Optional

Arrive a day early in La Maddalena and ease into the magic of this paradise with an extra night at the first hotel of our tour.  Settle in with a swim in the turquoise sea and get into holiday mode by the water’s edge with a local Mirto Spritz, or enjoy time out to explore the local bays with a walk and swim. You’ll be welcome to join us for a casual dinner by the port and to catch sunset.

In the morning, enjoy a swim and a relaxed breakfast at the hotel, before meeting to begin the tour.

We’ll start the tour from our hotel on Isola Maddalena at 9.30am.

Ride. 
After a leisurely breakfast, ride briefing and a fine tuning of your bike set-up, we’ll roll out of the hotel and hug the coastline, enjoying the stunning vistas all around. The beauty and landscape of the dramatic coastline keeps unfolding around every corner and over every rise.

Today’s climbing is absolutely effortless as your attention is on the spectacular seascape that surrounds you, as we meander South on our circum-navigation of the island. We’ll add a small detour to take in the magnificent island of Caprera, a truly mesmerising part of the La Maddalena Archipelago National Park.

This is a ride unlike any other. There is just so much beauty rolled up into such a small distance.

Distance: 50.7km | 31.5mi
Elevation: 720m | 2362′

Hike

After a leisurely breakfast, we’ll take a short transfer from the hotel to the start point for our guided hike of the unspoiled island of Caprera. We’ll hike a ruggedly beautiful landscape strewn with granite boulders and take breathtaking routes that combine crystalline seascapes and rich Mediterranean scrub. You’ll hike past ancient rock walls, enjoy the sights and sounds of wild goats and the diverse birdlife of the island, take in the stunning panoramic views of the low lands and other islands that make up the archipelago, and descend into small pristine coves with the most turquoise waters you can imagine, enjoying swims along our route.

This is the perfect way to start your Sardinian Adventure.

Distance: 9.3km | 5.7mi
Elevation: 190m | 630′

Waking up to the gentle sounds of the sea is pure bliss and this morning, you’ll have the option to take a pre-breakfast dip in the ocean and/or join us for a light session of restorative yoga. It’s the perfect start to the day.

Sailboat Adventure, with SUP & snorkeling

Today we’ll enjoy a sailboat adventure, discovering the wonders of the La Maddalena Archipelago with a day spent among crystal-clear waters and breathtaking landscapes. You’ll visit pristine bays, have plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling and SUP in the turquoise coves, and enjoy the leisurely pace and company of our local skipper – who not only shares the hidden gems of this wonder of nature, but also prepares a superb lunch – Sardinian style.

As the sun rises on another day in paradise, enjoy waking up by the sea and another dip in the ocean before breakfast, and before we say goodbye to La Bella Maddalena, as we transfer back to ‘mainland’ Sardinia.

Ride
After a 2 hour transfer to our ride start location, we’ll take in a quick ‘caffe normale’ and then get underway, riding up and then around Monte Albo, where you’ll enjoy beautiful views of the rugged landscape, which stretches for miles. Upon reaching the highest point of our ride, the remaining 50km is mainly downhill with a few little pinches, making for a beautiful and quick descent through the golden landscape, as we head towards the majestic Supramonte that becomes more imposing and captivating the closer we get.

Highlight: Riding towards the imposing Supramonte mountains
Distance: 71.6km. |  44.5mi
Elevation: 1416m | 4645′

Sea Kayak 
After a short transfer, we’ll enjoy a guided 3 hour kayak tour along the magnificent San Teodoro coastline, another gem of northern Sardinia.  Forming part of a well-preserved marine protected area, we’ll explore the bays and coves of Punta Coda Cavallo, enjoy swimming in glittering turquoise waters, take a pause at a pristine sandy beach for lunch, and take time to absorb the natural beauty of the island of Tavolara, a prominent feature of this richly biodiverse environment. 

As you wake to birdsong, feel free to join us this morning pre-breakfast for another restorative session of yoga on our poolside lawn. Or if you’re feeling like a stronger workout this morning, enjoy some time in the fitness centre, immersed in a sea of greenery and fitted out with the latest technologies.

Ride
Today will see us rolling along the quiet backroads and exploring Sardinia’s rustic heart, and some of the towns and villages renowned for their artisan masks and painted murals. This is a day to savor the diversity of landscape, rugged forests, tiny vineyards, and shepherds with their flocks, all under the watchful eye of the Supramonte.

Highlight: Slowly rolling through a town framed by art murals and taking the time to absorb it all.

