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Irish Cycling Safaris - A Review of the Company
By spokesman | July 9, 2008
I just returned from a 7 day bicycle trip in Ireland that was led by a tour company named Irish Cycling Safaris. I enjoyed the trip and visiting Ireland. However I was a little disappointed with the company. I also believe that most of the people on the tour were disappointed with the company and would not travel with Irish Cycling Safaris again. I would travel with them again, but I think that it is important for travelers to have a clear understanding of what to expect from this company. I have had experience traveling with 5 other bike tour companies, so I have a good understanding and realistic expectations of bicycle tours. The purpose of this blog post is to provide my assessment of the company, so that you can make an informed decision.The tour group included 20 people. There was 1 guide provided by the company, who had a limited knowledge of cycling. The support van had a single bench seat with space for the driver and two or three passengers. The van had a separate cargo area in the rear for luggage and bicycles. It was this combination of facts - a large group, an inexperienced guide and a small support van (from a passenger perspective) that set the stage for many of the problems that occurred.On the 3rd day of the tour, there was very heavy rain in the afternoon accompanied by strong winds with gusts over 30 miles per hour. It was dangerous weather to be biking. One rider was even blown off of his bike by the wind. It had been raining earlier in the day, but when the storm increased in intensity, many of the riders wanted to stop riding. The road that we were on was very remote. There were no houses, farms nor structures in which to seek shelter. The riders were spread out over a significant distance that I would estimate to be more than 15 miles. Several riders hitchhiked to get out of the storm. Several abandoned their bikes and got in cars where the driver took pity on the cyclists trapped in a storm. Fortunately, Ireland is one of the few places where you can hitchhike safely. I was the last person to be picked up and was in the storm for about an hour before the van came for me. Fortunately nobody was hurt and no one got sick.That evening after dinner, the group confronted the tour guide. They wanted to know the plan for the next day in the event of rain. The tour guide did not have an appropriate van to rapidly retrieve everyone in the event of bad weather. He also hadn’t looked at the weather forecast to anticipate that he might need to pick everyone up. Many on the tour believed that the support van would be bigger and be present more often. The description in the company literature led people to that conclusion. The guide said to wait and see the weather the next day and then make plans. If needed, he would look into making transportation arrangements in the morning. That did not satisfy many of the people in the group. Some were distressed at having been trapped in the rain with no support for an excessive period of time and they did not want to repeat the experience. Fortunately the weather was better the next day, but the damage was done. Many in the group felt that the guide did not have the proper van to support the large group, was not as concerned with the situation as he should have been, and did not have alternative plans to shuttle the group in case of inclement weather.While the van and support situation bothered me, I had more realistic expectations of the support based on what I had heard from others who had travelled with the company. However, I had four other problems with the company. First, they messed up my reservation and put my girlfriend and me in separate hotels on the first night, despite the fact that we made the reservations together. It was partially corrected on the first night, because a very nice B&B owner provided us with a very small room with 2 twin beds but without a bathroom. The rooms for the rest of the trip were better - each included a double bed and a bathroom. However, on the second day, when I asked the guide to contact the main office to verify that the rooms for the rest of the trip would be correct, he refused. He said “let’s just see how things work out”. Secondly, I had specifically e-mailed the company before the trip and asked if a pump, patch kit and mini tool would be provided so I could do basic repairs on the road. I realized that the van would not always be nearby and I did not want to wait for hours in the event of a flat tire. When I arrived, the guide did not have the tools as promised. In fact, the guide was very poorly equipped. Third, the guide switched my girlfriend’s bike on the second night without telling us. The next morning when she got on the bike to ride, she realized that the new bike was far too large and she could not ride it. He should have never switch the bike without telling us and ensuring that the new bike fit correctly. We then had to wait in the town for three and a half hours, while the rest of the group left and the guide went to get another bike. The bike he returned with was not a Trek as advertised by the company, but instead was a low quality bike that was not properly tuned. Two days later, we had to switch the bike again due to mechanical problems. Finally, the cue sheets could be improved. They contained several errors on distance and were written in a very confusing and wordy format. For a company that has been running the same tours for many years, it is surprising that the cue sheets contained errors. Would I travel with them again? Yes, but with some caveats. I would bring my own tools and a cell phone that worked in Europe. One of the people in the group had done another Irish Cycling Safari trip the week before. That trip had only 9 people and a better guide. That guide was more attentive and even provided snacks for the group. Based on discussions with 4 other people that have traveled with the company, I concluded that the quality of the trips are inconsistent with this company and depend on the guide. The cost is significantly less than other companies - such as Iron Donkey and Backroads. Part of the differential is due to the places that you stay and the fact that the other companies include more meals. However, the level of support and the guides for those other companies are better trained, have better resources and are more consistent. Choosing to travel with any company is a personal decision. One needs to consider their preferences, the cost, the level of support they would like and the quality of the hotels. Ireland is a great place for a cycling vacation and I will have several additional posts about the positive aspects of my trip.
