A truly fascinating and exciting motorcycle tour of the Balkan Peninsula. A ride which will provide you with lifelong memories and experiences as we visit 5 Balkan Countries - Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia.
Wildcat Adventures has been touring in the Balkan region since 1985 - We are the only Tour Operator in the UK with such extensive first hand experience running motorcycle tours in the Balkan states.
TOUR SUMMARY
Our route offers plenty of time to explore and relax as we ride some of the best roads in Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia. Bounded by the Adriatic, Ionian, Black, & Aegean Seas the region is one of the last great undiscovered areas of Eastern Europe where pristine wilderness abound.
Virtually untouched by tourism, each country has its own customs, traditions, and extraordinary cuisine.
Join us and take a ride through history and follow the footsteps of Alexander 'The Great', the Byzantines, Ottomans, Romans, and the Venetians.
Highlights& Map
Highlights & Map
Our tour Starts near Chamonix, France and Ends in Ancona, Italy - we would be happy to provide you with pre/post tour route and hotel recommendations.
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We visit several UNESCO World Heritage Sites throughout the tour
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We ride through and explore 5 Balkan Countries - Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, and Bosnia and transit through France and Italy
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Dubrovnik - a UNESCO World Heritage site and film set for "Game of Thrones" - Dubrovnik is a city in southern Croatia fronting the Adriatic Sea. It's known for its distinctive Old Town, encircled with massive stone walls completed in the 16th century. Its well-preserved buildings range from baroque St. Blaise Church to Renaissance Sponza Palace and Gothic Rector’s Palace, now a history museum. Paved with limestone, the pedestrianized Stradun (or Placa) is lined with shops and restaurants
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Budva Riviera
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Skadar Lake - an Ornothologist's dream - lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, the largest lake in Southern Europe
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Tara Canyon - Europe's deepest canyon and second deepest in the world
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Piva Canyon
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Durmitor National Park - A UNESCO World Heritage site - Durmitor is a massif located in northwestern Montenegro. It is part of the Dinaric Alps. Its highest peak, Bobotov Kuk, reaches a height of 2,523 meters
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Mostar and its old bridge - a UNESCO World Heritage site. Mostar is a city in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina, straddling the Neretva River - it is known for the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), a reconstructed medieval arched bridge. The nearby alleys are full of shops and market stalls, and the Old Bridge Museum explores the bridge’s long history.
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Bay of Kotor and its ancient walled city - a UNESCO World Heritage site
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Historic Centres in Albania & North Macedonia - some which date back to the 4th century BC
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Rare examples of an architectural character typical of the Ottoman period
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Castles, fortresses, churches, monasteries, mosques, & bazaars - Many are Cultural & Natural World UNESCO Heritage sites
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Medieval Monuments
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Ancient Roman sites
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Biogradska Gora National Park - Biogradska Gora is a forest and a national park in Montenegro. It is the site of one of the last three large virgin forests in Europe. The landscape is one of mountain ridges, glacial lakes, and temperate forest.
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Lovcen National Park
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Spectacular Mountain passes
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Coastal riding
- Albanian Riviera - Julius Caesar landed here in 49 BC
ROUTE MAP
Itinerary
Itinerary
Two months prior to tour departure date we will send each participant a tour package which includes map with route outlined, and itinerary with accommodation details
Total Distance on tour: 2903 km / 1804 miles
Day 1 - near Chamonix - Rendezvous at our hotel near Chamonix, France
Tour briefing 19:00hrs.
Overnight in Hotel.
Day 2 - near Chamonix, France - Northern Italy
Breakfast included.
Distance: 232 miles / 373 km
Day 3 - Northern Italy - Ancona Ferry (Overnight Ferry)
We rejoin the autopista and ride south to Ancona to catch our overnight ferry.
Overnight Ferry (2 berth cabins).
Breakfast included.
Distance: 200 miles / 322 km
Day 4 - Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Early morning arrival off ferry in Split. Our ride takes us down the Adriatic coast - an unforgettable ride along the pine tree lined coast with its numerous islands, white pebble beaches, pristine waters, and small seaside villages to Dubrovnik.
Our hotel overlooks the old town of Dubrovnik - the pearl of the Adriatic - Renaissance architecture and massive walls rising from the sea makes it the perfect film set for "Game of Thrones".
Time in the afternoon to explore this incredible walled city - a World UNESCO Heritage Site.
Overnight Hotel.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 143 miles / 229 km
Day 5 - Dubrovnik - Tirane (Croatia - Montenegro - Albania)
We ride south down the wonderful Adriatic Coast to the Budva Riviera in Montenegro. A Coastline studded with beautiful beaches, hilltop monasteries, fortresses, and stunning mountain sea vistas.
Leaving Montenegro we ride the oldest route into Albania on a small mountain road. We descend onto the plains alongside the foot hills of the Albanian Alps to Tirane - the Capital of Albania.
Today we have 2 border crossings.
