Arrival

Day 1

Rendezvous at the hotel at 18:00 where you will meet the rest of the group and your tour leader for the tour briefing, followed by a relaxing welcome dinner. Panniers will be given to you at this point that you will use for the duration of the tour as well as a set of maps with details about each riding day.

Lively, colourful Tirana is the beating heart of Albania, where this tiny nation's hopes and dreams coalesce into a vibrant whirl of traffic, brash consumerism and unfettered fun. Having undergone a transformation of extraordinary proportions since awaking from its communist slumber in the early 1990s, Tirana's centre is now unrecognisable, with buildings painted in primary colours, and public squares and pedestrianised streets that are a pleasure to wander.

Trendy Blloku buzzes with the well-heeled and flush hanging out in bars and cafes, while the city's grand boulevards are lined with fascinating relics of its Ottoman, Italian and communist past, from delicate minarets to loud socialist murals. Add to this some excellent museums and you have a compelling list of reasons to arrive a day earlier here.

Tiranë-Ohrid

Day 2

We will start the morning with a two hour transfer to the northern side of Lake Ohrid. From where, after we have unloaded the bicycles and fitted them to everyones comfort we will start cycling along the scenic shore of lake Ohrid towards Pogradec. After lunch we will cross over into Macedonia, and visiting the monastery of St Naum before arriving in Ohrid.

Sublime Ohrid with it’s 365 churches, is Macedonia's most seductive destination, with an atmospheric old quarter cascading down a graceful hill, crammed full of beautiful churches and topped by the bones of a medieval castle. Its cobbled streets are flanked by traditional restaurants and lakeside cafes, but it's not a complete tourist circus just yet and still has a lived-in feel. Lake Ohrid, one of the oldest lakes in the world, came into existence during a remote geological ages as a result of tectonic shifts and with its unique flora and fauna the lake is one of the largest biological reserves in Europe and with 212 known endemic species and a surface area of 358 km2 it is probably the most diverse lake in the world.

Distance: 57km | Total Climb: 620m

Ohrid-Debar

Day 3

Today we cycle along the Black Drin Valley following the only way out for the river, from Lake Ohrid down the gorge past several dams and lakes to Debar.
Across the city of Debar passed the main road Via Egnatia. At that time the city included all the provinces on both sides of the middle course of Black Drin - from Struga to Prizren, from Tirana to Kicevo and from Elbasan to Gostivar. All that attached great importance to the economic centers on the western side of the Balkan Peninsula. Throughout the city, there were long columns of caravans in different directions, to Albania, Thessaloniki and Skopje.

Debar has several thermal water springs with temperatures reaching 48°C and is characterized as sulfur-sulphide with a high degree of radioactivity and the presence of algae suitable for treatment and for scientific purposes.

Distance: 68km | Total Climb: 478m

Debar-Mavrovo

Day 4

Today’s ride is just glorious. Through gorges, pine forests, karst fields and waterfalls of Mavrovo National Park offer a breath of fresh, rarefied air. Beautiful vistas abound, and the park is home to North Macedonia's and Albania’s highest peak, Mt Korab (2764m) where both countries devide.

Distance: 48km | Total Climb: 920m

Mavrovo-Prizren

Day 5

After an early breakfast we will transfer 84km for one and a half hour to the border with Kosovo. From there, after coffee and tea, we’ll cycle up and down the wild Sharr Mountain, one of the most picturesque parts of Kosovo and for years a popular skiing destination in the former Yugoslavia. Undulating roads, moorland mountains offer fabulous views, all the way down to picturesque Prizren, with its charming mosque- and church-filled old town, shining with an enthusiasm that's infectious. It's Kosovo's second city and most obvious tourist town and is well worth our afternoon lingering exploration. Prizren a UNESCO city and is also known for Dokufest, a documentary film festival held each August that attracts documentary makers and fans from all over the world.

Distance: 81km | Total Climb: 1450m

Prizren-Pejë

Day 6

After breakafst we will go on a city tour of Prizren. We will than transfer for 1.5hr to the city of Peja. Free Afternoon.

Peja Patriarchy, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a complex of churches located in the suburbs of Pejë, near the Lumbardh River, at the entrance of Rugova Gorge. This complex dates from the XIII century and is the site where the Serb episcopate and patriarchs resided. From its inception, the Patriarchy was a gathering place for theologians, writers and artists alike—a place where artistic heritage was greatly stressed and, today, remains one of core monuments to Kosovo’s cultural heritage.

