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Self Guided Tours

Self-Guided Alps & Dolomites Grand Tour

A 14-day self-guided motorcycle tour of the Alps and Dolomites on dates you choose. Ride the Stelvio, Grossglockner and Andermatt passes, with hotels, Eurotunnel and GPS routes all arranged.

stelvio-pass-italy-motorbike-touring
stelvio-pass-italy-motorbike-touring

14-Day Self-Guided Motorcycle Tour of the Alps & Dolomites

Tour at a Glance

📍 Duration:
14 days / 13 nights, with 3 optional rest days

🏍️ Total Distance:
Approx. 2,450 miles (3,900 km) including optional ride-outs

🗺️ Countries:
France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium

🧭 Tour Style:
Self-guided – ride at your own pace

🏔️ Highlights:
Stelvio Pass, Grossglockner, Dolomites, Lake Garda, Andermatt Pass Loop, B500 Black Forest

🛣️ Iconic Roads:
Stelvio, Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Dolomites passes, Grimsel, Furka, Nufenen, Gotthard & the Tremola

🏛️ Historic Sites:
Verdun WWI Memorial, Chimay Circuit, Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site

📲 Navigation:
GPS route files emailed and printed daily guide posted before departure

💰 From:
£2,795 per person

📅 Dates:
Your choice – any start date June to September

📞 Support:
Phone and tour WhatsApp group

Choose Your Dates

Why Choose Our Self-Guided Alps & Dolomites Motorcycle Tour?

This self-guided Alps and Dolomites motorcycle tour links some of the best riding roads in Europe into one epic 14-day adventure. Ride the B500 through the Black Forest, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, the legendary passes of the Italian Dolomites, the Stelvio and the famous Andermatt pass loop in Switzerland, with Lake Garda in the middle for a well-earned break. You choose the dates, we plan the route and book every hotel and crossing, and you ride it at your own pace.

Everything is paid for in advance, so there are no vouchers to juggle and nothing to sort out on the road. Before you leave, we email GPS files for every day and post you a printed daily guide that matches them, complete with coffee stops, lunch suggestions and the sights worth stopping for. With two-night stops in Austria, the Dolomites, Lake Garda and Switzerland, and three optional rest days, you can ride every day or take time off the bike whenever you like.

How Your Self-Guided Tour Works

1

Choose your dates
Pick any start date between June and September and complete the booking form.

2

We book everything
Your Eurotunnel crossing and all 13 nights of hotels are booked and paid for in advance.

3

Receive your tour pack
GPS files are emailed and your printed daily guide and packing list are posted before departure.

4

Ride with backup
Call us or message your tour WhatsApp group if you need advice while you’re away.

TOUR DATES

Choose Your Own Dates – June to September

Tours start from June, when the Stelvio, the Grossglockner and the high Swiss passes are reliably open. Tell us your preferred start date on the booking form and we’ll confirm availability and book your hotels and crossing.

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Your tour starts with a quick hop across to Calais on the Eurotunnel and a ride south-east across France to your first night in the Champagne region. Next day you head towards Germany through the superb Vosges Mountains, crossing the Rhine to your hotel on the edge of the Black Forest, close to one of the most iconic biking roads in Europe, the B500.

Stelvio Pass hairpins in Italy on a self-guided Alps and Dolomites motorcycle tour

Start day three on the smooth tarmac and sweeping bends of the B500, then ride across southern Bavaria to your two-night stop close to the Grossglockner. Day four is yours: take on the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, climbing to 2,504m with hairpins aplenty, mountain-top views, lakes and glaciers, ride to the Eagle’s Nest above Berchtesgaden, or simply take the day off the bike.

From Austria you cross the South Tyrol into Italy and the dramatic landscapes of the Dolomites, with their sheer cliffs and rocky spires, for two nights in an Alpine ski resort. Day six gives you a full day to explore passes such as the Campolongo, Gardena, Pordoi and San Pellegrino, or to rest and enjoy the mountain views from your hotel.

Next you head south to the Italian Lakes and the shores of Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, for two nights. Your day off is yours to fill: ride out for more time in the saddle, hop between the picturesque lakeside towns by boat, or take the cable car from Malcesine to the top of Monte Baldo for breathtaking views over the lake.

Back on the bike, a shorter day takes you to the pretty spa town of Bormio at the foot of the Stelvio Pass. If you’re keen, there may be time for a run to the summit before dinner.

