Passes and Pearls
from July 07, 2025 to July 19, 2025
Roads (curves per mile)
5 / 5
Scenery
5 / 5
Culture / Architecture
3 / 5
Hotels / Food
5 / 5
Highlights
Each of the most beautiful lake locations
The Triglav National Park in Slovenia with it’s pass roads Vrsic and Mangart
The Dolomite Mountains
Lake Garda
Gavia and Stelvio Pass
Itinerary
Day 1 and 2, Departure from your home country, Arrival in Munich, Germany
Munich has one of the most efficient airports in Europe. The city is also home to the BMW factory and probably the prettiest city in Germany. It is known for its beer culture. But the biggest plus: It is just an hour of beautiful riding away from the Alps.
Our hotel in Munich offers a beautiful Bavarian beer garden where typical German food is served - with some luck we will even see some live music there.
Day 3 and 4, Munich to Taunkirchen
220 km / 150 miles
After an hour of riding through the green hills of the “Voralpen”, the foothills of the alps, we will reach the edge of this breathtaking mountain region and get a first glimpse at the snow covered peaks. Further on we arrive at the shore of several beautiful lakes right between the mountains at the border between Germany and Austria. We will stay at one the prettiest one of them, Lake Traunsee, a place that was a holiday home to the Austrian monarchy for many years.
The next day, several beautiful lakes nestled in-between this picturesque mountain landscape provide a great location for a rather relaxed day tour. The high passes will have to wait until the following morning.
The village of Traunkirchen has a beautiful location on an peninsula in Traunsee Lake with the Traunstein Mountain in the background
Day 5, Traunkirchen (Austria) to Kransjska Gora (Slovenia)
280 km / 180 miles
Crossing the main chain of the Alps from north to south will be our theme of the day, actually an endless array of the finest mountain roads will keep us busy the whole day. We end up at the famous ski resort of Kranjska Gora beautifully located in the Triglav National Park with the highest mountain of Slovenia. Nearby our hotel a beautiful turquoise lake invites for a visit in the afternoon.
We will see Austrian architecture, beautiful lakes and the Karawanken Mountains which share their visual appeal with the Dolomites as they consist of the same limestone.
Day 6, Kranjska Gora - Karawanken loop
260km / 160 miles
Right in the morning the beautiful Vrsic-Pass will lead us via fun-to-ride cobble stone switchbacks high up into the Karawanken Mountains, the highest in Slovenia. They are still part of the Alps. On the south side of the pass the valley of the Soca River starts, one of the prettiest natural rivers in the Alps. People come from all over the world to catch the huge brown trouts here. Usually they are well visible in the crystal clear water. The next pass of the day will lead us into Italy, where we have lunch at the emerald mountain Lake Predil.
The Karawanken mountains serve as a great place to play around with the motorcycle of your choice.
Day 7, Lake Misurina (Italy, Dolomites)
200 km / 125 miles
A first exciting pass takes us into Austria. The pretty valley of the Gail River will lead us further west. Afterwards we continue along the high and remote valley of the river Lesach and finally over a pass into Italy and the beginning of the Dolomites. You will notice the difference as the rock walls in this part of the Alps will get higher and more vertical. We will have a stop overnight at a grand hotel at the beautiful Lake Misurina with some of the most prominent Dolomite peaks as a backdrop. They will be our playground for the next day. Tonight we just enjoy the memorable view across the lake.
The Sasso Lungo is one of the iconic mountains near our Dolomites base of Lake Misurina and the Giau-Pass offers one of the nicest views of all passes.
Day 8, Dolomites Loop
260 km / 160 miles
This area is too exciting to leave after one day. The whole day we will keep the Dolomite Mountains as a playground. There will be a neat variety of roads. Some passes have a nice rhythm others are rather tight and need a slower pace. We will pass the Marmolada, the highest mountain in the Dolomites with it’s glacier on the north face. If you are keen on riding we could extend this day by another couple of passes which will make it a long and great day of riding.
