About this Cycle Tour
Mountain bike through rugged valleys and historic settlements along the turquoise sea of the Dalmatian coastline while imagining the glory of past civilizations that have left their marks on these emerging nations.
Mountain bike through rugged valleys and historic settlements along the turquoise sea of the Dalmatian coastline while imagining the glory of past civilizations that have left their marks on these emerging nations.
We loved this trip. We loved exploring 3 different Balkan countries, riding along mostly quiet back roads, with stunning scenery, across some challenging terrain. Our guide, Zoran, was absolutely fantastic: he was incredibly knowledgeable about the places we visited, he had great technical biking skills and experience and nothing was a problem for him at all. We've done many small group adventure travel trips and Zoran is really outstanding.
View more: Trails
DestinationsBosnia, Croatia, and Montenegro
Tour MeetsTrebinje, Bosnia
Fly in to
Group Size2-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)AccommodationSnacks and drinks
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upAirport drop offVisa feesAlcoholTips
We ride a total of 367 km in 8 days of cycling. Most of our tour is on quiet back roads and single tracks, which include parts of military trails in Montenegro that are dirt and rocky tracks. There will also be flat stretches of tarmac to help you relax your muscles. The terrain is mountainous, so we will be climbing and having descents every day. The distances aren't too strenuous, but the days will be full of activities and excitement. On this trip, there is a lot to see, and we also have two beautiful and relaxing boat journeys.
Suitability: This trip is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness and some off-road riding experience. This trip is not too arduous, so riders with less experience are more than welcome, although the fitter you are the more you will enjoy it.
Biking Conditions: This tour follows former Austro-Hungarian military trails on dirt and rocky jeep-width tracks and includes ascents every day. There will be a minimal vehicle support on this tour, but we will be met by a vehicle at meeting points when possible.
After arriving in Trebinje and checking in, we gather for a trip briefing, and then you are free to relax or explore this historic town. Dating back to the 10th century, it abounds with history and architectural splendours. Highlights include the Holy Transfiguration Orthodox Church, an early 20th century church famous for its spectacular interior artwork. Another must-see is the Saborna Crkva. Built between 1888 and 1908, this religious sanctuary stands elegantly on the historic Crkvina Hill and offers captivating panoramic views of ancient Trebinje. Later in the evening, we meet up for a welcome dinner.
Hotel Leotar
DinnerWe embark on a cultural ride to explore the villages of Herzegovina. On serene back roads, we pedal on undulating village paths to the historic town of Ljubinje, with traces of settlements dating back to Roman times. We visit the Church of the Nativity of the Virgin. Built in 1867, the building contains a copy of the Gospels dating from 1793, donated by Russia. Breathing in the mountain breezes, we hop on our bikes and roll gently to Plana Dola, nestled on the rugged hills dotted with Mediterranean vegetation. Our last stop is Tvrdos Monastery. This Orthodox 15th-century monastery is surrounded by vineyards cultivated by the monks and features stunning painted murals. Visit the cathedral built in 1508, learn about wine production in the region, and sample red and white wines in the cellars of the monastery. Then it's back to Trebinje, where we call it a day and rest our muscles for the next adventure.
Hotel LeotarBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 65km
+300m
-150mWe transfer to the top of Croatia's Srdj Mountain, overlooking Dubrovnik's old town with striking views of its city walls and riviera. We then cycle on village paths and paved roads to the historic Mlini Kupari settlement. Established in the 12th century, the village was a major roof tile producer and is now famous for its picturesque countryside, turquoise waters, and seaside promenade. Then we get more local by having lunch with villagers and listening to curious stories and legends of the area that have been passed down for generations. After the delightful encounter, we transfer to Dubrovnik for the night.
Hotel Lapad DubrovnikBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 20km+342m-650mEnjoy breakfast then transfer to Cavtat on the Adriatic coast. Formerly named Epidarius, the town, founded in the 6th century BC, abounds with breath-taking natural and architectural treasures. Up and down, we mountain bike and wind our way on single track and back roads through orchards and vineyards of the Konavle Valley with rugged cliffs that form a stunning contrast with the glassy water of the Adriatic Sea. Along the way, we also come across charming villages where we can greet friendly locals. Then we stop to snack and refresh ourselves while gazing views of the lush greenery and deep blue seas in the background before checking into our beachfront hotel to take a dip and enjoy the sunset.
