Dear Peter, Bobes and CBT Staff, Fred and I want to thank you again for our super Greenway II -Mikulov-Telc-Cesky Krumlov Tour that we took with you September 14-22, 2016 along with our friends Julane and Art Anderson. We learned so much about the Czech Republic on this trip and were so surprised to discover what a bike friendly country we were in. I also wrote to Biketours.com and told them that we appreciated how well run your tour was, the interesting places that we went and how much we appreciated all the pre-tour and tour information that you gave us. I would have posted a 5-star review on their web site except that their marketing department had currently removed this tour from their web site. (I told them to put it back in). We did find the tour somewhat more difficult than we expected, especially day 4 where we biked from Hnanice to Vranov nad Dyji. The steep, gravel grades were hard for us and we had to walk up quite often. Fred and I had to walk down, too, on some of them as we were quite concerned about falling (Fred was 80 and I was 73 at the time). The scenery in the National Park was really wonderful so walking was not a burden - but did slow us down. Since we had quite a few hills, we did not bike out to Novy Hradec nor did we go beyond the Iron Curtain exhibit on the route to Hardegg - we just did not have the strength or time to do more steep grades. I also want to mention one more difficult grade on Day 6 from Telc to Jindrichuv. Shortly after Mrakotin when we were in the forest on Rt. 1113 we were directed to stay on old 1113 and turn left. After a couple of kilometers, we crossed the creek and were to turn right to stay on old 1113. There was no sign at this intersection and the faint trail up the hill looked like it was no longer used. We hesitated at first but then we pushed our bikes up quite a way following what looked like an animal track not a trail before we finally joined a farm lane and then the road which led us into the little town of Svetla. Thank you for giving us maps as well as the GPS and cue sheet booklet. The map was clear that this was the correct way even though the GPS was lost and the trail did not look promising. My other comment is that the photos in the booklet were not particularly useful as they were not located next to the specific directions so you had to take the booklet out of the map holder and turn to a different page to see the photo. You could eliminate the photos - but still include the wonderful maps. Another possible hint. Since you emailed us the booklets before the tour, I had printed out all of the cue sheets and then cut and pasted the sections together for each day's ride. That way we each had a single long page for each day that we could use without having to turn pages. It is a hint that you could give other riders. Once again, many thanks for a great tour. We certainly will spread the work that you company has wonderful tours. After we reached Prague, we had booked a second tour Prague to Dresden with AVEtravel. Although we enjoyed this tour along the Vlatava and Elbe Rivers, AVE did not give us an orientation, only a little pre-tour information and a less useful GPS showing only a track line without the surrounding details of rivers, roads, rail lines, etc. Thanks again

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

What do You think we could do better?

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

I had an absolutely wonderful bicycling trip with Czech Bike Tours (CBT) this past fall! From September 24th to October 1st I biked from Mikulov in southern Moravia to Český Krumlov in southern Bohemia, passing though the Czech countryside and lovely cities and villages, all while using the Czech Republic’s excellent bicycle path network. At every step of the way CBT provided me with excellent service, and I felt well taken care off. Petr Janota, the owner of CBT, was always prompt in answering all the questions I had via email before the trip (always within 24 hours), and he personally drove me from Prague to the start of my tour in Mikulov where I received a detailed orientation and got my bike adjusted to my height. As an American, I was astounded by the excellent bike infrastructure in the Czech Republic. There’s a vast network of well-marked cycling paths crisscrossing the country, not to mention bike lanes in cities with a reasonable amount of traffic. I found plenty of bike racks/bike parking in front of attractions like the castles in Valtice, Vranov nad Dyjí, Landštejn, and Hluboké nad Vltavou as well as supermarkets. Bicycling trips are popular among Czechs themselves, and cars seem to respect bicyclists a hell of a lot more than they do in the USA. I never worried about getting lost as I had a GPS with the routes preprogrammed, paper maps with the routes highlighted, paper turn-by-turn directions, and a GPS app on a cellphone. I liked having access to all of those things, and I studied the paper maps in my hotel rooms in the evening. The cellphone (with a Czech sim card) I was provided had some very helpful apps, such as a Czech/English translator and mapy.cz. I used the translator mainly to translate signs on the road and in town, and mapy.cz was excellent for helping me known my exact location and getting a layout of the various towns I biked through. I felt that the difficulty of my route (moderate – experienced as rated by CBT), Greenway I. Mikulov - Český Krumlov, was accurate. This isn’t a trip for a beginning cyclist, and there are just enough elevation gain and off-road/dirt/gravel sections of the trails where decent bike handling skills are a must. I brought my own bike pedals (and shoes to clip into them) and helmet, which I highly recommend for comfort. I wish this company all the best, and I highly recommend booking a bicycle tour with them!

