Backroads vacations tours are unlike anything else in the world of luxury travel. Since 1979, Backroads vacations have been setting the gold standard for active, immersive, and deeply personal travel — taking discerning travelers around the globe on deluxe biking, walking and hiking, multi-adventure, and family vacations that combine exhilarating physical activity with world-class cuisine, breathtaking scenery, and genuine cultural connection.
Backroads vacations tours go far beyond ordinary active travel. Every journey is fully escorted by 3 to 4 expert trip leaders and supported by 1 to 2 dedicated support vans — ensuring that every guest travels entirely at their own pace, enjoying the perfect balance of exhilarating activities, authentic cultural encounters, extraordinary scenery, genuine camaraderie, and pure, unfiltered fun. This is Backroads vacations at their finest — active travel designed for the world’s most discerning explorers.
Backroads vacations tours offer the most comprehensive and thoughtfully curated range of active travel experiences available anywhere in the world today:
Deluxe Biking Tours — Backroads vacations biking tours take you through the world’s most magnificent landscapes on two wheels — from the rolling lavender fields of Provence and the golden vineyard roads of Bordeaux wine country to the dramatic coastal cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the ancient temple paths of Japan’s Kyoto countryside. Every Backroads vacations tour biking route is carefully designed to maximize scenery, minimize traffic, and deliver the most deeply satisfying cycling experience imaginable — whether you are a seasoned cyclist or a first-time explorer.
Walking & Hiking Tours — Backroads vacations walking and hiking tours deliver the world’s most breathtaking landscapes at the most intimate and rewarding pace imaginable — on foot. From gentle vineyard walks through the Loire Valley and coastal path hikes along Croatia’s Dalmatian coastline to high-altitude Andean treks through Peru’s Sacred Valley and dramatic Patagonian wilderness adventures, Backroads vacations tours walking journeys consistently deliver the deepest, most personal connection to every destination.
Multi-Adventure Tours — For travelers who want the full breadth of outdoor exploration, Backroads vacations multi-adventure tours combine biking, hiking, kayaking, and swimming into one extraordinary active travel itinerary — offering a completely different perspective on every destination every single day.
Family Vacations — Backroads vacations tours family itineraries are designed to create genuine shared adventure and lasting memories for travelers of all ages — combining age-appropriate activities, exceptional family-friendly accommodations, and the kind of authentic cultural experiences that bring families closer together in the most extraordinary destinations on earth.
Active River & Ocean Cruising — Among the most unique of all Backroads vacations tours offerings, Backroads active river and ocean cruising combines the intimate elegance of luxury river cruises with the active exploration spirit that defines every Backroads vacations experience. Guests enjoy guided cycling and hiking excursions at every port of call — creating a seamlessly integrated active luxury cruise experience unlike anything else available.
Culinary Tours — Backroads vacations culinary tours bring the world’s greatest food and wine destinations to life through an active, deeply immersive lens — combining cycling through Bordeaux vineyards with private estate tastings, walking through Tuscan truffle country with farm-to-table lunches, and hiking through Provence lavender fields with authentic French market experiences. For travelers who love both active exploration and extraordinary food and wine, Backroads vacations tours culinary itineraries are simply without equal.
Active Safaris — Backroads vacations tours active safaris redefine the traditional Africa safari experience — combining Big Five game drives with guided bush walks, cycling expeditions through wildlife corridors, and kayaking adventures on Africa’s most spectacular waterways. Backroads vacations active safaris deliver the most intimate and thrilling wildlife encounters available anywhere on the continent.
Weekend Getaways — For travelers with limited time but unlimited appetite for adventure, Backroads vacations weekend getaway tours deliver extraordinary active travel experiences close to home — perfectly designed for spontaneous exploration and quick escapes that feel like full Backroads vacations tours in miniature.
Active Snow Adventures — Backroads vacations tours snow adventures bring the same spirit of guided active exploration to the world’s most spectacular winter landscapes — from cross-country skiing through the snow-draped forests of the Canadian Rockies to snowshoeing adventures in the Swiss Alps and winter hiking through Iceland’s extraordinary geothermal wilderness.
Backroads vacations tours Dolce Tempo trips offer a beautifully easygoing entry point into the world of active travel — featuring relaxed e-biking, gentle walking, and unhurried multi-adventure Backroads vacations designed specifically for travelers who are new to active travel or simply prefer a slower, more savored pace of exploration.
