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Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023

Challenge level: 4 out of 5

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When can I go?

23 November - 3 December 2023 On Sale
Duration 11 days

What does it cost?

Registration fee (payable today) Info $523
Remaining amount
Total commitment Info

Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023

Ride through the stunning South of India, from the spicy city of Mumbai, through exotic mango and coconut farms to the paradise beaches of Goa.

Our enchanting ride takes us past colourful temples, rice paddies and lush fruit farms, through seaside towns and along the coast, until we reach our finish line in Goa!

The stunning scenery may make our cycle seem like a dream, but you won't be sleeping in the saddle as you pedal over 360km, for the charity of your choice!

Getting fit and making friends as we Goa, we'll gain enthralling insight into an entirely different culture and achieve a momentous challenge for the cause closest to your heart. You may even master the art of haggling with the local tradesmen!

How have our past participants found this challenge?
On average, the awesome cyclists who joined us in 2018 and 2019 have given an overall satisfaction rate of 9.1/10, with 9.3/10 saying they would recommend us to a friend and 9.4/10 likely to sign up to another Dream Challenge!

Want to see what you’re in for?
Check out some highlights from our past challenges below...

 

Want more time to prepare?
Join our group for Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2024.

Your itinerary

Days 1 & 2
London – Mumbai

The excitement begins at the airport in London, where we meet as a group for the first time and catch our overnight flight to Mumbai.

Touching down in India, our wonderful local ground handler greets us at the airport and we transfer to our hotel in the city.

You’re then free to spend the rest of the day as you wish. You may want to kick back at the hotel after our flight or you can jump on the chance to explore the bustling city of Mumbai.

Lunch isn’t provided today, to give you maximum flexibility with your time and the perfect opportunity to try out one of the city’s fantastic local restaurants.

At the end our day, we meet back up and enjoy a delicious welcome dinner and a briefing from our local guides.

Day 3
Mumbai – Dapoli | approx. 6 hours transfer

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Mumbai on a road transfer to Dapoli, where our cycle will start tomorrow. Our transfer should take around five to six hours, so plenty of time to doze off any remaining jet lag, until we reach our hotel in this gorgeous coastal town.

Located at an altitude of 240m and just 5km from the Arabian Sea, Dapoli is also called "Mini Mahabaleshwar" because of its cool climate throughout the year.

After checking in to our hotel, we’ll have our bike fitting and make sure we’re comfortable in our saddles on a short orientation ride around the city.

We finish our day with dinner and a good night’s rest, ready to embark on our bike ride tomorrow.

Day 4
Dapoli – Guhagar | approx. 52km/ 4-5 hours

We take it easy today, as we adapt to the climate. After breakfast, we follow a route through the countryside that gives us a gorgeous intro to India.

We’ll ride through a variety of terrains, from dense, evergreen forests to tranquil farmlands and mango orchards, until we reach the small seaport town of Dabhol.

From here, we catch a ferry for a short transfer across the river to Dhopave Jetty, where we once again mount our bikes. We continue along the coast for the rest of the day, all the way to our hotel in the charming seaside town of Guhagar.

Guhagar is known for its virgin beach, coir items, coconuts, betel nuts, Haapus Alphonso Mangoes & Shri Vyadeshwar temple, century’s old Shiva temple. This is where we find our hotel and settle down for the night.

Day 5
Guhagar – Ganpatipule Beach | approx. 50km/4-5 hours

Get ready to enjoy some of the best coastal cycling of our challenge! Hopping on our bikes outside our hotel, we cycle southwards along a route that runs parallel with the coast. This gives us some insight into the local culture, as we ride through some of the unexplored beach towns of Ratnagiri in the Konkan area.

From our saddles, we’ll see lonely beaches, neat coves, fishing villages, temples and local markets, until we get to our hotel in the small temple town, Ganpatipule.

This beautiful coastal town attracts peace-seekers, beach lovers and pilgrims alike, giving us a stunning end to the day and more insight into the local culture.

We check in to our hotel in the afternoon, before heading back out on our bikes. Our approx. 6km cycle will reward us with a fantastic feel for the local area, riding first to the beach and on to the temple, before circling back to the hotel.

Day 6
Ganpatipule – Padavane Ambolgad Beach | approx. 86km/ 5-6 hours

Leaving the temple town behind, we head further south to Ratnagiri, crossing a few rivers along the way. As the biggest port town in the region, Ratnagiri offers a contrast to the smaller towns, farms and villages we’ve seen so far.

This region is home to many Hindu temples, visited by pilgrims and the spectacular ruins of a fortress, built by Marathas during the 19th century.

Enjoying yet more gorgeous coastal panoramas, we soon arrive at our accommodation near the Padavane Ambolgad Beach, known for its fine texture sands and clean waters.