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

The bicycle routes themselves were easily my favorite part of the trip. They were well designed and varied in scenery. I could tell that someone put a lot of thought into designing the routes and did a lot of riding to figure out the best roads/​paths to take that would be both enjoyable and pass by unique sights. And what do I mean by well designed? Well, the routes don’t always go from point A to point B by the most direct way, and they take you to more interesting places. For example, there is a straight, tree-lined, 5‑mile road that connects the chateaus of Valtice and Lednice. The CBT route between Valtice and Lednice bypassed this road entirely, taking me on paths through the forest and passing ornate monuments that I wouldn’t know existed, giving me a much more unique and enjoyable experience. As a foreigner, there’s no way that I would’ve developed those routes by myself, even if I had access to the excellent Czech bicycle route maps that were provided to me by CBT. The well-designed routes were worth just as much to me as all the other services that CBT provided, because when all is said and done I booked this trip because I enjoy bicycling. Some individual moments worth noting: ‑The first ride around the Pálava Hills was lovely, and I took detours to hike to castle ruins Dívčí Hrady and Sirotčí Hrádek. ‑Riding though many sections of Podyjí National Park near Znojmo ‑Entering Znojmo by climbing a steep road up from the Dyjí River that had spectacular views ‑The first sight of the city and castle of Vranov nad Dyjí on a curvy descent ‑The bike paths near Třeboň that crisscrossed forests and lakes ‑A lovely kayak trip down a section of the Vltava in Český Krumlov

What do You think we could do better?

’ve actually thought about this question for a while, and I can’t think of any major things Czech Bike Tours could’ve done to have made my trip better, beyond magically making me fluent in Czech! The bike equipment, the routes, the hotels, the luggage transfers, the bike routes, and the transport to and from Prague all happened without a hitch. Any minor problems/​annoyances I had were of my own making, and the one time I truly needed assistance while on the road (there was a dispute about payment at one of my hotels and a language barrier), Petr happily helped me over the phone early on a Sunday morning. With regards to the Czech Bike Tours website, I think it would be helpful to note that not all the routes are 100% paved. There are some off-road, dirt, and gravel sections. While this wasn’t an issue for me and the bike I was using was the right type to handle all the different road conditions (a hybrid bike with front suspension), it was unexpected and could be a bit of a shock to those used to riding exclusively on pavement.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

We had a self-guided trip and enjoyed the freedom this provided us

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

Our cycling route was diverse and beautiful. The cycling conditions (roads and bike paths, signage) was excellent.

What do You think we could do better?

Align navigation resources (apps, maps, gps, route booklet)

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

Great trip. The only thing I would change is one less day in Mikolov and one more day in one more day in Telc. Thanks for the great personal service.

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

It’s hard to single out a highlight, there were so many. We loved the backcountry roads, the multiple UNESCO towns, and Petr’s great service. Everywhere we stayed, the staff was friendly and helpful. The accomidations and food at the hltel Vinice Hnanice were especially nice.

What do You think we could do better?

The trip computers were a great addition to the maps. Really helped us stay on track. However, if you programed ​“routs” verses ​“tracks” the computer would be even more hlpful

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

Thanks Petr for a tremendous trip through southern Czechia! Service through Czech Bike Tours was top notch from pick up in Prague to drop off in Cesky Krumlov. The bike was great and I really enjoyed the trails, the scenery, hotels and food. I would only recommend that there be cell phone holders mounted on the bikes so that you could navigate using the mapy app as the gps was sometimes unreliable and confusing. Thanks again for a fantastic trip!

