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Adriatic Ascents
Duration
8 days
From
TBA
This four-country road biking tour is the ultimate journey to explore and get the most out of diverse and culturally rich countries of the Balkans. Cycling through Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro and Albania, experience stunning landscapes from towering mountain ranges, deep blue lakes to the idyllic Adriatic coast. Here you will also find remarkable architecture, charming old towns and delicious Mediterranean cuisine.
- CategoryRoad Cycling
- TypeFully Guided
- Duration8 days
- Culture LevelAdventurous
- Skill Level3 - Intermediate
- Activity Level4 - Challenging
- Elevation4 - Challenging
- TerrainMixed
- Distance324.4 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance54.1 miles
operated by
SpiceRoads Cycling
SpiceRoads CyclingQuick Stats
- Duration8 days
- Main DestinationAlbania
- Distance324.4 miles
- Avg. Daily Distance54.1 miles
- Elevation4 - Challenging
- TerrainMixed
Route Map (click to view larger image)
Itinerary Details
- Day 1Arrival - Dubrovnik
Arrival in Dubrovnik and check in to your hotel. Take some time to get settled before meeting for a trip briefing. In the evening we head out to the old town of Dubrovnik to have dinner together.
- Hotel Ivka
- Dinner
- Day 2Dubrovnik, Croatia - Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina
You'll start the day riding along the coastline. You'll move up north towards Trsteno Arboretum, a beautiful botanical garden known for its iconic appearance as King's Landing from the hit television series Game of Thrones. You are welcome to visit the garden. From Trsteno you'll climb a side road until Slano where you leave the coastline and continue towards the border with Bosnia & Herzegovina.
Right at the end of the climb and already on Herzegovina terrain you will have the chance to visit a magnificent karst cave, the “Vjetrenica.“ From here you'll follow the old railway line, which once connected Mostar with Dubrovnik and Herceg Novi (Montenegro). Finally, after some serious ascents, you'll arrive in Trebinje, the heart of Bosnia's wine country. Trebinje is a very nice example of how a typical town in Bosnia & Herzegovina feels like. After a bit of rest, you will go on to explore its charming old town. In the evening you will set out for wine tasting at Tvrdos Monastery which exported its wines to the Austrian court back in the 19th century.
- 59.7 miles
- 839.9 ft
3,992.8 ft
3,152.9 ft - Hotel Platani
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 3Trebinje, Bosnia & Herzegovina - Kotor, Montenegro
Today you'll ride through the southern half of Bosnia & Herzegovina to the magnificent Bay of Kotor in Montenegro. You'll have a short warm up before the climbing starts. You'll ascend just over 600 ms in 16 kms but then have a marvelous downhill to the deep blue waters of Kotor Bay. You'll take a break in picturesque Perast before following the shoreline to the old town of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage site built between the 12th and 14th centuries. Wander the medieval maze of alleyways and marvel at the historic fort walls.
- 52.2 miles
- -895.7 ft
3,618.8 ft
4,514.4 ft - Hotel Marija
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 4 Kotor, Montenegro - Kolasin, Montenegro
You'll leave the Bay of Kotor via one of the best climbs of the Balkans. The Kotor Serpentine starts at 458 m and 16 hairpin turns and 8 kms later ends at 881m. At the top take in one of the best panoramic views the Balkans has to offer. The climbing hasn't finished though, as you will still have to reach 1100 m in the heart of Lovcen National Park before starting the descent to Cetinje, the former royal capital of Montenegro. You'll have time for a loop around the old town before you continue to another highlight of the day - Lake Skadar, the largest lake in Southern Europe. Depending on time, you can end the cycling in the picturesque village of Rijeka Crnojevica or continue on another 25 km to Montenegro's capital city of Podgorica as you'll have a train to catch! You'll board the evening train to Kolasin, a small resort town deep in the mountains. The 1.5-hour train ride itself is another highlight of the trip as it offers stunning views as the railway climbs high above the Moraca canyon to more than 900 m! What a way to gain altitude! Sleep well with the fresh air of Kolasin.
- 55.3 miles
- 154.2 ft
5,830.1 ft
5,675.9 ft - Hotel Brile
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 5Kolasin, Montenegro - Plav, Montenegro
Today can be a semi-rest day or a full-on climbing day. If you feel like having an easier day, you can get a lift to Tresnjevik Pass, thereby avoiding 900 m of ascending in 27 km. From here it is 43 km to Lim Valley with a delightful descent of 1151 m, ending at the peaceful town of Plav. You will make a stop to visit Redzepagic Tower, one of the most interesting monuments of defensive architecture in Montenegro. Set on a lake, the town is also known as the gateway to the Cursed Mountains (Prokletije) shared by Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. End the evening with a relaxing sundowner amongst the beautiful setting of Lake Plav.
- 43.5 miles
- -128 ft
4,179.8 ft
4,307.7 ft - Hotel Etno Selo Komnenovo
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 6Montenegro - Shkodra, Albania
Another iconic day! Within only a few kilometres of departing Plav you'll reach the Albanian border and the climbing soon starts. You'll ascend for 8 km, almost 400 m, to an altitude of 1,350 m before descending an epic 1,400 m in 30 km. You'll take a break at Tamara village as your day is far from over.
Now you'll have the next serpentine to conquer, the Leqet e Hotit mountain pass at an elevation of 684 m. Though the climb is only 8 kms long, the gradient is a steep 7% average. Several switchbacks later, you'll reach a very nice viewpoint called Enver Hoxha's 'balcony', named after the former leader Enver Hoxha who was Albania's mastermind of isolation until the mid-1980s. You'll roll down once again, cycling close to the border with Montenegro. You will have the option to take a lift to Shkodra or continue biking along the flat shoreline (+35 km) of Lake Skadar to Shkodra. Albania's second largest town it has a nice center and charming vibe. Celebrate your massive accomplishment at dinner!
- 68.4 miles
- -2,965.9 ft
5,328.1 ft
8,294 ft - Hotel Tradita
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 7Shkodra, Albania - Virpazar, Montenegro
Though the distance may look to be on the shorter side today, you still have lots of climbs ahead. You'll cross back into Montenegro and cycle the southern shoreline of Lake Skadar, which offers some beautiful views of the lake and the Albanian Alps. The first climb comes just after crossing the border, then it is a rolling day all the way to the village of Virpazar. You will have a farewell dinner at the hotel and reflect back on the legendary ride.
- 45.4 miles
- -3.3 ft
4,412.7 ft
4,416 ft - Badanj Apartments
- Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
- Day 8 Departure