Sometimes you do get what you pay for. The two tours by Bike Switzerland, the Challenge (in 2023), and the Alpine (in 2024) were expensive but as a site seeing adventure bicycling orientated vacation they were awesome. The hotels, food, roads, mountains, lakes and history, top marks in all categories. Switzerland is not the USA, kind of the whole point of traveling to another country. With four official languages, German, French, Italian, and Romansh: We were worried about communications. Most people spoke some English in the hotels so we could communicate with each other, it was just amazing. The breakfasts were included in the hotel and they were as far away from the coffee and a donuts at our Super 8’s as we are from the moon. The fresh breads, meats, cheeses, fruits and juices were enough only to need a snack along the days ride and the dinners at the hotel again were never a disappointment. One hotel greeted us with a glass of wine we enjoyed sitting out on the balcony watching sun set. We did splurge a bit on the wine, the wines that are bottled in the local area are highly recommended. The roads were in general quiet and well paved. Some gravel, some bike paths, some two lane roads that I would call bike path in the USA but all were not boring….. The most crowded road was the first day along Lake Geneva. With crowded roads comes opportunities, we stop for ice cream, Harley Davidson coins for a brother in law and a couple last minute bike needs at a bike shop. Definitely the rich suburbs area of Geneva. Any trip is what you make of it and the places one stops. The rest of the trip was very peaceful. Through fields and along rivers, a trip mainly looking up at the mountains. Everything is so green and manicured. The day along the Rhine there are still WW II bunkers and then we a beer under a Palm tree next to a lake. Incredible. The biggest Mountain we went up was by train to Wengen, a most defiantly do not skip day. Really two train and a tram to the top and then we walked down to the hotel, pure 1800’s charm and class, with modern wifi. We used a 50/34 11/28 gear combination with 32mm Continental tires. We are 67 and my wife 65 and bike about 3,000 to 4,000 miles a season. I think the proper approach for a “longer, harder” day attitude is “No hurries, No worries”. So what if we took all day to get to where we were going. It was wonderful to be outside just riding our bikes. If we saw something we liked we stopped. We would buy “a lunch” in a grocery store but eat it along a lake. One day we were only 4 miles into the day but found cappuccino/bakery with a beautiful view. So what if our daily average speed was down to 10mph. Lets face it, the joy in most trips comes down to weather. We had only one really miserable rainy day, a few short showers but only one cold drenching rain on the 2023 trip. The really cool thing is, in Switzerland they have trains, clean, fast and take bikes that go to most everywhere we were going. So we called it quits at lunch, hopped a train to our next hotel and enjoyed looking out the window at the country side, dry and warm. So if the mountain is too tall or the weather is too rotten or a partner that is too tired they can take a day off and train to the next stop. People can make the trip special, we were alone on the challenge tour and met many nice people along the way. The second trip we went with another couple and I feel we made new life long friends. It is nice to have something in common and to share the days adventure with someone new. Say yes to potentially new friends if offered. Self guided vs guided. We went self guided. Mainly cost, we also brought our own bikes, again cost. It was more work and maybe we didn’t hit all the local hot spots or historical places. It is a personal and financial choice. It will be more of an adventure than following a tour guide, but it will be more work. One thing I think is important if self guided. Learn RIDEWITHGPS and how to download the GPX files to a Wahoo element. 99% of the time it is a piece of cake to follow the map and if it rainy or the Wahoo element is hard to see, Wahoo element will talk to you through Shokz bone conduction headphone. We were never off route more than 100 feet before it gave us corrections. HOWEVER, bring your phone, with the RIDEWITHGPS app because sometimes a bridge is out (once) or a road is closed (once) and a map will save the day. As well as asking the locals were the best detour is. One detour was a boat ride down the lake around the road that was closed so bring a credit card and cash just in case. One very small village we stopped for a snack did not take credit cards. One part of the trip we left Switzerland used Euros and the rest was Swiss Francs (ch). One bag means one bag. Two small bags is not the same as one big bag. You will be charged extra. Try and bring as little as possible. Its ok to wear the same jersey, or same shirt to dinner, your in a different hotel, no one will notice. Plus you have room for cool stuff to bring home. Say a new Swiss bike jersey, a very souvenir. The rooms are smaller and some did not have elevators so large luggage bag lugging is a pain. We always had a safe place to store our bikes. We did bring electric adapters for European Voltages but some rooms did not have many extra plugs. A multiple cable voltage adapters is handy. Even better with a built in night light. Sometimes a new room every night can get confusing. Another little thing that really added to the trip were the walking talking tours we bought and downloaded to our phones. If we got to a town early or had a rest day we would share a set of AirPods, walk you around while being told the history of the town and getting good recommendations on where eat or what to see along the way. Too many sights to write about. Lots of history in Switzerland, like anywhere in Europe. George and Trish

