BOOKING INFO & CONTACT FORM
Have a question?
If you have a question not already covered in the FAQ's below, please drop us an email and we will return to you shortly or just pick up the phone and speak to Kerry or Kim directly.
We love the painting sent by one of our guests in 2019
FAQ'S & our booking conditions
What are our cancellation terms? When booking a tour it's important to know what you're signing up for. Below are our standard booking conditions for all tours (**except the Tour de France). These are our terms. They are non negotiable. You will also receive up to date Terms and Conditions relevant to the tour you've booked in your Booking Confirmation document.
Upon booking a tour you will receive a confirmation email with all the information you'll need for the preliminary planning of your trip. An invoice for a $500 deposit to secure your spot will also be sent. It is important to know that your place on the tour is not secured until this payment is received. Your next step is perhaps the most important, taking out a travel insurance policy AS SOON AS YOU PAY YOUR DEPOSIT. Travel insurance is your safety net if anything should go wrong outside of our cancellation periods.
If you choose to cancel your trip for any reason, the following terms apply:
* To cancel your spot on a tour you must email us directly to advise of your withdrawal. Cancellations will not not be accepted via a third party. * Up until 120 days prior to your tour commencing, all fees less your deposit will be refunded (**except for Tour de France tours - see below). Your deposit may be transferred as a credit on a future tour. Your credit will be honoured for up to 3 years. * Between 120 - 90 days prior to the tour commencing, 50% of fees less your deposit will be refunded (**except for Tour de France tours - see below). Your deposit may be transferred as a credit on a future tour. Your credit will be honoured for up to 3 years.* Less than 90 days prior the tour commencing all fees are 100% non-refundable. It is important that you take out travel insurance to cover any losses you incur after this time. **Our policy is different for our Tour de France tours. You can secure a spot months in advance of the route being announced with a 100% fully refundable $500 deposit. Once the route is announced and we send you our itinerary you have 7 days to advise us if you wish to withdraw from the tour and we will refund your deposit in full. If you do not contact us within this time frame we will assume you are attending and then your deposit and all subsequent payments become non-refuandableand. This is because during the Tour de France period, accommodation venues and services are in extremely high demand so advanced payments to secure venues and other tour related services are required upon booking. Most providers will not refund us if we cancel therefor we are unable to offer a refund to you. Thank you for your understanding. If a tour is cancelled by us due to extraordiany and unavoidable circumstances beyond our control where the safety of our guests and staff could be compromised or such circumstances that may include but are not limited to natural disasters, dangerous weather conditions, fire, riots, war, industrial action, pandemics, terrorism or civil or political unrest we will issue a full refund. Itineraries are subject to change. We may be contacted by hotels or providers with updates to their policies and/or booking conditions therefore we reserve the right to make any applicable changes required to a released itinerary to ensure the tour goes ahead. Do you need travel insurance?Yes. Everyone booking a tour with us is required to take out a full comprehensive policy that must include cover for loss due to cancellation, medical and repatriation in the event of a serious accident or illness, third party liability, loss of property/luggage and COVID cover. We strongly recommend all our clients take out a policy as soon as you book your trip as most providers require you purchase one within days of paying your initial deposit. We recommend reading the disclaimer carefully to ensure the policy you opt for includes everything you need, and that you select the appropriate cancellation coverage amount. Do all of our tours go ahead regardless of numbers?Yes. Aside from circumstances outside of our control (as oulined in our cancellation policy) we will not cancel a tour if numbers are not met. How large are your group numbers?Our groups range between 8 and 16 riders. We cap our tours at 16 riders as we think that any more than this makes it hard to get to know and spend time with everyone, and part of the Velo Tours experience is feeling like you're on a family road trip! Tour numbers may exceed this cap at times when considering non-riding partners. How much support is provided while I am out on the bike?You are fully supported while out on the rides. We have support vans stocked with food and water and up to 3-4 domestiques on the bikes with you each day. The vans are stocked with the following items: Coke, water, electrolyte, gels, bananas, biscuits, cake, lollies, chips, sunscreen, spare tubes, tyres, multitools, track pumps etc. How will I know where to go each day on the rides?At dinner each night our tour leader will announce the ride details for the following day. This will include all the regroup points, the lunch stop and any sections of the ride that we think you need to be made extra aware of. We also have lots of staff and vans on the road to make sure you don't drop too far off the back or take a wrong turn. We pride ourselves on making safety our number one priority. Don't be afraid to approach the tour leader after dinner if you still have any questions. Is bike hire included as part of my tour package?No. It is assumed you will be bringing your own bike unless you enquire directly about hiring one through us or to ask us to source one for you (within Australia).