Here, we find our beach-side hotel. Because we’re off the beaten track, the accommodation is limited here, so tonight we’ll be triple sharing.

Day 7
Padavane Ambolgad Beach - Malvan | approx. 96km/ 6-7 hours

Our longest day of cycling rewards us with breath-taking views across the Arabian Sea, as we continue our challenge along the coast.

We’ll ride through the town of Kunkeshwar, home to a golden beach and the amazing Konkan Kashi, a colourful temple dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva.

Pedalling further, we at last reach our hotel for a well-deserved rest at one of the most beautiful beaches in Malvan.

Day 8
Malvan – Arambol Beach – Goa | approx. 84km/ 6-7 hours

We’ve made it to the last day in the saddle – and it’s beautiful! Following an undulating route along the Arabian coast, we’ll ride past the palm-lined beaches of Vengurla and finally cross Terekhol River.

Lush with vegetation, the river marks the border between Maharashtra and Goa and signifies that we’re close to our finish line!

Upon reaching Goa, we cycle the last stretch to our end point at Arambol Beach in North Goa. From here, we transfer to our resort near the beach for our well-deserved celebration dinner and a good night’s rest, having conquered an awesome challenge for our chosen charities!

Day 9
Goa

Today is free for you to relax and explore the gorgeous Goa to your heart’s content. You can kick back at the beach or wander around the town and haggle for some souvenirs.

Only breakfast is provided to give you more flexibility on your free day and the fab opportunity to try out the local restaurants for lunch and dinner.

Days 10 & 11
Goa - Mumbai - UK

We’re homeward-bound on Day 10. After some free time in Goa, we transfer to the airport for an evening (internal) flight to Mumbai.

From there, we fly back to the UK. We part ways at the airport in London and you make your own way home, ready to share the fab photos and anecdotes you’ve accumulated on the challenge!

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Funding options

Self Funded

Pay the registration fee (£349) and challenge costs (£1,895) + airport taxes/fuel surcharge (approx. £350).

$2,843

Pay the balance

  • Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £349 when you book, which is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.
  • Pay the challenge cost of £1,895 yourself 12 weeks before the challenge starts.
  • Choose to fundraise as much as you can for the charity, hospice or animal sanctuary of your choice with no minimum target, or make a personal donation.
  • The challenge costs cover flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, approx. £350), your food, accommodation, transfers and luggage transportation, bike hire, guides, mechanical and medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training and a group of outdoor remote first aid trained challenge guides.
  • Please also remember to budget for airport taxes and fuel surcharge (approx. £350).
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Sponsorship

Pay your registration fee (£349) and airport taxes/fuel surcharge (approx. £350), and fundraise £3,790 or more for your chosen charity.

$5,685

Minimum sponsorship target

  • Pay a non-refundable registration fee of £349 when you book, which is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.
  • Fundraise the minimum sponsorship target of £3,790 for a charity, hospice or animal sanctuary of your choice.
  • Your charitable funds must be paid in 12 weeks before your challenge starts.
  • Providing you have raised the funds, the charity you are supporting will pay the challenge costs (£1,895) on your behalf.
  • The challenge costs cover flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, approx. £350), your food, accommodation, transfers and luggage transportation, bike hire, guides, mechanical and medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training and a group of outdoor remote first aid trained challenge guides.
  • Please also remember to budget for airport taxes and fuel surcharge (approx. £350).
  • Please note that not all charities are happy to commit to the minimum sponsorship option. If you choose this option, we contact the charity you want to support on your behalf. If they are not happy with the minimum sponsorship option, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.
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FAQs
Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023

This challenge is not designed for Olympic athletes – it is designed for people looking for an amazing goal to train and get fit for.

A number of the people who will take part in this challenge will have a low level of fitness when they sign up. This challenge is the perfect motivation to get fit, help your favourite charity in a big way and have the experience of a lifetime.

We send you a fantastic training plan once you register for the ride, which builds up as time goes on, so you'll be raring to go by the time we jet to India.

The most challenging aspect of Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023 is probably the humidity. We also recommend that you incorporate hills into your training rides, as the route is almost entirely undulating hills, with some steep but short climbs, followed by winding downhills. You will be pleased to know the route is almost all on tarmac, though, so it'll be smooth riding.

Please don't be! The majority of people will sign up for Cycle Mumbai to Goa on their own.

Once you've signed up for the challenge, we'll send you a link to a private Facebook group for everyone registered for Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023.

Please feel free to use this space to swap questions, advice and updates with your fellow cyclists on your training and fundraising.

You may also want to reach out to the other participants in this group to see if there's anyone in your local area you can meet up to train and fundraise with.

Absolutely not! One of the amazing things about the challenge is that people of all ages will come together to do something very special. Everyone aged 18 or over is welcome to join the ride!

