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Desert Escape

Summary

A perfect winter-training tour. Just a short distance away from the major urban areas of Southern California lies the Anza-Borrego Desert, a great dry basin ringed by high mountains. In the center of this large desert park is Borrego Springs, a “quaint desert resort town with no traffic and clean air”. Wide and empty roads stretch across the valley floor with mountain vistas in every direction. Two desert ecosystems merge in Joshua Tree National Park, an area abundant with diverse flora and fauna. Mild Winter weather, a quiet town, empty biking roads, great lodging and dining: these are the ingredients that make up an ideal trip.

Road bike

6 days

484 km / 301 mi

$ 2,995.-

A break from winter weather with ideal temperatures for riding
Mountain vistas and unique desert ecosystems all around you in the Mojave‍‍‍
Visits to Joshua Tree National Park and Anza-Borrego Desert‍‍‍

Gallery

Details

Type

Road bike

Duration

6 days

Level

Moderate

Support

Guided

Daily distance

60-80 km / 37-50 mi

Total distance

484 km / 301 mi

Climbing

1500 m / 4921 ft

Lodging

Deluxe, half board

Luggage transport

Daily luggage transfers

Bicycle

Included

Dates

01 Feb 2023 - 31 Mar 2023

Between Feb. and March and October and Nov.1 and Dec. 20 you can choose any date you like for a private tour for

a minimum of four participants in one booking

Price mention is a starting price, please ask for a quote.

Start

Palm Springs (10.00)

Finish

Indian Wells (12.00)

Airport at start

Palm Springs Int. Airport (PSP)

Airport at finish

Palm Springs Int. Airport (PSP)

Prices Please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

Price per person / please note the prices are subject to change depending availability

The tour price per person

$ 2,995.-

Single supplement

If you travel alone a single supplement is charged. With some group tours you can avoid a single supplement by sharing a room with another rider.

$ 795.-

Itinerary

Included / Not included

Day 1: Meet Palm Springs, Bike Palm Springs to Indian Wells via Coachella Valley

Our tour begins in the morning, in the desert resort town of Palm Springs. ‍Here we will fit everyone on their bicycles, then take a scenic ride over and along a small part of California's most famous faultline - the San Andreas fault which stretches from the Mexican border past San Francisco and into the Pacific Ocean. Our ride features stunning views of the surrounding San Bernardino mountains along the border between two of California's deserts: the Mojave and the Colorado. Before lunch, you'll have the option to enjoy a unique walk in a palm oasis at the Coachella Valley Preserve. Later you'll arrive in Indian Wells at the 4-star Miramonte Resort, our lodging destination for the next night.
Meals: L, D. Distance: up to 44 miles with +1,600 ft & -2,400 ft, Optional Hike - 2 miles with 100 ft

Day 2: Bike La Quinta Loop. Hike West Side Loop Trail

Today is another hybrid day - we'll bike in the morning then hike in the afternoon. We'll start with a relatively flat loop ride weaving among the many golf courses nearby Indian Wells. After lunch, we'll swap our bike shoes for hiking boots. We walk a trail in the less-visited west side of Joshua Tree National Park which offers our first chance to hike among some of the park's namesake flora. Tonight we'll be staying at the historic Pioneertown Motel in a western town that was originally built in 1946 as a movie set. Hundreds of western films and TV shows have been filmed there including such notable actors as Roy Rogers and Gene Autry. We'll enjoy dinner nearby at a famed local spot, Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace, where many famous musicians have performed including Paul McCartney and Robert Plant.
Meals: B, L, D Cycling: up to 32 miles with 700 ft gain & loss. Hiking: 4 miles with 800 ft gain & loss

Day 3: Hike Lost Horse Mine Loop Optional Hike up Ryan Mountain

After our two-nights stay in Indian Wells, we head south underneath the tall date palms of the Coachella Valley through the countryside to the Salton Sea. From here, we head west through the badlands of the Anza-Borrego Desert to Borrego Springs, an oasis of a town surrounded by desert and ringed on three sides by high mountains. Base camp for the next three nights is at La Casa Del Zorro, a golf and tennis resort nestled between the Anza-Borrego Desert and the foothills of the Santa Rosa Mountains. The resort boasts a variety of recreational amenities, fine dining and comfortable accommodations. Dinner is once again near the hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast & Dinner. Distance: 28 - 75 miles

