Guide

Group normally 4 to 16, plus local cycling leader and driver.

Transport

For the airport transfers and transfers to and from the activities we will use private minibuses.

Meals

All breakfasts and two dinners included. Food in Albania is quite varied thanks to the many influences on the country and particularly Mediterranean combining Turkish, Greek and Italian tastes. Dairy products, especially milk and yoghurt, are present in almost every meal, usually locally sourced. Under the leadership of Enver Hoxha (the communist leader of Albania from 1944 to 1985), Albania became a self-sustaining country due to its isolation to the world. However, owing to the fertile valleys, fresh mountain springs and Mediterranean climate, they are still very much a subsistence culture and show very few signs of changing. In the countryside, expect your food to have been reared/grown not too far from your plate. Breakfasts are typically eggs, fresh bread, jam, honey, and coffee or tea. For lunch and dinner, meat dishes are often goat or lamb, while fish dishes might include trout or whitebait. Courses often come in meze form, complemented by a variety of vegetables, salad, freshly baked bread, homemade cheeses, local wines and, of course, raki. Your guide will recommend the best options when in the towns.

Others

Local bike hire 6 days cycling with full vehicle support

Accommodation

On this door-to-door cycling adventure, we mostly stay in three- or four-star hotels and guesthouses. These are well located for our adventure but, with tourism still developing in Albania, relatively modest. Below are a couple of hotels our guests typically enjoy. Gërmenj: Farma Sotira (night 2) In a tranquil valley within Germenj-Shelegur National Park and with fresh water running down from the mountains, Farma Sotira is a tranquil place to stay. It is also a working farm, so dinner is mainly created from homegrown produce and prepared using traditional methods. We sleep in two-room wooden cabins (each room has twin beds). Each cabin has a communal bathroom. Sarandë: Hotel Nertili (night 5) The waters of the Ionian take centre stage at the beachfront Hotel Nertili, where all rooms have a balcony with sea views. There’s also a private beach area with sundecks and parasols, plus a bar and restaurant with a sea-view terrace. Worth knowing Single accommodation is available on request. Please note, single rooms may not be available in the guesthouses in Germenj and Benje due to a limited number of rooms. The hotels we use in Himarë (Hotel Prinos or Hotel Dhima) and Guesthouse Coli are more basic than the other hotels used on this trip. While basic, all are ideally located for our adventures (the Himarë options are by the beach and Guesthouse Coli by thermal springs).

Not included:

Insurance

Insurance not included

Others

— Travel insurance — Visas and vaccinations — Single supplement — E-bike hire

Flights

Flights not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Start Pogradec
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Start Pogradec

We start in Pogradec, at our hotel on the shore of Lake Ohrid. The afternoon is free to relax and enjoy this lakeside location. Accommodation: Hotel Millennium (or similar)
Day 2 Day 2: Transfer To Korçë; Steady Climb Through A Landscape Of Barren Rock Interspersed With Wildflowers; Cycle Towards Grammoz Mountain And Over The Barmash Pass To Gërmenj (Breakfast,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Transfer To Korçë; Steady Climb Through A Landscape Of Barren Rock Interspersed With Wildflowers; Cycle Towards Grammoz Mountain And Over The Barmash Pass To Gërmenj (Breakfast,Dinner)

We begin with one of the most demanding days of the tour. After a quick transfer to Korçë, we begin cycling and leave behind the agricultural plateau, climbing steadily into the border mountains through a landscape of barren rock interspersed with wildflowers. Numerous cols and valleys lie ahead, climbing towards Grammoz Mountain and over the Barmash Pass (3,802ft/1,159m) to Gërmenj, lying in a tranquil valley. Here we relax at our accommodation, Farma Sotira, which is also a working trout farm. Meals here consist of organic produce reared or sourced from the farm itself. Once you’ve finished your hearty dinner, sit and relax by the open roaring fire in the dining area with a glass of homemade wine or a bottle of Korçë beer (the most popular in Albania). Accommodation: Farma Sotira Hotel (or similar)
Day 3 Day 3: Cycle Through High Grassy Plateaux Surrounded By Soaring Peaks Before Descending To Carshove And On To Benje; Ride To Thermal Springs For A Swim (Breakfast,Dinner)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Cycle Through High Grassy Plateaux Surrounded By Soaring Peaks Before Descending To Carshove And On To Benje; Ride To Thermal Springs For A Swim (Breakfast,Dinner)

In the morning, there is a climb out from Germenj to a high grassy plateau close to the Greek border, surrounded by soaring peaks before reaching the source of the River Vjosa and descending through its spectacular gorge to Leskovik. We continue descending to Çarshove and then follow the corniche route high above the river to Benje situated on a ridge above the river. After lunch at the guesthouse, we take a short ride to the thermal springs to relax and soothe aching muscles. Both lunch and dinner will be served on the peaceful terrace. Accommodation: Guesthouse Coli (or similar)
Day 4 Day 4: Valley Ride Towards Kelcyra; After Lunch At Tepele Waterfalls Transfer To Gjirokastra For Afternoon City Tour (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Valley Ride Towards Kelcyra; After Lunch At Tepele Waterfalls Transfer To Gjirokastra For Afternoon City Tour (Breakfast)

