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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 conclude 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.