Some places you simply visit. Others you truly connect with. The difference comes down to how you experience them and a bicycle really puts you right in the middle of it all: breathing the air, reading the road, earning every view with each turn of pedals. Hands down, cycling is one of the most rewarding forms of active travel out there.

And in that same vein, here are five epic places we’ve cycled that deserve a place on any two-wheeled adventurer’s list.

1.THE TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN HIGHWAY

ROMÂNIA — THE TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN HIGHWAY

Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear once called it the best road in the world. He wasn't exaggerating, and he was driving in a car. On a bike, this incredible road is something else entirely.

Built between 1970 and 1974 by Romania's communist regime as a military road through the Făgăraș Mountains, the Transfăgărășan climbs to 2,042 metres above sea level at Bâlea Lake — making it one of the highest paved roads in the entire country.

The cycling route spans roughly 94 kilometres, threading through dense pine forests and sweeping hairpins before breaking above the treeline into stark, jaw-dropping alpine terrain. The northern ascent alone involves 1,500 metres of elevation gain over 29 kilometres.

What makes this ride unforgettable is the drama of witnessing the jaw-dropping landscape unfolding beneath you. A visual journey that shifts from vast glacial valleys to dense and ancient forests before finally opening up to quaint low lands.

Wild brown bears roam the surrounding mountains. The valleys below feel impossibly far down. And at the top, Bâlea Lake sits gorgeously like a secret reward earned only by those who’ve made it up through the climb.

Keen to learn more about cycling in this part of the world? More on our Transylvanian road tour here.

2.THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

CAMBODIA — THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

The Temples of Angkor are the largest religious site on Earth with more than 1,000 temples scattered across the Cambodian jungle, built by the Khmer Empire between the 9th and 15th centuries. There are plenty of ways to explore it. But by bicycle, you set the pace, take the detours, and really become immersed in this ancient wonder.

On bike, we can coast to a crawl at moss-covered doorways, duck down jungle paths that reveal half-hidden temples, or swiftly arrive at the famous reflection pools of Angkor Wat. The landscape is predominantly flat terrain making it very accessible to riders of all levels, and the pace of cycling? Picture an unhurried and quiet ride with only the sounds of your tires rolling below you, it’s the best way to explore this ancient wonder.

It’s one of those rare rides where the bicycle almost disappears. We stop thinking about the riding and instead shift our focus on everything around us: the enormous scale of what the Khmer amazingly built, the persistence of the tropical jungle, and the mesmerising ways the light shines through stone edifices.

Photo: Terri Ann Mahoney

Every one of our Cambodia tours includes an obligatory visit to this incredible site because visiting Angkor Wat by bicycle needs to be on everyone’s bucket list. More here.

3.THE GOBI DESERT

MONGOLIA — THE GOBI DESERT

Most imagine the Gobi as an endless sea of sand set far away in remote Mongolia. But the reality is stranger and more spectacular. Only around 3% of the Gobi is actual sand dunes — the rest is a vast, rolling expanse of gravel plains, rocky outcrops, lush valleys, and mountain ranges that rise out of nowhere.

And riding through it feels less like crossing a desert and more like exploring another planet.

The Khongor Els sand dunes rise up to 200 metres and stretch across 846 square kilometres — a genuinely surreal sight from a bike saddle. Elsewhere, the Flaming Cliffs of Bayanzag glow amber in the afternoon sun, the same site where American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews discovered the world's first fossilised dinosaur eggs in the 1920s. Bactrian camels wander in loose herds. Did we mention that the sky at night is unbelievable as well?

Around 80% of our route heads off-road on rough jeep tracks — loose gravel, hard pack, sand, rock — which is exactly the point. This is a mountain biking adventure in its freest form: remote, demanding, and deeply rewarding. You won't see other tour groups. You might not see anyone at all except for our guide and trailing support vehicle.

Intrigued by this otherworldly cycling destination? Learn more about our Mongolia cycling trips here.

4.DOI INTHANON

THAILAND — DOI INTHANON

Nicknamed the Roof of Thailand, Doi Inthanon stands as the country's highest peak at 2,565 metres — and cycling to its top is widely considered the most challenging ride in Thailand.

The numbers explain why: 38 kilometres of climbing, an average gradient above 8.5%, and a brutal final section where the average gradient reaches 12% for 6.5 continuous kilometres.

For a bit of context, that's nearly three times the length of Alpe d'Huez with twice the elevation gain.

But the difficulty on this ride is only part of the story. The mountain sits within a national park, and this iconic route passes through some of northern Thailand's most beautiful terrain spanning tucked-away hill tribe villages, dizzying waterfalls, swathes of cloud forest, and the twin royal pagodas that mark the summit plateau.

Every year, over 5,600 riders line up to race it. But on tour, we make ample time to actually appreciate this legendary cycling experience in Thailand. Our Mae Hong Son Hills tour makes Doi Inthanon the centrepiece of a wider journey through northern Thailand's mountains and valleys. Worth knowing: descending by bike isn't permitted within the national park, so we’re required to take a vehicle down and let the climb speak for itself. Full details on the tour page.

5.THE ARCTIC CIRCLE TRAIL

GREENLAND – THE ARCTIC CIRCLE TRAIL

Greenland’s Arctic Circle Trail is 165 kilometres of pure wilderness running from the inland settlement of Kangerlussuaq to the coastal town of Sisimiut — entirely north of the Arctic Circle. It’s always been a hikers' trail until recently and we’re proud to say that SpiceRoads is among the few cycling companies to operate a tour there.

Photo: Ben Haggar, Visit Greenland

And that's not a casual claim. The terrain is raw: river crossings, tundra, boulder fields, and conditions that change fast. The route takes 7 to 10 stages to complete, passing through a landscape that most of the world will never set eyes on — vast Arctic plains, glacial lakes, and skies that in summer never go fully dark.

Photo: Ben Haggar, Visit Greenland

Riding it by bike rather than walking changes the scale of the experience. We cover ground faster, but still slow enough to discover that some of the most extraordinary places on Earth aren't crowded — they're just hard to get to. See more about our Greenland cycling tour here.

Photo: Ben Haggar, Visit Greenland

TALK TO SPICEROADS

At SpiceRoads, we love bringing people to explore the world by bike. The more epic, the better! But with adventures in such remote places, we’re sure that you have questions and we’re ready to fill you in on everything you need to know before booking.

Simply drop us an email at info@spiceroads.com and our adventure consultants will share all the details on the above trips and destinations.