Bike Tour Reviews UNESCO Sites Of Albania
Guided from EUR € 1190
Self guided from EUR € 950
Guided:
Apr 5, 11, 21, 30*; May 12, 15, 20, 23; Jun 1, 6, 22; Jul 1; Aug 22; Aug 24; Aug 31; Sep 9*, 10, 19*, 20, 27, 29; Oct 6, 8, 15, 17, 2024. (* indicates fully booked)
Self-guided:
Daily, upon request: Apr 1 - Jul 1; Aug 25 - Oct 25, 2024.
Description:
The highlights of this magical bike tour include three UNESCO sites, snow-capped mountains, inviting beaches on the Albanian Riviera, a genuine, untouched subsistence culture, and exceptionally friendly local people. Some say that visiting Albania is as…
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★★★★★ Lisa Luyckx 2 weeks agoA Don’t Miss Tour
We just completed the ten day Albania UNESCO self-guided tour and I can’t say enough good things about it. Our tour guide Aldo made our experience in Albania all the more richer. He was available always for any help we needed, from servicing our bikes, to serving food, to making sure we were all set with our hotels to answering any questions we had. He did all of the above with a smile on his face. Our sag driver Fitim, who also helped keep the bikes clean and serviced, was always at the ready with water and a smile. We were in awe of the beautiful countryside and the friendliness of the hard working people of Albania. We truly felt like we saw the real
Albania on this beautiful route. I would recommend this tour whole heartedly.- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Kevin Pazaski 10 months ago
Outstanding Tour of Albania!
Seven of us arranged a private "semi-supported" private tour. We had a wonderful Albanian guide, Nicu, assist us with shuttling our luggage, providing van support, giving us dining recommendations, and helping us navigate Albania's beautiful landscape. No significant issues along the route, zero mechanical problems, and well-designed routes.
- What was the date of your tour?
- May 9-17, 2023
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Elmo September 12, 2018
Albanian wonderland
Amazing country. Wonderful riding. Best guides Eerlis,Yuli and Ted. Recommend highly. Maybe best ever bike trip. 4 Americans. All else Canadians,Brits,Hollanders Aussies and Germans
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 38
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Bill P November 1, 2019
Better than I ever imagined.
This tour is a great way to experience the beautiful country of Albania- a fascinating country I knew very little about. Our local tour leader was resourceful, knowledgeable, and passionate about both biking and his native country. The bikes were very good; I had and e-bike; even so, the biking was challenging, but definitely worth the challenge. Very good local meals with lots of camaraderie with my fellow travelers- an interesting and lovely mix of people from all ages, countries, and biking abilities. I have long been a passionate biker, but this was my first organized bike tour, including first one in the mountains! It won’t be my last. I can’t wait to go on my next one! Kudos to both Bike Tours and Cycle Albania.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-20, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First organized tour.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Lilia October 26, 2016
The time of my life.
It was my first bike tour. And this is the perfect way to explore the country. I am really impressed. Wonderful country, breathtaking views, warm friendly people and really helpful professional guides. I am absolutely happy that I chose Albania. And of course will continue bike tours to other places as well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 -20 October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Elaine October 28, 2019
A Fabulous Trip
First time biking as a way to visit a country and it was fabulous! I chose Albania as it was still untouched by tourism, the reviews were good, and it looked beautiful. Experiencing this beautiful country and its people while biking through its landscape fufilled my expectations beyond what I could imagine. The scenery was spectacular! And biking is a way to go! Our guide, Arijan and his assistant, Bato, were organized, patient, helpful, informative, and fun! We were in good hands! We had a group of 4 Americans, 4 Brits, and 2 Germans, which resulted in good exchanges and great conversations. I was thrilled with the variety and challenges of the varied terrain, but at age 70 an electric bike made the trip possible and enjoyable. The climbs would have been very difficult without one. I had read some reviews before signing on and took the good and necessary advice of training before going. Without training, this trip would be difficult. The bikes were in good condition and worked well considering a few of the rough roads we encountered. Our guides handled the varied paces of the group very effectively. The hotels were quite adequate with the exception of one mountain guest house, which was minimally adequate. The food was
abundant and very good. I highly recommend this tour company and the tour of Albania specifically! You will not be disappointed! It was a most memorable travel experience!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Timr October 27, 2019
Beautiful Country, Great Cycling Excellent Value
So much fun. Friendly people, great food, some challenging rides and bumpy roads, but that just made it more interesting. Learned so much history of this area. Tour provider was very attentive and helpful. Bikes were excellent touring hybrids (all were new or nearly new Giant bikes. Bring your sunscreen, appetites and climbing legs!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Susan Cleary 4 days ago
Amazing!
My friend and I did the UNESCO Albania tour (self guided)and it exceeded all our expectations.
The routes were breathtaking. Riding through the mountains, even in the rain,
I felt like we were in a virtual reality ride.Our tour guide, Aldo was fantastic.
Every morning he checked our bikes and made sure we had everything we needed. He would also be seen in the hotels mornings and evenings helping serve meals and drinks.The sag driver, Fitim, was wonderful too.
He would wash bikes after rainy days, make sure we had water and occasionally give a whistle if we happened to take a wrong turn and he was in the vicinity.The hotels were great with one exception, however, the others certainly made up for it especially the first and last night.
Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
Thank you Aldo and Fitim!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 19
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ John Koester 1 day ago
Great Tour of Albania!
The guided tour of Albania was awesome. The cycling was really good, maybe a little harder than expected in the mountains. But well worth it. We climbed Llogara Pass which was an epic ride, followed by a 20 mile downhill.
The food and accommodations were really super good. No complaints at all there.