Can I hire a bike from you?Yes, but only on our European tours. We can put you in touch with a rental company if you want to hire one for our Australasian tours and also pick it up and drop it off for you. However, you will need to make the arragements yourself as we cannot guarantee the condition or oversee the maintenance of bikes from other providers.
Do you hire E-Bikes?We have three new e-bikes in our EU fleet now. We are happy to source one for you on your behalf if you are unable to do so. What gearing will I need on my bike?For tours in the mountains we recommend a 50/34 on the front and 11/32 or 11/34 on the back. What clothing will I need to bring?A detailed packing list is provided in one of the newsletters you will receive leading up to your tour. There is also another more comprehensive list for overseas travellers in the handbook sent out with your final itinerary.
What training do I need to do?If you are booking one of our tours based in the mountains then you will need to be an accomplished rider with a good level of fitness if you are going to enjoy yourself! You will need to be able to climb at an average of 6-8kph over an 8-10km climb and be able to back up rides of approx 50-90km across the duration of a tour. We will send out a training "guide" in the first newsletter to help provide an overall guide of what you should be doing to properly prepare for your trip. If you don't mind riding up mountains but aren't sure if you can do it day after day across 10-12 days then perhaps send us an email to see if the tour you're thinking of booking is right for you.
What level of accommodation do we stay in?The list of inclusions on each page will tell you the type of accommodation we stay in, however, you can be assured we stay in premium hotels in great locations or great cycling hotels and chalets with facilities that cater to riders and groups. Where possible, we choose to stay in homebase style chalets in Luchon and Bourg to provide that true cultural experience in the small towns and villages close to the climbs. Our houses in Luchon are 300 year old villas and a smaller, younger chalet (in the same private complex as one of the big villas) on, or close to the main street of town. Our chalets in Bourg d'Oisans are modern ski chalets or a sporthotel also right in the middle of town. Staying in the chalets also helps create that 'family road trip' vibe within our groups as we get to relax in our own lounge rooms and kitchen areas and sit in the gardens or on the deck of an afternoon enjoying a beer or wine together.
Can I bring my non-riding partner?Absolutely. Your partner is welcome to ride in the van each day while you are out on the bike or stay in town and do some local walks, hire an e-bike or just relax. We do not arrange separate activities for non-riding partners but we can help with some suggestions on what to do and where to go. They will still be every bit a part of the group as we will all be eating breakfast and dinner together each day and experiencing the same amazing scenery the riders do if they come with me in the van.
Can I bring my small child or baby?On certain chalet based tours, yes. As long as you bring a nanny or carer who will look after your child every day while you are out riding then we can arrange a separate chalet that will accommodate you all as a family. We have arranged this for previous clients on our Tour de France tours and everyone had a ball. Email us to ask if the tour you're thinking of booking is suitable.
How much luggage can I bring?Remember, we are going on a cycling tour so you won't need a complete wardrobe of after 5 attire with matching shoes. Your mornings will be spent out on the bike and afternoons and evenings in town, sitting in the cafes where shorts and t-shirt fit the dress code. With this in mind please limit your luggage to your *bike bag, a suitcase and a backpack. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE "BIKE BOX ALAN TRIATHLON AERO EASY FIT" BIKE BOXES. These bike boxes are huge and take up too much space in the luggage van and trailer thus limiting the room required for suitcases, other bike bags and backpacks for the rest of the group. Standard model Bike Box Alans are perfectly fine. Please contact us to discuss if you have any questions.
Will I be picked up before and after the tour?Yes, We have a group pick up and drop off day, time and area for all members joining a tour. You will be provided with this information once you have confirmed your booking. We do not pick up from various hotels around town as negotiating our vehicles with trailers down small one way streets originally built for a horse and cart is not an option. We thank you for your understanding.
Will I need my passport at hotels on the tour? Yes, though we will ask you for a copy of your passport before your departure so we can give it to our hotels to avoid asking you for it at every stop. This somewhat eliminates the potential of leaving it behind. We highly suggest keeping it on you at all times, when not out on the bike.
