CC-BY-SA-3.0 - 'Altes Rathaus' built in 1737 (Rococo-style), Bonn, Germany. CC:Thomas Wolf' data-type='image'>

GFDL - Boppard, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. CC:Tk' data-type='image'>

GFDL - 'Fischmarkt' in the historic Old Town of Cologne, Germany. CC:achim Raschka' data-type='image'>

CC0 - Deutsche biers! Ich@Flickr' data-type='image'>

CC0 - Schnitzel & spargel in Germany. Roland Tanglao@Flickr' data-type='image'>

CC-BY-SA-2.0 - Mainz, Germany. Urkokor Ronsoro@Flickr' data-type='image'>

Traveler photos

Route Map

Maps are for information purposes only and reflect typical routes between overnight locations. They may not reflect your actual route.

• ★★★★★ Jimmie Ring 4 months ago

  Self guided tour of the Rhine

  My spouse and I elected to take a self guided tour of the Rhine from Mainz to Cologne. We could not have been happier with the support, hotels or the route. The daily length of the ride was PERFECT for allowing plenty of time to explore along the way. The hotels were awesome - located always close to the things we wanted to see, comfortable, and breakfasts were fantastic. The support- from the information provided before the tour to the daily pickup and drop off of luggage - was perfection. The bikes were also very good and comfortable. We were very happy with the whole experience.

  What was the date of your tour?

  August 2023

  How many tours have you completed?

  2

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Peter Dworkin 4 months ago

  Beautiful scenery; great bikes

  Relaxing and fun trip. Great bikes. Attractive hotels. Good itinerary. Negatives: Navigation app. Need to provide turn by turn instructions that integrate with Google maps. Would have preferred all hotels to be in cute small towns. Some were in modern less charming bigger towns.

  What was the date of your tour?

  August 2023

  How many tours have you completed?

  1 other

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens, Families with young kids

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 2/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
• ★★★★★ Jeffrey Kuhl September 12, 2022

  second tour

  Day 1 - 3 were fantastic.
  Day 4 was too long partly because of route, a few mistakes and a long detour to local bike repair shop. Broken seat was replaced quickly, but caused 3 or 4 stops to attempt to tighten seat with tools that didn't fix the problem. I could only ride a short distance before stopping to flatten seat. The issue was a broken ratchet that had to be replaced. Local tour company worked to find repair and notify them I would be there. I arrived right before closing.
  Day 5 I just wanted it to be over.

  What was the date of your tour?

  September 3

  How many tours have you completed?

  2

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Much harder

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 4/5 Scenery
  • 3/5 Ease of navigation
  • 3/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
  • 3/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Rebecca Heersink August 6, 2022

  Great family vacation

  We completed this tour with our 2 year old in the infant trailer. The route provided great stops for everyone in the family including great playgrounds for the little one and wine/beer for mom and dad. We enjoyed visiting castles, small medival towns and cable cars rides. The bike riding was manageable but pulling the bike trailer in the heat wave did prove hard some days, maybe an ebike would have helped in retrospect. Hotels were nice and all provided an infant bed. Can't wait to do another cycling tour!

  What was the date of your tour?

  July 2022

  How many tours have you completed?

  First one

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat harder

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists, Families with teens, Families with young kids

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
  • 5/5 Guides (if applicable)
• ★★★★★ Jessica McAdam August 5, 2022

  Castle Heaven!

  We loved nearly everything about this trip! The route was perfect! It delivered days of delightful excercise, followed by late afternoons exploring the next lovely overnight stop. Breakfast was always a feast and a deliciously fun way to start each day. We diverged off the path to explore a few castles and were Wowed! One small change could make this THE perfect bike tour: do NOT book lodging in Rudesheim during the annual Harley Festival. Distressingly loud people kept us up all night. It was unbelievably noisy, leaving us sleep deprived—sadly, not a fun night at all.

• ★★★★★ Jim Gr August 21, 2019

  Magnificent Rhine

  Wonderful scenery including vineyards, castles, lovely towns and history dating back to the Roman occupation.
  Well organized, nice hotels, great bike path and directions.

  What was the date of your tour?

  July, 2019

  How many tours have you completed?

  8

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Richard 69 July 18, 2019

  Gute Fahren along the Rhine

  This was a most picturesque tour along the Rhine. The ride was gentle and we mostly rode on dedicated bike paths. Most of the ride was right along the river except when the path took us through one of the many well preserved medieval towns. The tour company was great and our bikes performed well. Our luggage was always delivered on time. Our maps and printed materials were very helpful, especially the recommendations for restaurants for lunch and dinner. Our hotels were very comfortable and they were all air conditioned. They also served lovely breakfasts. This was a very memorable ride that compared favorably with other European rides that we have taken. I highly recommend this tour.

  What was the date of your tour?

  May 29 - June 5

  How many tours have you completed?