Sometimes you do get what you pay for. The two tours by Bike Switzerland (http://www.bikeswitzerland.com/) we did in 2023 (the Challenge) and 2024 (the Alpine) were expensive but as a site seeing adventure bicycling orientated vacation they were awesome. The hotels, food, roads, mountains, lakes and history, top marks in all categories. We did not plan to do two trips to the same country, we still haven’t been to Italy, but we were really glad events turned as they did and we were able to see a totally different part of Switzerland the second adventure. I would say it would be like visiting the east coast vs the West coast in the USA. Same country but totally different. Switzerland is not the USA, kind of the whole point of traveling to another country. With four official languages, German, French, Italian, and Romansh:  I was worried about communications. It seems most people spoke some English so we could communicate with each other, it was just amazing. The breakfasts were included in the hotel and they were as far away from the coffee and a donuts at our Super 8’s as we are from the moon. The fresh breads, meats, cheeses, fruits and juices were enough only to need a snack along the days ride and the dinners at the hotel again were never a disappointment. We did splurge a bit on the wine, the wines that were bottled in that area are highly recommended. The roads were in general quiet and well paved. We did walk across a cow field once, some gravel, some two lane roads that I would called a bike path in the USA but it was not boring….. We used a 50/34 11/28 gear combination with 32mm Continental tires. One day we had a 3 hour climb but it never got over 10 percent. We did have short steeper sections but nothing we had to walk. We are 67 and my wife 65 and bike about 3,000 to 4,000 miles a season. I think the proper approach for a “longer, harder” day attitude is “No hurries, No worries”. So what if we took all day to get to where we were going. It was wonderful to be outside just riding our bikes. If we saw something we liked we stopped. One day we were only 4 miles into the day but found cappuccino/bakery with a beautiful view. So what if our daily average speed was down to 10mph. Lets face it, the joy in most trips comes down to weather. We had only one really miserable rainy day, a few short showers but only one cold drenching rain. The really cool thing is, in Switzerland they have trains, clean, fast and take bikes that go to most everywhere we were going. So we called it quits at lunch, hopped a train to our next hotel and enjoyed looking out the window at the country side, dry and warm. So if the mountain is too tall or the weather is too rotten or a partner that is too tired they can take a day off and train to the next stop. People can make the trip, the first one we were alone and met many nice people along the way. The second trip we went with another couple and I feel we made new life long friends. It is nice to have something in common and to share the days adventure with. Say yes to potentially new friends if offered. Self guided vs guided. We went self guided. Mainly cost, we also brought our own bikes, again cost. It was more work and maybe we didn’t hit all the local hot spots or historical places. It is a personal and financial choice. One thing I think is important if self guided. Learn RIDEWITHGPS and how to download the file to a Wahoo element. 99% of the time it is a piece of cake to follow the map and if rainy and the element is hard to see, Wahoo will talk to you through Shokz bone conduction headphone. We were never off route more than 100 feet before it gave us corrections. HOWEVER, bring your phone again with the RIDEWITHGPS app because sometimes a bridge is out (once) or a road is closed (once) and a map will save the day. As well as asking the locals were the best detour is. One detour was a boat ride down the lake around the road that was closed so bring a credit card and cash just in case. One very small village we stopped for a snack did not take credit cards. Also one bag means one bag. Two small bags is not the same as one big bag. You will be charged extra. Try and bring as little as possible. Its ok to wear the same jersey, or same shirt to dinner, your in a different hotel, no one will notice. Plus you have room for cool stuff to bring home. The rooms are smaller and some did not have elevators so large luggage bag lugging is a pain. We always had a safe place to store our bikes. We did bring electric adapters for European Voltages but some rooms did not have many extra plugs. A multiple cable voltage adapters is handy. Even better with a built in night light. Sometimes a new room every night can get confusing. Many people ask what is my favorite trip??? “Easy, the next one or why bother.” That being said, I really enjoyed going back to Switzerland for a second time. Any questions email me at govosburgh@me.com Hope this helps make up you mind and enjoy. PS forgot to mention some hotels are on lakes and my wife liked to swim a few morning and nights, so bring a bathing suit.

