What is DreamTour?
It’s the best bicycle adventure you can imagine - brought to life. We help with the details, while you find a group to join you. Your DreamTour becomes a reality when enough participants register. When that happens - you’ll ride for free!
Read more here.
Why not?
- It’s totally free to register and to participate in the process
- It’s fun and imaginative
- It’s a way to get the adventure of your dreams - for free.
Get started now! Or
download our fact sheet to print off and read later.
For starters - it’s a lot more fun.
The differences:
- Your DreamTour is live on our website, where other enthusiasts can give their feedback or improve your itinerary with more insight.
- You can start planning your trip with just your idea - and can find your group along the way. Learn how a DreamTour works.
- You have the very real chance of riding for free. Read more.
The similarity:
- We’re still here to help - with the full heft of our biking expertise. We plan complex trips day in and out - and your DreamTour receives our full support.
- We lead the tour - you ride your bike
You could, but we have designed this system so that you have our support and expertise to guide you through the process. You get help with the marketing, and most importantly, we organize and lead the tour. This leaves you to cycle - free of responsibilities.
Who chooses my group size?
We do. This decision is based on your provided criteria including accommodation level, length of trip as well as the level of support required and total trip price.
A few things to note:
- Some locations immediately suggest either a small or large group, depending on factors like available accommodation.
- If your DreamTour departs with its optimum number, you go for free.
- Generally, smaller groups often mean more expensive trips, whereas larger groups reduce the overall cost.
- All the criteria in your DreamTour questionnaire are interrelated. If you choose a 30-day trip in luxury accomodations, the price per day will be high.
- If you choose a 30-day trip in luxury hotels with minimum support (one guide, no vehicle) the overall cost will be much less than a fully supported tour
We’re happy to help or give advice at any point in the planning stage.
Get started now!
A fully supported trip is more expensive, so, generally speaking, this would increase your minimum number. However, a fully supported trip with only camping (versus hotel accommodation) reduces the overall cost - and likewise the minimum number.
We at Tour d’Afrique will make some very sophisticated calculations to determine your minimum and optimum group numbers. They’re based in large part on the criteria mentioned above - logistics, style of trip, length of trip, etc.
Who determines the price of my DreamTour?
You do. Well, actually, we do, but your choice of accomodation type, trip length, support, and other factors sets the price parameters.
- You set an initial price range to give us and the world a sense of where it should be priced.
- We decide if it’s valid and then approve your tour.
- Once you’ve gathered your minimum number, we spend a little more time determining our best estimate of the price.
- We then open registration to all interested participants, those that have “counted in”. If they’d like to join your tour, then can register with a deposit of just 100 Euros.
- Once this is done, we get to work organizing, planning, scouting, and marketing the tour for you.
Read a detailed example of DreamTour pricing,
here.
If you are unsure, the best thing to do is to
ask us. But you can also browse through the other DreamTours and get a sense of how people are pricing their tours. You need to remember that the longer and the more luxurious the tour, the higher the price.
Also, keep in mind that cycling and living in Europe, for example, can be much more expensive than the same style of trip for the same length in India – so cost of living is a factor to consider, too.
Selecting ‘full support’ – which means we provide more vehicle and staff support – also increases the price.
No! This is your dream - who knows how long it should last but you?
Are there any other limits?
Only the bounds of your imagination (and, you know, gravity...).
Is there anywhere I can't go?
We’re huge advocates for challenge - but also for your safety. With this in mind, we steer well clear of countries or regions with ongoing wars or political conflict. If we feel your tour is travelling through an unsafe or inappropriate place and your tour is reaching its minimum number, we may help you plan a way to avoid the area (we’ve done it before).
What we find, though, is that your friends and strangers in the DreamTours community resolve these issues in the planning. Their comments and feedback throughout the process often lead you to avoid one area and head for another.
Can I add other cultural or adventure activities?
While you’ll remember cycling across Mongolia for the rest of your life, a balloon ride across the steppes will really make it a dream trip.
Include these ideas with your DreamTour plan on your web page and - if others in the group are eager to participate - it becomes part of the itinerary.
If potential participants are less excited about the activity you have in mind, you can include it as an add-on to the trip. The cost will remain separate to the trip fees and we at Tour d’Afrique will lend our expertise to making it happen.
Can I use my DreamTour as a fundraiser?
