Cycling the Baltic States

A good way to see all 3 capitals. Accommodation convenient for the old towns and of a good standard and there is time to explore. Cycling is mainly on very well maintained cycle paths with a small amount on quiet roads. The cycling is mainly flat routes and distances are not long - max ca 40km. Scenery very similar in all 3 countries. There are a couple of lengthy bus transfers - details are in the trip notes.

Eagle our leader is amazing. She’s so knowledgeable and interesting and really good tours of each city. She was also good fun, impatient.

This trip had good accommodation in great locations. A lovely balance of cycling site seeing and free time. Eating out was affordable and delicious. Our tour leader made the trip very interesting I wouldn’t hesitate to visit the Baltic states again.

Bicycles were old. Hotels were subpar. Breakfasts were not tasty and flavorful. Too much of the same scenery - forests after forests after forests - not enough variety. Too much time spent on the bus. Tour leader not warm and friendly. Should have at least two leaders. All in all a bad experience mainly because of the lousy condition of the bicycles.

Better bikes, provide helmets for rent and water bottles

A fantastic tour led by Egle. She was very good taking everybody’s needs into consideration. A warm up, good knowledge of the destinations calling on her local knowledge. Excellent meals and good variety of food. Would really join another tour led by her and has encouraged me to think about more cycling adventures. Thanks

A packed tour which successfully combined cycling through some beautiful forests and seaside towns with walking visits to the three capitals. Tour leader was knowledgeable and keen to share insights.

This is a fabulous tour, just as described in the itinerary. It is very diverse, all 3 cities visited were very accessible and interesting, leaving no doubt about their various histories. The cycling was easy ( we chose ebikes which were helpful, but not really necessary,), don't come on this expecting lots of fast, long rides, although our guide, Egle was excellent at finding different options to suit the varying competences of our group. She was also a wealth of information about the political, historical and cultural aspects of the tour and arranged several group dining nights out, which we appreciated. She also gave lots of tips about how to use our free time wisely, in addition to restaurant recommendations for the nights when we dined independently . ( there are no dinners officially included in this tour ). Our multi national group got on very well together, were very inclusive (6 individual travellers amongst a group of 16 ) without being together all the time. We have been on many Explore cycling trips over the years, but this was the first not to have a backup mechanic, fortunately there were no punctures along the way, but we did have some problems with charging ebikes. However, that's the only negative- I would highly recommend this tour.

This was an excellent tour, my first with Explore. The itinerary was a good mix of cycling (varying between 15 and 50km pd) and sightseeing (both guided and free time) in both the major cities and some beautiful national parks etc, and the three long transfers were not at all onerous with well chosen stops for coffees/lunch. Egle was an excellent, humorous and very knowledgeable guide who kept us to schedule but was also flexible when needed to accommodate the (11 - strong) group’s wishes and the variable weather. The hotel accommodations were all very good, with Palmse manor a stand out in terms of its beautiful location and grounds even if the rooms were a bit more basic. The bikes were comfortable and good quality and no-one had any real mechanical problems.

Linus was so much more than our tour leader. He brought the history of Lithuania alive with his personal experience during the Soviet Era and his expert knowledge of all three Baltic States past history , even showing a video of the Hand Of Friendship which I didn't know about. He is an absolute professional and I left with a real sense of what these countries have faced in the past and what they have become today. The cycling was interesting although I found the bikes quite heavy compared to what I am used to . I loved going through the forests and coastal areas. Linus kept everything moving smoothly with stops for water and catch up. He always gave us such well informed walks in each city. For me , the trip would not have been the same without Linus. He is an exceptional guide , historian and bike leader . Thank you again Linus for everything you brought and gave to our group . You made it an unforgetable experience Margaret

Too much driving and not enough cycling.

