Peace of Mind Policies

At Sacred Rides, our aim is to ensure your entire experience with us, from the moment you book your Ride to the moment you set foot back on home turf, is as enjoyable and stress-free as possible. Which is why we’ve put in place - and stand firmly behind - the following Peace-of-Mind Policies, with the goal of maximizing your happiness and minimizing your worries:

1. Our Ride Satisfaction Guarantee

If for any reason you aren't 100% satisfied with your Sacred Rides experience, let us know the reason(s) and we'll give you a free Ride. It’s that simple. If you still aren't 100% satisfied after your free Ride, we'll refund all of the original money you paid to us.

2. Guaranteed Departures

Once you book your spot(s), you're going! This allows you the freedom to start looking for flights and make other arrangements right away. Contrary to many other tour operators, we will never cancel a trip due to low numbers or other passenger cancellations.

3. 14-Day Risk-Free Booking Window

After putting down a deposit, you can cancel at any point during the first 14 days after booking and get a 100% refund.This buys you 2 weeks to sort out flights, vacation time, etc. and not have to worry about someone else taking your spot(s). 

4. Lifetime Deposits

Our Lifetime Deposit allows any of our Riders (i.e. clients) forced to delay a departure or wanting to switch destinations altogether the ability to apply their initial deposit towards a later scheduled date or another Ride at no extra charge. As long as you give us 60 days notice, your deposit will be good forever, whether you use it for the same trip or transfer it to another one.   A Lifetime Deposit has no expiration date and can be used for any departure – provided room is still available. Simply put, we want to ensure you can enjoy the Sacred Rides experience you want, at a time that works best for you.

A Lifetime Deposit is also transferrable, meaning that you can transfer your deposit to another Rider as a gift. You can even choose to donate your deposit to our sister non-profit, Bikes Without Borders. We’ll then match the value of your donation! For full details on the Lifetime Deposit policy, please CLICK HERE. 

Note:  Any cancellations made within 60 days of the scheduled departure will be treated as a passenger cancellation, in which case the entire payment, including deposit will be forfeited and cannot be applied to another departure. 

5. COMPREHENSIVE AND LIGHTNING-QUICK SUPPORT

The moment you book a Ride with us, you'll have a Rider Happiness Manager assigned to you. He/she is responsible for helping you with all your questions and trip planning. In your Rider Dashboard you'll have a Logistics/FAQ tab with tons of information and FAQ related to your Ride. Have a question that's not answered there? Just post it with one click and we'll respond within 24 hours (Monday-Friday). 

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To learn more about our Peace-of-Mind Policies and our commitment to you, click here. 

Ride Starting Point

This Ride starts on Day 1 at either of the two locations below:

1) Zürich Airport (ZRH), at 10:00 a.m. Please meet at Helvetia Café Bar located at arrivals 2 (ankunft 2). Click here for map and enter Helvetia Café Bar in the keyword search bar.

2) Hotel Montana, at 9:00 a.m. Please meet in the hotel lobby. Physical Address: Konradstrasse 39, 8005 Zürich.

If you are arriving prior to Day 1 of the itinerary, we suggest staying at Hotel Montana. Extra hotel nights can be booked directly with the hotel by using this link. 

Ride Ending Point

The Ride Ends at the Zürich Airport (ZRH) on the Day 8 of the itinerary.   We will be dropping all Riders off by 3:00 p.m.
 

Arrival Airport

Zürich Airport (ZRH) 

Flights to/from the starting point

We do not book international flights for our clients (some Rides do, however, include in-country flights).

 A great tool we use to  view different flight options at the best available rates is Google Flights.

Fitness and Skill Requirements

Ensuring you are on a Ride that's right for you, and ensuring you are ready for the physical and technical demands of a Ride, is of utmost importance to us. It helps ensure that you will be riding with people of similar skill level and won't be holding up the group or be held up by others - and can ride at the pace you want to ride at.