Dolce Tempo Backroads vacations tours combine all the hallmarks of the classic Backroads vacations experience — expert trip leaders, world-class accommodations, extraordinary cuisine, and deeply immersive cultural encounters — with a gentler, more flexible activity pace that ensures every guest feels completely comfortable, energized, and deeply fulfilled at every stage of their journey.
Backroads vacations tours have taken responsible travel seriously since the very first trip in 1979 — and that commitment has only deepened with every passing year and every mile traveled. Traveling on two feet or two wheels is the ultimate minimal-impact approach to exploring the world — and this philosophy is at the very heart of everything Backroads vacations stand for.
Backroads vacations tours recognize that any form of travel has an environmental and social impact — and they do everything possible to ensure that impact is genuinely positive. From supporting local guides, restaurants, and accommodation providers in every destination to minimizing carbon footprints through active travel modes and partnering with conservation organizations worldwide, Backroads vacations deliver extraordinary experiences with a deep and authentic commitment to the health of the planet and the communities that make every destination so remarkable.
At Tasteful Voyages, Joan Qualls specializes in seamlessly combining Backroads vacations tours with the world’s finest luxury cruises, luxury river cruises, and riverside luxury cruises to create complete, deeply immersive travel experiences that engage every sense and satisfy every appetite for discovery.
Backroads Vacations + Luxury Bordeaux River Cruise — Cycle through Bordeaux wine country on a Backroads vacations tour and connect seamlessly with the best Bordeaux river cruise aboard Riverside Luxury Cruises for the most complete and deeply immersive French wine country experience available anywhere in the world. Riverside travel through Bordeaux paired with Backroads vacations tours cycling creates a journey of extraordinary sensory richness and personal depth.
Backroads Vacations + Belmond Trains Europe — Backroads vacations tours through Provence, Tuscany, or the Loire Valley pair magnificently with Belmond Trains Europe rail journeys — combining active cycling and walking exploration with the golden-age romance and cinematic scenery of the world’s most legendary luxury train travel.
Backroads Vacations + South America Luxury Tours — Backroads vacations tours through Peru’s Sacred Valley, Patagonia’s dramatic wilderness, and Argentina’s wine country connect beautifully with South America luxury tours curated by Tasteful Voyages — creating complete, continent-spanning adventures that combine active exploration with extraordinary cultural and culinary immersion.
Backroads Vacations + Luxury Iceland Cruises — Backroads vacations Iceland hiking and cycling adventures pair perfectly with luxury Iceland cruises aboard Silversea — creating a complete Icelandic experience that combines the active thrill of exploring volcanic landscapes on foot with the extraordinary comfort and elegance of luxury cruising through Iceland’s dramatic Arctic coastlines.
Backroads Vacations + Riverside Luxury Cruises — Backroads vacations tours cycling and walking itineraries through Europe’s most spectacular river valleys connect seamlessly with riverside luxury cruises — creating multi-layered luxury travel experiences that explore every dimension of Europe’s most magnificent destinations.
As a Virtuoso luxury travel advisor, Joan Qualls at Tasteful Voyages brings unmatched expertise, personal knowledge, and exclusive access to every Backroads vacations tour she curates. Joan’s comprehensive understanding of Backroads vacations tours’ most extraordinary itineraries — combined with her deep expertise in the world’s finest luxury cruises, luxury river cruises, Belmond Trains Europe, and South America luxury tours — enables her to create fully integrated luxury travel experiences that no other advisor can replicate.
When you book your Backroads vacations tour through Tasteful Voyages, you receive:
Backroads vacations tours represent active travel at its most extraordinary — a world of deluxe biking, walking, hiking, and multi-adventure experiences delivered with the expert guidance, world-class accommodations, and deeply personal service that the world’s most discerning travelers demand.
Whether you dream of cycling through Bordeaux wine country on the best Backroads vacations tour in France, hiking through Patagonia’s breathtaking wilderness on a Backroads vacations South America adventure, paddling through Croatia’s crystal-clear Adriatic waters, or combining a Backroads vacations tour with the best Bordeaux river cruise aboard Riverside Luxury Cruises — Joan Qualls at Tasteful Voyages will design every extraordinary detail to absolute perfection.
Contact Tasteful Voyages today and let your most extraordinary Backroads vacations tour begin.