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In Summer 2024 join Lizard Head Cycling Guides In the Swiss Alps!

Switzerland’s Hope 1000
Back in the summer of 2022, Lizard Head Cycling “celebrity guide”, Joe Shults, rode the Hope 1000 Bikepacking route with his wife Ali. Although Joe had ridden previously in Europe, the mountain beauty, quietness of the roads, challenge of the terrain and access to amenities of the Hope 1000 route, inspired Joe to offer this as a guided offering for Lizard Head Cycling Guides

Switzerland’s Hope 1000 bike route was originally created as a bike rally route but was later adopted as the route for what is now the Hope 1000 bike packing race. The Original Route is traverses 1000km across the Swiss Country sideband. As a guided tour,  we are offering either the full 1000km in 15 days or 700km in 10 days.  NOTE: Feel free to contact us directly with your questions.

Although the HOPE 1000 route can be done as a self-supported bike ride, it can also be enjoyed at a more comfortable pace with overnight accommodations in local hotels and meals enjoyed in good company. This is the option Lizard Head Cycling is offering.

This adventurous bike route traverses an incredible cross section of Switzerland mostly overlooked by traveling tourists. Cyclists find themselves riding through “sound of music” perfect farm meadows, along the shores of crystal clear lakes, passing through welcoming villages and beneath the high Alpine Peaks. The combination is hard to find anywhere in the world.

The route provides enjoyable riding on empty farm lanes, gentle single track, and well maintained dirt roads. Best of all, there is almost no traffic on this carefully designed route. Make no mistake though, this is not a leisurely tour. It is challenging tour for well-prepared cyclists.  The 700km option climbs climbs over 65,000 feet of elevation.

Hope 1000 Switzerland Adventure Bike Tour: Highlights

Hope 400 Adventure Bike Tour: Dates

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Winter/Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

2025 Tour Dates

• June 16 to 30, 2025 15 ride days/1000km (Book Now!)
  NOTE: If you only can ride 10-days, then join us for the first 10-days of this tour.

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Why Should you Sign-Up Now and OPEN a Tour Date?
This is the proverbial chicken and the egg conundrum! We need our cyclists to first commit to the date that works for them so that we can commit to that date.

For starters, when you OPEN a date you get to pick your preferred departure date, and there is no penalty if the tour does not run. Once you pick your tour date, Lizard Head closes nearby dates and funnels all additional riders to your chosen date until the tour meets its 6 rider minimum.

BONUS: As an added bonus, we can also hold a spot for you on another tour date of your choosing. There is no fee to switch to another tour date.

In conclusion, if you want a tour to run, we need you to sign up and not wait for others to do the same! Waiting for others may mean that a tour date takes longer or does not confirm. Just Do It! Once a few riders jump into the proverbial waters, others will follow!

NOTE: In anticipation and encouragement of future tour signups prior to reaching the tour minimum, the Lizard Head Cycling website may be updated to show TOUR A GO prior to actual tour confirmation. So, even if the website says that this tour is a go, please wait for your official Email Confirmation before booking non-refundable travel reservations.

Hope 1000 Switzerland Adventure Bike Tour: Overview

Tour Length: 10 or 15-Days Cycling/10 or 15-nights of Lodging

Meeting/Ending Town: Geneva Airport, Switzerland

How Will It Work? We will meet at the Geneva airport in the afternoon the day before we begin riding to unpack our bikes and get ready. Bike boxes and any spare luggage can be left at the airport as there is a luggage storage facility there. We will hop on the incredible Swiss rail system for a swift, 3-4 hour ride, to our jumping off point near Lake Agerisee. When riding we will be carrying our hotel clothes/toiletries and day food.

Total Distance: 10 or 15 Days

Ability Level: Advanced (3/4) , Expert (4)

10-Day Tour Cost: $6,500 USD per person. Add $700 per person to this Tour Cost for a
private room each night of the tour (includes 10-Nights).

15-Day Tour Cost: $7,500 USD per person. Add $990 per person to this Tour Cost for a
private room each night of the tour (includes 15-Nights).

Tour Includes: Guide service, train tickets for one travel day, all meals except for the layover day meals, hotel accommodation and public transportation. Transportation to Geneva, Alcoholic beverages and bike rentals are not included. Lodging for 10 or 15  Nights: Hotels are still TBD but all of them will be clean locally owned Swiss 2+ star hotels. Expect super clean, modest sized simple rooms with a private bath if available, shared baths may occasionally be part of the charm.