  6

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ luis1957 July 4, 2019

  Wonderful Easy Biking

  The Rhine region of Germany is gorgeous, we enjoyed sunny warm days and relaxed biking. Towns and cities are beautiful and interesting and the people are educated and friendly. The 3* hotels are good and the 3* Superior hotels are excellent. Breakfasts everywhere were really good and there were very good options for dinner wherever we went. The bikes are heavy and bulky but adequate for the trip, the only issue we had was climbing the long steep hill to Eberbach Monastery. The maps are not easy to read, but the route is pretty straightforward. The only challenges are navigating inside the cities and finding some hotels, which is easily done with Google Maps.

  What was the date of your tour?

  June 2019

  How many tours have you completed?

  7

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 2/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 3/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Nonickname59 June 14, 2019

  Two wheeled wonder

  Best way to see the sites on the Rhine. Great accommodations along the way.

  What was the date of your tour?

  May 30, 2019

  How many tours have you completed?

  0

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Martin June 13, 2019

  Perfect way to experience the Rhine

  This tour was lovely; scenery was outstanding; easy bicycling, mostly next to the Rhine. We lijed the hotel/guest house variety.

  What was the date of your tour?

  May 30-June 4

  How many tours have you completed?

  4

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Families with young kids

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 3/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Jim Brewer September 25, 2018

  Mainz to Cologne

  The Rhine Valley was beautiful. The hybird bikes were very good. Maps and directions for the tour were very poor at best. Extremely difficult to find Hotels and the key sights mentioned by the tour. We experienced extremely high temperatures but had A/C most nights. The night without A/C resulted in very little sleep and NO biking the next day. The night that they shut off the A/C in the middle of the night resulted into a lot of lost sleep. Bottom line even with average high temperatures you need A/C every night and all night long.
  Others on the same tour with the same maps etc also had difficulties finding the Hotels each evening.

  What was the date of your tour?

  22 Jul 18--28 Jul 18

  How many tours have you completed?

  1

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Do you recommend this tour?

  No

  • 1/5 Value
  • 4/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 2/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 1/5 Ease of navigation
  • 1/5 Tour documents
  • 2/5 Local tour company services
  • 3/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Lillee September 17, 2018

  Greatest family vacation!

  Rhine biking is perfect combo of castles, beauty, history, food, beer/wine, and fun! Great exercise, not strenuous biking. Four college-age kids and three parents--something for all everyday. We will be back for another trip!

  What was the date of your tour?

  7/23/18

  How many tours have you completed?

  2

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ MikeSue5052 September 5, 2018

  The Rhine is a very busy river!

  We were enthralled with the amount of river traffic going in both directions. Barges and river tour boats, constantly plying the wide river. Of course, the historical locations, from castles to churches, are numerous all along the river.

  What was the date of your tour?

  July 2018

  How many tours have you completed?

  6

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, Families with young kids, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ louis16 July 1, 2018

  Great Trip down the Rhine

  We had a fantastic first bike tour. The hotels in general were well appointed. One hotel had staff that did not know any English which made communication a challenge but we managed. The castles were amazing. The routes are well laid out and easy to follow even if you do no know German.

  What was the date of your tour?

  6/17/2018

  How many tours have you completed?

  0

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Badgers September 27, 2017

  WONDER-FUL trip!

  Despite chilly temperatures and rain we thoroughly enjoyed our Rhine River self guided tour. The hotels were comfortable, the breakfasts were top-notch and the route took us through so much beautiful scenery.

  What was the date of your tour?

  September 12-17, 2017

  How many tours have you completed?

  1

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, Founder and president September 28, 2017

    Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad you enjoyed your Rhine tour!

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 3/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Hermann August 17, 2017

  Great tour

  What was the date of your tour?

  24 - 07/ 30- 07

  How many tours have you completed?

  my first

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with young kids, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  No

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ bike beasty August 10, 2017

  A perfect first tour!

  This tour definitely met with our expectations, and was thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. The information given beforehand was really comprehensive and the recommendations for meals and excursions really helpful. This was bought as a 70th birthday present for my husband and he/we had a great time! A bottle of bubbly awaited him on the first evening of the ride, as a present from the company, which he was very touched by! We were very lucky with the weather too, so all in all a great little adventure!

  What was the date of your tour?

  10/07 - 16/07/2017

  How many tours have you completed?

  just this one

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Zacthecat June 28, 2017

  Great fun rolling down the river

  As a group of four, 2 couples in our early 60s, we self-guided down the Rhine. Three of us had e-bikes and one did it the old fashioned way. We all loved the riding and we were lucky with the weather, which was fine and mostly sunny.
  The information provided was very good, but we recommend a better description of how to find the hotels. In two cases the hotel wasn't on the map, so that needs to be improved. Perhaps draw a coloured line from the bike path to the hotel, with a different colour for each hotel.

  What was the date of your tour?

  12th - 17th June 2017

  How many tours have you completed?

