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Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour - Kids & Teens

Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour - Kids & Teens

Regal Waterways from Basel to Amsterdam

From $6,499 - $8,499 pp dbl. occ. | 8 days / 7 nights

(+$2,500 to $4,300 for sgl. occ.)

Special Kids Prices

Around each river bend lies a new extraordinary landscape waiting to be discovered by bike. Charming Swiss countryside, rolling Rhine Valley vineyards, fairy-tale Black Forest trails and tidy Dutch canals. History unfolds before you as your family cruises down the Rhine. A tale of kingdoms, Romans, pirates, beauty and trade. Four magnificent countries sharing one captivating waterway. What else can be found just around the river bend? Your family's greatest journey.

Highlights

Cruise through the stunning Rhine Gorge, where fairy-tale castles and fortress ruins are sprinkled along the water's edge
Bike with your family through a kaleidoscope of landscapes along some of the Rhine's most stunning stretches
Discover picturesque Heidelberg, medieval Strasbourg and beautifully preserved Riquewihr
Unwind at family-friendly biergartens and follow in the footsteps of Romans along the famed Weinstrasse (wine route)

Switzerland, France, Germany & the Netherlands

Start Basel, Switzerland / End Amsterdam, Netherlands

Itinerary

Days 1-2 Families cycle from a quaint village in the Black Forest toward the vineyards of the Rhine Valley | Enjoy superb riding and wine tasting along Alsace's famous Route des Vins | Kids step back in time with a fascinating falconry demonstration | Pedal to the beautiful medieval villages of Riquewihr and Eguisheim.

Day 3 Soak up magical views in Strasbourg and admire the Gothic cathedral on a guided city walk | Kids explore the many waterways of Strasbourg on a fun kayaking tour | Pedal along meadows and forests with views of France and Germany.

Day 4 Bike into Heidelberg and discover its red sandstone castle | Adventure awaits for youngsters with an exciting scavenger hunt | Adults and kids follow in the footsteps of Romans along the famed Weinstrasse (wine route) | Unwind in a local biergarten with a few new friends and a refreshing beer or Radler.

Day 5 Pedal past fairy-tale towns, castles and vineyards through the Rhine Gorge, a spectacular World Heritage site | Linger in postcard-perfect Koblenz, a 2,000-year-old town famously set where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers converge | The younger set takes on an exhilarating ropes course.

Day 6 Sail to Bonn, the former capital of West Germany and the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven | Kids are in for a tasty treat—a chocolate museum excursion | Feel dwarfed by Cologne's Gothic cathedral and learn about the local Brauhaus (brewery) culture.

Days 7-8 Amsterdam's lovely waterways, arched bridges and crooked canal houses are delightful | Two-wheel it through the serene Dutch countryside, where magnificent 17th-century merchant estates abound | Embark on a traditional canal boat cruise along the city's intricate channels.

Next: Dates & Prices

The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind — you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due. View cancellation policy.

If you must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to the policy outlined below. Exceptions to our cancellation policy cannot be made for any reason, including weather, terrorism, civil unrest or personal emergencies. There is no refund for arriving late or leaving a trip early. Private room or tent, bike rental and internal air charges are considered part of the total trip cost and are subject to cancellation fees. Percentage charges are calculated on total trip cost.

Cancellation Fees (Per Person)
Days Prior to Trip Start	Scheduled Trips	Private Trips	Custom Trips
126+ days	$200**	$600	30%
95-125	$200**	30%	50%
61-95 days	30%	50%	75%
31-60 days	60%	75%	100%
0-30 days	100%	100%	100%

** Rather than paying the cancellation fees, you may choose to keep your trip deposit ($600) in a holding account to use on a future Backroads trip with no expiration date.

Bike Cancellation Policies: If you are renting a Specialized Roubaix, Ruby, eBike or Co-Motion Tandem, a full cancellation fee will apply in the event you cancel your trip reservation inside 30 days.

Transfers: You may transfer from one trip to another up to 95 days before trip departure without penalty—except Private or Custom Trips.

Release of Liability: Guests are required to provide a signed Release of Liability, Assumption of All Risks, and Arbitration Agreement and a completed Personal Information forms prior to trip departure; you will receive these materials shortly after reserving your trip. You may also complete your forms online. We are unable to allow guests to participate in any aspect of a Backroads trip without a signed release form.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

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F Family Dates - Teens & Kids

Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. Call or email us to reserve your date.

Call for Private Trip Pricing.

Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.

Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date

2+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 2 or more guests
8+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 8 or more guests
16+ AVAILABLE TO BOOK
for 16 or more guests
Reserved

F Family Tours - Teens & Kids

2021 August

8+ 8/19–8/26

View Scheduled Dates

Tell us what your dream trip would be and we'll make it happen! Whether you're looking for a honeymoon trip for 2, a 30-person family reunion or a 100-person corporate trip, we can do it all. A dedicated Custom Trip Consultant will work closely with you to bring your dreams to reality. Call us at 800-462-2848 to speak with your Custom Trip Consultant or click on the button below.