Meals On Tour

Breakfast is often provided at the hotel and is a traditional European breakfast, often not served. Consists of yogurt, granola, fruits, meats, cheeses and breads with coffee and tea. Most days we will try to stop in at one of the amazing cafes along the way for a mid morning cuppa and tart when available.

For lunch we will shop the evening prior or in the morning at a local market. Lunch will be picnic style with a variety of fruits, cheeses, sausages, and baguette, think charcuterie. It cannot be beat.

For dinner we will eat either at the hotel or venture out nearby and try the local cuisine. The start of the tour begins in the German section of Switzerland but about half way through we enter the French area. This will provide us the opportunity the experience 2 cultures in one. Its amazing. Yes you need to brush up on your German and your French.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Is this ride for me?
This tour is designed for adventurous, advanced riders that are willing to get prepared for a truly once in a lifetime experience. The route is not very technical so people with limited mountain biking experience should find it enjoyable but best to practice ride single track before you arrive. Gravel riding experience is expected. The riding will be challenging and on some days there are multiple 3000’ ascents. You will be riding a heavier bike than usual so expect riding speeds to slower (see below How it Works). We will be riding through mountainous terrain, so as always in the mountains, the weather will change quickly with sudden rain storms possible and percipient drops in temperature. There will not be a sag wagon, although civilization is almost always nearby.  You will be expected to come equipped and have the experience to handle inclement weather situations.

NOTE: Although there is no van support, the amazing Swiss rail system is an option if things get a little much for a cyclists on this route.  So, if either due to the weather or the mileage, you can almost always skip a portion of a day or all of a day’s riding mileage. Also, taxis are usually an option if the rails system is not available. In Switzerland there are almost always easier options to move through the mountains!

Slow or Fast?
Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they’re surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891 – we’ll more than happy to guide you! Please also see this blog post for more information.

Overall Route Map

Below is an example of the daily routes for this tour and are subject to change based on season, available accommodations, road closures, and other factors. The actual routes will be made available to registered participants before their tour, so please view these routes as a general outline as to what to expect.

Hope 1000 Switzerland Adventure Bike Tour: Itinerary*

*PLEASE NOTE: Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Here are a few example days:

• LHCG Day 1
• LHCG Day 4
• LHCG Day 8

Although steep and challenging, the riding surfaces on the Hope 1000km are almost always very good and allow for staying on the bike. Also, interspersed on the route are short sections of single track riding. Although most of the single track is not very technical (think novice or beginner level) there are short difficult sections and you may find yourself doing a few short sections hiking-a-bike.

For this tour we require a minimum of 3 riders and a maximum of 6. We plan to be traveling between 40-50 miles (65-80KM) each day (one Layover day) with 1-3 large climbs to be expected. There will be 1 rest day during the 15 days. These distances will be challenging but also provide time to stop and enjoy the Swiss villages, sip great coffee, enjoy local cheese and bread while taking it all in.

Is this ride for me?
This tour is designed for adventurous, advanced riders that are willing to prepare for a once in a lifetime experience. The route is not very technical so people with limited mountain biking experience should find it enjoyable but best to go ride some single track before you arrive. Gravel riding experience is expected.

Recommended Packing List

Clothes

• 1 pr bib Shorts
• One pair baggie outer shorts, these double as your about town shorts.
• 1 bike jersey short
• 1 Bike jersey long
• Under shirt
• Knee warmers/tights
• Wind breaker
• Rain pants
• Rain coat
• Soft shell/vest
• Bike helmet rain cover
• Hat-under helmet
• Hat-warm
• Neck gaitor
• Bike gloves
• Warm bike gloves
• Puffy jacket
• Sunglasses
• Socks, 2 riding pair
• Booties/toe warmers

Bike

• Bike (if you need a rental bike, please contact us for availability)
• Spare tube
• Patch kit
• water bottles
• Possibly a small Backpack, nice for about town and quick clothing changes. Keep it light.
• Top Tube Bag
• Spare hanger, these are proprietary so good to have.
• speed chain link, we all have different chains anymore.
• Oil
• Frame bag/Seat Bag
• Small Bike lights/ front/rear, usb rechargeable
• Frame bag
• Bike tool
• Phone mount, handy on town

Personal

• Chamois cream
• Chap stick
• Tooth brush
• Medications
• Small bandages

Other

• Bike GPS, mandatory and RWGPS account.
• Phone/charging cables/ Euro USB adapter
• Small Back up Battery
• Credit card/cash

Hotel Clothes

• Cotton Tee Shirt
• Warmish sport pants, these are your pants for about town.
• Cotton underware to dry out
• one pair about town socks

Hope 1000 Switzerland Adventure Bike Tour: Logistics & FAQs

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

• The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
• The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
• Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead