Our Odysseys are active, multi-week cycling adventures, and a reasonable to good level of fitness will make the experience far more enjoyable - chat to us about getting bike ready for tour! All our tours are graded and we're always happy to chat about what that looks like for your specific tour and its terrain. If you have a pre-existing medical condition which could affect your ability to ride with us we will ask you to get a letter from your GP to confirm your place on tour. Our guides aren't doctors, but they are trained to look after you - the more they know beforehand, the better they can do that.

Every destination has its own quirks, and we'll cover the specifics for your tour in your pre-departure lead up. As a general rule, we recommend checking with a travel doctor or clinic at least 3 months before departure for any destination-specific vaccinations or health advice. This is particularly worth doing for our Morocco, Egypt and other non-European Odysseys. We'll also let you know in advance about local water safety (whether tap water is fine to drink or if you'll need to stick to bottled/filtered water) so there are no surprises once you land.

We require all riders to travel with comprehensive travel insurance, including full medical cover. Our Odysseys take us through some genuinely remote and beautiful corners of the world, and while our guides are trained and ready for almost anything, insurance with medical cover is the one thing we can't organise on your behalf. Please make sure your policy covers cycling as an activity (some standard policies exclude "adventure sports," so it pays to check the fine print) and that you carry your policy details and emergency contact number with you on tour.

If you take regular prescription medication, please pack enough for the full duration of your tour plus a few extra days as a buffer, and keep it in its original, clearly labelled packaging. For any medication requiring needles or syringes (such as insulin), we recommend carrying a letter from your doctor explaining your condition and treatment - this makes airport security and any border crossings far smoother. Let your guide know on arrival if you're managing an ongoing medical condition; it stays confidential, but it means they're prepared should you ever need support.

Your health and our team's health is our priority at all times. Upon your arrival, you will be required to sign a disclaimer and health declaration stating whether you have any infectious systems and agree to notify staff of any symptoms during the course of the tour.  If you arrive on tour with any infectious symptoms (fever, cough, runny nose etc) you will need to see a local doctor before joining the group. We will assist you in doing this and fulfilling the recommendations of the doctor, whether it be that you are fine to join, or maybe have a couple of rest days to recuperate before joining the group.

Our Odysseys are group experiences, and we ask everyone to travel with a bit of courtesy and common sense - good hand hygiene, letting guides know early if you're feeling off, and looking out for each other on the road. If a rider or guide does show signs of illness at any point, we act quickly: that might mean a health check with a local doctor, a shuttle ahead to rest and recover, or in rare cases stepping away from the group temporarily for everyone's wellbeing.

We will still serve our renowned locally sourced gourmet picnics, but our guides will be trained to follow recommended guidelines for food service operations, including plating up each rider's food for them. Don´t worry, you still get to choose what you want to eat! It just means that there is one guide in charge of the picnic and no sharing of serving utensils. Of course there will be the usual "gloves off and handwashing" procedure set up at every picnic spot.

When you book we will ask you if you have any food allergies or dietary requirements. The more we know, the better we can look after you at every picnic and meal stop. Our picnic guides plate up each rider's food individually, which also makes it easy to keep allergens separate and avoid any cross-contamination from shared serving utensils.

Riding under a Mediterranean or North African sun is one of life's great pleasures, but it does mean taking hydration seriously. Water and electrolytes are available throughout every riding day, and our guides will remind you (regularly - sometimes annoyingly!) to keep drinking even before you feel thirsty. Sunscreen, a hat for off-bike moments, and good sunglasses are essential and we'll mention in your pre-departure info.

Hand sanitiser is always available on tour, and our equipment is cleaned and maintained to a high standard throughout. All support vehicles, picnic and mechanic gear are cleaned at the end of each day - seats, surfaces and storage compartments wiped down and sanitised, coolers and food prep equipment washed and dried before being packed away. It's a small daily ritual, but it matters: clean gear lasts longer, reduces waste.

We are so proud of our guide team. They are amazing, capable and brilliant people. They carry the training, local knowledge and communication tools to handle whatever comes up - from a flat tyre to a health concern - and always have both local resources and our home office on call. Furthermore, our preparation for every trip is thorough and comprehensive. We prepare for all outcomes, always.

Our guides are trained in First Aid and CPR, and every Odyssey has 24/7 access to support - both locally on the ground and from our home office in Australia. Should a rider be injured or unwell, guides know the location of the nearest appropriate medical facility along the route and coordinate transport there, whether that's a quick trip in the support vehicle or arranging local emergency services. This local knowledge is built into our route planning long before you ever throw a leg over your bike, so help is never more than a phone call away.