My husband and I could not have been happier with the preparation, Ride with GPS, written instructions and all advance communication. The orientation upon arrival was thorough and our bikes were fitted exactly as we wanted (mirror and panniers). Bike Switzerland was so responsive when we had any questions while biking, and we found them to be so helpful. The hotels were all great, all very different, clean and great breakfasts. The routes were mostly quiet and safe. This was unmistakably the most scenic, safe, and majestic of any bike trip we have enjoyed. My husband rode a gravel bike, and I rode an electric bike, and it was ideal for both of us. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS ADVENTURE. You will definitely not be disappointed!!!!

We had a great time on the Challenge Tour Bike Switzerland as just a couple. John was easy to work with in modifying the tour to add a couple of days to shorten the bigger mileage legs. The route was well marked, the GPS maps were excellent, the hotels were great, and scenery was spectacular. We've bike toured in many countries and this trip was one of best.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this amazing cycling tour. John, with Bike Switzerland, quickly responded to our many inquiries both pre-booking and pre-travel and provided a wealth of information before, during, and after the tour. He connected us with another couple, and the four of us enjoyed great camaraderie, tackling the challenging routes together (the ascents were well worth the fun descents), stopping for cappuccinos and local delicacies in small villages, taking photos of the beautiful scenery, and looking forward each day to arriving at a unique and comfortable hotel with great food and great views. Although the weather was hot, we enjoyed swims in pristine lakes and cooling our legs in rivers after several of the rides. The bikes we rented from Bike Switzerland were great too! Words cannot describe the beauty and splendor of this route, but I'll try: breath-taking, majestic, heavenly, spectacular!

I had an amazing solo ride from Geneva to Rapperswil with a train to Zurich after. I cut my trip shorter than ten days to accomodate other plans, but it was still a very complete experience. Switzerland is enchanting. Bike Switzerland staff were amazing. I never felt worried, scared or anxious and loved every day. I highly recommend Bike Switzerland.

We will never forget this experience! For my husband and me, this trip was a dream twelve years in the making, and it lived up to all our expectations! The hotels were quaint and comfortable, the navigation system and the bikes worked perfectly, the views were stunning, the route was pleasant and easy to follow, the luggage transfer was seamless, the food was delicious, and the tour managers were responsive and helpful. Every moment in Switzerland looks like something on a postcard—we could hardly believe it was real! I highly recommend you take a few extra days in Wengen to enjoy the hiking and definitely don't miss Trümmelbach Falls! That's another thing ... the ability to customize your tour is priceless. We unequivocally recommend the Bike Switzerland Challenge tour!

John Klemme was terrific!! He was very responsive to all questions. It mattered to him we have a good experience. Everything about the trip was well organized, explained, & tailored to what type of ride we wanted. We used his bikes, did a ‘bike fit’ with Matt in the shop, & within half hour of riding it felt like my bike back home. Cycling in Switzerland is fabulous. Whether you are new to cycling in Europe or a veteran I would highly recommend cycling in Switzerland & using John Klemme & Bike Switzerland. You will not be disappointed!! I absolutely plan to use him again.

Two of us did the Independent Alpine Tour on a tandem for 6 days, which was perfect for us. We could take our time and make side trips from the route. John with Bike Switzerland is very organized and helpful, quickly answered all our preplanning questions and was available via texting while on the trip. The Alpine Tour was challenging with lots of climbing and great views, thrilling descents. Because we were on a tandem, the climbs were well spent in conversation and counting wildflowers! The descents were switchbacks and fast straight runs; the disc brakes were well used. John arranged for wonderful hotels which accommodated the bike in safe locations. Our luggage arrived at the hotels before we did. The dinners and breakfasts kept us going throughout the day. The orientation before the start of the ride was informative, glad we had such expertise to give guidance. We highly recommend Bike Switzerland and plan to do another trip with them again!

