Maine: Acadia National Park & Bar Harbor

The tour is 6 days long with 5 days being riding days.

Acadia, United States’ smallest National Park, is revered as one of the most scenic and beautiful of their national treasures. Situated primarily on Mt. Desert Island, the park is an incredible blend of rocky shoreline, dense forest, crystal clear lakes, waterfalls, and granite-domed hills. Best explored by bicycle and on foot, you will enjoy a guided kayak excursion and a sail on a Maine Windjammer. Your tour in Acadia includes a comprehensive experience that enables you to see hidden corners of the region through a variety of activities. Cruise across Frenchman’s Bay to Schoodic Peninsula to the ride along stunning coastline and through several of Maine’s classic fishing villages.

Nestled on the shore of Frenchman’s Bay in the town of Bar harbour is the Bar harbour Inn. Considered one of Maine’s finest oceanfront properties, the inn is located in a peaceful setting, just steps from shops, restaurants, and galleries in town. Enjoy a stunning oceanfront room with private porch or opt for a room overlooking the grounds. Either way, you will enjoy a full gourmet breakfast each morning in the dining room overlooking the harbour. The trip is based out of the Bar harbour Inn for the duration of your vacation, meaning you only need to unpack once!

A road or hybrid bike are included in the tour price. There's the possibility, subject to availability, to hire a Tandem bike for an additional cost.

Equipment supplied with the bikes are:

   Helmet (required)
    Computer
    Seat bag for road bike
    Rear rack bag for hybrid
    Bar-end mirror
    Water bottles
    Lock
    Rear daytime light and safety triangle
    Map case
    Cycling jersey - Yours to keep

Pump, spare tube, and tire irons are available for those interested. Tour leaders carry plenty of supplies and tools, and quickly repair flat tires during tours.

PRE-TOUR COMMUNICATION
Travelling or not is your personal choice. It is, however, our responsibility to keep you fully updated if and once you choose to travel with us. As a guest booked on our trip, we will keep you posted continuously via emails, on factors driving our decisions for trips in 2023.

GUEST ARRIVAL
Out of an abundance of caution, the Tour Operator is requiring a proof of vaccination or a negative PCR or rapid antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of trip start or a medical certificate confirming recovery from COVID-19 no more than 90 days or less than five days before your departure.

SMALLER GROUP SIZE & SOCIALIZATION
The Tour Operator has always been a boutique small group travel company. They strive to keep an average group size small and use multiple vans wherever possible. Also, your choice to join any group activity outside of riding, including meals or social gatherings, will be completely optional. They plan on working around your preferences.

ACCOMMODATION
The Tour Operator works only with the best partners in the hospitality business. The hotels, restaurants, and activity partners are working with them to make sure that the most up to date cleaning, sanitization, and social distancing protocols as per the CDC are being followed. They will also ensure that the standards are maintained on tour, as part of pre-tour check in with the properties.

ENHANCED LEADER & OFFICE SUPPORT
The Tour Operator office is currently on standby 24/7 for emergencies and will be available to offer support to guests and leaders alike. Please know that your trip leaders are fully vaccinated, trained in First Aid and CPR and are undergoing special training to provide support and maintain health, sanitization, and communication protocol as per CDC guidelines.

PERSONAL PROTECTION
Face mask is not required while on tour. However, the Tour Operator strongly recommends guests bring face-covering, whether they’re face masks or bandanas, especially while riding the shuttle or the van. They also have hand sanitizers available at all times.

VAN SUPPORT
Depending on the group size, the Tour Operator plans on offering multiple vans to help reduce the maximum capacity and offer ample distancing options for every guest. When appropriate, they will add shuttles to provide flexibility for guests to start and end at different times.

EQUIPMENT CLEANING AND SANITIZATION
Now more than ever, the Tour Operator is taking their cleaning standards to a whole new level. All bikes, equipment, and gears will receive a deep cleaning at the end of every single day of the tour. This includes sanitization as per CDC guidelines. Tour leaders will also clean and disinfect every exposed surface of the vans at the end of each day, with special attention to high touchpoints.

MEALS
Food and the camaraderie during meals have always been an integral part of the tour experience. This year, there will be all of that, but with flexibility and options to dine as you wish. We are limiting table sizes and giving you the option to choose what makes you comfortable. Our leaders, known for presenting one of the best picnic lunches in the industry, are well trained in food handling safety. Now they are keeping additional CDC and WHO guidelines and training in mind while preparing food.

Dear guests and my fellow travellers,

The positive feedback from thousands of guests who have travelled with us since we returned on the road in August 2020, underscores our commitment to offering the best outdoor travel experience within a safe environment.

Currently, we require all our guests to be either fully vaccinated no later than 30 days prior to your trip or provide proof of a negative PCR or rapid antigen COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of trip start. We can also accept a medical certificate confirming recovery from COVID-19 no more than 90 days or less than five days before your departure.

Unfortunately, without the above documentation, we cannot welcome you on a Sojourn trip, and our standard cancellation policy will affect your refunds.

All Sojourn staff, including our trip leaders, continue to be fully vaccinated and boosted when eligible.

Thank you all for staying safe and healthy! See you in 2023.

Raja Mukherjee, President

Last Updated: Oct 23, 2021