• 7-nights hotel and B&B accommodation; typically 3 stars, and when possible, near/at the brewery we visit each day. All rooms include a private bathroom. One B&B is located at the Inter-pol brewery!
• Daily breakfast and lunch, and lots of snacks each day.
• All tours are led by either Evan or Henk, Beercycling’s veteran guides. A 2nd guide is available typically only for groups of eight or more.
• Daily route planning, including daily itineraries and suggestions about where to eat / what to do in each town / maps / etc.
• A multi-speed touring-compatible bicycle, helmet, and lock. (More about the bikes in the section below)
• Vehicle support for groups of 8 or more. For smaller groups, you will receive two rear panniers to carry personal belongings, plus luggage storage to hold belongings you do not wish to carry on the bikes.
• Entrance fees to all brewery visits, including lots of free beer tastings!
• A welcome package that includes a T-shirt plus other goodies.
• Email / phone contact with your guides prior to the trip. You get to ask as many questions as you like, talking directly to your tour guides.

• Airfare to and from the trip.
• Transportation to the trip meet-up location. (Although we do offer an airport pickup service)
• Lodging before and after the trip.
• Gratuities for Beercycling tour guides.
• Personal items purchased during the trip.
• Alcoholic Beverages. (Although lots of beer is included at each brewery)
• Dinner is not included which allows you the opportunity to explore regional cuisine on your own, or with the group as you see fit. There will be options for both. Your guides are happy to give you recommendations.

Our #1 question… what is it “typically” like each summer?

Unfortunately, the weather and weather forecasts in Belgium are unpredictable. In the summer it can be pleasant, it can be wet, it can be very hot. In the Spring and Fall it can get very cold. So riders need to plan for any situation. The number one thing that will ensure you have a comfortable tour is a good rain jacket that you have tested is fully waterproof. We will be riding each day rain or shine.

Wind is normal in Belgium as it is close by the ocean. So even though the routes are flat we can occasionally get a strong headwind which will make the cycling more challenging.

On our Ardennes tours we use newer road bikes (the brand varies). They have 27 gears, disk brakes, and drop bars. The bikes can be delivered with your choice of flat or clip-in pedal.

The landscape is Ardennes is extremely hilly. Flat stretches are rare! Proper training for this tour is required.

We will be on smaller roads, some low-traffic highways, and, when possible, on the dedicated Ravel bike paths. Our guides have all the routes planned out ahead of time in order to ensure everyone’s safety, minimize riding in areas of high vehicle traffic, and to make the ride as pleasant as possible.

The daily riding mileage averages out to be 37 miles (60 km) per day; the longest day is 55 miles. Expect about 5 hours a day on the bikes (not including stops). Our cycling pace greatly depends on the condition of the group but in general we will be cycling at a leisurely pace. For tours with two guides we can always split into two groups if necessary during the tour. We will stop for taking photos and/or a break every 45-60 minutes.

This is a challenging tour but a realistic one to train for. If you are looking for a motivational tool to get into cycling, this trip could provide it! We recommend at least 2 months of cycling, with a focus on doing longer rides each time and including as many hill climbs as possible. It’s also a good idea to practice being on your bicycle multiple days in a row to build your “saddle strength.” Please keep in mind that we cannot control the elements. A possible windy, wet day will make for much harder riding, so please take that into account with your training plan.

If you are looking for a motivational tool to get into cycling, this trip could provide it!

In order to keep the trip organized and give every rider individual attention, most trips will be limited to 14-16 people (including guides). The minimum for most tours is 5. We will notify you when the minimum has been met for your tour.

We will email the group once we confirm departure, and then again when we have enough to confirm the support vehicle. If we are not able to provide a support vehicle you will have the option to join us on a self-supported tour, or a full refund. We try to make these decisions at least 2 months prior to the start of a tour.

Simply follow the link below to our registration page. You’ll need to fill in all of your information, including your 500 USD deposit per person now. We will send you a link to pay the remaining balance, which we must receive no later than 6 weeks before the start of the tour.

We can issue a partial refund if necessary as follows:

• 90 days or more before departure date = 100% refund minus bank / credit card feeds.
• 60 to 89 days before departure date = You will incur a 50 USD cancellation fee plus bank / credit card feeds.
• 45 to 59 days before departure date = Will will incur a 100 USD cancellation fee minus bank / credit card feeds.
• Shorter than 45 days notice = We cannot issue a refund after this time due to lodging, bicycle, and tour reservations already being placed..

If you are traveling with another person, we will place you together in a room. (there are 2 people and 2 beds per room). If you are traveling by yourself (or with an odd number of people) then we will do our best to match you up with another rider on our tour of the same gender.

If you are in a room by yourself you will need to pay a single supplement fee.

We cannot currently offer a triple room discount as not all hotels offer triples.

21 and over.

Yes, it is illegal to ride a bike intoxicated. And because Belgian beer can include a lot more alcohol then an average beer, the follow items are put in place for this tour:

• When possible, our beer / brewery / biercafe visits will be at the end of the day.

• There are several days where the brewery visit is mid-day. Riders will be expected to use moderation when drinking beers during the daily rides. There will be several occasions where we will stop for lunch and have a beer, however, this does not mean we will accept or tolerate over-drinking when additional riding is necessary.

• On most occasions our riders tend to share beers with each other. This helps everyone a sample a larger variety of beers, limit their intake, and also save money. We encourage this method when possible.

