Premiere Ship
Accommodations may vary based on departure date. Any difference from what is listed below can be found by clicking on your desired date on the View Scheduled Dates or Private Dates tabs.
AmaWaterways Ship
AmaKristina, Ama Mora, AmaPrima, AmaSerena, AmaStella or AmaViola (7 nights)
Luxuriate aboard this distinctive ship, savoring the culinary creations of expert chefs and enjoying the fitness center, Sun Deck with whirlpool, swimming pool with swim-up bar and elegant staterooms featuring exclusive twin balconies. (pool)
View the deck plans. See Dates & Prices for specific ship, stateroom category availability and embarkation/disembarkation details.
This Trip Is Rated Levels 1-3
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next—and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
Daily Route Options (drag to see full )
| Daily Route Options |
| 1 |
|
|
25 |
800 |
30 |
1400 |
|
|
|
|
| 2 |
|
|
20 |
2200 |
28 |
2600 |
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
12* |
200 |
21 |
200 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
27 |
500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Strasbourg Guided City Walk (1.5 Hours) |
| 4 |
12* |
300 |
27 |
500 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 5 |
20* |
0 |
29* |
0 |
43 |
0 |
46 |
0 |
|
|
| 6 |
|
|
22 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Cologne Guided City Walk (2 Hours) |
| 7 |
|
|
22* |
0 |
32 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
| 8 |
Disembarkation in Amsterdam |
|
|
Note:
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity level and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Meals
All breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners
Available Bike Options
The key to a stellar day’s ride is a bike that’s perfectly in tune with your cycling style… Backroads has you covered with the best bike fleet in the world! Read on for your available bike options for this trip.
Backroads Titanium Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Our custom-built titanium bikes are specially designed for you—and we offer different models for varied terrain so your bike is ideally suited to the region. Our custom-made bikes are included in your trip price.
Touring Bike (Included)
Performance Road Bike (Included)
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price)
Wishing for a little extra assistance up those hills? Our custom Backroads Electric-Assist Bike lets you experience the thrill of exploring on two wheels while providing a boost when you want it. We've modified a selection of our great Titanium Bikes with the intuitive BionX "pedal-assist" system.
Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)
Specialized S-Works Roubaix & Ruby ($400 rental fee)
Ride like a pro with the new top-of-the-line S-Works bike featuring ultrasmooth Shimano Di2 electronic shifting. Faster and smoother than any other bike out there, this race-ready carbon machine delivers phenomenal acceleration and handling in an ultralight, ultrapowerful package—perfect for experienced riders. The Specialized S-Works Ruby is a light, agile speed machine precisely designed for women. You can upgrade to a Specialized S-Works Roubaix or Ruby on your trip.
Specialized S-Works Roubaix (Upgrade)
Specialized S-Works Ruby (Upgrade)
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem ($400 rental fee)
Do you prefer to spin in tandem with your partner? You'll love the Co-Motion Periscope Torpedo tandem on your Backroads trip. You can upgrade to a Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem on your trip.
Co-Motion Torpedo Tandem (Upgrade)
Custom Kids Bikes (Included in your trip price)
Backroads is the only travel company to manufacture its own line of kid's bikes. While the wheels might be small, the performance is big—it's the perfect choice for kids. On all Backroads Family Trips, you'll find 20" and 24" bicycles for the younger set. They say good things come in small packages; when it comes to bikes for kids of all ages, Backroads is the expert.
Custom Kids Bikes (Included)
Also Included
- Expert Backroads Trip Leaders, on ship and on shore
- Off-the-beaten path exploration
- Access to all ship amenities
- Impeccable and personalized service from ship staff and Backroads Leaders
- Exclusive activities that amplify your appreciation and understanding of the local culture
- Exclusive biking routes with multiple options at varied paces
- Gratuities on ship and on shore handled by your Backroads Leaders
- Exploring lesser known routes away from busy ports
- Dedicated support vans
- Custom Titanium bike
- Easy-to-use route directions so you're free to explore independently
- Private walking tours with expert guides
- Access to all ship activities and excursions
- Wine included with all onboard meals
- Private cocktail/wine receptions
- Off-ship lunches in genuine settings
Get the Straight Talk about This Trip
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
Accommodations & Group Size
The ships we sail on are your floating luxury hotel for the entire trip, letting you visit a new city or country each day without having to unpack and pack up your bags! These 50- to 150-passenger ships are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting common spaces so you'll have plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing.
Due to the unique nature of our active River Cruise trips, we welcome more guests (up to 60) on each departure than on our land-based trips, which are limited to 20 guests for Walking & Hiking and 26 guests for Biking and Multi-Adventure trips. This allows us to create our own robust active community with that special Backroads camaraderie during our week-long journey. Sometimes walkers, bikers and other Backroads guests will travel aboard the same ship, but participate in separate activities with their own dedicated leaders.
