Cycling in Albania

8 days
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Small Group Tour
Some say that visiting Albania is as close as you’ll get to travelling back in time. It wasn’t until the collapse of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania in 1991 that the world got its first glimpse of the country within. Huge snow-capped mountains, inviting beaches, rural villages, a genuine subsistence culture and an exceptionally friendly welcome is ...
$2,835
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Highlights

    • Immerse yourself in a previously isolated country
    • Cycle from mountain plateaux to the Albanian Riviera
    • Visit the Unesco World Heritage site of Butrint
    • Fishing villages, national parks and thermal springs

What's this trip about?

    Some say that visiting Albania is as close as you’ll get to travelling back in time. It wasn’t until the collapse of the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania in 1991 that the world got its first glimpse of the country within. Huge snow-capped mountains, inviting beaches, rural villages, a genuine subsistence culture and an exceptionally friendly welcome is what you will find here. We cycle through the very best of Europe’s beautiful unknown, beginning our tour on the Macedonia border, biking towards the ancient town of Gjirokastra passing soaring peaks and lush green valleys. From here, we begin our descent to the Albanian Riviera, passing Unesco-listed Butrint and Llogara National Park, before relaxing by the sea at our hotel in Vlorë.Discover the beauty of this previously isolated country by bike

Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeSmall Group - max of 16 people
Age range16 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CityPogradec
End CityVlore

Travel Themes

  • Cycling & Biking

Destinations

Activities

  • Cycling
  • History

Min Group Size

  • Min Group Size: 4

Max Group Size

  • Max Group Size: 16

Trip includes

    • All breakfasts and 2 dinners included
    • All accommodation
    • Transfer for group flights
    • Local bike hire

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

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 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

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. Numerou...

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

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...

Day 4 Valley ride towards Kelcyra; after lunch at Tepele Waterfalls transfer to Gjirokastra for afternoon city tour

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 3...

Day 5 Transfer up the Muzina Pass, long descent to Sarandë via the coast and the Unesco site of Butrint

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 a...

Day 6 Spectacular coastal ride to the long beach of Himarë Bay

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 v...

Day 7 Ride towards Vlorë; optional climb to the Llogara Pass; long descent through Llogara National Park finishing by the coast

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 anot...

Day 8 End Vlorë

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.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $2,100
Price per day$263
Last Updated: 5/22/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Shared Room
Single Room
Availability
18 Apr 2025
25 Apr 2025
$2,100
$2,385
25 Apr 2025
02 May 2025
$2,250
$2,535
16 May 2025
23 May 2025
$2,400
$2,685
23 May 2025
30 May 2025
$2,250
$2,535
06 Jun 2025
13 Jun 2025
$2,400
$2,685
13 Jun 2025
20 Jun 2025
$2,250
$2,535
29 Aug 2025
05 Sep 2025
$2,250
$2,535
05 Sep 2025
12 Sep 2025
$2,250
$2,535
12 Sep 2025
19 Sep 2025
$2,250
$2,535
10 Oct 2025
17 Oct 2025
$2,175
$2,460

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check current availability, prices, specials & more.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
Excellent
13,502
Great
3,265
Average
609
Disappointing
146
Terrible
190
A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Best Ever

Every part of this trip was wonderful, from the people, to the rides, to the organization, to the food, etc. I loved it. It's hard to choose one, but maybe getting ...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Fantastic Trip

It says it's challenging and it is - but the effort is worth it. The scenery is fantastic - at times it felt like "cycling through a postcard"... hard climbs and...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

go before it gets commercial

a great trip with some tough climbs. good company and great weather, thanks Exodus the long climb on the last day. 1600 meters of climbing in the day, tough but re...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Cycling Albania

A really good trip, ticked all the boxes - good cycling, stunning scenary, great weather, good food, great group to travel with and an excellent trip leader For me...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

A must do Cycling challenge

A great Cycling trip that had it all. Breathtaking mountain landscapes and coastal scenery with fabulous food and wines to be had. My group of 13 fit club cyclists...

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Other Exodus Adventure Travels Reviews

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Sheila Bissell

Apr 2025

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Excellent service

Excellent service

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Apr 2025

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Roger

They were very helpful, polite and knowledgeable

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Gill Barber

Apr 2025

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Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt

Quick invoice receipt sent...prompt, good service

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Logistics

What's excluded

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

Accommodation

6 days cycling with 100% vehicle support 100% tarmac with some poor sections Quiet undulating route with some long but gradual climbs Group normally 4 to 16 plus local leader. Min age 16 yrs 5 nights hotels, 2 nights guesthouses E-bike hire available on request
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. 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). 
Cancellation policy

The cancellation policies of this trip when booked through Travelstride are determined by the stated policies of the tour operator - Exodus Adventure Travels.

If you or any other member of your party decides to cancel a confirmed booking you must notify Travelstride in writing. Your notice of cancellation will only take effect when it is received in writing by Travelstride and will be effective from the date on which we receive it.

Period before departure in which you notify us

From the date your Booking Confirmation is issued up to, and including, 90 days prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.

  • 89 to 52 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 51 to 31 days (inclusive) prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation.
  • 30 days or less prior to the departure date specified on the Booking Confirmation, or after the booking has started

Cancellation charge

Deposit can be transferred to a new booking which must be made within 3 months of the date the original booking was cancelled, and depart within 12 months of the new booking date. If a new booking is not made within this period then the deposit will be forfeited. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.

  • 50% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 75% of the total holiday cost. Any remaining balance will be refunded excluding any non-refundable costs.
  • 100% of the total holiday cost.

For Polar holidays, the following cancellation charges will be made:

Cancellation period (before departure) - Cancellation Fee (per person)

Outside of 180 days - No fee if cancelled within 15 days of booking date. US $1,250 cancellation fee if cancelled 16 days or more of booking date.

179 to 120 days - Loss of deposit.

119 to 90 days prior to departure - 50% of the holiday cost.

89 to 60 days prior to departure - 75% of the holiday cost. 

59 to 0 days prior to departure - 100% of the holiday cost.

For more additional details, see the booking conditions of Exodus Adventure Travels at the following web address: https://www.exodustravels.com/us/about-exodus/exodus-booking-conditions

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included
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.
Age Requirements
16 years and up
Additional Information
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Trip ID
exodus-MVA

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