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Topics: Ireland |
July 9th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
Nice writing style. I look forward to reading more in the future.
July 10th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Great description of our trip. I look forward to the movie.
If I ever go on a cycling trip again, I will spend the extra money for better support.
July 14th, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Excellent review. Just the sort of useful knowledge that we can all individually contribute to the Internet.
July 25th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Very interesting. I have been holidaying with irish cycling safaris for a few years and have had no problems. Interested in who your guide was-obviously a trainee. You could have easily checked the weather yourself as most rooms have a TV in them.So you can’t really blame the company for the weather-I had a couple of days bad weather on my trip,but coming from Ireland I was “use to it”- BUT your guide COULD have been a bit more attentive.Which trip were you on,and when? And I hope you complained to the company if the guide was as unhelpful as you said he was.
As for the pick up van-they DO have a couple of mini buses,BUT it is a bit imparticle to put 20 bikes into them.
I hope Irish Cycling Safaris sees this-and maybe will take stock of your comments.
February 6th, 2010 at 1:03 am
I would not have been moved to comment if it weren’t for the fact that this review appears early in the google search. I’ve done five tours with ICS, and so have cycled through a variety of terrains and weather. The operation is not set up to carry all of the riders to the next destination in the course of bad weather - the follow van is meant to be for luggage and for people who can’t make a typical day. I was on one tour when a day of cycling got cancelled due to weather - and on other tours I biked on at least two days of serious, serious rain. We trusted the guide about the cancelled tour day but we were disappointed. We were wet and tired after the rainy rainy days, but we never regretted doing them. If you want to be assured to not ride in bad weather, in all honesty, don’t book an Ireland trip. I’ve been there in May, June, July, August and September, and it has rained all day at least once every time. Some of those rides, and the trips out to the pub after, are my best memories.
February 26th, 2010 at 1:39 pm
When I first decided to go to Ireland several years ago, I decided that bicycle touring with a group was the best way to see Ireland. I looked for a company that arranges lodging, transports luggage, and provides maps of routes with mostly little used backroads. There are a number of choices in Ireland. I did a lot of research. I believe that Irish Cycling Safaris is the best choice. This Dublin-based company has been providing bike tours in Ireland for over 20 years, and offers a wide variety of tour choices (also in Europe), including group, self-guided, and family tours. Their level of experience with Ireland is unsurpassed by any other tour company. I also found them kind, caring and attentive.
I am an experienced cyclist who has done more than 25 organized tours in the United States and Europe, including multiple tours with Irish Cycling Safaris. Overall, I would highly recommend Cycling Safaris to cyclists of all abilities. The rides in Ireland are mainly geared to the casual cyclist (but longer options are available for the heartier cyclist), and several of the tours are challenging. Details are outlined on their website: cyclingsafaris.com.
The value is also hard to beat. I have done several tours with designer companies that charge prices that range from double to triple the cost of a Cycling Safaris tour. If you are looking for the most luxurious lodging and gourmel meals, and one that caters to every step of your ride, Cycling Safaris is not for you. If you are looking for a little more independence that can provide a more rewarding trip, this company is a better choice. In additon, designer companies usually attract people from similar backgrounds. Cycling Safaris usually attracts people from different countries, and that makes for a very special week, especially the evening socializing.