Day 9, Lake Misurina - Lake Molveno
270 km / 170 miles
In the morning we pass another couple of the famous Dolomites peaks like the Latemar and Rose Garden. We will stop at the most photographed piece of water in the Dolomites: Lake Karer. After dropping into the huge Eisack Valley which is lined by vine yards and apple orchards we arrive in a different part of the Dolomites, the Brenta Mountains. They are equally pretty but less travelled compared to their eastern neighbors. We stay at the Molveno Lake, with the background of the Dolomite Range this is a hidden gem and a very pretty sight.
Day 10, Loop Lake Garda
160 km / 100 miles
As we come down from higher elevation (3000 feet) at Lake Molveno we will experience the change towards the more Mediterranean flair and climate at the huge Lake Garda, one of the 3 big glacier carved lakes in northern Italy. A spectacular mountain road and the pretty lakeshore will make our motorcycle day.
Day 11, Lake Molveno – Lake Reschensee
260 km / 160 miles
In the morning we will pass the famous ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio spectacularly wedged between the Brenta Dolomites and the Adamello Mountains. Shortly afterwards we cross the first pass of the day, pretty, but not a huge challenge. Gavia-Pass is a different thing. A narrow and very exciting road takes us up to 8600 feet, the highest point of our journey so far. We dipp into the high Valfurva-Valley to immediately climb again up the most famous pass of the Alps, Passo Stelvio. At the top we will have that iconic view down the 48 switchbacks of the eastern side our next challenge. The next pass, for riding excitement nothing compared to Stelvio will take up to Reschensee Lake. It once buried several villages. Only a stone-built church tower is sticking out, a very iconic picture.
Day 12, Reschensee Lake – Munich
260 km / 160 miles
Two pretty passes in Austria will take us back into Germany to emerald green Plansee Lake, a great place for a rest stop. A lonely pass road through pristine forest in the Bavarian Alps finally leads us out of the high mountains into the rolling hills north of the range. We will reach Munich in the afternoon to return the bikes and have a farewell dinner at the our hotels beer garden to memorize our exciting trip in perfect environment.
Day 13, Departure
Available extras
| Extra | Cost (Difference to the base price of $ 5980.00) |
|---|---|
| Pillion Rider | $ 3600.00 |
| Single Rider BMW F800 GS, F900 GS, F900 XR, F900 R | $ 0.00 |
| Single Rider R1250 R, R1300 GS | $ 690.00 |
| Single Rider R1250 RT, R1250 GSA, S1000 XR | $ 870.00 |
| Single room surcharge | $ 860.00 |
More information
You will enjoy a five-country romp through Germany, Austria, Slovenia, Italy and Switzerland, through the central part of the Alps. The Alpine roads offer abundant curves and various riding challenges and is intended for the advanced rider. Don’t be fooled by relatively short daily distances of about 150 miles. 150 miles in this environment will occupy us at least 5 hours of pure riding time. It is a steady up and down and once we reach the Alps there is not much of a chance to use more then 4th gear. At the end of the day we will be exhausted, maybe less physically but for sure our brain will have a hard time to comprehend all the impressions it is put at. The particular highlight of this tour are the overnight stays at beautiful lake locations. Since you’ll spend two nights at each location, you have the option to either explore the local beauty at your own pace or join a guided loop ride—each location is perfectly suited for both. This is why this trip is perfectly suited for couples. They can enjoy the freedom of choice every second day.
The route of the motorcyclist’s dream will take you on a virtual smorgasbord of curves and sightseeing from the seat of your motorcycle; glacier-clad mountains, each overnight location at a beautiful lake, the Dolomite mountains, Lake Garda are just a few highlights of a trip of a lifetime.
With temperatures averaging 50-80˚F/10-27˚C it makes for a comfortable riding environment. Beginning and ending in Munich, it is a good idea to arrive a few days early to acclimate to the time change and explore this beautiful city with it’s relaxed lifestyle.
