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Reviews of the Edelweiss Bike touring company

pmariana

Member
Hi folks,

first, let me know if this post should go elsewhere,

then, my question - I am interested in doing one or more tours with a company that I have not used before called Edelweiss Bike Travel, out of Austria it seems, https://www.edelweissbike.com/en/

they look to be answering a number of my needs, the first of which is a return trip to Cuba to ride there (first time riding there, not first time there) - and then Africa as well, etc.,

so, just the usual thoughts - has anyone used Edelweiss before, are they a reliable group based on your experience with them? their own publicity looks good, I just want to get the opinion of anyone who has already used their services before, just the usual concerns/interests,

otherwise, thanks all! muy apreciado!

Peter Brassel
Vancouver, BC
Canada
 
Welcome! There are a couple of past threads listed below which mention Edelweiss bike tours. Here's another that I found:


They might be dated, though. There are other ride reports but for motorcycle trips...could be more general about the organization.
 
Thanks to 20774, appreciate the links, I looked at those too! cheers!

Thanks to gsjay - glad to hear that (i) you have used Edelweiss and (ii) found them good enough to go back! that's exactly what I was looking for . . .

just wanted to see if there were any particular negatives reported -- everyone has small ups/downs on tours, but that's not a problem. Just looking for major negatives from anyone.

thanks again!

Peter
 
I have never toured with Edelweiss. That said, the company has been around a very long time; has been a long time supporter of the BMW MOA; and, has an excellent reputation.
 
Thanks pglaves, I appreciate the response and the different angles of approach to the question - also very helpful!
 
My first trip. 1990. Our group, I'm on the left neon green hat and bandana. I was 25 and borrowed money to go. Second picture is Werner Wachter founder of the company on this left, his son Tobis on the right. Tobis runs the company now!
 

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My first trip. 1990. Our group, I'm on the left neon green hat and bandana. I was 25 and borrowed money to go. Second picture is Werner Wachter founder of the company on this left, his son Tobis on the right. Tobis runs the company now!
The guys in the top row, second from the right is Dexter Ford. He wrote for Cycle Magazine. He did a whole story about the trip and our group was featured though out the article. Boy, could he ride!
 
I've done 3 tours with Edelweiss. Nothing but good things to say...with one caution.

My first was in 2005, and also my first European riding trip. Boy, am I glad this was my first experience. All the details were taken care of, top quality hotels, food and bikes. Great, knowledgeable, skilled tour guides. Made me want more.

Did a 2014 Scotland tour on my own, but that's a different story...

In 2018, did a Tuscany tour, 2-up with my wife. Absolutely fantastic experience, stunning riding. Made me want even more...

Retired at the end of 2018, shipped a bike with Knopf to store in Heidelberg, and have been back every year since for extended tours.

In 2023, did their Alps Riding Academy ($200 back courtesy of the MOA), LOTS of fun, stunning riding, and a terrific coach (Christian). A great experience.

My only caveat: On the Tuscany tour we had 2 riders that, simply put, were not skilled enough for the conditions. One, another rider's wife, decided to stop riding after a couple of days and rode in the van. The other continued to ride, unfortunately, but the tour guides did what they could to minimize the impact on the rest of us.

I would not hesitate to do another trip with them. That said, I really enjoy being on my own (or with my wife) for trips...easier to explore and wander.

Another piece of advice: if you're planning on doing any sightseeing other than riding, I'd do that first, before the ride, rather than after. That way, if your riding gear gets lost or delayed by the airline, you have time to fix the problem. If you do the riding tour first, that's much harder to fix.

Good luck, if you have any specific questions, happy to help.

Ciao!
 
If you like organized tours, they are the best of the bunch and have been around a very long time.

I can only speak of the Alps and the trouble is, if you do it once, you'll want to do it again and again. I've done the Alps 27 years, but solo. Great food, great drink and fantastic scenery.
 
