International Bike & Barge Tours

When the bicycle meets the barge…

a different kind of tour results. Your accommodations travel with you! No packing, unpacking, packing again throughout the trip. These are classic river barges with either ten or twelve twin-bedded cabins (note: no upper bunks), each with its own porthole view of the changing river scene and its own private bath. The barge interior is climate-controlled; its upper deck has a spacious sitting area, a bar, and a sun deck. Barge captains pick their cooks with care; breakfasts and dinners aboard are a daily pleasure.

While you’re biking…

the barge makes its way to the next port, and meets you there at the end of the day. (No barging during the night.) Meanwhile, the biking days proceed as usual. Your guide is in the lead; the “sweep” brings up the rear; the IBT Corner System lets everyone know which way to go  and nobody gets lost. A usual day is 25 to 38 miles, interrupted most mornings by a coffee stop and most afternoons by an ice cream stop. Lunch is on your own, in whatever pleasant town we’ve come to, or may even be a picnic with your own purchases from some little store.

You needn’t worry about…

getting to the barge from the airport – we will meet you.  Or about fixing flats – we do it. Or about bringing your bicycle – we provide hybrid 7 to 21-speed bikes, depending on the terrain to be covered. For those folks who may not be in the greatest of shape, regardless of age, e-bikes are available on all tours at a supplemental cost that can make bicycling much easier. You can pick a tour that seems right for you: Easy (level terrain), Moderate (includes rolling hills and level terrain), Challenging (mostly rolling hills). Your guide knows the country, knows the language, knows how to keep the tour on track and enjoyable for all.

In addition to the biking…

we visit sites of interest along the route, which may be glorious houses, grand gardens, or unusual museums. (We provide the entrance fees.) Informative lectures are also part of the program. A certain amount of time will be on your own, to pursue whatever special interests you may have. Biking and barging lets you also see a country’s waterways, important to the ambiance as well as the functioning of the place and its people. Each biker receives a special IBT t-shirt, enhanced with the name of the tour and the IBT logo.

IBT’s hallmarks are safety and maximum value…

with the best prices in the business. Participants of all ages and expertise have taken part since its founding in 1976, some of them again and again. In addition to tours planned that any cyclist can enjoy, we offer advanced itineraries to challenge experienced riders and are pleased to individualize special trips for groups of families and friends.