Award Winning Travel Experiences
Over 98% of guests tell us they plan to travel with VBT | Country Walkers again.
Use our "Find a Tour" search tool to discover the perfect tour for you. You can filter by destination, activity type, activity rating, and more to match your preferences.
To secure your preferred departure date, we recommend booking as early as possible. Availability can fill up fast—especially with group reservations—so early booking is the best way to ensure your spot.
Once your reservation is confirmed and full payment is complete, your price is locked in and guaranteed.
Double occupancy indicates that two guests will share a room, each paying the double occupancy rate. If you prefer a single room, the double occupancy rate applies, along with an additional single supplement.
Yes, single rooms are available for travelers at an additional single supplement fee.
Some expenses are not included in our packages—these may include select meals, pre-assigned seat requests, potential luggage fees, tips for your Trip Leaders, and any required travel documentation or visa costs. We recommend reviewing the "What's Included" section of your tour to plan accordingly for any additional costs.
We offer three distinct travel styles: Biking tours, Walking tours, and Discovery tours—each designed to deliver unique and enriching experiences tailored to different interests and activity levels.
Our tours span a range of activity levels—from Easy to Challenging—so you can choose the experience that best suits your preferences. For biking and walking tours, activity charts are available to help you select the right tour.
Absolutely! We warmly welcome avid cyclists and hikers on our tours. Many of our itineraries include optional extra mileage for those seeking a more active experience, though availability varies by tour. To help you plan, each tour page features an Activity Chart that highlights where additional mileage options are offered.
On most tours, guests are free to bike or walk at their own pace. However, in certain destinations, our Trip Leaders may advise that the group stays together for safety or logistical reasons. These instances are noted in the tour details to help you plan accordingly.
On most biking tours, guests are free to ride at their own pace—whether that means covering every mile or just a few. For walking tours, our two Trip Leaders offer tailored route options to suit a variety of fitness levels and preferences, ensuring everyone enjoys the journey comfortably.
Unlike travel styles centered on physical exertion, the Discovery travel style is crafted to stimulate an active mind. It highlights immersive, hands-on experiences that echo the engagement found in biking or walking tours.
Unlike traditional biking and walking tours, the Discovery travel style does not allocate large portions of each day to individual physical activity. Instead, the focus is on group-based experiences, which may make it challenging to maintain a high level of exercise. While the itinerary is full, guests will have some free time built into the itinerary, and are always welcome to opt out of group activities if they prefer.
Activities will primarily center on historical sites, natural landscapes, cultural exchanges, the arts, and local enterprises. While our biking and walking tours incorporate some of these elements, Discovery tours are distinguished by their emphasis on these experiences. Organized bike rides will not be offered. Walking opportunities will be available, but primarily as a means of accessing sites rather than as standalone physical activities.
Trip Leaders will be trained in group facilitation to help integrate solo travelers into the group dynamic—for example, by inviting them to join the trip leader for dinner on the first free night. To further support solo travel, we offer very reasonable single supplements and maintain a higher availability of single-occupancy rooms.
Discovery tours feature the same high standards of accommodation as all other tours.
Over 98% of guests tell us they plan to travel with VBT | Country Walkers again.
We welcome anyone over the age of 13 on our tours!
Our tours are designed for small groups, typically averaging 17 guests, creating an intimate and enriching travel experience. This setting fosters meaningful connections with local cultures and offers the perfect balance of ease, companionship, and expert-led exploration. Many of our travelers forge lasting friendships and frequently reunite for future adventures. If you are bringing your own group, please see our Group Travel FAQ.
Absolutely! Our travelers are eager to share their tour experiences. If you'd like to connect with past guests, we’re happy to provide names of those who’ve volunteered as references. You can also explore our website for third-party verified reviews from guests who’ve joined us on previous journeys.
Our tours accommodate between 16 and 30 guests, with an average group size of 17.
Absolutely! We encourage you to bring a group along. Visit our groups page to explore the incentives and benefits available for organizing your own group adventure.
For Guided Biking or Guided Walking vacations, you can make your trip private with a group of 17 or more. On Discovery tours, a private departure is available with just 14 guests.
Each day of our biking tours centers around cycling, while our walking tours feature a daily walk or hike as the primary activity. Discovery trips are crafted to stimulate curious minds through immersive, hands-on experiences that invite active participation.
Guided Biking Tours
Include two Trip Leaders—one who bikes with the group and another who drives a support vehicle. This setup offers flexibility: you can ride in the van if you choose to bike only part of the route, and you have the option to follow the leader or ride independently.
Self-Guided Biking Tours
Do not include Trip Leaders or a support vehicle. You’ll navigate using the Ride with GPS app on your smartphone, manage minor bike repairs, and complete the full scheduled ride each day on your own.
Guided Walking Tours
Feature two Trip Leaders—one who walks with the group and another who drives the support vehicle. This vehicle transports you to the trailhead, meets you at the trail’s end, and connects with you along the route whenever possible. It’s your safety net if you need a break.
On our Waterways trips, you’ll unpack just once as your accommodations travel with you. In contrast, our land-based tours typically change hotels every few days, giving you the opportunity to explore the highlights of each region.
Enjoy a fully customized private experience—on your terms. You decide when to start, where to stop, and how to spend your time. Along the way, you’ll benefit from our insider recommendations on everything from museums to bars and restaurants, plus the peace of mind that comes with having a Local Host just a phone call away.
Discovery tours prioritize an active mind over physical exertion, offering hands-on, participatory experiences that mirror the immersive elements found in our biking and walking tours.
Our Tour Package includes only the tour itself. Guests are responsible for arriving at the designated meeting point and making their own arrangements for departure at the end. For added convenience, our Tour + Travel Package (formerly the Air Package) includes everything you need to travel to and from your tour—typically a hotel night before and after, roundtrip airfare, and airport transfers.