What else do I need to do or know?When you arrive on the first day you will be asked to read and sign a waiver form which basically states that you will listen to the guides and the ride briefs, take appropriate care on the bike each day, obey the road rules, wear a helmet at all times, treat your fellow tour members kindly, treat the hire bikes with respect and pay any fees and charges applicable if you damage or lose a bike. A copy of the waiver is provided in the final itinerary so you have a heads up on what you'll be signing when you get there.
* To cancel your spot on a tour you must email us directly to advise of your withdrawal. Cancellations will not not be accepted via a third party. * Up until 120 days prior to your tour commencing, all fees less your deposit will be refunded (**except for Tour de France tours - see below). Your deposit may be transferred as a credit on a future tour. Your credit will be honoured for up to 3 years. * Between 120 - 90 days prior to the tour commencing, 50% of fees less your deposit will be refunded (**except for Tour de France tours - see below). Your deposit may be transferred as a credit on a future tour. Your credit will be honoured for up to 3 years.* Less than 90 days prior the tour commencing all fees are 100% non-refundable. It is important that you take out travel insurance to cover any losses you incur after this time. **Our policy is different for our Tour de France tours. You can secure a spot months in advance of the route being announced with a 100% fully refundable $500 deposit. Once the route is announced and we send you our itinerary you have 7 days to advise us if you wish to withdraw from the tour and we will refund your deposit in full. If you do not contact us within this time frame we will assume you are attending and then your deposit and all subsequent payments become non-refuandableand. This is because during the Tour de France period, accommodation venues and services are in extremely high demand so advanced payments to secure venues and other tour related services are required upon booking. Most providers will not refund us if we cancel therefor we are unable to offer a refund to you. Thank you for your understanding. If a tour is cancelled by us due to extraordiany and unavoidable circumstances beyond our control where the safety of our guests and staff could be compromised or such circumstances that may include but are not limited to natural disasters, dangerous weather conditions, fire, riots, war, industrial action, pandemics, terrorism or civil or political unrest we will issue a full refund. Itineraries are subject to change. We may be contacted by hotels or providers with updates to their policies and/or booking conditions therefore we reserve the right to make any applicable changes required to a released itinerary to ensure the tour goes ahead. Do you need travel insurance?Yes. Everyone booking a tour with us is required to take out a full comprehensive policy that must include cover for loss due to cancellation, medical and repatriation in the event of a serious accident or illness, third party liability, loss of property/luggage and COVID cover. We strongly recommend all our clients take out a policy as soon as you book your trip as most providers require you purchase one within days of paying your initial deposit. We recommend reading the disclaimer carefully to ensure the policy you opt for includes everything you need, and that you select the appropriate cancellation coverage amount. Do all of our tours go ahead regardless of numbers?Yes. Aside from circumstances outside of our control (as oulined in our cancellation policy) we will not cancel a tour if numbers are not met. How large are your group numbers?Our groups range between 8 and 16 riders. We cap our tours at 16 riders as we think that any more than this makes it hard to get to know and spend time with everyone, and part of the Velo Tours experience is feeling like you're on a family road trip! Tour numbers may exceed this cap at times when considering non-riding partners. How much support is provided while I am out on the bike?You are fully supported while out on the rides. We have support vans stocked with food and water and up to 3-4 domestiques on the bikes with you each day. The vans are stocked with the following items: Coke, water, electrolyte, gels, bananas, biscuits, cake, lollies, chips, sunscreen, spare tubes, tyres, multitools, track pumps etc. How will I know where to go each day on the rides?At dinner each night our tour leader will announce the ride details for the following day. This will include all the regroup points, the lunch stop and any sections of the ride that we think you need to be made extra aware of. We also have lots of staff and vans on the road to make sure you don't drop too far off the back or take a wrong turn. We pride ourselves on making safety our number one priority. Don't be afraid to approach the tour leader after dinner if you still have any questions. Is bike hire included as part of my tour package?No. It is assumed you will be bringing your own bike unless you enquire directly about hiring one through us or to ask us to source one for you (within Australia).
Can I hire a bike from you?Yes, but only on our European tours. We can put you in touch with a rental company if you want to hire one for our Australasian tours and also pick it up and drop it off for you. However, you will need to make the arragements yourself as we cannot guarantee the condition or oversee the maintenance of bikes from other providers.