I just started thinking about my summer 2010 cycling plans, and that will include another Irish Cycling Safaris tour. When I did my first one, I said to myself, this was the best vacation I ever had. So why not go back. If you are thinking about cycling in Ireland, Cycling Safaris is a great choice. If you have a regret after the ride, it will probably be that you didn’t find this company sooner.
joenadia
Columbia, Maryland
March 8th, 2010 at 8:07 am
I was sorry to read the report of “spokesman” about his experience with Irish Cycling Safaris but I was moved to respond to what has been written.
I have now taken part in 15 tours with the Company and I will be doing a further tour on the West Cork Coastline Tour in July this year. I would have no hesitation whatsoever in taking a tour with Irish Cycling Safaris and I can honestly say that I have had 15 tours with happy memories. Yes, sometimes things do and have gone wrong but I have always found that the tour guide has found a solution or the job sorts itself out with a little help from your friends.Cameraderie is a great thing for these tours and that is one of the great attributes for me.
The adequacy of the tour van has never really been a problem and I find that tour participants humourously perceive travel in the van as a sign of weakness or being done only if you are on your last legs and about to die! There are some cyclists who do find at times that they need to ride in the van, quite rightly, and that possibility is always there for those in need. The tour guide is always available by mobile contact and does make regular “sweeps” of the route being taken.
The weather in Ireland is something in itself! It does rain in Ireland and I can testify to that! However, I have rarely found that there is a problem, even if the weather is really extreme. Where it was too bad to cycle, the tour guide has always accommodated the cyclists in the van to transport them to their destination. It may have taken two trips, depending on the size of the party, but it has never been a problem. As someone-else commented, don’t go to Ireland if you want wall-to-wall sunshine. You may be lucky but it does rain!
I have always found that the accommodation standard has been good on the tours and you have to bear in mind that some of the places visited can be quite remote and modern facilities have perhaps not caught up so much. These places, in themselves, are amazing places to visit and it gives you an insight into the tremendous difference between visiting Dublin and, say, Ahilles. You visit the “real” Ireland and you willingly accept that you will not find five star accommodation in some of these far-flung places but it is all part of the charm and the experience. These places are in the minority but there has been no place where I would refuse to stay on the grounds of poor quality. If anything, I would say that the standard of the accommodation on the tours has improved over the years. It reminds me of one of my earlier tours to the Beara peninsula where the overnight stay was in the main town. It had been raining and cold that day and I was looking forward to a hot bath. The B & B was new to the holiday industry and tourism was in it’s infancy and, believe it or not, there was no plug for the bath and the shower had a height of three foot from the floor so you had to limbo to get under it! Dave and I laughed about it but I have earned many pints of Guinness recalling the story! I mentioned it to the tour guide and he was helpful, and I was rewarded a few tours later by being presented with a plug to cover all contingencies! I still carry it with me on the tours but I have never had to use it.
I am sorry that “spokesman” had a disappointing tour with Irish Cycling Safaris. I think he was extremely unlucky with his experiences but please do not take it as being “the norm”. I will put my money where my mouth is. I will continue to use Irish Cycling Safaris until I can no longer cycle and it will be a very sad day for me when I cannot join them each year for one of their tours. The friendliness and helpfulness of all in the Company, the good accommodation and food, the good company of people on the tours and always good Guinness and the craic! I can’t wait to join them again!
Richard Coulson
Scarborough
England
April 10th, 2011 at 1:40 pm
My husband and I have taken three tours with Irish Cycling Safaris and they rank as some of our best adventures. We chose an Irish company because we felt it would be a more authentic experience and were not disappointed.
Our first guide made us feel like a part of his family! Yes, the support van was not spectacular BUT on our day off from cycling he borrowed some church pews to put in the back of the van and took us on a unique tour of the area that included picking mussels which were prepared for that nights dinner.
There is something pretty special about coming to a B&B after a long (and sometimes wet) cycle to be greeted by your hosts with an invitation to share tea and home made scones with them.
We have many wonderful memories from these cycling vacations and are in the process of planning our fourth trip.
July 6th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
My wife and I have just returned from a cycling trip to Ireland utilizing Irish Cycling Safaris. We couldn’t have been happier with the service they delivered! This was the third trip my wife has gone on with them but it was my first. Our guide, Aidan, couldn’t have been better. A truly wonderful trip. The weather even cooperated as it only sprinkled briefly on us twice.