UNESCO Sites Of Albania Bike Tour Reviews page 2
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★★★★★ David19
A vigorous adventure
This is an excellent tour for anyone who wants to do a lot of climbing far from the beaten tourist path with the leadership of an excellent, superbly organized cyclist.
On the other hand, it is not a great way to get to know a lot about Albanian culture or history. Even though we went to some sites of great historical and cultural significance, we didn't have much time there, and promises that we would have a guided tour were not always kept. I'd have liked to have had a rest day in Gjirokaster; it has a lot of history to explore.
This tour has lots of climbs, some of them quite steep. The bikes provided by the operator didn't have low enough gears, so most tour members walked some of the climbs. The tour operator has told me he has recognized this problem and has already ordered more suitable bikes for 2019.
The food was excellent in both quality and quantity, with very few exceptions. Most eating was family style. There were vegetarian options.
Our group was large--22 participants, six more than advertised--but so well organized that meals moved briskly.
All 22 of us regrouped several times each day on the road. This, plus the attentiveness of the guide and the sag driver, made it almost impossible to get lost, but it also meant the faster riders often waited for the laggards to arrive.
I liked the other riders. I think few whiners choose tours in the mountains of Albania.- What was the date of your tour?
- Sept. 13, 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- More than ten.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ BabyBoomer
Albania-Review by a Baby Boomer
I feel that the trip was right on he money as described. Cycling is a great way to experience a country. The food was terrific and the accommodations ranged from adequate (but best available) to reasonably decent. The bikes were well maintained, and I appreciate that the disks were replaced on the major downhills for the last few days. The route is challenging, and, if you have any doubts on your capability, go for the ebike option. Made all the difference for me. The support for water and sag, if required, was superb.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 13
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ William
Stunning Mountain Scenery
We were a group of five Canadian seniors. On arrival we merged with about two dozen fellow travelers from Britain, Canada and the USA, who provided great companionship, laughs and memories. Our guide, Juri, and support driver, Orson, went above and beyond to provide excellent service.
I would highly recommend this tour on an e-bike but not on a regular bicycle unless you are a seasoned bicyclist in excellent condition.
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★★★★★ Siobhan Knox
Best Guided Tour Ever!
UNESCO Sites of Albania was the best guided tour I have ever done. Not only did the food and scenery exceed their reputations, the accommodations and bikes were excellent. More importantly, our guide and driver/mechanic were extremely efficient, knowledgeable, helpful, and cheerful—they left us wanting for nothing! I highly recommend it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 13
- 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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★★★★★ Janice
So happy in Albania
We couldn't have asked for much more on this trip. Cycling through breathtaking scenery was a fantastic way to experience Albania. Julian, our guide was bursting with knowledge, energy and enthusiasm, and ensured that everything ran smoothly without making anyone feel rushed. The roads were in very good condition and there was very limited traffic for the most part. The time on the bikes each day was perfect, giving challenges but also stops to allow everyone to drink in the scenery. The accommodations were all very clean, and had comfy beds. They varied in style which allowed us to have a unique experience each night.
I am an intermediate cyclist. With an ebike I had absolutely no problem with some of the challenging climbs and was able to set the power to suit my ability. We were also lucky to have an amazing group of people from around the world which was lovely.
Do it! -
★★★★★ Nigel Crosby
Mountains of magic
We opted for self guided which suited the group perfectly.
The scenery was amazing and the locals very friendly 😊 -
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★★★★★ Marion M.
Beautiful Albania
What an amazing holiday. The scenery, the food, our fellow cyclists and an especial mention to Tani our guide and Teri our back up driver. Nothing was too much trouble for them
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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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★★★★★ Elspeth Miller
Informative, varied, engaging, active tour
The tour, although a group of 22, was well-organized, orderly and congenial. The Guide and Driver/Bike Mechanic were experienced, knowledgeable and patient. The route gave a good overview of the South’s historical sites and the guide’s pride in his homeland was charming. Riding a regular bike, one of 4 (the other 18 were on e-bikes), I never felt left behind and always had enough time to rest at our regular stops. The restaurants served delicious, nutritious meals to fuel us and the route was largely on quiet roads with challenging, but not too daunting ascents and exhilarating descents.
