Day one is gentle. You're collected from Palma airport, driven to the hotel in Randa, and your bike is built (or the rental is fitted to you). If there's time, you head out for a 25km spin on the gravel roads near the hotel to loosen up after travelling, then the tour manager runs through the week over dinner.

The first full day is a 70km loop with 950m of climbing. You start by riding straight up to the monastery on Puig de Randa, then come down a gravel-friendly descent that road bikes can't use. From there it's the Camí de sa Maimona, a narrow lane between dry stone walls, then a mix of quiet tarmac and farm tracks through orange groves. You pass below the Santuari de Bonany and stop in Sineu, a stone-built market town right in the middle of the island, for coffee and lunch on the main square, Plaça des Fossar. The ride back is on easy, car-free gravel.

Day three is the one most people remember. You leave Randa with your bags following by van and ride 70km (660m climbing) towards the coast through single track and rocky trails. Lunch is a picnic under the orange trees. Then the route climbs through forest to Castell de Santueri, the best-preserved of Mallorca's three rock castles, with Sant Salvador off to one side and the Mediterranean below. A twisty coastal stretch brings you to the hotel at Cala Murada in time for a swim.

Day four takes you back to Randa over 60km and 730m of climbing, almost entirely off-road. The first 13km climbs gradually, with a couple of spots where you'll carry the bike over obstacles, then the island flattens into wheat fields, vines and olive groves. The last 20km is fast and fun. Dinner that night is on the hotel terrace overlooking the countryside you've just ridden. On the final morning there's an optional 27km loop to Llucmajor for a cortado and an ensaïmada on the town square, then the mechanic packs your bike while you have lunch before the airport run.

What sets this apart from the usual Mallorca cycling trip is the terrain and the area. Most bike holidays on the island stick to the tarmac climbs of the Tramuntana. This one uses the farm tracks, walled 'camís' and forest trails of the inland plain and the south-east, including sections of the island's dry stone wall route. It's run by La Fuga, with local guides who speak the language and know the tracks.

October is a good month for it: average highs around 24°C, lows around 16°C, roughly six hours of sunshine a day, and sea temperatures around 22°C, warm enough for a swim after the ride.

What's included

- 4 nights' accommodation in 4-star hotels - All breakfasts - All evening meals at the hotels and local restaurants (up to a set budget) - Roadside picnics on ride days - Airport transfers from and to Palma (PMI) - Experienced local guides - Mechanical support - Bike building and packing - Detailed GPX files for GPS devices - Complimentary sports nutrition - La Fuga welcome pack

What's not included

- Flights - Café or restaurant lunches and coffee stops - All drinks with meals - Personal travel insurance - Incidental expenses - Parts and spares used during the trip - Tips and gratuities - Massages - Bike rental (optional extra at checkout) - Meal costs above the included budget