Individual arrival by plane and subsequent transfer to Bodrum/Turkey. After checking in on the gulet, we have the opportunity to explore the interesting old part of town and the port. Dinner on board. The last participants arrive at the ship late in the evening.

Crossing to Kos before lunch. There begins our first bike tour which - always running close to the coast - takes us to a beach with a hot spring for a first swim in the Aegean. On the way back to the ship we master our first steep uphill and our first downhill on a gravel road. We spend the evening in Kos, the lively capital of the island. On a tour through the town we will come with each step across traces of the island’s great past. The Roman forum, the fortress of the Knights of  St. John, and the mosques from the time when Kos was part of the Ottoman empire stand shoulder to shoulder. We can end the evening relaxing in one of the town’s numerous bars and cafes.

Early in the morning, the ship takes us off to the volcanic island of Nissyros. Along with the Santorini volcano, it is one of the few active volcanoes in Greece. The bike tour takes us first up the crater rim to Nikia. From there we have a fabulous view into the volcano’s caldera. Then follows a rapid downhill ride into the crater and a walk into another, smaller crater. The smell of sulfur proves that the volcano is still active.
Along a fairly demanding gravel route we first bike up to the rim of the volcano and then on to the small port of Mandraki. There the ship is waiting to take us to Kardamena on the island of Kos.

After breakfast we leave Kardamena on your mountain bike and cycle at first towards the airport. With some luck, we can enjoy here the impressive sight of airplanes starting and landing. Then we continue on – alternating on gravel and asphalted roads – to the peacock forest, where we can watch and even feed more than 50 peacocks living in the wild.
The destination of today’s bike tour is the harbor of Mastichari, where the ship is already waiting to take us on a longer crossing to Lakki located on a deep bay on the island of Leros.

Leros is green and varied, continuously offering new vistas and surprising glimpses into small bays. The bike tour leads us on an unpaved road to a scenic view point and continues on to the sea-washed chapel of Aghios Isidoros, where many a couple has tied the knot for life.  After a break for espresso at the idyllic port of Aghia Marina, the bike tour takes us to the fortress of the Knights of St. John. In the afternoon we continue to Pothia, the main port of the island of Kalymnos, which used to be a centre for sponge diving and which is nowadays considered a Mecca for climbers.

On today’s ride we exclusively use tar sealed roads. From the port of Pothia we bicycle first to the west coast of the island. Here we have a wonderful view of  the neighboring island of Telendos. Then follows a longer uphill ride into a valley which - for this barren island - is surprisingly green. We continue as far as the quiet fishing village of Vathi, where we can have a coffee break in a cozy tavern. Along a high panoramic route we return to Pothia. If we feel like going on for a bit, it is worthwhile to make the short detour to the Aghioi Pantes monastery, where we have a wonderful view across the harbor.
In the afternoon we go by boat to the port of Mastichari on Kos where - as they say – you can admire the most beautiful sunset on the island.

In the morning we go on a bike trip to Zia, an old Greek mountain village, where a number of cozy taverns invite us to linger. From there we continue to the world-famous excavation site of the Asclepieion of Kos, where Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, was active. Afterwards we bicycle on partly asphalted and partly gravel roads to Kos Town. After lunch, on the way to Bodrum, we enjoy the last cruise on board of our ship. Bodrum’s vivacious old centre invites us once again to go on another enjoyable walk through town.

After breakfast, check-out and transfer to the airport or guests may extend their stay for a week of swimming or cycling on the Turkish or Greek Aegean.

Alterations
We reserve the right to make alterations to the planned route due to changing wind and weather conditions, and where required by organisational necessities.

Requirements (Level 2-3)
Easy to medium-difficult tours in mountainous stages of 20 – 40 km on mostly quiet asphalt roads (40%), dirt paths and single trails with up to 750 m difference in altitude are biked without time pressure. Steep but usually short uphill rides must also be managed. The downhill rides are in parts technically demanding, so that the participants of this tour are expected to have the necessary biking skills. Helmets are obligatory on all bike trips. Rental helmets are available in limited numbers (reservation necessary) A bike tour can at any time be substituted by a cruise.

Bringing Children
We believe that only children in a good physical condition and of a minimum age of 10 and previous bicycle tour experience are able to master the bike-tours on their own strength. Please note that the minimum height for the bikes we provide is 1.40 m (4.6 ft.)

Catering
The on-board chef is a member of the crew and will prepare breakfast and one warm meal daily. Half board is included from the evening meal on check-in day to the breakfast of checkout day.

Participants
Maximum: 12