Asia & the Pacific

Home to a culture that grew separate from foreign influence, Japan is true to itself and has a distinct character from almost any other place on Earth. Beyond its culture, the land feels undiscovered and is beautiful in its own right. You’ll be up close and personal with this unique culture and stunning landscape as you explore the island on your bike.

Explore with active travel experts to some of the most stunning regions in the world. Join Backroads for spring bike rides in North America, summer hikes in Europe, fall safaris in Africa and winter adventures in South America. Get ready for an incredible year of travel!

A day in the life of a guest on our New Zealand trip.

I was blown away when I first experienced the nature that Japan has to offer, and I want you to be too. Read on for our favorite hiking locations in Japan

Thundering. Powerful. Majestic. Just a few ways to describe the natural phenomenon that is a waterfall. As you gradually approach one on a hike or bike ride, there’s nothing quite like starting to hear the pounding of a cascade before its dramatic reveal. From Iceland to Oregon, join us on an unforgettable adventure to witness first hand one of these incomparable wonders.

As the founder and owner of Backroads, people often expect me to have some special insight into how our trips run. It's true that I was a Trip Leader in the earliest days of Backroads, but nowadays I'm busy running the company from Berkeley and every chance I get to visit the field is precious. Ah, for the footloose days of being a leader.

They call Nepal ‘The Roof of the World,’ but it’s really the friendly locals that make this destination a MUST SEE!

The view from a mountaintop is always worth it and always inspires us. But the strange thing is, the view from the top seems to obscure the actual, physical toil it took to get there. Inevitably, we find ourselves lacing up our hiking boots again or putting our cycling shoes back on to climb yet another peak, seemingly oblivious to the incredible challenges ahead. Of course, climb a mountain–including the world’s most iconic ranges–with Backroads and the joy multiplies: logistics, gear, route-planning, lunch stops and guides will all be taken care of so that you can focus simply on finding your stride or cadence and achieving your best day, whatever that means for you.

Since very early in the Backroads days, we have run annual staff rides that gather our employees in one place for a multi-day adventure. These trips get everyone in the same space after being spread out across the globe for much of the year to revel in our strong community and just plain have fun together. Last month, it took place in Vietnam--right in the middle of one of the biggest typhoons in decades.

Chi: Our fearless guide. Four-foot-ten on a good day, eighty pounds, twenty-seven years old, mother of two. She's a Sapa trekking guide and woman extraordinaire. She's honest, fiery, fierce and tells it to you straight. Her hair is long and without a kink, falling to her hips even when pulled back. She carries a purple umbrella, protecting her skin from the strong sun.