Overnight Hotel in secluded country park.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 175 miles / 282 km
Day 6 - Tirane to Central Albania
A fascinating and relaxing ride through the beautiful Albania countryside - an area rich in excellent farming and orchards.
We ride into the mountains to one of the oldest and most attractive towns in Albania inhabited since the Bronze age (4000 years). We take the opportunity to explore its famous castle (the oldest occupied castle in Albania), the cobbled streets, citadels, medieval churches, Ottoman houses, and three beautiful mosques of this unique World UNESCO site.
Overnight Hotel overlooking the ancient town.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 70 miles / 113 km
Day 7 - Albanian Riviera
Today is a challenging ride as we go west to ride along the Ionian Coast which offers us a rare combination of outstanding mountain scenery, secluded pebble beaches & sea caves, and magnificent seascapes. We ride over the highest mountain pass on the coastal road at 1000 metres before descending to the northern end of the Albanian Riviera (Julius Caesar landed here to do battle with Pompeii in 49 BC).
A string of fabulous beaches, and charming villages stretch along the coast to our hotel set in a natural horseshoe bay on the Ionian Sea overlooking the northern tip of the island of Corfu.
Overnight Hotel.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 132 miles / 212 km
Day 8 - Albanian Riviera - Roman Sites - World UNESCO towns
We ride south to visit the ancient archaeological site of Butrint (UNESCO World Heritage site) - a tranquil place to enjoy the scent of the Eucalyptus trees as we stroll among the ruins (Roman forum, Theatre, Venetian Tower, etc).
Following our visit of Butrint, our ride takes us on a serpentine route over a high mountain pass into a beautiful valley between two spectacular mountain ranges.
Our hotel is in a town at 300 metres above sea level. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, described as "a rare example of a well-preserved Ottoman town"
We take the afternoon to explore Albania's foremost World UNESCO site, cold War Tunnel, military museum featuring captured artillery and memorabilia of the Communist resistance against German occupation.
Overnight hotel in the ancient part of the town.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 56 miles / 90 km
Day 9 - Gramoz Mountains (Albania)
Perhaps one of the best rides of your life - spectacular mountain and valley roads in pristine wilderness.
A challenging ride through the Gramoz mountains bordering Greece to finish in our town on a high plateau at 850 metres surrounded by the Morava mountains.
A town with a turbulent history due to its proximity to Greece and Montenegro. This town boasts many museums, along with Byzantine churches & bazaars - some of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites.
On our ride today keep an eye out for the many bunkers - There were over 173,000 bunkers built in Albania during the rule of Enver Hoxha (Albanian communist politician who served as the head of state of Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985) to protect against possible invasion from foreign powers.
Overnight Hotel high above the city.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 124 miles / 200 km
Day 10 - Albania into North Macedonia - Follow the footsteps of Alexander the Great
Today we head north through the Albanian countryside enroute to one of the oldest tectonic lakes in the world and its shores inhabited since prehistoric times (this is a World UNESCO Heritage site).
After crossing the border into North Macedonia we ride up the east side of the lake to our hotel on shores of Lake Ohrid. Enroute we take time to visit the spectacular Monastery of St Naum (established in the Bulgarian Empire in 905) overlooking the lake.
Overnight Hotel overlooking Lake Ohrid.
Breakfast & DINNER included.
Distance: 64 miles / 103 km
Day 11 - North Macedonia back into Albania
A stunning ride as our route follows the natural lines of mountain ridges, valleys, and lakes to form a loop into central Albania.
We overnight in a small village near the River Drin.
Overnight Hotel.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 150 miles / 241 km
Day 12 - Albania into Montenegro (The Tara Canyon)
Today we leave Albania and ride along the shores of Lake Skadar to enter Montenegro and ride the serpentine road into the Durmitor mountains.
This is a day of truly unspoilt wilderness, majestic mountains, high passes, ridges, deep canyons & beautiful valleys, alpine lakes, high pastures, and a spectacular variety of forests - spruce, mountain pine, beech, birch, maple, and aspen; on the lower slopes of the valleys you will see oak, ash elm, hazel, juniper, and a wide variety of flowers.
The traditional welcome of the people is heart-warming & enjoyable despite the recent turbulent period. The mountain people are renowned for the longevity due to their healthy lifestyle.
Our ride passes through the Biogradsk Gora National Park (The Lake District) into the Durmitor National Park which is bordered by two deep canyons - the Tara & the Piva. The mountain range has 27 peaks over 2200 metres and 18 glacial lakes. The waters are crystal clear & fed with pure mountain springs. Along the edge of the park there is an abundance of wildlife (chamois, bore, wolves, lynx, and bears). There are also rare protected amphibians of particular scientific interests and 160 different bird species (mountain eagles, vultures, falcons, etc), and 130 different types of butterflies!
Our day finishes with a ride along the Tara canyon (the deepest in Europe) to our mountain village.
Overnight Hotel high in the Durmitor Mountains.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 142 miles / 229 km
Day 13 - Canyons & Kotorska Bay - Kotor (Montenegro)
We leave the National Park and ride west to follow the Piva Canyon south through the Lovcen National Park to the fjord-like bay of Kotorska.