A cycling helmet is essential. Cycling shorts are also recommended and everyone will need their own water bottles or a Camelbak-type hydration system. Apart from that, no specialist equipment is required.

We'll supply you with a list of everything you will need to take before you go. Cyclists will have the use of 18 or 21-gear mountain bikes and we suggest you bring the saddle or gel cover you're used to riding on.

 

Because this amazing challenge is off the beaten track, the hotels are unique and only have double beds, so rooming is in double beds with dividers throughout. On the night we spend in Padavane (Day 5), there will be triple-share and potentially camping in the hotel grounds, depending on the size of our group.

The tents will have comfortable bedding already provided and campers will have access to the toilet and bathroom facilities in the hotel. All equipment is provided, so you don’t need to bring a sleeping bag.

Yes of course! If you wish to extend your stay in India, please let us know at least 14 weeks before the challenge start date and we can arrange this for you.

The best way to get in touch is by emailing events@dream-challenges.com or you can call us on 01590 646410 during office hours (9am - 5pm Monday - Friday).

Your non-refundable registration fee of £349 per person is used to administer the challenge and secure your seats with the airline.

Your challenge costs of £1,895 (ie. 50% of the sponsorship target) cover:

  • Your flights (not including airport taxes and the fuel surcharge, approx. £350)
  • Meals throughout the challenge (except for your lunch and dinner on Day 8)
  • Accommodation
  • Bike hire
  • All transfers and luggage transportation in India
  • A team of outdoor remote first-aid trained challenge guides and Dream Challenges staff
  • Full support from the Dream Challenges office in the lead up to and during your challenge
  • Medical support, including a UK doctor with expedition medicine training, who will accompany us throughout the challenge 
  • Mechanical support
  • Your Cycle Mumbai to Goa 2023 medal and t-shirt

In addition to paying your registration fee (£349) and either fundraising or self funding your challenge costs, you will need to budget for:

  • Your airport taxes and the fuel surcharge (approx. £350 but subject to change – up or down)
  • Your lunch and dinner on Day 8
  • Your personal travel insurance - you will need to arrange thins yourself. We will send all participants details of a travel insurance policy we have sourced, which will also cover you for cancellation due to medically diagnosed COVID-19.
  • Your visa for India, currently approx. £20 ($23) but subject to change at the discretion of the Indian embassy. You will need to arrange this yourself. We'll send you details of this in the lead up to the challenge.
  • Gratuities and personal expenses
  • Optional tours

Travel Insurance
You will need to take out your own personal travel insurance covering health, accident, loss and repatriation. Dream Challenges has a policy, which also covers you for cancellation due to medically-diagnosed COVID-19. We will send you details of this once you register for the challenge.

You can, however, take out your own insurance providing it covers you for a charity cycle ride in India. 

Please ask the insurer about the nature of the cover. It is your responsibility to ensure you have adequate cover for your challenge.

Visa
All participants will need a tourist visa for India, currently approx. £20 ($23) but subject to change at the discretionary of the Indian embassy. You will need to arrange this yourself. 

Please don't apply for your visa until we advise you to do so. We will send you all the relevant information about how to do this before the challenge. 

Please make sure to apply for your visa on the correct website: https://indianvisaonline.gov.in/evisa/tvoa.html

This is the only website the High Commission of India uses and other sites are likely to be scams and/or charge unnecessary fees.

The Dream Challenges team are here to help you achieve your challenge and will support you all the way.

We are on hand from the minute you sign up to answer any questions that you may have about your training or the challenge itself.

Once you have registered, we will send you a realistic training programme to help you get fit for the event. The programme builds up gradually as the event gets closer.

During the cycle, we'll have a UK doctor with expedition medicine training accompanying the group at all times throughout the challenge, along with a team of experienced, outdoor remote first-aid trained challenge guides and porters.

We’ll have an event leader and a team of outdoor remote first-aid trained challenge guides, plus a UK doctor with expedition medicine training, who will be with you the whole time.

 

There will be around 20-25 participants in our group for this challenge. You are bound to make loads of new friends! 

Of course. Accommodation is included in your challenge costs on a twin-sharing basis, except on the night of Day 5 in Padavane, where we may need to triple-share due to the remote location.

However, if you would like to pay for a single supplement and have a room to yourself where possible, please get in touch at least 14 weeks before the challenge and we can arrange this for you for an additional cost.

As we're not medically trained, we're afraid we can't offer you advice on this. We recommend you contact your GP or your local travel clinic, who will have the latest travel health advice.

We also recommend you visit the NHS Fit for Travel website here, to keep up to date with current travel health news and advice on staying healthy abroad.

NHS Fit for Travel website: https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home

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Two farmers working with cattle on a farm in southern India
fisherman in Kerala in India
woman selling fruit in India

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