As costly as travelling across continental Europe generally appears to be in comparison with many other exotic destinations around the world, this relatively high cost of travelling does very little to deter determined travellers who just have too strong a wanderlust to let finances get in the way. A lot of property owners have since been capitalising on the backpacking market, converting parts of their properties into backpackers which enjoy good occupancy rates all year round. In addition to backpacking though, eager travellers who continue to make it happen on a budget have taken things a step further, through the growing craze that is long-distance hiking. Hikers cover miles upon miles on their journeys which typically span over months, getting in as much sightseeing as they possibly can while enduring the various challenges which come with what is essentially living out a nomadic life, albeit temporarily.
Hot on the heels of these so-called long-distance hiking and backpacking clubs has emerged what’s perhaps a better version of this type of adventure-travel. Long distance sightseeing bicycle tours are taking over as the new craze among budget travellers who’d love to see as much of the world as possible. Continental Europe’s plethora of bike-friendly cities and roads subsequently plays host to thousands of these long distance sightseeing cyclists who can be told apart by their nifty cycle equipment and gear. Cube Mountain Bikes seem to be the preferred medium of getting around amongst the most ardent of sightseeing cyclists, but it really isn’t hard to see why. These are the types of bikes which feature some models just built for endurance cycling – endurance cycling at high speeds at that, although sightseeing cyclists tend to like travelling at a rather leisurely pace, stopping for long periods every now and then to take in all the views.
You can cover some enormous distances on Road Bikes, but since the immense distances covered can sometimes include hilly climbs and challenging, mountainous terrains, perhaps a mountain bike would be a better option.
Even Better in Groups
Since the primary idea of going on long-distance sightseeing cycle tours is indeed with the view of saving money, long-distance sightseeing cycle tourists tend to gravitate towards each other to form groups that can take advantage of some great group savings. If the likes of Groupon saw it as enough of an opportunity for them to make an entire business out of it, then you can rest-assured that there are plenty of group savings available to groups such as those of sightseeing cyclists. These are some groups which can come together very quickly, within a matter of hours of the word getting out there. Sleeping arrangements become easier and cheaper, so too the logistics around eating, but what you get out of going it as part of a group is some good support along the way, with some added camaraderie and perhaps even some good, “natural” photo or video shots of you which you didn’t have to take yourself. In case you wish to join the group of cyclists, you can purchase a mountain bike (check out the enduro mountain bike for sale) and ride through the country along with some of the best cyclists.
The distances covered are naturally very challenging, but this is indeed a great way to effectively see and experience a bit more of the world on a limited traveller’s budget.