Not your typical cycling tour company. Adventures for everyone. From 2 weeks to 5.5 months. Routes in over 80 countries on 6 continents.
(58)
TDA Global Cycling* was conceived in the late 1980’s when Henry Gold, the company’s Founder and Director, was managing an international NGO that delivered humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia and other African countries. His original concept was to produce inexpensive, rugged mountain bikes in Africa, for Africans, as a low cost solution to local transportation needs, a
nd to market this new bicycle by organizing a cycling race across the continent – the Tour d’Afrique. While the mountain bike project did not take off, the pioneering vision of the Tour d’Afrique proved irresistible. In early 2002 Henry and Michael de Jong began the preparations in earnest, undaunted by enormous skepticism and the mountain of logistical challenges to be overcome, and, on January 15, 2003, thirty-three cyclists saddled up at the Pyramids at Giza and started pedaling south. Four months later, with Table Mountain and Cape Town in sight, they celebrated the realization of their dream and the establishment of the Guinness World Record for the fastest human powered crossing of Africa. Since then our unique little company has grown, in leaps and bounds, through many trials and tribulations. Following in its spirit, several more long distance cycling expeditions have been undertaken. In 2015 we became TDA Global Cycling, a new name that reflects our growing portfolio of adventure cycling tours.
008_8 (2)
camped under a baobob tree, 2003
All told more than 1,200 intrepid souls have now completed one of our epic trans-continental rides. Through our Foundation, and the donations of many of our clients, more than 2,500 bicycles have been distributed to health care and community development workers in Africa and India. In short it has been one helluva ride. But we still have a long ways to go. There are so many more fascinating lands and hidden corners of this beautiful planet to discover, and we hope that you will be there with us when we do!
It’s been a real pleasure having a few bush camps recently on the South American Epic. There’s something special about being able to cycle in remote areas all day and then simply pitch up on the side of the road. It is a wonderful feeling.
The South American Epic has left the coast of Peru after a few weeks of riding. Being back in the mountains means back to climbing, but the change of pace has been a good one. Our first day was 3000 meters continuously up and everyone was all smiles!😀🚵🏼
Look who's riding the 2024 Cape to Kili Cycling Expedition! Lucky cyclists.
Spring cycling in South Africa… we’d recommend!
"I think Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world"
“It’s going to feel a bit different leaving from sort of a more developed place into a more exciting country...” Cape to Kili Tour Leader Yanez, and others, reflects on the significance of Cape Town, and starting an Africa tour in Cape Town instead of ending there. We see this city through the eyes of someone who lives in the city and others who are visiting for the first time.
Our Office Manager, Olha Kurochkina, takes a personal look at Warsaw, Poland, one of the rest day cities on the Trans-Europa Cycling Tour.
Olha Kurochkina joined the TDA Global Cycling team in early 2023 as Office Manager. In this piece, she takes a personal look back at Warsaw, one of the first places she ended up after fleeing the war in Ukraine. Among our dearest alumni there will definitely be people who can better depict the wond
Camp dinners recently 👌
Be sure to register for our September Info Session. Find out about our 2025 tours. This live online event is an opportunity to ask us anything – it could be related to any of our tours around the globe or any other cycle touring questions you want answered by our experts.
Do you have questions about our tours? We would be more than happy to answer them. Join us live in September (or watch the recording at your convenience) for a chance to speak directly to the senior staff at TDA - Shanny who oversees the marketing, Michael, the head of customer service, and Miles
Three lucky cyclists joined the 2024 South American Epic in Lima, Peru. Enjoy the ride!
All smiles as Klaus helps Avi out with a puncture on a difficult gravel stretch! Serious winds, steep climbs, and heavy gravel couldn’t stop these two from having fun out there.
The gravel riding in South Africa is no joke! Our ride out of the mountains before getting to the first rest day 🚲⛰️
TDA Crew and friends in the desert!
"Even with the grand expectations set for the South American Epic...a journey that spans six countries from Cartagena, Colombia to Ushuaia, Argentina—participants have found themselves continually surprised by the dramatic changes they encounter, not only on a large scale, country to country, but also on a more granular level as well, during a single day."