Today is one of the easiest days. We continue along the valley towards Kelcyra with its distant shark-tooth peaks, which guard a further gorge. We ride between these gorges until the two rivers meet. After lunch at the waterfalls of Tepelene, we drive (approximately 30 minutes) through the wide plain toward the town of Gjirokastra (City of 1,000 Steps). The well-preserved town is perched on the steep side of the Drino Valley, overlooking snow-capped mountains. In the afternoon, we take a cultural tour through the city and explore narrow cobbled alleys and 18th-century Ottoman houses. We also visit a 13th-century castle and learn about the fascinating history of this town, which has seen many rulers and has inspired poets, authors and artists. Accommodation: Hotel Cajupi (or similar)
Day 5 Day 5: Transfer Up The Muzina Pass, Long Descent To Sarandë Via The Coast And The Unesco Site Of Butrint (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Transfer Up The Muzina Pass, Long Descent To Sarandë Via The Coast And The Unesco Site Of Butrint (Breakfast)

After breakfast, we load the bikes on to the support vehicle and transfer up to Muzina Pass (approximately 45 minutes), the gateway to southern Albania, for a spectacular downhill ride to Sarandë. On the Ionian Coast, Sarandë is sandwiched between the high mountains and the sea and is close to the ancient remains of Butrint, which we visit on the way. A Unesco World Heritage site, Butrint is very close to the Greek border and is one of the most important archeological sites in the country, with origins back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. We have lunch at the site and continue along the coast to Sarandë. Accommodation: Hotel Nertili (or similar)
Day 6 Day 6: Spectacular Coastal Ride To The Long Beach Of Himarë Bay (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Spectacular Coastal Ride To The Long Beach Of Himarë Bay (Breakfast)

Climbing steeply out of Sarandë to a rocky plateau, we enjoy a spectacular coastal ride over cols into bays and around headlands. Always with the mountains to the right and sea to the left, we continue along before descending to Himarë, a small Communist-era fishing village with a small promenade filled with cafes, restaurants and ice cream stands. There is plenty of time for a swim in the Ionian Sea, and our hotel is a short walk to Potam Beach. Accommodation: Hotel Prinos or Hotel Dhima (or similar)
Day 7 Day 7: Ride Towards Vlorë; Optional Climb To The Llogara Pass; Long Descent Through Llogara National Park Finishing By The Coast (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Ride Towards Vlorë; Optional Climb To The Llogara Pass; Long Descent Through Llogara National Park Finishing By The Coast (Breakfast)

Today’s route is as challenging as it is spectacular as we cycle the most demanding ride of the tour; it will show you how strong you have become. In the morning, there is a climb out of Himarë, which naturally is rewarded with an enjoyable downhill. We then have another climb before our coffee break. That’s followed by a nice downhill, but we must climb again before we regroup. We then face a long, steady ascent to the Llogara pass. At 3,422ft (1,043m) above sea level, this climb is optional, so if you think it is too much then you can jump in the support vehicle. However, if you are looking for an extra challenge, this climb comes with a real sense of achievement, and the views are fantastic. At the pass (which you will also see if you take the van), it is possible to see across to Italy on a clear day. We recommend taking a warmer layer for reaching the top of the pass. From here you enter Llogara National Park, home to black pine, Eurasian otter and golden eagles. The park is a scenic expanse of protected woodland that encompasses the forests on the northern side of the Llogora Pass. We begin to descend and have lunch in the national park. In the afternoon, we continue descending towards our hotel, which is by the sea just outside the city. Here we can relax and take a dip in the sea, the perfect reward for a hard day’s cycle. Accommodation: Hotel Coral (or similar)
Day 8 Day 8: End Vlorë (Breakfast)
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: End Vlorë (Breakfast)

This cycling tour of Albania comes to an end after breakfast. But if you’d like a muscle-soothing post-trip break, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay in our hotel by the sea in Vlorë.

8 days tour

Cycling In Albania

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Cycling In Albania

Day 1: Start Pogradec

Day 2: Transfer To Korçë; Steady Climb Through A Landscape Of Barren Rock Interspersed With Wildflowers; Cycle Towards Grammoz Mountain And Over The Barmash Pass To Gërmenj (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 3: Cycle Through High Grassy Plateaux Surrounded By Soaring Peaks Before Descending To Carshove And On To Benje; Ride To Thermal Springs For A Swim (Breakfast,Dinner)

Day 4: Valley Ride Towards Kelcyra; After Lunch At Tepele Waterfalls Transfer To Gjirokastra For Afternoon City Tour (Breakfast)

Day 5: Transfer Up The Muzina Pass, Long Descent To Sarandë Via The Coast And The Unesco Site Of Butrint (Breakfast)

Day 6: Spectacular Coastal Ride To The Long Beach Of Himarë Bay (Breakfast)

Day 7: Ride Towards Vlorë; Optional Climb To The Llogara Pass; Long Descent Through Llogara National Park Finishing By The Coast (Breakfast)

Day 8: End Vlorë (Breakfast)

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