Tag: Cycling in Japan

In addition to cycling, do you also enjoy participating in other activities? For instance, do you like kiteboarding, ice climbing, mountaineering, surfing, etc.? And is the thought of booking a trip with a travel company built around sustainability important to you? With the active travel company 57 Hours, you can experience all these aspects and more.

Who Is 57 Hours?

57 Hours was launched in 2018 by Viktor, a skier, climber, and Surfer and Perica, a rock climber and Hiker. Viktor started the company “as a way to welcome as many people outdoors as possible.” But he says he also wanted to show people how amazing it is to participate in the outdoor lifestyle.

57 Hours’ mission is to show people how adventuring outdoors can be “transformative.” This is something he learned on his own during his childhood as he spent time doing various sports, such as running, cycling, climbing, and skiing.

Viktor’s main priority with 57 Hours, though, was to start a company for “those who head outdoors [to] become more appreciative of our planet, environment, and all the people—of different cultures, colors, and nations—as a result.”

The company name stems from the amount of time between 3 pm Friday to midnight on Sunday, which is 57 hours. That is when Viktor would do many of his trips, and he says although he was tired at the end of the weekend, he felt enriched by that time adventuring in the outdoors.

Why You Should Book a Trip with 57 Hours

One of the main reasons to book a trip with 57 Hours is its focus on sustainability. The company hires local guides who have to be certified to lead trips. That viewpoint helps its guides to support their local businesses and communities.

Guides can also grow their personal guiding businesses faster. That allows the company to bring in a steady flow of guests. That means guides can reach a large group of people and develop trips that explore various activities. Guides can also explore unique geographic areas other travel companies don’t consider.

Better Guides Through Diversity, Environmentalism

57 Hours believes in supporting “environmental and diversity efforts.” It says 1% of its overall sales goes to support environmental non-profits. As a member of 1% for the Planet organization, 57 Hours says that every “trip we promote has a non-profit partner for various environmental initiatives that we carefully choose every year.”

Another 1% of its sales goes to supporting diversity and promoting equality for women. The route to becoming a guide, according to the company, can take many years. And once guides are certified, finding work that pays well can take a long time as well.

57 Hours invests in its guides by “paying for training, certification, and supporting their business as it grows.” The company says a well-trained guide can introduce 100 people to adventure travel every year. By supporting diversity among its guides, 57 Hours’ guides can increase the number of people it influences substantially.

Destinations and Types of Trips Offered By 57 Hours

As mentioned earlier, if you are a cyclist who has a passion for another activity, chances are 57 Hours supports it. Not only does it offer about every sport/ activity you can think of, it also carries out those activities all over the world. No destination or outdoor activity is off-limits.

The places the company hosts trips are too many to mention. Do you want to go cycling in Japan? That option is available. Here is a rather extensive list of the activities you can do with 57 Hours.

• Hiking
• Rock Climbing
• Mountain Biking
• Kiteboarding
• Back Country Skiing
• Mountaineering
• Trail Running
• Cycling
• Kayaking
• Surfing
• Ice Climbing
• Sailing

A Cycling Trip in Japan with 57 Hours

While the company’s name is 57 Hours, its trips are much longer than that, typically 7 days (sometimes more, sometimes less). Of all the cycling trips the company offers, one that stands out is its Nasu to Nikko: Bike Tour & Culinary Delights in Japan. It is for 6 days (4 days of total cycling) for $2,970. It runs from May to November.

This trip is by no means cheap but its price point falls in the same price range that many bicycle travel companies charge. It is, however, unique in that it features cultural immersion with English speaking Japanese guides outside Japan’s large city centers. Here’s what this trip includes:

• Experienced local cycling guide(s) with extensive knowledge of the area
• Accommodation in quality hotels or ryokans (traditional inns) based on twin occupancy (5 nights)
• Meals as indicated in the itinerary (5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners)
• Snacks, fruit, and water during the ride
• Support vehicle and mechanical support
• Luggage transfers
• Transportation during the adventure
• Entrance tickets for attractions along the way
• Accident insurance

On the trip page, the ability to rent a bike is mentioned for an additional $140.00. The rental can be an e-bike or a regular road bike. And if you are traveling alone and want your own room, there is an additional $240.00 charge for that.

The trip page also discusses how fit you need to be to do this trip. Your fitness should be good enough to ride 18 to 43 miles per day and you should be able to do some moderate climbing.

Last Thoughts

If you are a cyclist who enjoys another activity, then 57 Hours can probably arrange it if it is not already part of its trip listings. The allure of booking with the company is not only its desire to practice sustainable travel, but also the number of trips, its unique destinations, and its sourcing of local but knowledgeable local guides.

57 Hours is also an excellent choice if you wish to travel off the beaten path in not only Japan but also Europe, New Zealand, Cuba, or wherever. Other travel companies offer multisport vacations, but 57 Hours seems like a great place to begin that journey.

Have a great weekend everyone!!!