Cycle the Balkans
8 Days | Explore The Balkans by bike on an adventure through coastlines and an old railway line
4.8 out of 5 based on 24 reviews submitted
Get your legs moving on a Balkan cycling adventure from Dubrovnik to Sarajevo. Taking in stunning scenery on the coast and inland, this trip will take you from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro. Tackle challenging climbs, scenic flats and a new rail trail following the now defunct Austro-Hungarian railway line, finishing in the intriguing, yet sobering city of Sarajevo. Explore Kostar – the 5th-century UNESCO World Heritage-listed city – and Mostar to see the bridge divers hurl themselves off the Old Bridge into the Neretva River. Enjoy sunny days on the bike passing abandoned hamlets, local shepherds, scenic flats and rolling country and spend free evenings soaking up the local culture.
Start: Dubrovnik, Croatia
Finish: Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Ages: Min 14
Group size: Min 1 – Max 15
Why you’ll love this trip
- Witness Mostar’s famous bridge divers hurl themselves from the stones of Stari Most (Old Bridge), which has spanned the Neretva River for centuries.
- Cycle along two sections of the Ciro Trail – this new rail trail follows the now defunct Austro-Hungarian railway line.
- Ride the shoreline of the stunning Bay of Kotor – the winding bay of the Adriatic Sea.
- Visit the incredible Ostrog Monastery –the Serbian Orthodox Church carved directly into the cliffs, high up in the large rock of Ostroska Greda.
- Bike through tiny, historical villages and centuries-old cities, soaking up the days of old as you go.
Is this trip right for you?
- To complete this trip, it’s important that you are both confident and competent in riding a bicycle.
- You’ll have a leader that rides with the group, and another that drives the support vehicle (acting as a back marker where needed). Where the vehicle cannot travel directly with the cyclists (e.g. a cyclists-only path) your leader will assign a person from the group to act as a back marker.
- While the cycling distances on this trip are relatively short (the longest ride is only 60 km) the terrain of the Balkans is naturally hilly and the climate often warm. You’ll need a reasonable level of fitness to enjoy the trip, but the support vehicle is always on hand if you need to take a break for an hour or a day.
- As your riding is done mostly on sealed roads with the occasional gravel cycle path there are no technical cycling skills required. Given the hills, we do suggest practicing riding downhill, so you’re comfortable once the trips begins.
- As there are cobblestones and many stairs in most European towns, and space in our support van is limited, it’s strongly recommended that you leave any wheelie bags/cases at home and bring a backpack instead.
- This trip is part of a longer itinerary. You might be joining travellers who have already spent some time together. If you have more time to explore, you might like to check out our Cycle Croatia & the Balkans trip.
Inclusions
Meals: 6 breakfasts
Transport: Bicycle, Support vehicle (e-bike option available, subject to availability)
Accommodation: Hotel (6 nights), Guesthouse (1 night)
Activities
- Bay of Kotor Guided & Vehicle Supported Cycling
- Niksic region Guided & Vehicle Supported Cycling
- Ramparts of Onogost Fortress
- Pluzine region Guided & Vehicle Supported Cycling
- Mostar region/Ciro Trail Guided & Vehicle Supported Cycling
- Ciro Trail Guided Cycling
- Sarajevo Region Guided & Vehicle Supported Cycling
Add on activities
- Dubrovnik – Church of St. Blaise – Free
- Dubrovnik – Mt Srd Cable Car – EUR27
- Dubrovnik – Discover Game of Thrones Filming Locations Urban Adventure – EUR69
- Dubrovnik – Hike up Mt Srd – Free
- Kotor – St. Tryphon’s Cathedral – EUR4
- Kotor – Maritime Museum – EUR5
- Kotor – Fortress – EUR3
- Ostrog Monastery – Free
Available to book from now to October 2026
From £1,685pp based on two sharing.
Flights not included but can be added for a supplement subject to availability.
Important notes
1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. Bicycle hire is included in your trip price. Please advise your height at time of booking so as we can organize a suitable sized bike.
3. Bike helmets are compulsory on this trip. We are unable to hire bike helmets locally so please ensure you bring your own bike helmet from home.
4. On this trip we have a single leader that rides with the group, and another that drives the support vehicle (acting as a back marker where needed). Where the vehicle cannot travel directly with the cyclists (e.g. a cyclists-only path) your leader will assign a person from the group to act as a back marker.
5. An e-bike option (at additional cost) may be available on this trip. We have limited numbers of these bikes available and they are an ‘on request’ basis only. A request does not guarantee an e-bike, only a confirmed booking. Please ask your agent for more details at the time of booking.
6. Due to health and safety concerns around the traffic we take local taxis rather than cycle up to/down from the Ostrog Monastery on Day 3.