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★★★★★ Kirsten T
Wonderful biking trip
Amazing way to explore Albania. We were self-guided, but the guides were helpful in ensuring communicating with us to ensure that our luggage was being transported. Hotels ranged greatly in quality, some were great, all were adequate. Location of hotels was great as well. Bikes were great quality and had no issues (one flat tire). Biking was on roads, some were quite busy. Would have been nice to have more off road biking, but I'm not sure that Albania has those facilities. First bike tour for all of us, and I would definitely do more.
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★★★★★ Leslie Reiser
Cycling in Albania is a must!
The UNESCO Sites of Albania tour is fantastic! From the beautiful sites of the countryside and towns to the people of Albania this trip is a must do. Most of us on the guided tour had e-bikes as this tour is challenging for regular bike enthusiasts. Our guide Julian was the best! He was very knowledgeable about cycling in Albania and history of his country. He made sure everyone was comfortable on the tour. Julian’s dad drove the support van and both he and Julian made sure the bikes were in top condition for cycling. The van was also available if you’re unable to cycle one day. Fortunately only one day was rained out so Julien arranged a van to take everyone along the route safely to the next hotel. This was our first guided tour (we’ve done self guided before) and we would do them again!
Book this tour!!!- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2026
- How many tours have you completed?
- 2
- 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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★★★★★ Mary O
Great trip through Southern Albania
I thoroughly enjoyed the UNESCO Sites of Albania cycling tour. Our guide Andrea was awesome! He was very eager to share his knowledge of Albania, its culture and history. He was also very friendly, helpful and supportive of tour participants. The hotels and restaurants were all good, food was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the two nights that we spent at local guest houses up in the mountains: family run and very friendly, with amazing local fresh food. The bicycles they provided were in good condition. The sag van driver and mechanic Rimi was great. He promptly and skillfully addressed any mechanical issues with the bicycles and was very supportive of any riders who needed to ride some sections in the van.
My only criticism of the tour is that communication prior to the trip was minimal. Also, though not my personal experience, some of the other participants had been given misleading information about the difficulty of the trip from TO's administrative staff prior to the trip.
Overall, I would highly recommend this trip! -
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★★★★★ JBR
Wonderful trip. Great sampling of Albanian mountains, farms and coast.
Wonderful to start in Tirana, then see the rural part of Albania and finish on the coast. I enjoyed the stays at the organic farm and the guest house especially.
The local historical tours done at some of our stays were good for hitting the highlights of their significance. They were neither too long or too short.
The guides were fantastic. They did a nice job of allowing everyone to go at a pace that was comfortable for them. They were very patient about answering questions about Albania's history, current challenges and daily life.
The accommodations were always clean and comfortable. Some were very nice, others more humble but were always clean and functional.
The food was plentiful! They really focused on trying to serve traditional Albanian dishes particular to that region. Two nights we were free to eat at local restaurants so those who wanted to get a pizza or non-Albanian food could do so then.
I feel the level of difficulty was accurately described. Unless you are an experienced cyclist you would not want to do this without an e-bike. There were several people who did not ride much and did just fine on e-bikes. For those on regular bikes (non e-bikes) it was a manageable ride. There was always a break in the morning for coffee, then again for lunch and then finishing the ride. This really helped make the rides manageable.
I consider myself a moderate rider typically doing 50 miles per week with about 3000-4000 elevation gain total. So this tour was a moderate challenge but very doable.
My wife and I had previously done only DIY trips and this was our first supported, guided experience. It was nice to not worry about navigation, where to stay or where to eat. All in all, it was a wonderful trip that I would recommend highly.- What was the date of your tour?
- May 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6 including DIY
- 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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★★★★★ Monica
Beautiful trip
This tour showed off some amazing countryside, scenic vistas and quiet roads in Albania that many visitors would not otherwise see. Our driver Roxhens was really enthusiastic, supportive and went to great lengths to help us out even when it wasn’t part of his job (on an unguided tour).
