About this Cycle Tour
Montenegro's wild landscapes, azure seas and rich cultural heritage are the compelling indulgences that greet adventurers in Europe's most bewitching of countries.
Montenegro's wild landscapes, azure seas and rich cultural heritage are the compelling indulgences that greet adventurers in Europe's most bewitching of countries.
View more: Touring
Tours in: Montenegro
We ride a total of 358 km in 6 days of cycling. Most of our tour is on tarmac, but there are stretches on former Austro-Hungarian military trails which can be rocky. The terrain is mountainous, so we will be climbing and having thrilling descents every day. The distances aren't long, but the days will be full. On this trip there is a lot to see along the way.
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, and so riders with less experience are more than welcome, although the fitter you are, the more you will enjoy it.
Biking Conditions: This trip includes ascending every day. On a few sections, there will be minimal vehicle support, but we will be met by a vehicle at meeting points when possible.
Arrival and transfer to the old royal capital of Montenegro, Cetinje. After an introduction to the tour and adjusting your bikes, you have time to stroll around town, before a welcome dinner.
We have a beautiful cycling route to the biggest lake of the Balkans, Lake Skadar, one of Europe's best bird watching sites. Have a rest in Rijeka Crnojevica before you continue to the fishing village of Virpazar, another stunning Montenegrin jewel with a population under 400. We also ride through Crmnica, the most valuable wine region in Montenegro.
We cycle along the shoreline of Lake Skadar. We have views of monastery islands, fishing villages, and chestnut groves, and all the time, you have great views of the lake and the Albanian Alps. A final descent takes you to the city of Ulcinj, one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic coast, dating from the 5th century BC. The old town castle was built by the Illyrians and Ancient Greeks.
We cycle south from Ulcinj to the coastal town of Old Bar. In the first section of today's ride, we pass the resort town of Donji Stolj and continue cycling next to salt flats. Just before Old Bar, olive groves line our path, and we stop to visit the Old Olive of Mirovica, said to be one of the oldest olive trees in the world. We have free time in Old Bar to wander around the alleys and discover the various historic buildings before we transfer to Budva, an incredibly picturesque and vibrant coastal town.
We have a transfer uphill to Cetinje to start our ride along the old road towards Lovcen National Park. From Ivanova Korita, we ride along an old wagon trail to the foot of Jezerski Vrh and over the Trešnja Saddle to visit the old spring in Sanik. Our route descends towards Bukovica, where we grab some refreshment at Kod Pera, a café that has been open every day for more than 100 years. We explore another military road around the Bogojeva Glava mountain, before our pleasant downhill to Njegusi. It’s one last short climb to the mountain pass of Krstac, before we ride down the well-known Lovcen Road to the Old Town of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Kotor is well-known for its stunning architecture and beautiful setting in a secluded part of the Boka Kotorska Bay. Stari Grad (Old Town) is a labyrinth of cobbled lanes linking small squares containing ancient churches and old aristocratic mansions.
We explore the Bay of Kotor, which is a gentle round trip along its beautiful coastline. From the settlement of Kamenari, you can ride over Lipci and Gornje Ledenice to Risan, or you could cycle to Herzeg Novi and back. In Perast, we take a return boat trip to visit the church island, Our Lady of the Rocks. The final section is along Dobrota back to your accommodation in Kotor.
Today's tour takes us to the peninsula of Lustica at the entrance of the Bay of Kotor. Enjoy great views of the fortification islands, the bay, and the Adriatic Sea. Have a taste of the olive oil produced there and take the opportunity to have swim at one of the beaches. We have enough time for sightseeing in the old town before a farewell dinner packed with seafood specialties.
We will schedule transfers to Podgorica, Tivat, or Dubrovnik Airports depending on flight times.
Disclaimer: 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. The bikes are well-known mountain bikes with lightweight alloy frames, 24- to 27-speed gearing, v-brakes, and Shimano components and front suspension. 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.
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: Read our Booking Conditions
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. 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 you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office. For the next steps you'll need to know the names of the people traveling and have either a Visa or a MasterCard. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height, 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). However, if you wish to get a children's discount, please do fill out the date of birth of the riders. If you are having any problems, please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 2 381 7490) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
When booking your tour, you'll be required to pay a deposit to guarantee your place. For tours less than 7 days, the deposit amount is 100% of the tour price, per rider. For tours 7 days or longer, the deposit amount is 30% of the tour price, per rider.
Read more about booking and paying for your trip here.
All SpiceRoads trips require proof of travel insurance when booking your holiday. Besides covering you during your trip, travel insurance will also enable you to claim any fees that you have paid to us, including your deposit, if you have to cancel your trip
Day tours and tours shorter than 7 days require full payment at the time of booking. For tours 7 days or longer, full payment must be paid 45 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights. Our confirmation will include personal details you provided us (including your flight information), visa application advice, a packing suggestion list and a detailed tour itinerary. It will also include a checklist to ensure you get everything ready for your holiday.
On the rare occasions when we, SpiceRoads, must cancel a trip, all payments received to date will be 100% refunded, which constitutes full settlement. There will be absolutely no deductions. If you, the client, must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to when you cancel. For full details, please read our cancellation policy.
For those who have been on several long tours with us we reward customer loyalty by offering repeat customers a special discount off the tour price (excludes single supplement and bike rental). If this is your fourth scheduled tour or more you will receive a 5% discount. If this is your eighth scheduled tour or more we will extend a 10% discount. The discount will be reflected in your online booking, but please contact us if any questions. Loyalty discounts can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Note: Only tours of 7 days or more will be applicable for loyalty discount.
International flights, to and from the start and finish points are not included in the tour price. Once your tour is Guaranteed to Depart you can book your flight. Please contact us for advice before arranging flights for the best arrival and departure times. We would only cancel a trip for an extreme circumstance, but in that case, where we cancel your trip, we cannot be liable for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made. Please claim any losses from your travel insurance that you acquired when you booked your holiday.
Our adventure travel e-newsletter is full of travel news, trip information, interesting stories and contests. To avoid missing out on special offers and updates from SpiceRoads, be sure to subscribe.
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
Kristin and I recently returned from the most wonderful trip we've ever had. I wanted to let you know how happy we were with your help and with introducing us to Zoran, our new friend. Spending the week with him would have been fun enough, but adding the beauty of Montenegro from those mountain views was beyond imaginable.