With our usual choice of fantastic route options each day, rest assured that you'll have plenty of like-minded travelers with whom to ride, hike or enjoy cultural interests. Our unique logistics model—which includes both onboard and onshore Backroads staff, plus additional leaders and vans—allows for meals and shore activities to be organized into smaller groups, ensuring the same unparalleled support and service as on any other Backroads trip.
Itinerary Flexibility: Going with the Flow
Our daily itinerary is based on scheduled sailing and port arrival times and as a result some days have more opportunities for exploring on land while other days have more sailing time. Every river has its own unique temperament and for centuries water levels have shifted due to rain, temperature and agriculture. High water levels may mean the ship cannot pass under a bridge, low water levels result in slower sailing, and a disabled lock can also lead to some extra cruising time. Should any unforeseen change happen during your river cruise, we will work closely with AmaWaterways' Captain and staff, who are very experienced in going with the flow. Depending on the situation, we may use a bus or our bikes to get to the next destination and use a land-based hotel if needed, in which case our leaders will adjust the rides and activities as necessary.
Stateroom Categories
In contrast to our usual land-based trips, which have similar room categories, the AmaWaterways ships offer a wide range of stateroom categories. The top-tier staterooms often fill fast so book as early as possible if this is important to you.
Double-Docking
Some port conditions require that ships tie up alongside each other, in which case you may need to walk through another ship to access our ship. This is a perfectly normal part of river cruising due to its popularity. You may occasionally experience obstructed views from your stateroom when the ship is double-docked, but rest assured that as soon as we set sail again your beautiful views will be restored.
Why Travel with Backroads in Rhine River
Both Sides of the Rhine
This unique river-based biking trip combines the comforts of luxury cruising with the total immersion of active travel. And thanks to Backroads Regional Coordinator Michael Bernhard, who grew up exploring his native Germany on two wheels, it's a journey shaped by an insider's perspective: our flexible routes take you well beyond the typical tourist paths, deep into the rich culture and natural beauty of the Rhine Valley.
Like You, We're Family Experts
At Backroads we've honed our expertise in active family travel over many years and a lot of trips. We host at least 20 times more family guests than any other active company, so we're constantly gaining new insights that make our trips even better. Detailed planning, behind-the scenes logistics, unrivaled support from three Trip Leaders—all backed by a team that proudly creates the kind of experiences we'd want to share with our own families.
We Reinvented the River Cruise
Backroads pioneered the active river trip, partnering with AmaWaterways, the leader in river cruising, to create a new kind of travel experience featuring biking and walking explorations from an elegant floating hotel. Read more about this ideal way to discover the heart of a region.
A Great Trip for Teens
This Family Adventure, with its blend of challenging activities and cool places to explore, is ready to erase the doubtful looks of the toughest travel critics around: teenagers. We're not saying there won't be a single eye-rolling response (or the odd WhatsApp exchange with the gang back home), but this trip has plenty to keep teens in the moment and part of the family.
Everyone at Their Own Pace
We design and support our Rhine River trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Great Bikes Included (or Upgrade)
Choose a Backroads Custom Titanium or Custom Electric Assist bike—included in your trip price. Maybe a Specialized carbon-fiber pro model is more your speed or go for double fun on a tandem. Our fleet is the best in active travel, so you don't have to roll the dice on this vital trip component. Learn more about our bike fleet.
Navigate Your Way Along the Rhine River
Your ride comes equipped with a Garmin Edge Explore 1000, the best bike-touring GPS device on the market. This is a Backroads exclusive, and it's included with your bike in Rhine River. If you prefer to bring your own device, we also have downloadable GPS files and of course, our good old paper directions are always available. Read more on why our navigation options are the best.
Our Cultural Roots Run Deep
Thanks to our extensive connections along the Rhine River, Backroads takes you off the beaten track and deep into the region's culture in ways that traditional travel can never hope to do. We know the people and their customs, the legacy of art and architecture, the complex history and politic—and if we're not sure, our amazing local experts can fill in the blanks.
In Europe Since 1988
Backroads has been welcoming active travelers to Europe since before the Berlin Wall came down. Today it's virtually our second home. We know the perfect roads and trails, the most scenic valleys and hilltop towns, the hidden churches and gem-like museums, the up-and-coming vintners and celebrated chefs—and, of course, all the best places to stay.
We've Set the Standard
For nearly four decades we've worked to earn and maintain our right to call Backroads the world's #1 active travel company. In pursuing that vision on behalf of our guests, we believe we've set the standard for our industry—captured in the Backroads Quality Guide, which clearly sets out the benchmarks of excellence, choice and support that we live by
We Know Where We're Going
Tom Hale has been keeping Backroads on track, with one eye on the horizon, since 1979. His passion for active travel, and for ensuring the highest-quality travel experience, is evident in every detail we add to make a guest's trip unforgettable—and the fact he's right there in the office, making it happen. To hear Tom describe his vision, watch our video.
The Best Leaders on the Rhine River
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your Rhine River trip, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