REQUEST YOUR CUSTOM TRIP NOW

Previous: Overview

Dates

2021
Jun
Jul
Aug

View Scheduled Dates
Go Private
Go Custom

Prices

From $6,499 - $8,499 pp dbl. occ.
8 days / 7 nights

(+$2,500 to $4,300 for sgl. occ.)

Special Kids Prices

Traveling with Kids

Reviews

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Premiere Ship

AmaWaterways Ship

AmaStella (7 nights)

See Lodging Details

Activity Level

This trip is rated Levels 1-3

See Daily Route Options

What's Included

Services and equipment are included.

See how we include more

Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Rhine River

Find out What sets us apart

More On This Trip

Biking on Backroads Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour

View more photos

Watch videos

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Reviews by Power Reviews ®

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Next: Lodging

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

AmaStella (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.

Previous: Reviews

Next: Activity Level

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 )

Day	EASYGOING				ACTIVE				AVID
Daily Route Options
	Level 1		Level 2		Level 3		Level 4		Level 5
	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain	miles	feet gain
1	14	600	22	700	28	1400
2			20	1300
2	Kids: Falconry Show (45 Minutes)
3			23	600	33	800
	Strasbourg Guided City Walk (1.5 Hours)
	Kids: Kayaking in Strasbourg (3 Hours)
4	17*	500	27	1000
4	Kids: Heidelberg Scavenger Hunt (1 Hour)
5	20*	600	27*	1500	44	1600	47	1900
5	Kids: Ropes Course (3 Hours)
6			22	0
	Cologne Guided City Walk (1.5 Hours)
	Kids: Chocolate Museum Excursion (1 Hour)
7			21*	0	31	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 may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies and other external factors.

Previous: Lodging

Next: What's Included

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– Available until 4/1/20)

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)

NEW! Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included in your trip price – Available beginning 4/1/20)

Our newly redesigned Titanium Electric-Assist Bike is a lightweight yet powerful machine unique in the world of eBikes. It provides plenty of power (and then some!) to flatten the hills and more than enough battery range to cover the distance. Other outstanding features include the same comfort as our Touring Bikes and lower top tubes for easier mounting and dismounting.

Backroads Custom Electric-Assist Bike (Included)

Cannondale Pro Carbon Upgrade ($400 rental fee)

Delivering phenomenal acceleration and handling in a light and powerful package, the Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD pro carbon upgrade is built for experienced cyclists, men and women alike, who are looking for a high-performance bike that doesn’t sacrifice comfort.

Cannondale 2020 Synapse Hi-MOD

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

Previous: Activity Level

Next: Straight Talk

Next: Why Backroads

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.

Ships

The ships we sail on are like floating luxury hotels, so you can visit a new destination each day without touching your suitcase once you've settled in. Our ships are custom‐designed with a variety of inviting spaces that offer plenty of room for both relaxing and socializing. These ships are vastly smaller than most cruise ships, with up to just 150 passengers on our river trips and up to only 250 on our ocean trips.

Backroads Support on Board and on Shore

We sail with up to 40 Backroads guests. Occasionally there may be more than one Backroads group on board and you may cross paths with the other group on some routes or at restaurants. For instance, we may have a group of 20 hikers and another group of 20 bikers. When this occurs, each group will have their own dedicated onboard Backroads leaders. On shore, you'll have up to three additional land-based leaders to support your group, offering the same high ratio of Backroads Trip Leaders to guests as you'll find on our hotel trips.

Backroads Cruising Life

If you're new to Backroads active cruise trips, there are a few things you need to know. Our cruises are smaller, and much more intimate than a typical cruise. They are also quite lively, social experiences, shaped by both our Backroads group and the larger ship community. Additionally, even with an itinerary subject to fixed nautical schedules that may occasionally limit our time on shore, we get out and explore far beyond the cruise norm. If you love meeting new people, enjoy the ease of unpacking once, and don't mind a set schedule of port departure times, you'll love our approach to active river and ocean cruising. Nobody does it like we do.

Meals

On our active cruises, we seek out diversity by including regionally authentic and inventive meals for onshore lunches, picnics and the occasional onshore dinner. On-ship meals, though delightful, are meant to appeal to a wide cross section of passengers and may at times feel more conventional for some, and less reflective of the region than on Backroads hotel trips.

Itinerary Flexibility: Going with the Flow

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

Most 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 part of river cruising due to its popularity. You may 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.

Previous: What's Included

Next: Why Backroads

Why Travel with Backroads in Rhine River

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

Our custom-designed titanium bikes are best in class. From avid cyclists to easygoing riders, we believe that everyone deserves a seriously great bike to match their riding style. Learn more about our bike fleet.

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.

Previous: Straight Talk

Previous: What's Included

Detailed Itinerary Reserve This Trip

Backroads Photo Gallery

Bike- Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour

Bar - Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour

Town - Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour

Cycling - Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour

Guest Photo Gallery

Straight Talk

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.

Rhine River Cruise Family Bike Tour - Kids & Teens

Regal Waterways from Basel to Amsterdam

From $6,499 - $8,499 pp dbl. occ. | 8 days / 7 nights

We're here to help

Switzerland, France, Germany & the Netherlands

Highlights

Switzerland, France, Germany & the Netherlands