Hotel EpidaurusBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km+864m-864mAfter breakfast, get in the saddle and start riding straight from the hotel over the rugged hills and verdant vegetation of the Konavle Valley. As the ride heads south to enter Montenegro, we enjoy the serene and charming villages of Zvekovica and Ljuta before taking a break by the glassy, 35-km Ljuta River. After refuelling ourselves, we pedal on to Herceg Novi. Nestled at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor and at the foot of Mount Orjen, Herceg Novi is not only historically picturesque but also a popular modern spa destination.
Villa MargotBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 38km+400m-310mA short morning transfer takes us to the start point of our tour on Mount Orjen. We cycle along an old military trail and make a brisk climb over the Orjen Saddle, towards Crkvice, and then our route heads south, traversing the mountain. Our route is a casual downhill as we follow a wagon trail through some beautiful scenes towards the town of Bunovici. We drop in around beautiful Risan Bay and visit the beautifully preserved baroque town of Perast. With its nine defensive towers, this once busy port now has a tiny population of just 350 people. We take a boat to visit the island of Our Lady of the Rocks, an artificial island created by sinking seized ships loaded with rocks. Our travel by boat continues across the enchanting Bay of Kotor to Tivat, for our overnight accommodation.
Hotel PalmaBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 44km+761m-1849mFrom Tivat, our morning climb heads through the pretty village of Gornja Lastva rising above Tivat Bay. We take a military road to the summit of Sveti Ilija, where we get more spectacular panoramic views. Our route runs along the beautiful southeast side of the Lovcen Mountain as we pass Vrmac Fortress, an old Austro-Hungarian bastion. Descending through the Trojica Pass, our ride passes many small villages before a last climb and descent of the day into Budva, an incredibly picturesque and vibrant coastal town where we find our accommodation and get a well-earned rest – or you may choose to party all night in this Montenegrin Miami!
Hotel MogrenBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 37km+1040m-1034mOn this adventurous ride, we roll on the tracks of a disused railway line and use a 600-m long tunnel along the way. Today's first climb rises gradually for 25 km before we get the thrill of a beautiful descent into the fishing village of Virpazar; another stunning Montenegrin jewel with a population under 400. From here, we take to the waters of the sublime Lake Skardar National Park, designated as one of Europe's best bird watching sites, and we cruise for 2 hours north to the charming lakeside town of Rijeka Crnojevića. Our steep climbing continues along a narrow road to Cetinje, the former royal capital of Montenegro. We overnight in this historical and spiritual city located in a small valley below Lovćen Mountain.
Pansion 22Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 57km+1706m-1058mWe venture into Lovćen National Park and tackle an old military road up to the steep summit of Babina Glava. The reward for our efforts is a fantastic panorama of the countryside below and views across to the coast. Our route flattens out. and we ride past the mountain village of Dolovi before our final ascent to the mountain peak of Jezerski Vrh. The mausoleum of the poet-philosopher Petar Petrovic Njegos sits atop the zenith of the mountain, and the amazing Montenegro landscape spreads out below our feet. A rapid descent brings us back to the heart of the national park and to the tiny village of Njegusi, famed for its cheese and prosciutto. Continue cycling on an old Austrian road to Kotor. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor is well-known for its stunning architecture and its beautiful setting in a secluded part of the Boka Kotorska Bay. Stari Grad (Old Town) is a labyrinth of cobbled laneways linking small squares containing ancient churches and former aristocratic mansions. We have enough time for sightseeing in the old town before a farewell dinner packed with seafood specialties.
Hotel MarijaBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 56km+1054m-1700mAfter breakfast, you may extend your stay or catch your onward flight.
BreakfastDisclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.
Because some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section.
If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension, in good mechanical order.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
While no vaccines are required for travel into Bosnia and Herzegovina, some doctors recommend getting vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, as well as for rabies. Visit your medical professional to confirm what precautions you should take.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s weather mostly reflects most inland hilly and mountainous European climates. July and August summers see averages of 25 C while winters around January can get down to around 0 C. As always, the weather is milder along the coast and a bit more varying at higher elevations, which can reach around 2,000 m. Even on the hottest days, temperatures cool down quite a bit at night, especially in the mountains. For the mildest weather with the least chance of rain, June to September may be the best time to travel there.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. The cuisine reflects influences from Eastern European, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cultures. There’s plenty of stewed meats and vegetables along with spicy sausages. Make sure to try ćevapčići, spiced sausages or patties served with pita bread and onions. Enjoy seasoned meat, vegetables, and rice wrapped in grape leaves , dolmas, or in cabbage leaves, sarmas. Offal is also a staple in many local offerings. Be prepared for sweet or savoury with uštipci, fried dough, at breakfast. We’ll make sure you get to sample a large variety of local cuisine. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Although the official currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the convertible marka, Euros are widely accepted, be it on an unofficial basis. So, make sure to keep up with exchange rates if you decide to use Euros! However, there are plenty of ATMs in most towns and resorts that accept foreign credit and debit cards, so you can withdraw cash on the ground. Ask your guide if you’ll be heading into a remote area that may not have ATMs available or won’t accept cards.