Distance: 57.7km | 26mi
Elevation: 1133m  |  3717′

Longer Distance: 86KM  & 1893 M  |  53.5mi & 6210’

Hike Gorropu Canyon

Gorropu Canyon is the deepest gorge in Italy with walls towering 500m high, and at times only 5 metre wide. It also has unique plant and animal species that have adapted to the specific climate and conditions within the gorge.

Our hike starts across an undulating track that weaves around streams and trees covered in bright green moss, through little tunnels of vegetation and over a rock strewn path.

You’ll descend off the track and slowly make your way over and around some boulders to reach the mouth of the mesmerising gorge. After receiving a briefing from the reserve staff, you then make your way further into the gorge as you navigate across large granite boulders, with the gorge revealing more of itself with every step you take.

The grandeur and beauty of the Gorropu gorge is mesmerizing and once you arrive at the narrowest point, you have the time to sit and take in the stillness.

After our return hike out of the gorge, you get to enjoy some simple, rustic and delicious Sardinian flavours and also a little home made wine.

Distance: 12km | 7.4mi
Elevation: 450m  |  1476′

Ride
Leaving the interior of the Island and the heart of the Supramonte behind, today we head East towards the coastline, before starting our long and steady climb of the day.

You will relish every pedal stroke as you find your own tempo and twist and turn up the edge of the mountain, taking in the stunning landscape that unfolds beside you. This superb ride then gets even better once you’ve made it to the top of the pass as it’s “all downhill from here” to our new seaside location.

Highlight: Seeing goats with their bells on the vertical cliff face at the edge of the road as you climb to the top of the pass

Distance: 78.2km | 48.5mi
Elevation: 1474m | 4835′

Shorter Distance: 57 KM & 1,000 M | 35.5mi & 3280

Hike
After a short transfer from the interior of the Island you will reach the start point of your hike, a loop taking in Bruncu Spina which is Sardinia’s second highest peak at 1829m. This hike is seriously beautiful with the landscape extremely diverse, starting with an arid exposed mountainside, grass pasture at the peak, a single track through meadows, low mountain scrub and craggy granite boulders, and past a handful of cows with their bells. You will conquer most of the elevation in the first quarter of the hike and then enjoy the undulating descent as we make our way through picturesque forests, and hike past Punta Paulinu.

Distance: 13.9km | 8.6mi
Elevation: 530m | 1740’,

As the gentle waves roll in and the sun rises this morning, join us before breakfast for our final restorative yoga session and swim on the sandy shore of our neighbouring beach.

Ride
Our final ride will be the perfect finish to your Sardinian riding experience as it takes you from the edge of the Mediterranean and from 0m to just under 1100m above sea level.

It’s a loop that is jam packed with a rugged landscape, stunning vistas of the Supramonte mountain range, and its valleys and the sea beyond, and with a symphony of bells along the course, supplied by the shaggy little goats, cows and sheep.

On reaching the top, we’ll roll through the open alpine plain that is scattered with large granite boulders, olive trees and gentle mountain streams.

After a little mid ride Sardo flavour-hit to restore you and your legs, you’ll be all set to soak up more of the beautiful rugged beauty as you take the twists and turns of our final 30 km descent back to our seaside home.

Highlights: The sensational climb that takes you from 0 to 1100m in just 30km, with more sheep, cows and goats with bells than you can count.

Distance: 81.7 KM | 50.5mi
Elevation: 1,651 M | 5416’

Sea Kayak
If you’d prefer a day on the water, the magnificent turquoise waters of the Gulf of Orosei await today with a 3 hour guided sea kayak tour with our local guide, Francesco.  You’ll explore the beautiful coves and ravines along the east coast of Sardinia and paddle the turquoise waters of this magnificent stretch of coast.

Today, you have a choice.

After a final swim and leisurely breakfast, you can say goodbye to our host family and the beautiful shores of the Gulf of Orosei, transferring to Olbia by late morning. 

Or if you’d like to experience just a little more magic on the water, choose to join our additional Optional Activity of a Boat Tour on the Gulf of Orosei, transferring to Olbia by 5pm. 

Optional Boat Tour, with snorkeling and ocean swimming

If your itinerary allows, join us for a final adventure, exploring the magnificent turquoise waters of the Gulf of Orosei on a private boat tour. You’ll discover beautiful coves and ravines, enjoy stops throughout the day to swim, snorkel, explore and walk along beautiful beaches, only reachable by boat or on foot, and savour a final day in paradise with lunch prepared by our skippers. This is Sardinian hospitality at its best.

Grazie e buon viaggio!

Total Riding Distance: 295km | 180 mi
Total Riding Elevation: 5100m | 16, 730′

Total Hiking Distance: 35km | 21.8mi
Total Hiking Elevation: 1170m | 3846′