Day 4: Bike Joshua Tree from Twentynine Palms to Mecca

This morning, after another delicious breakfast, you’ll pedal across Joshua Tree and beyond toward Mecca, a small city named for the holy land in the Middle East. After climbing back into the park you'll be rewarded with more incredible vistas of the unique rock outcroppings for which Joshua Tree National Park is known and a sweet descent past many noteworthy sights including a field of cholla cactus. Along the way we’ll stop for lunch before continuing into what is arguably the best part of the ride, a stunning canyon descent on a lightly-trafficked road south of the park. As always on the biking days, the support van will be there to pick you up should you want a boost up a hill or be done riding for the day. From Mecca we’ll shuttle south to your new home, for the next two nights at least, in Borrego Springs, La Casa del Zorro.
Meals: B, L. Distance: up to 65 miles with +3,500 ft & -5,600 ft

Day 5: Bike Borrego Springs and the "Glass Elevator"

Today's bike route begins with a flat loop past palm tree nurseries, citrus groves, and impressive display of whimsical metal sculptures commissioned by a charitable local landowner. After you are free to tackle as much as you like of the 11-mile climb up Montezuma Grade to the small high desert dwelling of Ranchita. Known as the "glass elevator" because of its unobstructed views of the desert floor, you're sure to love the vista points along the way. After an epic descent, you are free to enjoy lunch on your own - a guide-favorite is a simple, but delicious, taco place in town. Return to your resort and savor the solitude of the desert poolside or join us for a short 2-mile hike to an impressive slot canyon - just barely wide enough to hike through in spots. We'll spend the last night of our trip enjoying another fantastic group dinner. Don't forget to look heavenward tonight as Borrego Springs is an internationally-recognized dark sky community that actively prevents light pollution and features some amazing stargazing as a result.
Meals: B, D. Distance: up to 45 miles with 4,300 ft gain & loss, Optional Slot Canyon Hike - 2 miles with 300 ft gain & loss

Day 6 - Hike Borrego Palm Canyon. Depart for Palm Springs
After another hearty breakfast we’ll shuttle to Anza-Borrego State Park where we’ll hike to a natural palm oasis, and, if mother nature is smiling upon us, a chance to see native bighorn sheep in their natural habitat. You'll have some time back at the hotel to freshen up before check out. After a week in the California desert, it's time to make the return journey to Palm Springs. Private limo and shuttle services are available from the end location to multiple destinations, with the Palm Springs Airport only 5 minutes away by car.
Meals: B. distance: 3 miles with 500 ft gain & loss,

* This is a general itinerary. Tour itineraries are subject to change based on the group, available accommodations and other unforeseen circumstances such as the weather, local conditions, government intervention, that may affect the quality of the trip and/or safety of the participants. Please view this itinerary as an outline as to what to expect on this tour.

Included:

Five nights accommodation, five breakfasts, one picnic lunch and four dinners.
Hybrid or alloy road bike rental included, carbon road bike or E-bike available for an upgrade fee.
Cycling guide and SAG support (drinks, snacks, repairs).
Van support during the trip & porterage service

Not included:

Pre & post tour travel
Alcoholic beverages
Optional activities such as spa treatments
Gratuities for your guides

Map & Routes

Map

Satellite

Bicycle

Hybrid or alloy road bike rental ( carbon road bike or

E-bikes

available for an upgrade fee)
Road Bikes: Alloy or carbon
While we often use other brands we prefer to use our fleet of Cannondale Synapse bikes. Our bikes come in Alloy and Carbon with a range of components always outfitted with quality Shimano parts.
Hybrid bikes: Flat handlebars
We have a fantastic fleet of Cannondale Quick 3 Hybrid Bikes. All bikes have flat handlebars, disc brakes, and a more relaxed fit. If you don’t feel you’re a “serious” bike rider this is often best option for you.
E-bikes: pedal assisted
Our fleet of Cannondale Quick Neo E-Bikes can’t be beat. With a Shimano pedal-assisted drive train this bike a great option for someone who feels they might have trouble keeping up or just wants to sweat less.

Downloads

lodging Desert escape