Do you hire E-Bikes?We have three new e-bikes in our EU fleet now. We are happy to source one for you on your behalf if you are unable to do so. What gearing will I need on my bike?For tours in the mountains we recommend a 50/34 on the front and 11/32 or 11/34 on the back. What clothing will I need to bring?A detailed packing list is provided in one of the newsletters you will receive leading up to your tour. There is also another more comprehensive list for overseas travellers in the handbook sent out with your final itinerary.
What training do I need to do?If you are booking one of our tours based in the mountains then you will need to be an accomplished rider with a good level of fitness if you are going to enjoy yourself! You will need to be able to climb at an average of 6-8kph over an 8-10km climb and be able to back up rides of approx 50-90km across the duration of a tour. We will send out a training "guide" in the first newsletter to help provide an overall guide of what you should be doing to properly prepare for your trip. If you don't mind riding up mountains but aren't sure if you can do it day after day across 10-12 days then perhaps send us an email to see if the tour you're thinking of booking is right for you.
What level of accommodation do we stay in?The list of inclusions on each page will tell you the type of accommodation we stay in, however, you can be assured we stay in premium hotels in great locations or great cycling hotels and chalets with facilities that cater to riders and groups. Where possible, we choose to stay in homebase style chalets in Luchon and Bourg to provide that true cultural experience in the small towns and villages close to the climbs. Our houses in Luchon are 300 year old villas and a smaller, younger chalet (in the same private complex as one of the big villas) on, or close to the main street of town. Our chalets in Bourg d'Oisans are modern ski chalets or a sporthotel also right in the middle of town. Staying in the chalets also helps create that 'family road trip' vibe within our groups as we get to relax in our own lounge rooms and kitchen areas and sit in the gardens or on the deck of an afternoon enjoying a beer or wine together.
Can I bring my non-riding partner?Absolutely. Your partner is welcome to ride in the van each day while you are out on the bike or stay in town and do some local walks, hire an e-bike or just relax. We do not arrange separate activities for non-riding partners but we can help with some suggestions on what to do and where to go. They will still be every bit a part of the group as we will all be eating breakfast and dinner together each day and experiencing the same amazing scenery the riders do if they come with me in the van.
Can I bring my small child or baby?On certain chalet based tours, yes. As long as you bring a nanny or carer who will look after your child every day while you are out riding then we can arrange a separate chalet that will accommodate you all as a family. We have arranged this for previous clients on our Tour de France tours and everyone had a ball. Email us to ask if the tour you're thinking of booking is suitable.
How much luggage can I bring?Remember, we are going on a cycling tour so you won't need a complete wardrobe of after 5 attire with matching shoes. Your mornings will be spent out on the bike and afternoons and evenings in town, sitting in the cafes where shorts and t-shirt fit the dress code. With this in mind please limit your luggage to your *bike bag, a suitcase and a backpack. PLEASE BE AWARE THAT WE ARE UNABLE TO ACCOMMODATE "BIKE BOX ALAN TRIATHLON AERO EASY FIT" BIKE BOXES. These bike boxes are huge and take up too much space in the luggage van and trailer thus limiting the room required for suitcases, other bike bags and backpacks for the rest of the group. Standard model Bike Box Alans are perfectly fine. Please contact us to discuss if you have any questions.
Will I be picked up before and after the tour?Yes, We have a group pick up and drop off day, time and area for all members joining a tour. You will be provided with this information once you have confirmed your booking. We do not pick up from various hotels around town as negotiating our vehicles with trailers down small one way streets originally built for a horse and cart is not an option. We thank you for your understanding.
Will I need my passport at hotels on the tour? Yes, though we will ask you for a copy of your passport before your departure so we can give it to our hotels to avoid asking you for it at every stop. This somewhat eliminates the potential of leaving it behind. We highly suggest keeping it on you at all times, when not out on the bike.
What else do I need to do or know?When you arrive on the first day you will be asked to read and sign a waiver form which basically states that you will listen to the guides and the ride briefs, take appropriate care on the bike each day, obey the road rules, wear a helmet at all times, treat your fellow tour members kindly, treat the hire bikes with respect and pay any fees and charges applicable if you damage or lose a bike. A copy of the waiver is provided in the final itinerary so you have a heads up on what you'll be signing when you get there.