Kia Ora - Welcome to the New Zealand Pedaltours newsletter for May 2010!
Head Down Under this Year
We have enjoyed a busy season in all our destinations: New Zealand – especially our sell-out Southern Grand tours - Tasmania, Vietnam - which remains extremely popular with groups - and now India.
We are optimistic that the worst of the global financial recession is behind us and we look forward to welcoming our regular clients and those of you who have yet to enjoy the Pedaltours experience, on our wonderful tours.
You will find all our dates and prices for next season up on the website now, so have a look and start dreaming! We have endeavoured to keep our tours as affordable as possible, without compromising the high standards of lodging and dining that are a feature of Pedaltours.
Price freeze!
The New Zealand Southern Alps tours, the Southern Scenic tour and our Vietnam 15 days Grand tour are all the same price as last season and represent great value.
On the Road
New Zealand: Next season kicks off on 14 November with our Southern Alps tour and it is selling well. Our Southern Grand 16 day trips were so popular last summer (rated amongst the 15 top bike tours in the December 2008 issue of Bicycling magazine) that we have added an extra departure on 29 November 2010.
The Lake Taupo Cycle Challenge began in 1977 and it is now one of New Zealand's most popular sporting events. It is a fun, non-competitive bike ride around Lake Taupo in the middle of the North Island, to be held this year on November 27. The event regularly attracts in excess of ten thousand riders. You could be one of them, and follow up with our wonderful Coromandel tour 29 November – 07 December 10, or the Southern Grand tour 29 November - 14 December 2010.
Vietnam
Vietnam: We are delighted to be running several sell-out special trips for various bike clubs this season, but we still have plenty of space on our regular Vietnam tours. These trips are a complete package in that we include a great deal of sightseeing such as an island day trip with snorkelling in Nha Trang, visits to the Crazy House (amazing architecture) and a silk embroidery factory in Dalat and an elephant ride. Our past clients include former Vietnam war veterans, and our experienced English-speaking guides have always been happy to assist these riders visit the places where they were based in the 60's and 70's.
Tasmania - Australia
Tasmania: Strahan is a delightful little town on the West Coast of Tasmania, where we stay in cute individual waterfront cottages and terrace accommodation, full of old-world charm with every modern facility.
We have altered the itinerary so we will spend two nights here, giving you time to take the Gordon River Cruise or kayak on the Gordon River into the heart of the Tasmanian World Heritage Area.
All the Pedaltours staff (from guides to office staff) are enthusiastic cyclists and relish the opportunity to head out on the road with tour groups. Richard and New Zealand guide Marilyn Somerville escorted our inaugural tour to India in January and are very enthusiastic about this exotic land of contrasts, from the deserts of Rajasthan to the spice and tea plantations of Kerala.
Lisa Mead (tour coordinator) was lucky enough to accompany a small group to the Far North of Vietnam and this tour reinforced her views that Vietnam offers a brilliant combination of biking and colourful sightseeing.
Far North Vietnam
Ever since seeing Richard's photos of the Far North a couple of years ago, I'd been keen to visit this off the beaten track corner of Vietnam, sandwiched between the capital of Hanoi to the south , Laos to the west and China in the north. Read the rest of Lisa's article here More ...
Our trip to the Far North of Vietnam was a great success and we are repeating it 09 - 21 December 2010. If you are looking for something adventurously different and genuinely off-the-beaten-track, this is the tour for you!
India
India has long been on my list of places to visit and bike. After Pippa, my long suffering wife, and I made two exploratory trips to Rajesthan and Kerala we ran our inaugural trip there in January. Marilyn, our South Island based guide, who regularly receives rave reviews, and I accompanied the trip on which we had eleven guests.
If you were unable to join us last January, come along on our next trip 08 - 26 November, you’ll have a great time. We have modified and improved the route and upgraded some hotels to further enhance the trip. More ...
Pedaltours Staff
We were pleased to welcome Alex Anderson to the guiding team in January 2010. Alex is an Aucklander but guided several South Island tours last season and brings great enthusiasm to his new role with us.
Marilyn Somerville is away cycling in Spain
Welcome back to John Bell who will be guiding in New Zealand
Bill Kronenberg is combining guiding with teaching and work on his hazelnut orchard
Helen Crabb is off to Rarotonga in the Cook Islands for a family holiday
and Richard Oddy is having a (very rare) holiday off the bike in Far North Queensland
Don't hesitate to contact Richard, Helen or Lisa in the Auckland office (info@pedaltours.co.nz) if you have any questions or if you would like us to arrange a Pedaltours holiday (or non-biking tour) in any of our destinations – New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam or India.
Follow us on
I look forward to meeting you and biking with you in the coming months.
Richard and the Pedaltours Team
Voted 'One of fifteen trips (worldwide) that we love' Bicycling magazine Dec.'08
Don't hesitate to contact Richard, Helen or Lisa in the Auckland office (info@pedaltours.co.nz) if you have any questions or if you would like us to arrange a Pedaltours holiday (or non-biking tour) in any of our destinations – New Zealand, Australia, Vietnam or India.
I look forward to meeting and biking with you in the coming months.
Richard and the Pedaltours Team
Pedaltours voted 'One of fifteen trips (worldwide) that we love' Bicycling magazine Dec.'09
Pedaltours New Zealand
PO Box 37-575, Parnell, Auckland, New Zealand
Phone Toll free from the US: 1 888 222-9187
Phone: 64 9 585-1338
Fax: 64 9 585-1339
Email: info@pedaltours.co.nz
Website: www.pedaltours.co.nz