This is a challenge for the whole mountain bike adventure industry, but here's how we're addressing this issue:

• We've developed a 9-point Skill and Fitness Rating System, with the help of one of our senior coaches and guides.    Click HERE to  review the Skill and Fitness Rating System. 

• When booking, we ask each Rider to tell us about their mountain biking experience, and to let us know if they've ever traveled with their mountain bike. The answers are reviewed by our staff and provide valuable insight as to whether or not the desired Ride is a good fit for them.

• We follow up with a phone call if we think a Rider might not be quite up to the challenge (or might be 'over qualified') for certain Rides and discuss their skill level and fitness in detail to discover whether they are indeed a good fit, or if another Ride might be more suitable

Please pay attention to the skill and fitness ratings for the Ride(s) you're interested in, and be honest in your self-assessment. For more information on skill and fitness ratings, please click here.

Ride Add-ons

We offer add-ons (from mountain bike rentals to single room upgrades) to help complement your Ride. See the add-ons tab to see pricing for each available add-on.

To book your Ride add-ons, you can either:

a) select them when you make your initial booking

b) add them to your account via your Rider Dashboard at any time prior to start date (restrictions apply on the timing of certain items)

Traveling with your bike

If you've never traveled with your bike, don't worry - it's much easier than you think! If you don't have a case for your bike, then you can pick up a cardboard travel box for your bike at your local store. Some stores will also pack your bike up for you for a fee.

Alternately, if you want a higher level of protection, and/or are planning on traveling with your bike more than just once,  we  recommend investing in a quality bike bag or case.  Our guides and past clients have recommended the following products:

EVOC bike bag  | DAKINE bike bag  | THULE bike case

For tips on packing your bike, watch this handy video we made just for you!

Bike Damage Disclaimer

While participating in a Sacred Rides trip, the Rider assumes all risk and expense related to loss or damage to the mountain bike, whether rented from a third party or owned by the Rider. This assumption of risk includes loss or damage due to transportation, theft, vandalism, accident, misuse, act of God, or other events leading to the loss or damage of the mountain bike.

General Bike Rental Information

If you don't feel like hauling your own bike around the globe, renting is an alternative option. However, as our rental bike fleets change often, we are unable to promise a particular brand, model or wheel size.

Note: If you are renting, and would prefer to use your own pedals and/or saddle, bring them with you and we'll swap them out when you arrive.  Our Guides will have the required tools.
 

For bike rental pricing, please visit the Ride Add-Ons tab.

Assembling your bike when you arrive

If you've never assembled your bike, not to worry! Our guides will be on hand to assist. 

What’s the Ideal Bike for this Trip?

For this Ride, we recommend an Enduro/all-mountain trail bike with 5 to 6 inches of travel.   A dropper post is highly recommended. 
 

There are a few challenging climbs on this trip so you don't want to be slugging a tank uphill; likewise, you don't want a 20-lb. cross-country race machine with 3" travel that will get thrashed on the more technical stuff.

As for Tires, our local Ride Director in Switzerland, Sil Bosch,  suggests  a Schwalbe Magic Mary Tire in the front and a Schwalbe Hans Dampf Tire in the back. Maxxis High Roller II 's are also great tires for terrain in Switzerland. 
 

We ask that all Riders be respectful of the group, and show up with the appropriate bike to minimize bike related delays before or during riding.

Armour and Helmet

We recommend arm and leg protection.

Full-body protection is not necessary, nor are full-face helmets.

Weather and Clothing

The weather in the Alps can be quite cool, especially in the evenings, with lows dipping to 10 degrees Celsius, so we recommend you pack accordingly. Daytime highs are usually quite warm in the summer, ranging from mid 20 to low 30 degrees.

Snow high in the mountains is not unheard of, even though it is Summer. Occasionally, temperatures drop below 0 degree Celsius (°C) on Day 5, as we'll be staying at a high mountain pass.