Benjamin Levin is the Content Creator on the 2024 South American Epic Cycling Expedition. Cycling across South America for five and a half months, from the Amazon rainforest to the icy peaks of Patagonia, is bound to bring with it a remarkable variety of experiences. Even with the grand expectatio
The mountains of South Africa have not been a disappointment
More photos from the Peninsula de Paracas🌊🏜️. The desert meeting the ocean made for some very beautiful scenery and color composition. Even though the riding was tough, everyone had a big smile!
Epic… just epic! Yesterday cycling through the Peninsula de Paracas was easily one of the most memorable days of the trip. 50 kilometer per hour head winds, serious off road cycling, unreal scenery… it was truly expedition cycling🚵🏼🏜️
Day 2 of Cape to Kili… and we’ve been the happiest group! Cold mornings, warm days, and amazing lunch spots.
And we start! The new Cape to Kili expedition tour has officially left Cape Town for our camping endeavors. Follow along while we make our way to Kilimanjaro over the next couple of months
The riders on the South American Epic have some wonderful and difficult sections of gravel coming up during our stretch from Lima to Nazca! If you are a fan of off road biking/gravel biking you would totally love these days.
Who's supporting the riders on our very first Cape to Kili Cycling Expedition? These guys, that's who!
"How do you quantify camaraderie, happiness, the exhilaration of completing the day or the encouragement of your peers as you crest that final hill? You just cannot."
Benjamin Levin is the Content Creator on the 2024 South American Epic Cycling Expedition. Many parts of a TDA expedition are easy to quantify. You can track how many kilometres you have traveled, how much elevation you gained. You can read your heart rate and monitor the oxygen in your blood. Othe
Seems as if Mark always gets featured here on our socials… but he’s always in such beautiful places! Our camp a few days back, on the Peruvian coast, was surrounded by sand dunes and was a sight be behold.
One of our 2024 Cape to Kili Cycle Expedition riders is raising funds for animal welfare! Great idea Doc Roos!
Doc Roos is saddling up to cycle 3180kms through Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi and to Mount Kilimanjaro on a quest
TDA Community News August 2024 - https://mailchi.mp/tdaglobalcycling/tda-community-news-august-2024 The Magic In Madagascar, Limited Space On The North American Epic, General Info Session, TDA Lunches, Lasting TDA Friendships, The Jewels Of Africa, How Far Can You Ride In A Day, More...
Neil, Klaus, Hugh, Jim, and Nick commemorating the beautiful views and good times they are enjoying riding through the Peruvian desert with friends!
american
Our experience in Peru so far has been a tale of two extremes: the desert coast and busy, rural cities. Both unique and stunning in their own ways as well as eye opening.
Mixing a bit of gravel into the fold here in Peru. For the last few days we’ve been on the Pan American Highway, however, getting into yesterdays camp we had a fun (for some people 🤠) 6 KM stretch of gravel.
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when TDA Global Cycling posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Send a message to TDA Global Cycling:
"I think Cape Town is one of my favorite cities in the world" “It’s going to feel a bit different leaving from sort of a more developed place into a more exciting country...” Cape to Kili Tour Leader Yanez, and others, reflects on the significance of Cape Town, and starting an Africa tour in Cape Town instead of ending there. We see this city through the eyes of someone who lives in the city and others who are visiting for the first time. #tdacapetokili
“It’s just been such a beautiful change to go from a flatter, faster pace to an up & down slog through the mountains” The Orient Express has pedaled its way into eastern Europe with some noticeable shifts, including the change from flat bike paths to the winding hills and mountain passes of Romania. Having spent nearly 2 weeks cycling Romania, we’ve really been able to “sink our teeth” into Dracula’s home country, filled with surprises around every corner. #tdaorientexpress
"One day we started off hot and humid then climbed to 4000 meters and at the top and everyone was freezing and it like 6 degrees celsius... in one day! Then in the same day you're back down to 30 degrees." The South American Epic is living up to its name. Cyclists have seldom been to a part of the world that challenges them and astounds them as much as South America has so far. It is harder than they thought, the constant climbing, the changes in temperature and environment... this is no walk in the park. Nonetheless, they push forward. Through rainforests, volcanic moonscapes, deserts and bustling cities they persevere. It took 30 days to get down the length of Colombia and now after a week in Ecuador the tour surges down toward the Peruvian border. #tdasouthamericanepic
