trip with confirmed guests, excepting only in cases of force majeure, and special departures as indicated on our Web site, in which case all payments received to date will be refunded, which constitutes full settlement.
“Having spent a great deal of time in southern Africa on anthropological expeditions, I've been fortunate to experience its great diversity and beauty: from majestic leopards at Londolozi and great herds of elephants in Botswana, to the stunning scenery of Cape Town and the Drakensburg Mountains. Combined with luxurious comforts and gourmet cuisine, this is the trip of a lifetime.”
—Christian Chumbley
Regional Manager, Africa