This is the third trip I’ve done with this company. Experience on all three tours was excellent. This year was the challenge tour, which I did solo. Staff were super helpful, bikes in excellent condition. Hotels, food exceeded expectations. Luggage transfers flawless, beat me to the hotel most days. Great routes with lots of riding on small roads and dedicated paths, navigation wourked great. Amazing views and countryside every day, it is Switzerland after all. Highly recommended.

I rented a road Bike from Bike Switzerland and they gave me awesome Trek Madone road bike. Owner and staff was very friendly and helpful. Marc put me in a group ride 68 km from Geneva to Chaumont and back. It was a wonderful experience with the group and awesome guide. Highly recommend this business. I will do the complete tour with them in future.

My wife and I had a wonderful bike tour of the Jura Mountains arranged by Bike Switzerland . The riding was truly spectacular, rolling hills, vibrant green pastures with interludes of forest. Roads are virtually traffic free and the scenery varied. It is so beautiful that we took hundreds of photos. Jura Mountains Tour should be on every cyclists list of places to experience. John, of BikeSwiterland.com , took care of all the details and was extremely responsive when we had questions. The hotels were all comfortable and the food was tasty and plentiful. Our day off in Basel was loaded with activities. We checked out the Tinguely Museum, the Beyler Museum and even did a float down the Rhine . The float was the highlight. Rent a winckelfisch dry bag, throw your clothes inside, and use it as a mini raft while you leisurely float down the river, along with throngs of locals. We look forward to signing up with BikeSwitzerland.com for another tour to explore a different part of Switzerland. Truly magnificent , the entire trip was utterly fantastic. Eva and Doug , California, USA

My wife and I had an excellent 11-day tour across Switzerland. John and his very helpful crew of English-speaking staff took time to make us feel comfortable on our bikes and walked us through each day of the tour before taking us out for a drink at the bar across the street. We couldn't have asked for a better introduction. The trip itself was excellent...beautiful scenery, wonderful hotels, etcetera. We were able to use our cellphones and Bike Switzerland's personalized GPS program to keep track of our progress. The shop loaned us a few battery packs to keep our phones charged,. Upon our return to Geneva, the shop let us keep the bikes an exra day to do one of their Saturday club rides. I can't recommend highly enough.

Hired eBikes for the day. The guys at Bike Switzerland were so helpful and friendly. Will definitely be going back to hire bikes next time we are in Geneva. Great day out to the vineyards and visit to Domaine de Champvigny.

Last summer my wife and I took the independent "Lite Tour" to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. What a great decision that turned out to be! We had been looking for a tour that had the following elements: great hotels, fantastic scenery, more than 6 days of cycling and daily distances in the 50-70 km range. This tour met all of our expectations and more. Each of the hotels was unique in its own way, and most had gorgeous rooms and amenities. Even the stay on the 2nd last day in a monastery was surprising -- the room was large, modern, quiet and "saintly" (each room is named after a Saint). Each breakfast was a meal in itself, and set us up well for the day's journey. A GPS application on our phone (that did not use data) guided us on our way through the Swiss countryside, with no need to be flipping pages of maps or a booklet. Switzerland is such a beautiful country -- spectacular views of picturesque farms, lakes, rolling hills, farm animals and greenery. The days were just right -- we would reach our destination mid-to-late afternoon, and then have time for a swim or exploring the local environment. We also took the option of a "rest day" in the middle of the tour, which was really a hiking day through a beautiful forested area, followed by a gondola ride up to a hotel/farm basically on a mountainside. This was a good change of pace, and perfect for us because we like to walk a lot as well. Since we are in our mid-60s and not "mountain climbers" we were a bit worried about our ability to negotiate some of the hills. However, the route is really through rolling hills and not mountainous areas. Except for a very few spots (no more than 3-5) where we decided to walk our bikes where there were exceptionally steep inclines, we were able to complete the route without any problem. As noted, the scenery was spectacular. Many of the towns we visited had huge public swimming pools, which allowed us to cool off on some of the hotter days. We ate well without spending a fortune, which you can do if you just explore the area around your hotel. The luggage transportation worked flawlessly. The trip starts and ends in a beautiful hotel right near the bike shop in Geneva. The tour leaves you with a real sense of accomplishment -- for biking from one end of Switzerland to the other. This tour is a case of "you get what you pay for" -- and then some.