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

Cycling through the wine country between Mikulov and Lednice.

What do You think we could do better?

Better description of the trails on the trip description. I was wasn‘t expecting some of the mountain bike trails on parts of the trip. And I would suggest putting cell phone holders on the bikes so that we could navigate using the mapy app as the GPS was sometimes unreliable.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

We really enjoyed our trip. We would definitely consider using you again. Every email was answered promptly. Our favourite place to stay was Cesky Krumlov.

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

We really enjoyed our trip. We would definitely consider using you again. Every email was answered promptly. Our favourite place to stay was Cesky Krumlov.

What do You think we could do better?

We took the self guide option and found that sometimes the guide book and the GPS routes were different , making it difficult to decide which direction to follow. We did however, find our way every day.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

From the moment Petr collected us from our Prague hotel, we felt we were being looked after. We enjoyed our independent cycling yet we felt fully supported with maps, GPS, detailed description of the route and the Company's mobile phone to provide support if needed. Our bikes were great, the route was beautiful. I enjoyed my electric bike enormously. Our rafting trip at Cesky Krumlov topped of a wonderful holiday. Huge thanks to the team for our Czech Bike Tour cycling experience.

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

We enjoyed our independent cycling in the beautiful landscape yet we felt fully supported.

What do You think we could do better?

We were very impressed with your detailed support.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

Absolutely! I come from the Czech Republic and although I have not been living there for almost 40 years I am proud to "show off" the beauty of the countryside, beyond Prague and other tourist centers. For those intimidated by the distance I would suggest an e-bike, but completing the route on a regular bike gave me a huge sense of accomplishment. This trip was my dream for a few years and it has exceeded my expectations.

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

The whole thing was amazing. It was te perfect route, distance, lots of interesting things to see along the way with plenty of peaceful spots to stop along the way for a picnic. Stopping at a pond or in the forest for lunch that we usually brought with us was my favorite. We took the self guided tour but even then we felt like someone was watching over us along the way. Highlights: we spent an additional day around Mikulov and it was worth it, Slavonice, Znojmo. The Chatteau Vranov suprised us, beautiful.

What do You think we could do better?

Offering a cell phone holder for the bikes. The GPS navigation system was spotty at times due to satelite reception, Mapy.cz app seemed to be more reliable.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes

Our Mikulov-Cesky Krumlov tour was fantastic! It was the highlight of my time in Europe. Petr and his team are experts, I am so glad we chose his company, the whole experience was perfectly planned and so well organised. We did a self-directed tour, just 2 of us, so we were a little nervous about getting lost but the GPS, the maps and the guidebook kept us on the right path. The pace of the tour was perfect - a good balance of distance and difficulty across the 7 days. Each town we stayed in was spectacular and the scenery along the way was stunning, through vineyards and villages, passed castles, historic ruins, and through the national park. The hotels were so lovely and it was nice to arrive each day to find our luggage already delivered. This tour took us to parts of the Czech Republic we would not have otherwise seen. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It was a brilliant experience!

What was the highlight of the trip for You?

It’s hard to pick just one part — it was all fantastic! Each of the towns we rode through were spectacular and the scenery on the way was stunning! I think Slavonice was our favourite place — the hotel was so great! We also really enjoyed Hotel Ryzlink in Mikulov — that was beautiful!

What do You think we could do better?

It would have been useful to have some lubricant in the repair kit — we had some issues with the gears on one of the bikes and we could not find a bike store that was open to get it fixed. A list of bike store locations would be helpful. The hotel in Trebon was the only disappointment ‑other than that the rest were of a very high standard. It would be good to make sure the guidebook and the GPS are matching — on day 2 the ride was about 15km longer than what was written in the book.

• How would You rate communication with Czech Bike Tours?
• How did our offer and trip description meet Your expectations?
• How were You satisfied with the bikes?
• How did You like the hotels we chose?
• How did You like the restaurants we recommended?
• How would You rate our Info book we provided for the trip?
• How did You like the trail routing, descriptions and navigating through?
• How did You like our guides?
• What would be Your overall rating of the trip?

Would You recommend us to Your friends? Yes