“We’re TDA Cyclists, of COURSE we know how to fix a flat…?” Of course TDA Cyclists do all kinds of crazy things while out on the road! #tdaorientexpress
"If you love cycling, I think you have been in France, I think you would like to go to Amsterdam once in your life, and then you have to come to Colombia because we are the third capital of cycling in the world" One of the surprises and pleasures on the South American Epic has been being immersed in Colombia's amazing cycling culture. When you think of the cycling capitals of the word you tend to gravitate towards France, the Netherlands and other European cycling destinations. However, Colombia gives any of these places a run for their money. Every day, especially near the bigger cities, tens of thousands of cyclists can be seen on the roads enjoying the day. Colombians are proud and friendly cyclists. This year's South American Epic riders have marvelled at how friendly and supportive the culture around cycling is here. In Colombia, cyclists have the same rights as cars do on the road and all motorized vehicles seem to truly respect cyclists. While many riders did not come to this beautiful country expecting it to be so welcoming to cyclists, everyone is leaving impressed and thrilled to have experienced it. #tdasouthamericanepic
“I can already feel my fitness now improve so much, day after day, week after week…I do feel much stronger, fitter and healthier already” There is always a learning curve to starting a cycle journey across a continent. Some might even call it a rhythm that you need to fall into. At first, it can be daunting – the distances, the elevation, the navigation and all of the unknown surprises – but riders quickly find their own rhythm and usually that pace speeds up the more they’re on tour, gaining momentum and strength to take on the challenges ahead. #tdaorientexpress
"Whenever you make a plan you have to hope that it goes to plan and accept that sometimes the plan will take a little longer than expected." TDA's South American Epic is a long distance cycling expedition that comes with all sorts of interesting twists and turns. A few days into the tour we found ourselves in the Colombian city of San Marcos. Uniquely located within a matrix of swamps and lakes, San Marcos is a tricky place to cycle out of. Because of this, TDA decided the best option was to take a fleet of small boats across the lakes to our next destination. Organizing expeditions like this always comes with some unforeseen happenings. Our boat ride was threatened by thunder and lightning in the morning, we had to replace an engine half way through, and have riders switch boats on the water to redistribute the boats weight. It was busy, hectic, and a beautiful ride. That is what this sort of traveling is about. It is an expedition after all! #tdasouthamericanepic
“The Orient Express…It’s been like I’m on location for a movie…It’s like a dream” The cinematic scenery of the Orient Express has Theresa feeling like a movie star as she cycles through the mesmerizing hillsides and cobblestone villages of France and Germany. Between the romance of Paris and the folklore of the Black Forest, there’s a fantastical feeling around every corner as riders venture east along the Danube River. #tdaorientexpress
“The energy is palpable, you can feel it...We are here on a two-wheeled social experiment of 39 stages” Allez, allez, allez! Just as the famed Tour de France is getting underway, the Orient Express riders embark on a Tour de Europa, beginning in bustling Paris, a city that is always buzzing with energy but particularly now as they prepare to host the 2024 Olympic Games later this summer. Beginning with a loop around some of Paris’s most famous sites, the Orient Express pulls out of the city and into the peaceful countryside. #tdaorientexpress
To wrap up the #tdajtte's time in Japan, our very own sensei Kazu-san voices some words of one the major texts of the Japanese Edo period: Matsuo Basho's haiku collection 'Oku No Hosomichi'. The title translates into 'The Narrow Road to the Deep North' and was written during Basho's epic expedition through Japan on foot in the seventeenth century. The words of the opening paragraph, now over 300 years old, will still ring true for all who took part in the 2024 TDA Journey to the East!