Although rain is rare in the summer months, we still recommend you bring quality rain gear or shell.  

General Packing List

Below is a comprehensive list for you to use as a guide only. These are items we suggest you consider bringing regardless of the Ride you are on - please also check the Ride-specific packing list above (if applicable), as there may be items that are specific to your Ride (e.g. sleeping bag).

In efforts to pack appropriately, we encourage you to understand your destination's climate during the month(s) you are visiting.  We also encourage you to refer to the Itinerary tab to understand the activities you will be taking part in.

If you need a few items for your ride, check out your local bike shop or shop online at   Worldwide Cyclery.

You know your personal needs better than anyone so please pack accordingly. The following are suggestions based on our experiences in various destinations.

On the bike:

● jersey tops (mix of short sleeve, 3/4 sleeve  and long sleeve)

● quick-dry cycling shorts with a quality chamois (padding)

● full-finger bike gloves  (2 pairs recommended)

● cycling socks (synthetic or lightweight wool. We recommend Merino)

● arm and leg warmers

● helmet

● rugged yet versatile riding shoes  (for your choice of clipless pedals or flats)

● knee and elbow pads 

● if you ride clipless and you are renting a bike, please bring your pedals and shoes   (Rental bikes  are equipped with flat pedal)

On and off the bike:

● rain jacket (Gortex with pit-zips)

● windbreaker (lightweight and form-fitting)

● sweater (fleece and form-fitting mid layer)

● quick-dry weatherproof pants with zippered pockets

● top and bottom base layers (synthetic or lightweight wool. We recommend Icebreaker)

● sunglasses (clear lens and polarized lens)

● backpack with hydration system (2-3L water capacity)

● cycling water bottle (with squirt lid)

● camera (phone, GoPro, point and shoot)

● ear warmer (toque or headband)

Chill time:

● swimwear

● flip flops

● small camp towel (to use for swimming etc.)

● comfortable, casual clothes for relaxing in (such as jeans, t-shirt, hooded sweater)

● down-filled coat

● trail shoes or hiking boots

● flashlight or headlamp

Personal and First Aid:

● toiletries i.e. toothbrush and toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, soap, feminine hygiene products etc.

● sunscreen (oil-free for sport)

● anti-bacterial wipes

● anti-bacterial gel

● chamois creme

● first-aid kit (ibuprofen, band-aids, Polysporin, tweezers)

Random stuff you don't realize you need, well, until you need it:

● electrical and/or duct tape 

● international travel power adapter and converter (if required)

● zip-lock bags

● zip ties

● mesh laundry bag

● eyemask and ear plugs (if you're a light sleeper)

● alarm clock

Tools to Bring

We recommend bringing the following tools with you. Rest assured your guides will have a full tool kit, but it's a good idea to have the following items with you in case of trailside breakdowns:

• multitool (preferably with chainbreaker)

• tire levers

• small bottle of chain lube

• small tire pump (not a floor pump)

Spare Parts for Your Bike

Although there may be some parts available locally, we recommend you bring the following parts with you to avoid availability problems in case of broken parts:

• Rear derailleur hanger (at least 1, preferably 2)

• Front and rear brake pads (1 set of each is sufficient)

• Extra chain if your chain is more than 6 months old

• 2-4 spare tubes (our guides can't realistically carry enough 26", 27.5", and 29" tubes for everyone)

• 2 extra spokes

• Any rare parts that might be hard to find locally (Shimano and SRAM are generally available in all our locations, but Magura levers, for instance, might not be available everywhere)

N.B. If you are renting a bike, the above is not necessary (with the exception of a few spare tubes).

Visas and Entry Requirements

All travelers require a valid passport (with a minimum of 6 months validity). Citizens of some countries will also require a visa.

Food

All breakfasts and lunches are included in the trip price. Dinners can be taken in local restaurants. You should budget $20-25 USD per dinner, excluding drinks (depending on the quality of restaurants you choose).