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 10
- 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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★★★★★ James S
Great trip
Great trip. Scenery is amazing. From high mountains to the sea! Most roads were low traffic (except in towns). The last day had a bit more traffic on the climb but wasn’t too bad. (When the tunnel opens there will be less automobile traffic)There is definitely a lot of climbing (some steep - 10%). So consider an e-bike unless you’re an avid cyclist. Food was good. No problems as a vegetarian. Hotels were good. No problems (a couple were really luxurious).
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Faith M
Albania is gorgeous!
What a surprise to see the natural beauty of Albania by bicycle. We rode below snow capped peaks; through farmland; and along the Adriatic Coast. All of it was stunning. The riding was challenging and interesting without being too demanding. The bikes were very comfortable .Our guide was wonderful. He kept our bikes in tip top condition and kept his eye out for each one of us while riding. He shared his knowledge of Albania with us, and daily he recommended the best coffee and lunch stops. (We had an unguided trip). There was a variety of hotel styles and amenities, from basic to luxury.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2025
- How many tours have you completed?
- Two
- 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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★★★★★ Raystrach
Superb Bike Touring
This bike tour was a great introduction to Albania and it highlighted the rugged beauty of the country and the warmth and friendliness of the people. The tour had a great balance of challenging terrain and beautiful rolling countryside. If you are not so keen on the challenge, e-bikes are available, so there is no excuse not to take this tour.
Some people questioned why we would go to Albania, fearing we might not be safe, but that was never an issue during the entire tour. We never felt anything but warmth and hospitality from the locals who would often wave and offer support as they drove by in their cars. That was a first.
We selected the guided tour(we normally go self guided) as it included all meals and we are glad we did. The food was great almost without exception and our guide Arjan ensured we got plenty of variety over the duration of the tour. He also managed the group brilliantly, allowing a little freedom in the individual pace of different sub groups, so that everyone could go at their own pace depending on how they felt on the day. We were lucky to have him.
The quality of the accommodation was a little uneven, but that was to be expected when a tour like this takes you to all parts of the country, from major towns to relatively remote provincial areas. All accommodation providers were doing their very best to give us an authentic Albanian experience. We got a good sense of the real Albania.
If you take the decision to take this tour, you will not regret it. It was up there with the best tours we ever done.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 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, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Lori Doering
Incredible experience!
Loved exploring Albania on bike! Our guide, Matao, was amazing! He went above and beyond day after day. The Albanian countryside, cities, people and food far exceeded any and all expe.
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★★★★★ Vicki Jones
Awesome trip!
Perfect way to experience Albania! The itinerary was a good mix of city and countryside. The scenery was beautiful and the people were super nice. The length of time on the bikes each day was perfect- starting out slow and ending with a bang. We were glad that we got e-bikes. We got a little exercise but able to enjoy every minute. The food was great- always fresh and local. Our guide Mateo was very attentive, informative and helpful. His fluent English made things easy. Roxhens, the van driver
was always attentive, making sure we had plenty of water and charged batteries. This was our first guided bike trip and we highly recommend to anyone wanting to experience Albania!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 6
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ john turco
beyond expectations
our guide Mateo and his assistant Rojxan were amazing. Tour was like a fine tuned watch.
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★★★★★ Terry Aittama
Trip of a lifetime!
The UNESCO bike trip is definitely ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for organization, bike route, accommodations, food, guide, and van driver/support. Albania is a beautiful country, still relatively untouched by tourism. Our guide Mateo and van driver Roxjens are the best. Mateo is very organized, communicates clearly about the day’s agenda, and has a good sense of humor. We had a luggage delay and Mateo went above and beyond to get our suitcases to us in the most timely manner possible. Roxjens is helpful, ambitious and always had a smile on his face. He changed my flat tire and had me back on the road in record time! The food is delicious and plentiful. There is a fun variety of accommodations, all very comfortable. Highly recommend this bike tour!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- My first!
- 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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