Next morning you ride the legendary Stelvio, a road on almost every biker’s to-do list, climbing to 2,757m. Your GPS files and daily guide give you two route options: one taking in both the east and west sides of the Stelvio, and a slightly shorter route over the Umbrail Pass. Crossing into Switzerland, you ride the Oberalp Pass and past famous 007 film locations to a traditional Alpine hotel for two nights.

Swiss Alpine pass road on the Andermatt loop during a self-guided Alps and Dolomites motorcycle tour

Day eleven is possibly the highlight of the tour, although with so many great roads already ridden it’s a hard call. You ride the famous five passes of the Andermatt loop, including the Grimsel, Nufenen and Gotthard via the cobbled Tremola. It’s actually six passes in total, but who’s counting! Stunning scenery, sweeping bends and switchbacks make for a day you’ll be talking about over dinner.

Heading away from the Alps, there are still plenty of great roads to enjoy on the way to the Vosges Mountains for your next overnight stop. Then ride the Route des Crêtes and cross the open French countryside, with a stop at the WWI memorial at Verdun, to your final night beside the Semois River in Belgium.

Your last day starts with a visit to the Chimay Classic Road Circuit, still raced to this day, before you ride back into France for the final leg to Calais and the tunnel home.

Tour Highlights Summary

Six Countries: France, Germany, Austria, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium
Iconic Roads: B500 Black Forest, Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Stelvio Pass, Umbrail Pass, Dolomites passes, Andermatt pass loop
Mountain Highlights: Stelvio (2,757m), Grossglockner (2,504m), Passo Pordoi, Grimsel, Furka, Nufenen, the cobbled Tremola
Lakes & Scenery: Lake Garda, Monte Baldo, Dolomites UNESCO World Heritage Site
Historic Sites: Verdun WWI Memorial, Chimay Classic Circuit, 007 film locations
Two-Night Stops: Austria, the Dolomites, Lake Garda, Switzerland
Flexibility: Choose your own dates, ride at your own pace, three optional rest days
Perfect For: Riders, couples and small groups of friends who want the best Alpine passes in one trip

Guided or Self-Guided?

Prefer to ride with a tour leader, enjoy group evening meals and have someone else handle the navigation? The same route is also available as a guided Alps and Dolomites motorcycle tour on set dates. Choose self-guided if you’d rather pick your own dates and travel independently.

Choose your dates and ride this unforgettable 14-day self-guided Alps and Dolomites motorcycle tour.

Self-Guided Alps & Dolomites Motorcycle Tour – Frequently Asked Questions

How does a self-guided motorcycle tour work?

You choose your dates and we do the planning. We book and pay for your Eurotunnel crossing and all 13 nights of hotels in advance, so there are no vouchers to carry and nothing to arrange on the road. Before you leave, we email your GPS route files for every day, and a printed daily guide that matches them is posted to you, which includes a suggested packing list. Then you ride the route at your own pace, stopping wherever you like.

Why do tours start from June?

This route crosses some of the highest passes in Europe, including the Stelvio at 2,757m, the Grossglockner and the Swiss passes of the Andermatt loop. From June these passes are reliably open and the mountain weather is more settled, so you can start the tour on any date from June to September. Add your preferred start date to the booking form and we’ll confirm availability and book your hotels and crossing. Booking early gives the best chance of getting your preferred dates, especially in July and August.

What standard are the hotels?

You’ll stay in the same carefully selected 3 and 4 star motorcycle-friendly hotels used on our guided tours, including a traditional Alpine hotel in Switzerland and a lakeside stay at Lake Garda. Breakfast is included every morning, and hotel parking is included throughout the tour.

What’s in the tour pack?

Your tour pack is the same one our guided riders receive. It includes GPS files for each day’s route, a printed daily guide that corresponds to those files with coffee stops, lunch suggestions and sights along the way, and a suggested packing list. It’s sent to you before departure so you have time to load the routes and get familiar with them.

Do I need to be good with a sat nav?

You’ll need to be comfortable loading routes and following them. The GPS files work with Garmin and TomTom devices and with smartphone navigation apps. If you’re new to route files, our sat nav set up guide walks you through the process, and we’re happy to help before you leave. The daily guide also describes each day’s route, so you’re never relying on the screen alone.

What happens if I have a problem while I’m away?