I have taken two tours, Iceland in 2022 Pictures and New Zealand in 2023 Pictures Both were very well organized, the equipment was top notch and the guide bent over backwards to make the experience worthwhile for all who attended. When booking look at how they rate the tour in Difficulty, Travel Time and Sightseeing to see if they align with your expectations. For example (11 days - 9 riding) Iceland was rated as D-4, T-3, S-2 - which translated to about 35% gravel, with riding in rain & fog at times, a couple of days with saddle time of 6 hours, but Sightseeing I think it was rated low as we Stopped a lot looking at lots of Iceland wonders. This group was 10 riders (2-two up) and two guides. It was amazing! New Zealand was (21 day with 18 riding) which is a lot of saddle time for someone who is 72. D-3,T-4, S3 Some days were long, with lots of riding and very few stops. NZ roads are two lane with lots of 1 lane bridges and almost constant curves which are really fun, but they are also roads where your average speed is around 30KM and lots of the turns are blind so you just ride slowly (which is fine as you get to see the countryside. Our group was 16 guest, 3 guides for two weeks and 6 guest, 2 guide for the last week. We rode in two groups of 8 each and the groups sorted themselves out as to riding styles. Dinners for me were a bit of a problem, they were late and we had a lot of people to feed at one or two tables. Hotels were great, and food was mostly very good. Tour guide on both trips were top notch and very experienced. I recommend requesting your bike has a GPS or bring yours, Not knowing where you are going except with a paper map can be stressful at time. Having the same tracks as the guides give you a heads up if you get separated from the group which happened a number of times in NZ due to getting behind RV and other traffic and not knowing which road to take out of the many traffic circles. On the North Island, I took advantage of the option to self guide (with GPS) a couple of days and really enjoys the less hurried pace. Bottom Line the Company and experience were 4 stars and especially Iceland the best way possible to see the country. Leaving for Scotland with one of their tours on August 20th
 
I recommend requesting your bike has a GPS or bring yours...
And if it comes with a GPS or if you bring your own, make sure it takes a micro SD card where it track logs all of the routes you have taken. This way you can actually tell someone where you have been if they ask. A long time ago, some rider on another motorcycle forum bragged about "there is no way you can find these roads without a tour guide" :rolleyes: as he related that he had gone over a ski hill, through three tunnels in Italy, crossed over into Slovenia and then into Villach. So I asked him which roads? He didn't know because he followed the tour guide. Well I hated to break it to him, he when over Monte Zoncolan, a very nice narrow road from Ovaro to Sutrio and then likely over Sella Nevea as he headed into Villach.

Plus you can use the GPS to mark photo locations and then match them up to the time on the pics so that you know where they were taken. I guess it depends how oganized you wish to be.
 
Excellent points Alex. I also link my smartphone to the R1250 with the BMW Connect app and it does a great job of tracking where I have been plus it allows me to play tunes if I choose to my cardo edge. the downloadable files can be dumped in GPX format so you can create detailed maps of your routes after the trip is over.
 
My 2 cents to add to others' opinions, they're top-notch & trustworthy [but every single tour depends on the clients that you're conjoined to on that particular tour]. We picked up two smaller GS-twin bikes at their HQs in Meiming, AU {and That was an ADVenture just getting there}! Every excursion is a unique experience, so jump in enthusiastically with both feet! Not understanding how Edelweisse can be connected to Cuba, but all tour operators are out to make a Euro! For Cuba, I'm thinking it's a crap shoot. It Will Certainly be an ADVenture in this day & age!
Enjoy your trip - we're looking at options for NZ tour during their summer season.... :nod
HSV-Phil & HSV-Karen

Here we are enduring the May rainy season at the Gerlos Pass in southern Austria in 2023 on a self-guided tour.
 

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I am getting ready to leave for Scotland on Tuesday, I got a call from Edelweiss last week that the Bike I booked was in an accident and would not be available and ask if one of their back-up bikes would work and they would give be a rather sizeable refund. Having been on several of their tours and seen bikes break I was pleased they contacted me and gave me some options.
 

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Just returned from the Scotland & Isle of Mann tour. It was another well run tour with a group of great people and two very experience guides. We had eight guests from the USA, four from Canada and one from Switzerland. A number were multi-tour riders, (1) 16th tour, (1) 10th, (1) 5th, (2) 3rd. Guides - Angela de Haan & Jan Van der Jagt. BLOG: Scottish Highlands and Isle of Man (CGB2401) - https://www.edelweissbike.com/en/blog/1753?sort=-created_at&page=1\View attachment 99006
Hi I'd like to ask you, how did you do the reservation of the tour? I'm asking because I was trying to reserve a tour and at some point the website gave me options to reserve with a couple of USA Travel Agencies or with edelweiss.com. Why should I choose? Could you advise? Thank you.
 
I recommend you book directly with the home office, then if you need to make any modification, which I have in the past it is seamless. They speak great english and are very responsive. My next tour on my bucket list is a self-guided to the Dolomites in 2026 when my son retires from the Coast Guard.
I highly recommend you order your bike with a GPS or take your own, which I do. It will provide real piece of mind it the group gets split up, which has happen more than once as you know where you are going and have a pretty good idea how to get there. Sorry it took so long to respond I have not been on the forums for a while.
 
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