Pejë-Berane

Day 7

After breakfast we will make our way down the Rrugova national part toward the remote border with Montenegro. This mountain boarder was only open recently for tourism purposes and makes a grate addition to the development of hiking and cycling for the region, where previously saw little to no tourism at all. A beautiful climb inside an ancient forest followed by an even more spectacular descent with views of the Plava valley dotted with caustic lakes.

Distance: 57km | Total Climb: 1037m

Berane-Kolasin

Day 8

We leave Berane via a narrow, winding road that ascends steadily through the Komovi Mountains to reach the Trešnjevik Pass (1,565m) and a welcome bar for refreshments. From the pass, the narrow road descends into the valley of the Tara River before crossing the Drcka River and joining a wider, more modern road that runs alongside the Tara River into the town of Kolašin situated beneath the Bjelasica and Sinjajevina mountains.

Distance: 61km | Total Climb: 1090m

Kolasin-Zabljak

Day 9

We transfer for 20km to Majkovac before cycling alongside the Tara River, Montenegro’s second longest at 146km. The river valley begins to narrow as we enter the lower reaches of the Tara River Canyon. At 78km long, this is the longest river canyon in Europe. We have lunch overlooking the Tara Bridge which stretches across the canyon 165m above the river. The next 10km is uphill as we leave the Tara River and enter the Durmitor National Park, before reaching the remote collection of A-frame ski chalets offering open views of the surrounding mountains.

Distance: 74km | Total Climb: 1430m

Zabljak-Pluzine

Day 10

Today’s ride takes us through the Durmitor National Park and begins with a dramatic and remote 8km ascent to the Prevoj Sedlo Pass (1,907m) along the highest paved road in Montenegro. From the pass, the narrow road winds its way down through the mountains before a second ascent to the Prijespa Pass (1,885m). Our descent continues through magnificent limestone scenery and alpine meadows. Leaving the National Park we descend through hairpin bends and rocky tunnels to the shore of Lake Plužine and the town of Plužine.

Distance: 43km | Total Climb: 850m

Pluzine-Cetinje

Day 11

From Pluzine we undulate along the main road above the Komamica River heading south toward the city of Niksic. After lunch we will transfer to the city of Cetinje the former royal capital of Montenegro and is the location of several national institutions, including the official residence of the president of Montenegro.

Distance: 47km | Total Climb: 680m

Cetinje-Kotor

Day 12

Today is one of contrasts as we travel from the highlands down to the Adriatic Coast. We initially head west, gradually ascending, to Lovcen national park, where there also the mausoleum of Montenegrin ruler and poet Petar II Petrovic Njegos. The road then passes through a dry, rocky landscape before reaching our lunch stop at a roadside restaurant in the town of Njegusi. The rest of the day is spent pretty much going downhill. This narrow road descends through a series of hairpin bends with dramatic views of the inlet of Boka Kotorska some 650m below. After reaching Kotor we cycle alongside the shoreline of the Boka Kotorska, or ‘The Bay of Kotor’, to reach Dobrota on the outskirts of Kotor

Distance: 47km | Total Climb: 650m

Rest day Kotor

Day 13

Free day to explore the medieval city of Kotor. Built in the 15th century, the city is still completely encircled by walls with three entrance gates to the west, north and south. The city is overlooked by Mt Lovčen and contains several squares, a cathedral, several churches and a patchwork of narrow streets. Other options include a boat trip or hiring a canoe on the Boka Kotorska. For those that fancy cycling, a circuit of the Boka Kotorska is recommended. It involves a 10 minute ferry journey to cross the sea inlet on the western side and offers magnificent views of Kotor and the various towns and villages along the shoreline with the surrounding high mountains as a backdrop.

Kotor-Shkoder

Day 14

We board the transfer vehicle, which takes us from Kotor to the coastal town of Bar. Along the way, soak in the stunning views of the Bay of Kotor, with its majestic mountains and shimmering waters. Pedaling away from Bar, we start our thrilling journey towards Shkoder. The route takes us through scenic roads and charming countryside, offering panoramic vistas of the Adriatic Sea on one side and lush landscapes on the other. The final 15km within Albania is almost flat and after crossing the River Buna we enter the city of Shkodër, the largest city in Northern Albania.

Distance: 40km | Total Climb: 150m