Cykla Göta kanal från Väst till Öst

We really enjoyed this ride. Bike Sweden got us from point A to B but there were some glitches along the way - nothing major but they presented more challenges than other self-guided tours we've done. We're from the U.S. so used the English version of the web site and there was some confusion about the itinerary and payment, perhaps due to translation. A key linkage in the ride is a boat ride across a lake; the boat captain had no record of our reservation so luckily there were open seats. Some of the dinners were of poor quality, or restaurants did not have our reservations. We suggest (similar to other self-supported rides) that riders arrange their own dinners, with the tour company providing restaurant suggestions. The ride itself was great, on well-maintained and well-marked trails.

The bike ride was a highlight of my trip to Sweden. The luggage transport from place to place was excellent and the organizers were very helpful. The only issue was some dinners were challenging due to dietary restrictions so I either had to pay for a different meal since I couldn’t eat the one that was included or had to pay extra for changes. If you are taking public transport back to the starting point then just note that it is a bus and three trains and each requires a different means for payment. It’s manageable if you know which apps to use.

Vi hadde problemer med at sykkelsetene ikke passet så bra, smerter til tross for bruk av sykkelbukser de første 2 dagene. Opplegget fungerte bra, bortsett fra baggasje som ble transportert til feil sted i Søderkøping.

The accommodations were very uneven. The inns at the beginning and end were lovely and met our expectations, but the accommodation at the Ljungsbro leisure center was no better than the YMCA. We had to walk over to the athletic facility to use their communal - and I do mean communal - shower. The cycle ride and boat trip were lovely and perfect.

We truly enjoyed cycling along the actual canal and the final lovely Soderkoping Brunn hotel, but this four-day tour needs improvement. The biggest issue was the very hilly (I'd guess over 1,000 feet elevation), difficult Second Day of cycling, mostly on the south shore of Lake Viken--only a third of the day followed the canal path--some of it on a busy highway. It was over 30 miles (not 35 km as your site says.) The bikes had not been booked at Lake Roxen, causing stress and time. No one was at the first night's lodge, we received no promised detailed guides or info (save for the canal's free brochures), and dinner was a small bowl of ramen noodles with a couple of vegetables--like for a diet camp! We had to ask for bread. There were issues booking and paying for this trip as well.