"The idea of riding a bike every day for two or three weeks sounded like heaven" Val has been guiding bike tours since 1989 and is still doing lots of riding. She joined us for section 1 of the Pub Ride before taking off to do a bike tour with her daughter leaving from Washington DC. She talks about what drew her to the sport and what kept her guiding long enough to get 45-50 tours under her belt. #tdapubride
"My dad taught me how to bike. And I loved it from the very first time when he let go and I started riding. And I haven’t stopped since. " Since her dad’s passing from Alzheimer’s, Lori has used her passion for biking as a way to also raise money for Alzheimer's research. Part of the reason she chose the pub ride is because it goes through places that her father’s ancestors were from. To help support Lori’s fundraiser, follow this link https://tinyurl.com/ride4alz @lmccarney #tdapubride #alzheimers #biketouring #fundraising #travelbybike
"When you're racing down a hill at 60km an hour, you feel like a 17 year old" Tim discovered cycling as a sport in his 60’s when his wife got him a bike as a present. For him, it brings him back in time, bombing hills he feels like a 17 year old. At 72, he consistently leads the pack on this year’s pub ride, and he tackles the hills and the elements with enthusiasm and vigour. #tdapubride
Have a peep behind the scenes of the world famous travelling TDA Lunch Café and find out how TDA prepares delicious and nutritious lunches for hungry cyclists all over the world! #tdajtte
Time for a little refresher on some of the do's and don'ts, the routines, etiquettes and systems that keep our TDA tours running day in and day out. We quizzed some of the 2024 Journey to the East riders about these little customs and etiquettes. Do they pass the test? Only one way to find out! Did you get all of these? #tdaadvice #tdajtte
“I saw people fall in love with Morocco the same way I fell in love with Morocco, and I think that was my favorite part. I think that in a small, insignificant way we’ve left our own mark in Morocco’s history. Now we’re a part of the story. We’re a part of the landscape, and in some tiny little way we’re a part of this place too.” At the conclusion of the Kingdom of the West tour, Tour Leader Britney Charme discusses the connection between Morocco's past and present. She reflects on how, by traversing diverse landscapes, ancient cities, and remote villages, 34 cyclists left their mark on this timeless land. #tdamorocco
Come to Korea and find out why this country and its people are such an essential part of TDA's Journey to the East cycling experience! #tdajtte
"May the roads rise up to meet you, may the wind be at your back, may the sun shine warmly on your face, may the rain fall gently on your fields, and until we meet again, may he or she hold you in the palm of his or her hand." The 2024 Tour d'Afrique has come to an end. It was a wonderful journey, full of thrilling successes, tiring challenges, and a multitude of emotions. Back in Rwanda, when the trip was just hitting its stride, Vince was interviewed and wanted to quote an Irish proverb that he felt had been brought to life. He had noticed that when there were tough hills, the roads always rose up to meet him with a wonderful descent; when it rained, the sun would come out and shine warmly on his face. As the trip continued, it became clear that this proverb would remain true throughout its entirety. Looking back we appreciate the headwinds, the rainy days, the long climbs, and all the challenges we faced because we know how rewarding the other side of those difficulties are. Standing in Cape Town, knowing what we know now, we realize that even when it was not, the wind was always at our back. #tourdafrique
In this first vignette of the series about the 2024 TDA Journey to the East Tour, cyclists and staff tell us about their personal hopes and dreams for the tour they’re taking part in. #tdajtte
Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency?
TDA Global Cycling* was conceived in the late 1980’s when Henry Gold, the company’s Founder and Director, was managing an international NGO that delivered humanitarian assistance to disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia and other African countries. His original concept was to produce inexpensive, rugged mountain bikes in Africa, for Africans, as a low cost solution to local transportation needs, and to market this new bicycle by organizing a cycling race across the continent – the Tour d’Afrique. While the mountain bike project did not take off, the pioneering vision of the Tour d’Afrique proved irresistible. In early 2002 Henry and Michael de Jong began the preparations in earnest, undaunted by enormous skepticism and the mountain of logistical challenges to be overcome, and, on January 15, 2003, thirty-three cyclists saddled up at the Pyramids at Giza and started pedaling south. Four months later, with Table Mountain and Cape Town in sight, they celebrated the realization of their dream and the establishment of the Guinness World Record for the fastest human powered crossing of Africa. Since then our unique little company has grown, in leaps and bounds, through many trials and tribulations. Following in its spirit, several more long distance cycling expeditions have been undertaken. In 2015 we became TDA Global Cycling, a new name that reflects our growing portfolio of adventure cycling tours. All told more than 1,200 intrepid souls have now completed one of our epic trans-continental rides. Through our Foundation, and the donations of many of our clients, more than 2,500 bicycles have been distributed to health care and community development workers in Africa and India. In short it has been one helluva ride. But we still have a long ways to go. There are so many more fascinating lands and hidden corners of this beautiful planet to discover, and we hope that you will be there with us when we do!