No vaccinations are needed.
In Montenegro it’s possible to reach an altitude of 1700 m within 10 km of the coast, so wild variances in climate are to be expected. Chillier temperatures are probably at higher altitudes. Like most of the Mediterranean region, Montenegro’s coast enjoys balmy summers. The warmest months are July and August, when the temperature ranges from 19°C to 29°C (average lowest to average highest). And just to let you know – the summer sea temperature is 25°C to 28°C.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. In addition to the standard European and Mediterranean cuisine, Montenegro offers a variety of healthy food products and local specialities. Cold hors-d'oeuvres include the famous njeguški pršut (smoked ham) and njeguški cheese, pljevaljski cheese, mushrooms, donuts and dried bleak (carp family). A selection of traditional recipes of the central and coastal parts will include the kastradina (dried mutton), smoked and fresh carp (from Skadar Lake) and a variety of fresh sea fish and seafood dishes. We shall make sure you sample a large variety of local cuisine. Any special dietary requirements can also be catered for as well. Please let us know at the time of booking.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously. Cold water, some energy-restoring local fruit and soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. But you may also want to bring electrolyte in powder or tablet form. Alcoholic drinks are available everywhere, but are NOT included in the price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for travelling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveller of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra Euros for possible incidentals that might arise. It is always wise to have some paper currency in case of ATM absence or credit card problems. This will save you a lot of unnecessary worries. It is also customary to tip local tour guides and drivers; however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive. As a general guide we suggest that €5-10 per person per day is appropriate.
Montenegro is the nation that adopted the euro as its official currency.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place:
Just complete our online booking form or send your booking details offline (email or post), and we will confirm your participation. No deposit is needed to confirm your place on a SpiceRoads tour.
You are advised to read our Booking Conditions in full before you make your payment and should you require further clarifications of any of the conditions below, please email us or call our office.
There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If the trip status is ‘Limited’ will mean we have only a small number of spaces available for booking. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office.
From the tour page, click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. For the next steps, you'll need to know the names of the people travelling. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height (for bike hire), or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). Our system will contact you from time to time to fill in the missing information, as it will be required before departure. However, if the trip that you are booking offers a child discount, you will have to fill out the date of birth of each rider (so we can calculate the appropriate discount).
If you are having any problems please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 026 3295) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
Just call us or send an email indicating which trip you want to join and we will happily send you a list of questions and process your booking for you.
We do not require a deposit or full payment to book a place for you on a tour.
The balance of the tour’s cost (final invoice) will need to be paid 60 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights.
In the case where a booking is made when there are less than 60 days until the tour departure date, the tour’s cost should be paid in full within 72 hours of receiving an invoice from SpiceRoads. Payment can be made by credit card using our online payment gateway or by bank transfer. When making payment online you will need to confirm that you have read these booking conditions during the "checkout" process, which equates to agreeing to the terms of services and stipulations as indicated in this document.
In all cases, tour fees need to be paid “in full” before participation in a tour. No person(s) will be allowed to join a tour without fully settling their invoice and receiving a confirmation number from SpiceRoads.
The exception can be made for last-minute miscellaneous fees that can be paid locally (visas, additional local hotel bookings, etc.) can be settled on the day of arrival.
If the tour is cancelled or postponed by SpiceRoads because we didn't make the trip numbers and the tour can’t run, we will make a full cash refund (by bank transfer or on your credit card).
If the tour is cancelled for any other reason, including due to Covid related travel restrictions, we will give you a full credit (with no deductions for admin or any other small-print item) to use on any SpiceRoads tour with no time limit. (Exceptions being flights, special permits and other non-refundable items and these will be advised when booking the trip).
Before paying for your tour, you can cancel your booking with no charge and up until 40 days before departure, you can change your booking to another travel date or move your booking onto another SpiceRoads tour with no charges.
If you need to cancel after you have made full payment, please see our cancellation policy.
The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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I'd have to say we liked Montenegro best and would go back there to cycle again in the north of the country. We had a great time and are already planning our next SpiceRoads trip. This was my third country :)