Griechenland greece greek aegaeis aegean

Central Greek Aegean MTB+Boat

from/to Bodrum

A magical and mythical world

Get your legs pedalling and discover the Central Greek Aegean by mountain bike and boat! The islands are a magical and mythical world brimming with stories and cultural wonders. Packing, unpacking and re-packing your bags is a thing of the past, our beautiful boat is your floating home, restaurant, and transport for the duration of your stay. From summiteers to water lovers, the tour caters for all. We discover natural pathways and trails across the islands of Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, Lipsi, and Patmos by bike. After the tours, the boat drops anchor in peaceful bays so that we dive into clear blue sea from the deck. Evenings can be whiled away strolling through picturesque harbour towns or relaxing in a rustic bar while enjoying your drink of choice.

Dates 2025:

Arrival: Saturday
Duration: 8 days

Dates:
Season 1: April 19.
Season 2: May 03./31., June 28., Aug 30.
Season 3: June 14., Sept 13./27.

Min.number of participants: 14 persons

mixed group / S0-S3

1st Day: Bodrum (Embarkation)

Individual arrival to Bodrum harbour. A collective transfer from Bodrum Airport to the harbour is available for an extra cost on request. Check in begins on the Gullet at 2 pm. Use the evening hours to enjoy the lively atmosphere in the city of Bodrum and relax with a typical Turkish tea. In the evening a shared dinner on board can be enjoyed in the company of your travel companions and tour guides.

2nd Day: Kos Island (aprx. 12.5 – 22 mi./20 – 35 km, aprx. 1,500 – 2,650 ft./450 – 800 m of elevation)

In the morning we cross over to Kos town and bike in the direction of the world-famous archaeological excavation site of the Asclepion in Kos, the former home of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine. By bike we continue through fragrant pine forests on gradually ascending natural trails to the backyard mountain of Kos town. While riding along the islands ridge, we enjoy plenty of breath-taking panoramic views. Our descent takes us along diverse trails back to our ship. A wealth of cultural sights in Kos town provide an insight into the town’s turbulent historical past including the Roman Forum, the Crusader fortress, and the mosques from the time when Kos was part of the Ottoman Empire. The evening can be spent in one of the numerous bars or cafes in the town.

3rd Day: Leros Island (aprx. 19 – 25 mi./30 – 40 km, aprx. 2,000 – 3,000 ft./600 – 900 m of elevation)

We enjoy an early morning crossing to the scenic Island of Leros. Today’s ride leads us to the fort of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem in Agia Marina and on through the small alleyways of the town. Passing the picturesque town harbour, we cycle on to the seaside chapel Agios Isidoros, a popular place on the island to get married. Following the coastline, we reach a beautiful sandy beach where we stop for a swim and coffee. The highlight of the day is cycling the newly constructed Lighthouse Trail before returning to the ship. Once at the boat, we cast off for Patmos or a nearby bay.

4th Day: Patmos Island – Lipsi Island (aprx. 9 – 12 mi./15 – 20 km, 1,500 – 2,150 ft./400 – 650 m of elevation)

Today we visit Patmos and its grotto on a short panoramic bike tour. It is said that St. John received the revelation during his captivity here. We continue by bike to the highest part of the island, to the town of Chora. The world-famous monastery of St. John of Chora is found here with numerous white alleys, and 34 churches and chapels. Another panoramic single trail through the scenic landscape leads us back to the harbour, where our ship awaits us for lunch and a crossing to the island of Lipsi. Enjoy the afternoon in the charming harbour town and be sure not to miss out on a visit to the legendary pastry shop!

5th Day: Island Lipsi – Kalymnos Island (aprx. 6 – 12 mi./10 – 20 km, 820 – 3,000 ft./250 – 700 m of elevation)

In the morning we set off on our bikes and take a tour around the island of Lipsi. The island is perfect for all riding preferences, from easy-going natural trails to challenging technical rides. We can experiment with a broad variety of riding styles before returning to the port. In the afternoon we will cross over to the island of Kalymnos to the main port of Pothia, where we will spend the night. The old town of Pothia still clearly shows the former wealth of its inhabitants acquired through sponge diving.