Vaccination

Please visit the  MD Travel Health website  and navigate to your destination country for information about any vaccinations you may require prior to traveling, or please visit your local travel clinic for the most up to date information.

Sorry, we can't make recommendations (we're not doctors, and we don't always have the most up-to-date information).

Currency

Withdraw money from an ATM in Switzerland and Italy (which are widely available) - you can withdraw local money (Swiss Francs in Switzerland and Euros in Italy) and will usually be charged the best rate by your bank at home

Best Way to Use/Get Local Currency

Generally, the best way to get local currency is to use local ATMs.  Your bank will usually charge you a small fee to do this, and you may also get charged a fee by the local bank, but you will generally get a reasonable exchange rate (as opposed to local banks or money exchange desks).  Check with your bank or credit card provider regarding out-of-country withdrawal and exchange fees, and ask them for recommendations on how to minimize those fees.

Since you're getting charged fees we recommend taking out a few days worth of local currency at a time, and an amount that you would feel comfortable carrying around (e.g. $100-$200). No point in taking out $500 to avoid $5 of ATM fees!

If feasible, we recommend getting a day or two worth of local currency before you arrive (either at your local bank, or your home airport), so that you're covered for a day or two upon arrival.

Cancellations

You may cancel your reservation and get 100% of your money back within 14 days of booking. After that 2-week window, our lifetime deposit policy comes into effect. For more on our cancellation policy, please visit  http://www.sacredrides.com/cancellation-policy.

Travel Insurance

Travel medical insurance is mandatory for all of our trips. If you have your own travel medical insurance it needs to:

a) cover evacuation (e.g. air evacuation) and hospital costs while in other countries 
b) cover mountain biking trips (some policies include mountain biking in their list of 'extreme' sports that are not covered).

We strongly recommend also getting insurance that   covers the following: 

• Trip cancellation up to 100% of your trip cost
• Equipment protection for delay, loss, theft and damage (if traveling with your bike/expensive equipment)
• Trip interruption up to 100% of trip cost
• Medical expenses up to $50,000
• Emergency medical transportation up to $1,000,000

Please note that our cancellation policy is strict. If you decide not to purchase cancellation/interruption insurance, and then get hurt or sick before or during your Ride, please don't ask us for a refund.

For travelers from around the world, we recommend   World Nomads. 

For U.S. travelers, we recommend   Global Rescue (Individual Medical Plan with Signature Travel Insurance Plan)

Emergency Contacts

If you need to contact us in an emergency, you can reach us during office hours at the following numbers:

Dialing within North America: 1 (888) 423-7849
Dialing outside of North America: +1 (647) 999-7955 

If you do not receive an immediate answer when calling the above numbers, please leave us a detailed message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Safety and Security

Switzerland and Italy are safe countries, however certain precautions should be followed, as with all foreign travel. To maximize your safety during our tours you should exercise common sense and caution at all times. We recommend that you always stick to set travel arrangements, and avoid unknown areas. We also recommend that you wear minimal jewelry and that you keep valuable items safely stored. Always keep a copy of your passport, airline tickets, travelers checks and credit card numbers separate from where you keep the originals.

Tipping

We encourage you to tip your guides if you feel you have received excellent service and have had an enjoyable trip. A typical gratuity usually varies between 2% - 6% of your Ride price per guide, depending on your level of satisfaction. e.g. $2500 trip = $50-$150 per guide. 

OTHER EXPENSES

Aside from dinners, there are no required additional expenses for this trip, but you might like to take spending money for such things as souvenir shopping and nightlife.  Common optional activities include: brewery ca. CHF10 pp, Spa visit Bormio ca €40 pp, and the Medieval castle visit ca €10 pp. 

LAUNDRY

Available every day except Day 5 at Stelvio Pass. 

INTERNET

Available every day except Day 5 at Stelvio Pass.