What is included in the price
Your choice of BMW, Ducati or Honda motorcycle
Support vehicle for additional luggage and limited space for passengers
Motorcycle insurance
Accommodations at comfortable family owned middle-class to top hotels
All breakfasts and dinners
Fuel during the entire trip
3 ferry rides
All entrance fees and tolls
Not Included in the Tour Price
Not included in the tour price are international or other airfare to/from Munich, Germany, personal items, passport, speeding tickets and other fines, lunches, beverages, personal hotel room charges, laundry and dry cleaning, telephone calls, medical and accident insurance, and transportation to and from the airport.
Accommodations
The hotels are mostly family-owned and well taken care off. They all have wonderful local flavor, no cheap tourist or chain hotels will be used. They are three and four-star establishments, and all provide breakfast and dinner, whenever possible we will enjoy a la carte dinners. You will feel welcome and at home right away. Some hotels have a pool or sauna, so bring your bathing suit, and all provide hair dryers. If you bring any electronic devices, remember that Europe has different voltage (220V) and electrical outlets, so make sure you have the right converters and plugs and that your electronic devices work on both voltages. Casual clothing to wear in the evenings is fine; there’s no need for formal wear.
Rental Bikes
Available motorcycles may be subject to change. Motorcycles are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, depending upon availability and are not guaranteed. The earlier you book the more your choice of motorcycle can be supplied.
Keep in mind that smaller bikes handle much better on alpine roads! Great choices for a carefree, leisurely ride are the F 800 GS, F 900 GS or GS/A, F 900 R or XR. They handle very easily on the hairpins and still have enough power to keep up with anybody else on the mountain roads. The R 1300 GS or the BMW R 1250 RT is a good choice for two-up riding. Anything bigger (and heavier) takes away the pleasure of riding in the Alps. You may want to check out these bikes at your local dealer to see which one feels the most comfortable for you.
Luggage
Tour members will be able to securely store suitcases and any other extra luggage in the first hotel of the trip. The motorcycles we provide for our tours are equipped with a luggage system.
The rental motorcycles are not equipped with tankbags. If you bring a tankbag, make sure that it uses straps and not magnets, which won’t work on most of the BMWs’ tanks.
Motorcycle Insurance
The deductible for the motorcycle insurance included in your tour package is approximately $700, except GS 1300, R1250RT, S1000XR/RR and R18 the insurance is $1200. The actual amount may vary due to currency fluctuation. This amount is not charged or held to your card as we use an honor system with our guests. In case of minor damage to your motorcycle, an appraisal of the repair cost is made, based on the dealer’s cost, and billed to you with the understanding that you are responsible for up to $700/1200 of damages. In case the cost of any damage to the motorcycle is higher than the deductible, or if the bike is stolen, the full deductible will be due. The insurance company will cover the remainder of the cost. Repair appraisals can take up to 6 months to receive from the dealer.
Trip Insurance
It is highly recommended that you get trip insurance. Also, check with your health insurance provider about your coverage while traveling overseas. For additional information on trip cancellation insurance, visit insuremytrip’s website.
For more information about insuring your trip with us, please read about our helpful blog post about travel insurance.
Minimum Tour Requirement
We reserve the right to cancel any tour if the number of participants booked does not meet the minimum requirement to operate the trip or due to force majeure. In the unlikely event that this should occur, your payment will be refunded minus the non-refundable registration fee. This fee can be applied to another tour of your choice.
Please make your flight reservations after the registration deadline for the tour. We will send you a reminder email to book your flight.
Weather
Temperatures will range between 50-90 degrees Fahrenheit or 10-32 degrees Celsius. The altitude changes during the day’s ride, and the temperature changes accordingly. It can rain and be freezing on the mountain roads, yet be warm when you come down into the valleys. Dress in several layers so you can easily adjust to the weather conditions. In case of heavy rain or other bad weather, we will choose the shortest route to the next hotel, and avoid pass roads wherever possible
For our policies with regards to payment, reservation and cancellation, refer to our FAQs.