Our Tour Package offers flexibility to customize your travel experience before or after the tour. You can add hotel nights before or after the tour, include pre- and post-tour activities, book airfare, and arrange airport transfers when available—allowing you to select only the elements that suit your travel needs.
Complimentary airport pick-up and drop-off are included with our Tour + Travel Package, provided your flights align with our scheduled arrival and departure dates. If you choose to customize your travel dates for independent exploration, you’ll be responsible for arranging your own airport transfers.
Airport pick-up and drop-off services are only available when airfare is booked through us, your travel dates align with our scheduled arrival and departure, and you’ve reserved the corresponding pre- or post-tour hotel night.
Our Tour Package allows you to personalize your travel experience before and after the tour. However, the core tour itself—led by our hosts and leaders—cannot be customized. While some airfare options may be adjusted for an additional fee when booking through our Tour + Travel Package, we’re unable to modify the tour dates, hotels, or included activities. If you choose to customize your flights or book independently, complimentary airport transfers will not be available, and you’ll need to arrange your own transportation. For assistance, refer to the transfer company suggestions in the Vacation Preparation section in MyAccount.
While our tours aren’t specifically designed for families, we welcome guests aged 13 and older when accompanied by an adult. Guests ages 13–17 must share a room with someone 18 or older. Since our accommodations are limited to two guests per room, families will need to make multiple reservations.
Guided Tours
Unless otherwise noted by your Trip Leaders, breakfast is typically served around 8:00 a.m. each morning. Please arrive dressed and ready for the day’s activity, as your leaders will review the itinerary to help you plan accordingly. Throughout the day, your leaders are available to provide snacks, refill water bottles, and offer encouragement—whatever you need to make the day enjoyable.
Most guests return to the hotel between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., depending on the route and pace. This allows time to relax, explore the property, or take a walk before dinner. When changing hotels, your luggage will be waiting for you each afternoon.
Self-Guided Tours
You set your own schedule—start early or sleep in. While there are no guides, your detailed route notes offer insider tips on where to stop, what to skip, and what not to miss.
Independent
Everything you need to explore on your own in a city or destination, including hotel nights and airport pickup or drop-off.
Independent+
Everything you need to explore on your own in a city or destination, including hotel nights and airport pickup or drop-off, as well as one or more curated experiences such as a guided city tour or cooking class.
Guided
A guided addition to your tour, including a full-time Trip Leader, who will stay with you throughout the experience, as well as accommodations, some meals, and airport pickup or drop-off.
Most tours feature approximately 3 to 8 hours of scheduled activities or visits each day. The pace and structure can vary depending on the destination and itinerary, but we always aim to strike a comfortable balance—ensuring you experience the best of each location without feeling rushed or overly fatigued.
Ride with GPS (RWGPS) is a premier bike route mapping and navigation tool—and we’re proud to partner with them to enhance your tour experience. With custom downloadable GPS route notes, you can ride confidently using FREE turn-by-turn voice navigation and personalized maps, all accessible on your iPhone or Android device.
Each tour is unique, and we encourage you to review the “What to Expect” section on the tour page for specific details. While we bike primarily on paved roads, some tours may include stretches of gravel or cobblestones. Walking routes can vary widely and may feature grassy paths, cliffside trails, sand dunes, or terrain with rocks, roots, or mud—adding to the adventure and charm of each destination.
Support vehicles are an important part of most of our guided tours, designed to keep you comfortable and confident throughout your journey.
On Guided Biking tours, our support van makes regular sweeps along the route to offer light refreshments, water bottle refills, and optional rides for those who prefer to take a break. Please note: Some bike paths may have limited van access. If a stretch of your ride will be unsupported, your Trip Leaders will inform you in advance and guide you through your options.
Self-Guided Biking tours do not include a support vehicle.
On Guided Walking tours, our vehicle transports you to the trailhead, meets you at the trail’s end, and connects with you wherever possible along the way.
Due to the more easy-going nature of our guided Discovery tours—and the range of local transportation options employed—a dedicated support vehicle may be unnecessary on certain days. Please see individual tours for more information.
Van support varies depending on the type of tour you choose and the accessibility of the route.
If weather conditions prevent the group from riding or walking, your Trip Leaders will suggest alternative options.
Some tours reach significant altitudes, which will be clearly noted in the “What to Expect” section of each tour page.
Guests should be prepared to stand and walk unassisted for up to 90 minutes at a time and to manage long travel days, which may include drives of up to five hours, early departures, and late returns. Tour-specific details will be outlined in the Discovery Activity Chart and the “What to Expect” guide.
In some cases, yes—visa requirements for your destination will be outlined in the To-Do list within MyAccount. For vaccination guidance, we recommend reviewing the latest requirements and recommendations at https://cdc.gov/travel.
With an emphasis on group activities over individual pursuits, and a smaller group size—capped at 16 guests —Discovery tours are designed to be led by a single expert local Trip Leader.
Our Discovery product guidelines highlight preferred elements and sample activities that foster meaningful people-to-people connections and promote a thoughtful, authentic travel experience. Specific inclusions will vary by destination.
Discovery tours prioritize a small-group experience, with a maximum of 16 guests—far fewer than the 40–50 typically found on bus tours. This intimate group size enables access to places that are off-limits to larger groups and fosters deeper, more authentic connections with local communities. To enhance immersion, public transportation will be used where appropriate.
Discovery tours will be available for groups and follow the same rules and guidelines as our other travel styles—with one key exception: a group will take over a departure at 14 guests rather than the usual 17. Because the maximum group size is 16, Discovery groups will not qualify for the 17-guest benefit.