The tour leader, Linus, was very knowledgeable about not only the countries but the culture of all 3 countries. Being a mature gentleman, he had first hand experience of many events that occurred and had lived through both Lithuanian and Russian rule. He did city tours off his own back which were very informative and added to the trip. I felt very safe at all times and he had our interests and welfare at heart. Prior information on the next day or any expectations of the cycle routes/towns was shared to ensure we had all the information we needed. The driver, Michael, was polite and helpful. He drove with care and was always friendly. I felt safe with him behind the wheel, he was a cautious driver. The trip delivered every thing that was on the itinerary. The landscape was stunning and cycle routes were well planned. The Palmse Distillery Guesthouse accommodation had a great setting and easy access to the cycle routes but is beyond tired and needs reviewing. Rooms very small, extremely hot and due to the stagnant water heaps of mosquitoes which made it unpleasant. Rooms were clean and breakfast ok, however there was no evening service- like coffee/drinks or basic snacks which would have added to evening socialising. The Curonian Spit national Park cycle- should start with the cycle in the morning from Nida and end where if you chose to walk on the dunes and check out the Hill of the Witches. We were tired before we started with long cycle and one person swam so not worth doing it the other way around. Personally I enjoy starting the day with a cycle rather than starting it in the late afternoon as did one or two of the others. The bikes were ok but they were well used and at the end of their lives. Loved the fact I got an e-bike but due to the age of the bike the battery was very very heavy. On the whole an enjoyable trip with excellent weather.

This was a wonderful trip with the best leader we have ever had on an explore trip. The itinerary was a great combination of city and rural all of which was well managed by our leader. Our driver was excellent too and made a great contribution to the sucess of the holiday. The only complaint is about the accomodation. The hotel in Vilinius was in a fantastic location but the hotel itself was very run down, the beds extremely uncomfortable, matresses need renewing and the bed linen didnt even fit. The bathroom leaked. No-one on site was taking responibility for anything. The other accomodation that was below standard was the Distillery Palmse. The location was superb, but the accomodation was not much better than a hostel. The whole facility was run down and neglected, again with no obvious management. The beds so narrow that one could fall out of them when you moved. Mismatched and broken furniture. The showerroom was old, not clean and had several trip hazards in order to use the shower. The breakfast was poor quality and paltry. Its a great shame that this accomodation is so bad in a fabulous setting.

Tour leader Lunas excellent. Interesting itinerary, good accommodation and easy cycling

An informative insight into the Baltic states made all the more fascinating by our fantastic guide Linas. His personal stories, professionalism and humour were the icing on the cake of a brilliant trip. Cycling was easy but not particularly leisurely with fabulous cycle trails through woods and along the coast and lots of stops along the way to view interesting sights and share stories. Some of the hotels were a little soulless and one rather too rustic but locations were great. Linas organised everything seamlessly. A great way to understand the complicated history of these 3 countries and visit the 3 very different capital cities.

Dzuigas was a fantastic tour leader. Despite breaking his arm while cycling on the 1st day , he gave excellent guidance & support to us while we cycled the rest if the trip. His local knowledge was excellent , and he had a great sense of humour which helped to make his city tours all the more fun & interesting

It was an excellent trip - excellent tour leader, Linas, the hotels were great, excellent cycle paths and quiet roads, lots of bird life, great restaurants and good food, plus a good group of people and glorious weather. I really couldn’t fault it. It would be nice if it had been a little longer.

We had a great guide and I loved each of the capitals. Great breakfasts in the hotels, which were all well located. My fellow travelers could not have been better. My only minor complain is that this was a cycling trip without too much cycling. I hoped to make up for that by doing the optional rides, only to learn that one of them was considered rather dangerous.

This trip could have been a little longer! The rides were fine but not that leisurely in that there were time restraints. No time to take photos en route. It was beautiful scenery and brilliant undulating and relaxed cycling apart from the time limitations. Excellent choice of restaurants though slow service sometimes at lunchtimes wasn’t ideal. Our guide was excellent, even offering city tours in his down time, such as Baroque Riga. However I feel he should have been stricter on the roads; insisting on single file and bigger spaces between the cyclists. We did see a lot and learnt a lot about countries with an interesting history. Unfortunately our transfer to the airport was unsatisfactory as it did not arrive at the appointed time.