6th Day: Kalmynos Island – Kos Island (aprx. 26 mi./42 km, 2,000 – 2,650 ft./600 – 800 m of elevation)

Today, a round tour by bike on Kalymnos is on the program, on which we will get to know the entire island, which has made a name for itself far beyond Greece’s borders as a climber’s paradise. We will also pass through a surprisingly green valley for this barren island and enjoy wonderful views of the bay-rich coast. Back in Pothia, the ship awaits us for lunch and the crossing to Kos Town for an overnight stay.

7th Day: Kos Island – Bodrum (aprx. 12 mi./20 km)

Our last bike tour leads either to one of the lovely beaches where we can enjoy a lengthy swim or once more to the backyard mountain of Kos. After lunch ashore, we enjoy our last cruise back to Bodrum. Here we can once more go for a walk through the lively old town of Bodrum with its impressive castle of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem and the remains of the famous Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. An evening meal is enjoyed together in the company of guides and guests.

8th Day: Bodrum (Disembarkation)

After breakfast disembarkation. Collective transfers to Bodrum Airport.

Important Information

We reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary, depending on wind and weather conditions or organizational requirements. Sometimes the tour will be run in reverse order. Our tours are dependent on weather conditions and the final decision is that of the captain. You are free to set aside a half or full day to swim or spend time on board the boat, instead of taking a planned bike-tour.

YOUR ACCOMMODATION:

YOUR ShiP – Admiral

The 42 x 8.40 m Turkish gullet, Admiral, is a true eye catcher with its three towering masts. The boat offers 15 spacious and climate controlled guest cabins with tiled bathrooms and separate shower cabins and toilet. The large saloon is tastefully decorated and includes a bar where you can order a refreshing beverage. The vast ships decks provide shaded and sunny areas to relax with plenty of comfortable seating areas and sunning mattresses.

Internet availability
Our Turkish boats do not offer a WiFi connection. If you need to connect to the internet during the tour, we recommend bringing your portable electronic device to a cafe or bar somewhere in the harbour. Free WiFi is on offer almost everywhere. If you order something to eat or drink, then you are able to use the WiFi to your hearts content.
Group riding pace
On a guided MTB tour the speed of the group is determined by the mountain bikers on regular bikes. If you have hired an e-MTB, we ask you to respect those in the group who are riding without electric support. Those on regular bikes require more time and recovery when biking up hill. We thank you for your understanding.

SINGLE-TRAIL CLASSIFICATION:

To ensure that you are well prepared for your bike tour with Islandhopping and know what technical difficult level to expect, we have created a classification for all single trails that could be ridden on our tours. The difficulty levels included in our classification coincide with the Single Trail Scale which can be found at here.
Blue (easy, S0 – S1): small obstacles such as small roots, small stones, some erosion, gradients of up to 40 %, loose surfaces, tight corners but no hairpins, obstacles can be rolled over. Skilful braking and weight shift required, riding while standing.
Red (medium, S2): loose surfaces, larger stones and roots, steps and shallow stairs, gradients of up to 70 %, light hairpins. Constant readiness to brake, shift of centre weight to overcome obstacles, accurate braking, consistent body tension required.
Black (difficult, S3 – S5): blocked single trails, many large boulders and roots, smooth/slippery surfaces, loose scree slopes, large steps/drops, extremely steep gradients of over 70 %, tight hairpins. Expert level of bike control/handling required.

Note:
On all dates our MTB & boat tour takes place on the same ship and parallel to our hybrid bike & boat tour through the Gökova Gulf. One of the tour guides takes care of the hybrid cycle group while the other guide leads the MTB group. The detailed itinerary of the bike & boat tour can be sent to you on request.

YOUR BICYCLES:

MTB Fully (full suspension)

E-MTB Fully

Insurance against theft and damage of the Fully/E-MTB bookable:
30 euro/week (not insured: grossly negligent damages)

ATTENTION:
–Bringing own e-bikes not allowed on our ships!
–Helmets are mandatory on our bike tours. It is advised to bring your own, well fitted, helmet with you as our rental helmet numbers are limited (reservation required).

ARRIVAL INFORMATION:

Airport