You can call us, and every tour has its own WhatsApp group so you can get advice quickly while you’re on the road. We don’t run a dedicated 24-hour helpline, so you must have your own European breakdown cover and motorcycle travel insurance. This is a requirement of our terms and conditions, and our insurance and breakdown guide explains what to look for.

How hard is the Stelvio Pass?

The Stelvio is famous for its 48 numbered hairpins on the eastern side, and it’s tighter and busier than most Alpine passes, but it’s a well-surfaced road that thousands of riders enjoy every summer. Take it steadily, use the inside of the bends with care and allow time for photo stops. If you’d prefer a gentler option, your daily guide includes a slightly shorter route over the Umbrail Pass.

What happens if a pass is closed?

Closures in summer are rare, but mountain weather can occasionally close a high pass for a few hours. Check the conditions before you set off each morning. If a pass is closed, call us or message your tour WhatsApp group and we’ll help you with an alternative route.

What’s the difference between this and the guided tour?

The route and hotels are the same, but on the guided Alps and Dolomites tour you ride with a tour leader on set dates and four evening meals are included. The self-guided tour costs less, lets you pick your own dates and gives you complete freedom over when you set off.

Are meals included?

Breakfast is included every morning at all hotels. Lunches and evening meals aren’t included on the self-guided tour, which leaves you free to eat wherever you like. Your daily guide includes lunch suggestions along each day’s route.

How much riding is there each day?

Most riding days are between 155 and 230 miles, with one longer day of around 320 miles over the B500 and across Bavaria to the Austrian Alps on day 3. Days 4, 6 and 8 are free days in Austria, the Dolomites and at Lake Garda, so you can ride the suggested ride-outs or take time off the bike. And because it’s self-guided, you can set off as early or as late as you like and take as many breaks as you want along the way.

Do I need vignettes or toll passes?

Our routes avoid motorways, so you shouldn’t need an Austrian or Swiss motorway vignette. Some riders still buy one as a backup, as it lets you take the motorway if you need to cut a day short because of bad weather or a closed pass. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road has its own toll for motorcycles, payable at the toll booth. These charges aren’t included in the tour price.

Do I need a Green Card for Switzerland?

No. Switzerland is one of the countries where UK riders don’t need an insurance Green Card. You do still need valid motorcycle insurance, so check with your insurer and breakdown provider that your full cover applies abroad. Carry your passport, driving licence, insurance documents and V5C logbook.

Can I ride the tour as a couple or with friends?

Yes. The self-guided format suits couples and small groups of friends particularly well, as you can set your own pace and plans. We offer rider and pillion pricing, and pricing for two riders on separate bikes sharing a room. If you’re planning a larger group, get in touch and we’ll check availability.

Can I do the tour as a solo rider?

Absolutely. You can choose a single room or a twin room option. Riding solo on a self-guided tour means you set the pace entirely, and the WhatsApp group means help and advice are only a message away.

What type of motorcycle do I need?

Any reliable, well-maintained motorcycle is suitable. We generally suggest 500cc or above, although modern adventure scooters such as the Honda ADV350 are also capable. Your bike should be roadworthy, recently serviced and fitted with luggage for two weeks away, with good brakes and enough tyre tread for around 2,500 miles of mountain riding. Our bike preparation guide covers tyres, brakes, chain and fluid checks before departure.

Can I use a different crossing?

Yes. If you’d prefer a ferry or a different crossing, tell us in the comments section of the booking form and start the tour from the first night’s hotel. We’ll deduct the Eurotunnel cost from your booking.

More Questions About Self-Guided Touring in the Alps

  • What’s the weather like? Warm in the valleys and at Lake Garda, but cool and changeable on the high passes, so pack waterproofs and warm layers.
  • Is motorcycle parking included? Yes, hotel parking is included.
  • Do I need to carry hotel vouchers? No. Everything is booked and paid for in advance.
  • Do I have to ride the free-day ride-outs? No. Days 4, 6 and 8 are completely optional.
  • What currency do I need? Euros for every country except Switzerland, which uses the Swiss franc. Cards are widely accepted, but carry some cash for coffee stops.
  • Will I have phone signal? Generally yes, but check your mobile roaming charges for Switzerland, as it’s outside the EU.
  • Can I extend the tour? Yes. Contact us to discuss adding extra nights before or after the tour.
  • Can pillions join? Yes. With two-night stops and optional rest days, the tour is comfortable for pillions too.

Have more questions? Contact us – we’re happy to help plan your self-guided Alps and Dolomites adventure.

Plan Your Trip