Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour

BACKCOUNTRY BASQUE MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR

During our Backcountry Basque mountain bike tour we ride across the Basque Country, crossing the Basque mountains and finishing in San Sebastian on the north coast of Spain. Using several uplifts each day we ride point to point, stopping in different villages each night and enjoying the best mountain bike descents in the Basque Country. If you like amazing mountain biking adventures, traditional towns and lots of riding then this is the mountain bike holiday for you.

“Just perfect!! We loved it!!! We just came back from our trip on the Basque Coast and overall is a huge 10/10”
Noemie (Canada)

The Backcountry Basque mountain bike tour is a mixture of our Basque Coast trails with the style of the Backcountry Pyrenees. We ride point to point across the amazing Basque Country mountains, using uplift to climb where possible. This trip has more climbing than the Basque Coast holiday, however this allows us to get some amazing mountain bike trails which need some more work to access.

BACKCOUNTRY BASQUE MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR PHOTOS

(Click an image to see bigger photos)

Backcountry Basque
Mountain Bike Holiday

Backcountry Basque

€

1250

/person

7 nights
2 people sharing
6 days guiding
Transfers
All shuttles
Breakfast, 2 lunches, 3 evening meals
Single room €300

BACKCOUNTRY BASQUE MOUNTAIN BIKE TOUR DETAILS

Overview

Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour: What’s Included

7 Nights High Quality Accomodation
Breakfasts Only or Fully Catered Options
6 Days Guiding
Transfers from San Sebastian or Biarritz Airport
Small Groups of 6 or occasionally 7
Local, Experienced Guides
Full Van Support and Unlimited Shuttles
Up to 12,000m of descending
Around 5,000m of climbing

“One of the best experiences of my life”
Karl (UK)

Biking

All of our mountain bike tours are focussed on riding the best singletrack for your group. All our weeks are tailored to the guests and during the booking process we will discuss your requirements and make sure you are put in with a suitable group. Having groups with similar levels is key to our mountain bike holidays and something we spend a lot of time sorting before you arrive.

We rate our holidays for fitness and skill levels and, to find out more about how we do this and an overview of the grades we use, check out our mountain bike holiday skills and fitness guide.

Each week we aim to run two groups with a guide, driver, van and trailer each to allow people to choose the group which best suits their level.

Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour: Skill Level

The terrain on our Backcountry Basque mountain bike tour is very varied, however some days will be very technical. This mountain bike tour is aimed at riders from advanced to expert level. If you come with your own group we can tailor this and offer intermediate options as well.

Basque Coast Mountain Bike Holiday: Fitness

To enjoy the Backcountry Basque mountain bike tour you will need a good level of fitness. Every day has climbing and some days we will be carrying for up to 30 minutes. We have two dedicated vans and trailers offering uplift most days though, and we offer up to 75% uplift depending on the group meaning daily climbs of between 300m and 1000m and descents of up to 3000m.

Logistics

Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour: ARRIVAL

Most people arrive to Bilbao Airport, however Biarritz is also good. If you are flying via Madrid or Barcelona you might be able to arrive to Hondarribia Airport for the shortest transfer.

If you are coming by car then the ferry to Bilbao or Santander is a good option from the UK. Additionally you can contact us for the most up to date advice.

From Paris you can take the TGV direct to Hendaye.

Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour: DEPARTURE

Departures are very flexible. We can usually get you to San Sebastian in time to get a flight around 10:30am. Midday makes it a lot more relaxing for you though.

Backcountry Basque Mountain Bike Tour: TRANSFERS

We pick up on Saturdays from San Sebastian, Hendaye or Biarritz Airport. 90% of our guests arrive to Bilbao and take the regular transfer bus from there. We will provide full instructions for the transfer bus and don’t worry, it really is very easy, even with bike bags!

Accommodation

This is a point to point tour and we will stay in five different locations during the trip. We will use the same accommodation as our Basque Coast mountain bike holiday on the first and last nights, this allows you to leave bike bags and other unwanted luggage there. The other nights we will stay in a mixture of locally owned accommodation in small, traditional Basque towns. The accommodation is part of the experience and we look for the most authentic places to make your trip special.

Calendar

Please get in touch for dates.

Reviews

Coming soon, this trip has just been launched in 2020.

FAQs

Here are some of the questions we are regularly asked about our mountain bike holidays. If you have any questions we are delighted to answer them, just get in touch.

Do you have an itinerary for your Backcountry Basque Bike Tour?

You get a good idea of our tour itinerary here.

I don’t want to do a week’s mountain bike holiday, can I do a shorter break?

This trip it is not possible to offer a shorter break due to the point to point nature. If you would like a shorter trip and are coming with your own group of 6 or 7 then we can built a custom trip for you.

Or why not check out our fantastic day trips in San Sebastian and the surrounding areas?

What are the group sizes on a typical mountain bike holiday?

During our mountain bike holidays we tend to keep the groups small. The average size of our group is 5-6 people. If you can come in a group of 6 people or more and want your own guide then we can do that.

How do you manage different technical levels on your mountain bike holidays?

During the booking process we guide people towards a week where the other guests are at a similar level. Obviously this isn’t totally accurate but we find that we are able to get a group which will enjoy riding together. If there was a mistake during the booking process then we can get another guide to help split the groups.

My partner doesn’t mountain bike but would like to join our holiday, is this possible?

This isn’t the best trip for non-riders due to the long days and point to point nature.

What is the weather like in that part of Spain?

The weather on the Basque coast is generally amazing, however the price for having mountains right on the coast is that we get some rain. Generally if the rain comes from the north it all falls on the coast and we can drive a short distance south into Spain and enjoy sunny and dry conditions. If the rain comes from the south then usually the Basque coast remains dry while the rest of Spain gets wet. It is very uncommon for the weather to be bad in all the areas we can choose to ride in, however if that does happen then we take some comfort in the fact that it generally means most of Spain, France and northern Italy are affected!

Temperatures remain moderate through the whole season, averaging around 25°C in the hottest months of July and August. Occasionally we will get higher temperatures of around 30°C-35°C for a day or two in August but it never lasts and we can ride high up or next to the coast to escape the heat. In August the Basque Country is full of holiday makers from France and Spain due to it’s great climate.

What bike / tyres / brake pads do you recommend for this part of Spain?

To try and make this subject a bit interactive we have a facebook page dedicated to this. Please have a look here, (and we always appreciate people liking our page!).

Our Backcountry Basque mountain bike tour is pretty intense. It is comparable in intensity to our Backcountry Pyrenees tour, with different accommodation most nights and long days. Each day we use our own shuttles to ride the best singletrack, with lots of hand built trails mixed in with fun natural singletrack. There is some climbing every day, however some days have some hike-a-bike and long climbs. Around 70% of the riding is downhill. If you like the idea of a big mountain bike adventure, experiencing the best trails in the Basque Country, and enjoying the wonderful Basque culture along the way, then this tour is for you!

Riding

The trails on this trip are epic. We have long, descents and wild trails, however you do need to work more to get there. Some days have hike-a-bike to get to a high pass before a long descent on the other side. The trails are technical and physical, the Backcountry Basque is a big step up in physical difficulty from the Basque Coast.

Adventure

This trip has lots of great trails that we don’t usually guide on. It is an adventure, a complete trip, starting inland and riding across the whole Basque Country before finishing on the beach in San Sebastian. The beer on the beach in San Sebastian will be one of the best in your life!

Environment

Really getting out there and finding wild places. This trip has plenty of that. It is sort of a cross between the Backcountry Pyrenees and the Basque Coast in that we have the earthy, green trails of the Basque Country but a real backcountry sense of adventure.