Backroads Celebrates 40th Anniversary

In celebration of the company’s 40th anniversary, Backroads today announced new trips and destinations for 2019.  Reaching new corners of the globe from Antarctica to Africa and adding exciting destinations, new routes and luxury as well as casual accommodations, more adventures that have departures for families with kids who are both younger and older, new active ocean cruises and even more trips in best-selling regions. Travel in Asia is growing, as the company rolls out a new Trekking & Safari Tour in Nepal and a Biking Tour in Sri Lanka. Safari tourism in Africa is also on the rise, with Multi-Adventure Tours in Tanzania as well as Zambia, Zimbabwe & Botswana. Europe continues to be a best-selling region, with new trips in even more exciting areas, including a Biking Tour in Ireland’s Connemara, Multi-Adventure Tours in Santorini & Crete, and Walking & Hiking in Norway’s Lofotens, Poland & Slovakia, Sicily, and Wales. North American travel is also hot, with new itineraries in Banff & Yoho, Columbia River Gorge & Willamette Valley, the Blue Ridge & Great Smoky Mountains, Kentucky Bourbon Trail and – just south of the border – in Mexico’s Yucatán.

Starting in 2019, for the first time ever, Backroads is offering daily yoga as a supplemental activity on 14 of the company’s itineraries – including Bali, India, Tuscany, Mallorca, Costa Rica, Maui and Santa Barbara – and other select departures on trips around the world.

A pioneer in active and adventure travel, Backroads’ celebrates 40 years in business in 2019. Tom Hale, Founder and President, started the active travel company in 1979 during a 5,000-mile bike ride when he mapped out the foundation of the company while also actively exploring the Western United States. Backroads launched its first trips in Death Valley, California’s Wine Country, California Coast, New Mexico, Yellowstone/Tetons, Glacier National Park, the San Juan Islands and the Canadian Rockies and continues to this day to run hiking, biking, multi-adventure and family trips in these destinations. Backroads was founded on the principles of creating extraordinary experiences for its guests, being the most guest-focused travel company on the planet and incorporating the highest quality possible into the philosophy and fabric of the company.

“When I first started Backroads 40 years ago, I never envisioned the active travel industry would grow to what it is today,” said Tom Hale, Founder and President of Backroads. “The fact that we’re launching new trips in Sri Lanka, Sardinia & Corsica, along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and other unique locations across the globe is truly amazing. Leading people on active adventures to explore new destinations while being immersed in local cultures and customs is what Backroads is all about and has been for 40 years.”

Backroads New Trips Launching in 2019 Include:

Europe & the Mediterranean

• Baltic Sea Ocean Cruise Bike Tour
• Ireland’s Connemara Bike Tour
• Italy’s Lake Como Walking & Hiking Casual Tour
• Norway & Sweden Bike Tour
• Norway’s Lofoten Islands Walking & Hiking Tour
• Poland Bike Tour
• Poland & Slovakia Walking & Hiking Tour
• Portugal’s Douro River Cruise Full Ship Bike Tour
• Santorini & Crete Multi-Adventure Tour
• Sardinia & Corsica Multi-Adventure and Walking & Hiking Tours
• Scotland Walking & Hiking Casual Tour
• Sicily Walking & Hiking Tour
• Venice to Croatia Ocean Cruise Bike Tour
• Wales Walking & Hiking Tour

North America

• Banff & Kananaskis Country Multi-Adventure Tour
• Banff & Yoho Walking & Hiking Casual Tour
• Blue Ridge & Great Smoky Mountains National Park Walking & Hiking Tour
• Bryce & Capitol Reef Walking & Hiking Tour
• Columbia River Gorge & Willamette Valley Bike Tour
• Crater Lake Multi-Adventure Tour
• Glacier & Waterton Lakes Multi-Adventure Tour
• Kentucky Bike Tour
• Mexico’s Yucatán Multi-Adventure Tour
• San Juan Islands Multi-Adventure Tour

South America

• Antarctica Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure Tour
• Chile Walking & Hiking Tour
• Galápagos Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure Tour
• Patagonia Walking & Casual Hiking Tour

Africa, Asia & the Pacific

• Japan Bike Tour
• Japan Ocean Cruise Walking & Hiking Tour
• Nepal Trekking & Safari Tour
• New Zealand Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure Tour/li>
• Sri Lanka Bike Tour
• Tanzania Safari Multi-Adventure Tour
• Vietnam & Cambodia Bike Casual Tour
• Zambia, Zimbabwe & Botswana Safari Multi-Adventure Tour

Family: Older Teens & 20s; Teens & Kids

• Amalfi Coast Walking & Hiking Tour
• Bali Bike Tour
• Banff to Jasper Multi-Adventure Tour
• Banff & Yoho Walking & Hiking Tour
• Berlin to Dresden Bike Tour
• Big Sky Country, Yellowstone & Tetons Multi-Adventure Tour
• Bryce & Capitol Reef Multi-Adventure Tour
• Champagne & Alsace Bike Tour 
• Chile Multi-Adventure Tour
• Columbia River Gorge & Mount Hood Multi-Adventure Tour
• Crater Lake Multi-Adventure Tour
• Cuba Bike Tour
• Dolomites Multi-Adventure Casual Tour
• Galápagos Ocean Cruise Multi-Adventure Tour
• Iceland Northern Lights Multi-Adventure Tour
• Iceland Multi-Adventure Tour
• Ireland Multi-Adventure Tour
• Ireland’s Connemara Bike Tour
• Kauai Multi-Adventure Tour
• Mallorca Multi-Adventure Tour
• Maui Multi-Adventure Tour
• Mexico’s Yucatán Multi-Adventure Tour
• Norway Multi-Adventure Tour
• Norway & Sweden Bike Tour
• Norway’s Lofoten Islands Walking & Hiking Tour
• Mallorca Multi-Adventure Tour
• Patagonia Walking & Hiking Casual Tour
• Prince William Sound to Denali Multi-Adventure Tour
• Provence Bike Casual Tour
• San Juan Islands Multi-Adventure Tour
• Santa Barbara to Ojai Multi-Adventure Tour
• Santorini & Crete Multi-Adventure Tour
• Sardinia & Corsica Multi-Adventure Tour
• Sicily Walking & Hiking Tour
• Spanish Pyrenees & Costa Brava Multi-Adventure Tour
• Sri Lanka Bike Tour
• Tanzania Safari Multi-Adventure Tour
• Venice to Croatia Ocean Cruise Bike Tour
• Vietnam & Cambodia Bike Tour
• Wales Walking & Hiking Tour
• Yellowstone & Tetons Walking & Hiking Tour

Family: Younger Kids

• Banff & Kananaskis Country Multi-Adventure Tour
• Costa Rica Multi-Adventure Tour
• Hawaii’s Big Island Multi-Adventure Tour
• Loire Valley Bike Tour
• Netherlands & Belgium Bike Tour
• Switzerland Multi-Adventure Tour

Backroads brings its 40-year expertise, commitment to quality, flexible itineraries and unparalleled leaders to these new trips and regions. The company is poised to see continued growth as it expands its offerings in all segments and makes available even more dates to private groups.