Our descent from the heights of the national park to Kotor is breath taking and offer amazing views across the bay to the mountains of Bosnia and the Adriatic Coast.
We take the afternoon to explore this unique fortified city (World UNESCO Heritage site) - a labyrinth of alley ways, quaint streets, squares, and buildings.
This is an ancient city steeped in history and legend throughout the ages.
Overnight Hotel overlooking Kotor Bay.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 102 miles / 164 km
Day 14 - Kotor - Mostar (Montenegro - Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Another amazing day as we ride from Kotor to Mostar in Bosnia.
Leaving the blue azure bay we ride over the commanding limestone cliffs onto a small plateau. After a relaxing coffee stop we pass through the border into Bosnia.
Our quiet route north passes several vineyards which produce some of the best wines in southern Europe. We enjoy a Turkish coffee in a small friendly 'Turkish' village before following the mighty Neretva River and its fertile valley to Mostar.
Overnight Hotel.
Breakfast included.
Distance: 132 miles / 212 km
Day 15 - Mostar (Rest / Sightseeing Day)
Today we take the opportunity to recharge our batteries and explore the old town of Mostar with its cobbled streets and marketplace.
Mostar has some of the most beautiful and significant Islamic structures in the Balkans.
Take a walk across the Stari Most - a 16th-century Ottoman bridge in the city of Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina that crosses the river Neretva and connects the two parts of the city. This old bridge offers an unforgettable experience in the evening light as you enjoy a meal/drink in one of the restaurants overlooking this UNESCO World Heritage site.
An excellent museum at the bridge depicts the events of the recent war and the bombardment of the town and its famous bridge.
Overnight Hotel
Breakfast included.
Day 16 - Mostar (Bosnia) - Split (Croatia) - Overnight Ferry
Our last day in the Balkans takes us northwest to the Adriatic Coast for our overnight ferry to Italy.
A relaxing ride through the countryside with extensive views to the Adriatic Sea.
Overnight Ferry in 2 berth ensuite cabins
Breakfast included.
Distance: 90 miles / 145 km
Day 17 - Arrive Ancona @07:00hrs - Bid our farewells until next time
Wildcat Adventures reserves the right to alter the route based on weather & road conditions, changes in the Mediterranean Ferry crossing, and fitness & skills of the group
Accommodation
Accommodation
Accommodation is in quality Hotels throughout.
Accommodation on ferry from Ancona to Split (return) is in 2 berth cabins with ensuite toilet/shower.
Included
OUR TOUR PRICE INCLUDES:
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A route fully researched by John & Brigitte to give you one of the best Riding Adventures in the Balkan Peninsula. John & Brigitte have led many tours in the Balkans over the years
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A guarantee of services by a Bona Fide UK Tour Operator (Wildcat Adventures Ltd) with protection of monies paid in advance
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Maps with route detailed
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Tour package
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Custom Wildcat Adventures Buff (considered by many to be a collector's item!)
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Quality Hotels/ Guest Houses throughout
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Overnight ferry in 2 berth ensuite cabin from Ancona to Split (return)
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All Breakfasts (except on ferry)
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1 Dinner at our hotel in North Macedonia
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Paperwork Assistance at the border crossings
Support Crew
- John & Brigitte on their motorcycle to accompany & support the group
Exclusions: any costs associated in travelling to/from our pre-tour meeting, insurance excesses, optional excursions & sightseeing trips, all parking fees, petrol, tolls and optional short ferry crossings, lunches and dinners, visas (if applicable), 3rd party motor insurance at borders, all beverages, tips to waiters etc, travel & breakdown insurance, costs associated with breakdown & recovery or injury to yourself, entrance fees to visitor attractions, costs associated with late arrivals/catching up with the tour group
FAQ
FAQs
What is the terrain like?
This is a ROAD tour with 100% tarmac. You will ride on some of the best tarmac and quietest roads in all of Europe!
How far do we ride each day?
Total Distance on the tour is 2903 km / 1804 miles. There are 14 Ride days + 1 Rest day (please refer to itinerary for daily mileages)
This is an exciting adventure tour with some challenging days. Our daily mileages take into consideration the road conditions on the mountain and country roads. There is time to explore and relax.
A typical day's riding starts at 08:00hrs and we reach our destination around 16:00hrs.
Is my bike suitable for this tour?
Our route is suitable for all road bikes - however the ideal motorcycle for this tour is an Adventure type motorcycle 500cc and greater.
What documents do I require to travel in these countries?
Our Tour package describes in detail all the paperwork you will require for each individual country we travel to on this exciting tour. We assist you at each border crossing.
Is this tour run by Wildcat Adventures?
Absolutely! All our tours are organised and led by John & Brigitte of Wildcat Adventures - we do not subcontract ANY of our tours!
Photos
Balkan Peninsula Raid Motorcycle ROAD Tour
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