• All riders are required to sign a waiver at the beginning of the tour removing us from liability if over drinking cases any damage of any kind. This is non-negotiable.

• Due to each rider’s size / weight / body type, we cannot easily put a hard limit on the amount of drinks one consumes before becoming intoxicated. Since we’re all adults everyone will need to make these decisions on their own. (Although our guides won’t hesitate to let you know if we think you’ve had too much)

Yes, you are more than welcome to bring your own bike with the following conditions:

• In must be in good enough condition to support you and your equipment for the length of the tour.

• You also bring your own lock.

• You bring your own spare tubes.

• We have plenty of extra helmets if you need to borrow one.

• Beercycling will not be liable for damages made to your personal bike on the trip, although we will help when possible with mechanical issues or questions.

There are three official languages spoken in Belgium! The northern half (Flanders) speaks Flemish, which is very similar to Dutch (the national language of The Netherlands which is directly north of Belgium). In Brussels and southern Belgium French is the most common (where this tour takes place). In the very far East of Belgium (near Luxembourg) German is more commonly spoken. English is also widely used and recognized throughout the country, but more so in the north than in the south.

Our brewery tours on the Ardennes Challenge tours will always be in English.

• Bottle of beer = 3 to 4 Euros at a cafe (rare and speciality beers will be more)

• Dinner = Expect about 15 to 30 Euros for a good-sized quality meal.

• Tipping is not obligatory as this is service is included in VAT (Value Added Tax) at all restaurants. That said, a small tip 5% or leaving behind extra change is appreciated.

• Breakfasts are mostly  typical “continental style,” which will vary but usually include breads and bread rolls, jams, cereal, milk, juice, coffee, fruit, cheese, yogurt, meats, and pastries. Every hotel we use on our tours provides breakfast, so in the morning you can eat whenever you wish before our departure time.
• Snacks – Along the ride the guides will carry snacks that can be shared by the entire group. These will include candy, energy bars, fruit, extra water, etc. Everyone is encouraged to bring their own snacks or buy them along the way as well.
• Lunches – We will enjoy either a picnic lunch or stop at a bicycle-friendly cafe. For the picnic lunches we will have spreads of meat, cheeses, breads, fruit, chips, and other tasty foods. A vegetarian option will be offered each day. If you prefer to buy or carry your own lunch you are more than welcome to. If you have any special dietary restrictions please make a note of this on your registration form. We will do our best to accommodate your requests.
• Dinner – You on your own for dinner each night. Some nights we will go as a group to a beer cafe / restaurant, but participation is optional. Typical Belgian cuisine is delicious and can include pasta, sandwiches, salads, steaks, seafood, soups, and our favorites: mussels and fries.

We recommend packing light. (More room to take beer home!) For self supported tours, the bags on the bikes are fairly large and should accommodate all necessary clothing for a 9 day tour. If you run out of room in your bags we can either help you mount another bag on the top of your rear rack, or place some equipment on one of the guides bikes if available. Please keep in mind that you will have use of a storage facility at the bike shop on Day #1 you can use and reclaim your items once the tour is over. A typical packlist for this trip is as follows:

• Lightweight shirts = 3 or 4

• Underwear = 3 or 4 pairs

• Socks = 3 or 4 pairs

• Pants = 1 pair

• Shorts = 1 pair (Padded cycling shorts are recommended if you haven’t spent much time on a bike seat)

• Waterproof lightweight rain shell

• Lightweight jacket

• 1 pair of shoes for on the bike (cycling shoes or running/gym shoes is fine)

• 1 pair of shoes for off the bike (hiking sandals or flip flops, or just skip this and use your on-bike shoes)

• Sunglasses

• Gloves (for cycling, should be lightweight)

• Water bottles are included with bicycle rental (or you can bring a camelbak which can double for extra storage)

• Camera + batteries + charger

• Personal documents (passport, credit cards)

• Hygiene products / Sunscreen / Chapstick

• Bungee cord (to strap extra items to your bike rack)

• A couple zip lock bags (helps on rainy days to extra waterproof your phone or other items)

• We do not recommend carrying a laptop computer due to space constraints. Several hotels will have computers you can use, or if you have a smartphone you can connect it to WiFi in order to get internet access. Some past riders have brought small netbooks which squeeze in nicely with luggage.

Depending on the country you are traveling from, please consult your embassy for visa information prior to arrival. In general, one does not need a special visa to enter/exit Belgium. Please remember to bring a passport to show identification when necessary along the trip. Sometimes hotels will ask for copies of your passport when we check in.

No special vaccinations are necessary for travel to Belgium or the Netherlands.

There has been a lot of discussion about Belgium and Europe and terrorism on the news recently. As a result, there is heightened security at the airport and main train stations. Belgians remains resilient and optimistic for the future. Life goes on as normal, the beer flows, and they make bad jokes with their strange senses humor. The majority of our tours take place in very rural areas away from large crowds. It’s now a great time to visit as tourism is important to their economy. If you have any other specific questions about travel safety, please do not hesitate to ask us.

It is not required, but it is recommended. This can be used for lost luggage, medical expenses, etc. Each person is on their own for this, we do not offer an insurance policy. Also check with your credit card company, sometimes they offer included travel insurance.

In the very unlikely event that we need to cancel a trip each person will be issued a 100% refund. We cannot, unfortunately, provide a refund for your other expenses like airfare. In all cases Beercycling has backup tour guides waiting should something happen to your primary guide.

Nope. But tipping is very much appreciated and helps ensure the ability of our guides to run more and more tours each year!