  5

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 4/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 3/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ jackie20 May 26, 2017

  Good trip

  Most hotels were excellent, however two (in St Goar and Bad Godesberg) had our rooms on either the second or third floor and no elevators. Best hotel and service were at the Baron in Rudesheim. In addition, the maps and directions to hotel in Bad Godesberg and Cologne were poor. Lastly, recommend sightseeing trip to Monastery Eberbach include distance, we never found the place after riding 10km. Overall, good trip.

  What was the date of your tour?

  14 May 2017

  How many tours have you completed?

  5

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 3/5 Hotels or boat
  • 4/5 Scenery
  • 1/5 Ease of navigation
  • 2/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Julius August 28, 2016

  Lovely ride

  I decided on the spur of the moment to treat myself to a bike tour. The Mainz to Cologne route appealed to me because I did it by boat many years ago. It was one of the most enjoyable holidays I've ever had. The scenery was impressive, the ride was nice and easy and the hotels were sufficiently comfortable. Having done bike trips before where I carted my own luggage it was an absolute luxury to have my luggage looked after by the tour company. This was done in a very efficient way. The trip is quite easy. Before this, the last time I was on a bike for more than 10km was about 10 years ago. I had no problems, other than some saddle soreness after the first day. I would recommend proper cycling shorts, that makes life in the saddle a little easier.

  What was the date of your tour?

  14-19 August 2016

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 4/5 Included meals
  • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ krpete July 12, 2016

  60th Birthday Celebration

  My wife took me on this beautiful Rhine bike ride for my 60th birthday. What a great way to experience Germany first hand! All of the bed-and-breakfast-style hotels were wonderful, clean and well-apportioned. Breakfast in the morning always had a great selection of foods, leaving us well-energized each day to hit the trail. We rode at our own pace every day, stopping on a whim to look at this, that, and the other thing. We toured castles, Roman ruins, shopped (the panniers were large enough to accommodate most items we bought), ate snacks and lunch, and took advantage of any and all photo ops. At the end of each afternoon we had time to do a walking tour of each town we stayed in, eat a stellar dinner and then have a hot shower and a good night's rest. The weather and temperature were very cooperative, just perfect. We absolutely cannot wait to do this again next spring. We are already planning another BikeTour.com trip to another destination. Best vacay ever!

  What was the date of your tour?

  May 17, 2016

  How many tours have you completed?

  1

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Somewhat easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 2/5 Ease of navigation
  • 3/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Paulie July 6, 2016

  When the Weather Agrees The Rhine is Beautiful

  Flat, well-marked path. Castles. Wine. Beer. Friendly hotel staffs. For what more could I ask?
  If possible opt-out of the dinner package, restaurants in all towns visited are plentiful. The menu selection available is very limited and beverages are not included in the price of dinner.

  What was the date of your tour?

  June 2016

  How many tours have you completed?

  0

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Much easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 4/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 4/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ JustBob June 7, 2016

  Land of Castle, Cruise Ships and Barges

  After 18 day on a bus tour, a self-guided bike tour along the Rhine was a perfect way to regain some solitude. The tough decision were which of t many historic towns, castles and churches to sit and visit, and what kind of pastry go best with with late morning beer! It would be even better if the Bikeline guide we available in English.

  What was the date of your tour?

  May 23 - 29, 2016

  How many tours have you completed?

  3

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 4/5 Value
  • 3/5 Included meals
  • 4/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 4/5 Ease of navigation
  • 3/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 4/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ 2travelers November 5, 2015

  Loved every minute

  This was our first bike vacation and didn't know what to expect, we loved every minute! We chose Bike Tours Direct because they allowed us to change the itinerary to include 2 extr days in Lorch, the town that shares my husbands family name! After all this was his 60th birthday trip. We had a magically stay in Lorch, met the Mayor who gave us the town flag and put our picture on their FB page! Fun.
  We never saw the team that picked up our luggage, but sure enough our bags were always waiting for us at our next stop. The entire bike trip was beatiful, historical and we can't wait to go again.
  Thanks Bike Tours Direct, you rock!

  How many tours have you completed?

  1

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  Much easier

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Families with teens, Solo travelers, Families with young kids, First-time bike tourists

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 5/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 5/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 5/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection
• ★★★★★ Alan October 28, 2015

  The trip was perfect

  All the hotel owners were great, the documentation on where to go was sufficient, and I had an absolute fantastic time.

  How many tours have you completed?

  0

  Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?

  As expected

  Who is this tour suitable for?

  Families with teens, Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists

  Do you recommend this tour?

  Yes

  • 5/5 Value
  • 5/5 Included meals
  • 3/5 Bikes + equipment
  • 4/5 Hotels or boat
  • 5/5 Scenery
  • 5/5 Ease of navigation
  • 4/5 Tour documents
  • 5/5 Local tour company services
  • 5/5 Route selection