But what made the tour standout was our guide Arjan, and the van driver Enis. Those guys were great and we were all family right off the bat. They took good care of us every day we were with them. We can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Albania is a beautiful country with super cool people.- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Julane Anderson 1 day ago
Amazing tour!
An excellent introduction to the beauty and charms of Albania. Our guide, Arjan, and driver, Enes, went above and beyond to keep our group of 17 cyclists safe and comfortable. Family-style meals were delicious with a variety of foods chosen for us.
I recommend arriving in Tirana one to two days before the start of the tour to experience the offerings of the capital and to learn about the country's history with communism. I also recommend that cyclists be familiar with riding with traffic and riding on different road surfaces. My husband and I were glad to have rented e-bikes as the promised climbs were challenging!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10+
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Michele Smith 10 months ago
Loved it!!
It was the perfect mix between challenging, beautiful, educational and pure enjoyment!! Our guide was extremely knowledgable and entertaining. There was great a mechanic for bike maintenance when there were any issues. Not only did I learn a great deal about the country I met a number of wonderful people throughout the trip. Food and lodging was great.
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★★★★★ Betsy Alles 7 months ago
Way Beyond Our Expectations
From start to finish this Albania tour was excellent in every way. The guides. The support van. The itinerary. The details. The hotels. The food. I could go on an on! What made it great were the guides first and foremost. Dimitri, Mateo and our van driver VC...all were friendly, professional and made sure every special request was granted. Even the coffee stops were at magical places -- all selected for their views, their historic significance and the culture. I just can't even describe what a wonderful time we had...and the group we traveled with were wonderful too! No whiners!! I had suffered a compression fracture in my back a few weeks prior to the trip so had to occasionally ride in the support van and Dimitri let me know if there were any rough roads that day. There were very few gravel sections, btw. The e-bikes we rented were top quality too! I say GO...before Albania is crowded with tourists!! We have traveled around the world and Albania was among the most gorgeous countries we have experienced! And you cannot beat the price of a guided trip!!
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 12
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Ashley A September 3, 2017
My favorite trip ever!
This was an incredible trip! I can't say enough how wonderful the guides were, and how much I loved seeing Albania. The meals were amazing (if you love grilled veggies and cheese as much as I do, you'll be in heaven), the accommodations were better than I expected, and the bikes were fantastic. The hills and mountains made the biking pretty challenging some days, but in a great way. Make sure you train before this trip, but don't miss the opportunity! If I could rate it a 12/10, I would.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 27 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Pedal October 7, 2019
Wonderful surprise
Beautiful country, great food. We had a wonderful guide, Ted
- What was the date of your tour?
- Started on Sept 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- A number in the US
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Roxana Miranda September 21, 2022
Great adventure to be discovered, amazing places, people and food
The tour is perfectly described online and the guides are excellent; same for food which was above average at every location; accommodations are perfect. Suggest renting e-bike unless you bike 7/365 on uphills; we had very hot weather (up to 37C) and it was hard even on e-bike just because of the heat, hard to find shade! We were 19 people in our tour and the guides (Erlis and Rimi) were wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable. Albania is waiting for you to discover, laid back people, excellent food and very cheap compared to other European cities. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Jim n Anne June 30, 2018
Not To Be Missed
Albania is a wonderful cycling destination, and the tour company did an excellent job with the route, rental bikes, support, accommodations. The hotels/inns were amazing; comfortable, beautiful, excellent locations. The bikes were well suited to the terrain and conditions. It's impossible to overstate the beauty of the country, and a bicycle is the best way to appreciate the magnificent scenery. The roads are in good condition, but the inclines can be steep; it is necessary to train for this trip. But don't put off a visit to Albania; it's a complex, exotic country with easy-going, proud citizens who are eager for visitors.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several dozen
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Ray1 September 7, 2016
lovely country, great guide and driver..Junid and Nick were terrific hosts for their country
We saw the poorest country in Europe up close but one filled with hardworking, friendly people determined to build an economy and a tourist industry. Awesome scenery, and a running commentary from trip leader Junid. Great meals, and a wonderful group from a half dozen nations.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ JimI August 11, 2016
Great Trip Great Biking
The Guide was fantastic. The bikes were excellent. The hotels and guest houses were excellent' The food was excellent and plenty o it. The scenery was varied and all beautiful. The towns and villages on the tour were very interesting and beautiful. This was a great tour. Can't say one thing bad about it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Sharon Charpentier 7 months ago
Only One Road - biking in Albania
Great 10 day cycling vacation in Albania. Our Guide, Arjan was amazing. He thoroughly reviewed each days bike route the night before and morning of to be sure we understood the plan for the day. He would tell us “only one road”. That was pretty accurate in the country side. I loved seeing the locals living a simple life with their mules or donkey with a hand made saddle, or the Shepard with his flock of sheep and sheep dogs to corral them in. The Mountain Views were incredible as well as the lake and sea views. The food was plentiful and served family style. Wine and beer for purchase was very reasonably priced. Most accommodations were nice and comfortable. One night we stayed in cabins on a farm! We saw so much- toured ruins from 400 BC, toured a castle and homestead as well as a monastery. The ride was well supported. Our van driver was always close by should we need assistance with our bikes or a fill up of water. I chose to rent an e-bike and glad I did as many roads had a steep incline. The e-bike allowed me to enjoy my vacation and not struggle to make it through the day. I’m glad I chose this tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 5
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Richard Radonis 7 months ago
Majestic Albania
Wow, we biked 300 miles in so many different terrains, saw how the rural Albanians live. They were very friendly. Seeing castles, monasteries, historic homes and beautiful countryside. One particular day we coasted downhill for about 20 miles
What a rush. Tour guide Arjan was awesome, fun, personable and knowledgeable.- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
