Biking in South Albania - Culture Biking Tour from Ohrid to Albanian Riviera

Cultural bike tour from Ohrid to the Albanian Riviera

The journey takes you from Lake Ohrid via Korca, and further along the east to Butrint and along the Albanian Riviera. Also, bookable as an individual trip with daily departure.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

We expect our guests to be prepared for the tour so that you can cover about 400 meters of altitude difference or 12 km distance in one hour. With e-bikes, this is also possible for relatively untrained riders. The usual riding time will be between 3 h and 4 h, in a few individual cases up to 5 hours (h).

BAGGAGE TRANSPORT:

The luggage will be transported by an escort vehicle. A spare wheel and tools will also be carried there.

HOME TRAVEL:

For the journey home you can also take the ferry from Durres to Ancona or Bari and from there take the train back to Germany. We also offer our guests luggage and bicycle transport from Singen to Ancona/Bari. The transfer from Tirana to the airport or to Durres is organized by us and is included in the price.

Included in the price are:

Tour guide and travel companion
Round trip according to the program
Baggage transport
Overnight stays in middle-class hotels, partly in the historical ambiance or family-run pensions
Half board plus packed lunch
All admissions to museums and excavation sites
We reserve the right to make changes to the program sequence!

Not included in the price are:

Flight (Tirana or Ohrid)
Bicycle rental (from 180,00 €, depending on equipment / eBikes from 400,00 €)
Bicycle and luggage transport from DE to AL by van
Beverages
Tips
Other personal expenses

Prices:

1.490,00 € in double room

280,00 € single room surcharge

Group size:

min. 10 – max. 25 persons

Dates:

05. – 16. 05. 2020
09. – 26. 09. 2020

Individually freely bookable

Dates for groups on request

Please fill in Amount, Reason for Payment/Invoice No. and your Contact Details

DAY 1: ARRIVAL TIRANA (Sunday)

The arrival will be organized individually. We are happy to help you with this. The journey is also suitable for climate-friendly arrival by train and ferry from Saturday to Sunday. Until the first dinner together we organize the bicycles and ride a little around the lake in the city park of Tirana (about 5 km). An employee takes care of the guests who have booked rental bikes and adjusts the bikes ergonomically accordingly.

DAY 2: TIRANA – POGRADEC

We spend the morning with a city tour in Tirana on foot. You will get a first impression of history, culture, and life in Albania. After a small lunch, we will travel by bus and bicycles to Lin, from where we will make our first leg by bike. The approx. 15 km long journey from Lin to Pogradec leads along the western Shore of Lake Ohrid. We spend two nights in Pogradec.

DAY 3: POGRADEC – OHRID

After breakfast, we start to North Macedonia along the Ohrid Lake. On the way, we visit the Naum Monastery and the water spring, which supplies the lake with fresh water to a large extent. In Ohrid, you can take a walk through the old town and have a leisurely lunch by the lake.

DAY 4. DAY: POGRADEC – KORÇA

Our destination today is the town of Korce. From the lake, we will go uphill to a plateau surrounded by mountains. The town of Korca is known for its historical center and for one of the best breweries in Albania.

DAY 5: KORÇA – SOTIRE

Today we leave the agricultural plateau of Korça behind us and drive through a landscape of barren rocks, meadows, and pastures. We cross the heart of the Gramoz Mountains. Over the Barmash Pass (1,759 m) we reach the village of Sotire, which lies in a quiet valley.

DAY 6: SOTIRE – PERMET

Our destination for today is Permet. From Germenj, we will climb to a high plateau surrounded by rising peaks before reaching the source of the Vjosa River. Then we descend through a spectacular gorge, which we will follow until we reach the village of Permet, which is situated on a rock above the river.

DAY 7: PERMET – GJIROKASTER

We start the day with a drive through the Vjosa valley towards the town of Kelcyra (the tooth tips of the shark), which guards another gorge. Then the road continues through the Vjosa valley until we turn south towards Gjirokastra.

DAY 8: GJIROKASTER – KSAMIL

Today we drive west over a 700 m high pass, followed by a winding descent until we reach the source pot “Blue Eye”. Then we continue into the coastal plain to Ksamil, a village by the sea opposite Corfu. On the way, we stop briefly at an orthodox church.

DAY 9: KSAMIL – BUTRINT – HIMARE

First, we visit one of the most important archaeological sites in Albania – Butrint, which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. We have lunch at this place and drive along the coast to Himare.

DAY 10: HIMARA (day off)

Today we spend the day at one of the best beaches of the Albanian Riviera.

DAY 11: HIMARA – LLOGARA NP – RADHIME

We continue our route north along the coast, passing through typical Riviera villages as famous as the beauty and panorama they offer. The ascent to the Llogara Pass is a tough one, but we are rewarded with a breathtaking panorama. After a visit to the National Park, we descend again 1.000 m to the sea. Overnight in Radhime.

DAY 12: RADHIME – ADVICE

After a leisurely breakfast, we take the bus to Berat. On the way, we make a short stop in Apollonia, an archaeological park worth seeing. In the late afternoon, we reach Berat. Overnight in Berat

DAY 13: CONSULTATION – TIRANA

Berat is the city of a thousand windows and has many sights from the time of the Ottoman Empire. After lunch, we have time for an individual city stroll before we leave for Tirana, where we will conclude the journey with dinner. Overnight in Tirana.

DAY 14: TIRANA – Departure (Saturday)

Time at your free disposal in Tirana or for your individual journey home