Yes! Absolutely. We can help you make this a reality - anywhere in the world. While you work with your preferred charity, we’ll help to cost it for you. For your part, you’ll draw the necessary number of participants and look after the activity’s heart: raising the funds.
The DreamTours website, receiving lots of traffic and interest from cyclists from all walks of life, is a great place to put your cause or charity in the spotlight.
Register now!
We love that eagerness!
Let’s see, if you start right now:
- It takes 30 seconds to register
- A fast typist with a clear DreamTour idea will need about 10-15 minutes to fill out their questionnaire.
- We will approve your tour within 5 business days, or get in touch with more questions/recommendations if your tour needs further developing.
- From there - it’s up to you. How hard and fast will you market your DreamTour?
- If you’re dead set on riding for free, you’ll need your group’s optimum number to register and pay the deposit.
- If you just want to go ASAP - we can begin finalizing the logistics as soon as your minimum number is registered.
So what are you waiting for?
Register now.
What if I have a concept but not enough information?
Download our helpful planning worksheet to get you started. You can print it off and use it to scribble down thoughts and ideas until you love the DreamTour idea you create.
Alternatively, if you’d like others’ help,
register now and fill in what detail you have. We may post it to the website, as our keen members might want to work with you in developing a fledgling idea.
What are the details you need in advance?
To register, you only need to make a user name and provide your email address for verification and contact purposes.
As for creating your DreamTour, a general who-what-when-where gets you well on your way.
Ready?
Register, then start filling in your details in the
DreamTour questionaire. (*note – must be logged in). You can save it as a draft to complete it in sections if you wish.
Want to take it away and think about it? Please
download our printable worksheet.
Yes, online security is something we take very seriously. While you’re welcome to use your full name as your username, it’s not necessary.
The only detail we need - in order to communicate with you - is your email address.
You can share as much or as little as you like on your blog and other social networking efforts.
As for registration fees, when it comes time for that, we have several payment options available to you – both online and offline. More information on payment will be provided at the time of registration, or by
emailing our office with your specific questions.
We want to encourage everyone to cycle the world, whether or not you need our help. If you already have a tour in the works, you’re welcome to use our forum to post info about your independent venture.
Register now.
Will my DreamTour be rejected?
No - well, it’s unlikely. (We can’t get you to the moon by bike). If your DreamTour needs refining, we’ll get in touch with you by email to make recommendations.
How do I know when my DreamTour is approved?
Check your email - you’ll usually hear from us within 24 to 48 hours. This email will include instructions on what to do next. (The fun stuff - like adding maps and photos to your personal DreamTour page!)
How do I go for free?
You simply need enough people to register for your DreamTour.
Enthusiastic marketing will help you achieve this - and we’ve got
lots of suggestions.
Learn more and read an example of
how to ride for free.
No problem. If you’re part of a cycle club or a group of friends plotting out a DreamTour together, that works too. You’re welcome to divide your tour’s savings as you decide. You can even split the amount amongst all tour participants.
Fitting the spirit of DreamTours - it’s totally up to you.
What does DreamTour cost for participants?
It depends what your DreamTour involves. Distance travelled, preferred accommodation and the tour’s length are all big factors - as is your group size.
We’d love to see your imagination run wild and put together your DreamTour exactly as you’d like it. Then see what you can accomplish with some clever marketing. Learn more about
creating your DreamTour.
Registration and building up your DreamTour’s plan is totally free, with no commitment required.
We’ll open registration when a group of people have expressed interest in your tour or, more specifically, when your tour’s minimum number of participants have clicked “Count Me In”. At that time, those interested can register with a small fee of 100 Euros.
As for your financial incentive as tour creator, your tour cost is 50% off should it depart with its minimum number - and you ride for free if your group reaches optimum group size.
Learn how to make it happen.
What's the story behind DreamTours?
Ah - come with us behind the scenes.
Tour d’Afrique founder Henry Gold created the DreamTours concept and its evolution is ongoing – thanks to input from you!
As the masses adopted new media and social networking, Henry thought it was time to stop telling the world where to run bicycle tours. Instead, we’d ASK the world - and see who else agrees.
Collaboration, networking, collective marketing, online and social marketing, and crowd sourcing... these tools are our immediate future. DreamTours are created with the latest and greatest tools available online and off.
We hope DreamTours will shake up the travel and cycle tourism industries and force things to change – allowing current cycling enthusiasts and a new generation of cycle-tourists to hit the road with the wind at their backs.
Sound good? Get yours -
register now.
