Cycling in Albania

Long a mystery Albania is an undiscovered marvel only a short flight from home. Scenery is stunning and varied with snowcapped panorma's, ancient towns and unspoilt coast. Cycling on quiet roads is a joy, with a real sense of discovery round every corner.

A tour of discovery, much more interesting than expectations.

I expected Albania to be quite pretty, I was not prepared for breathtakingly beautiful scenery around every turn. The scale of the relatively untouched wilderness is staggering. Ok getting to see all this wonder does take a bit of climbing which my husband loved, I loved the well maintained e-bike which made the whole trip much more enjoyable. The decent on the second day was possibly my favourite bit but the whole holiday was a joy. We received a warm welcome wherever we went, especially in the guest house and the freshly prepared food was a bonus. Well organised, mostly quiet roads, if you don’t like climbing - do it on an e-bike!

Every part of this trip was wonderful, from the people, to the rides, to the organization, to the food, etc. I loved it.

Albania is incredibly beautiful. It has some of the most spectacular mountain scenery that will forever be etched in my memory. Cycling is a fantastic way to see a country and visit lesser touristy places and this trip was certainly no exception. The people are very hospitable and the Cycle Albania team were simply amazing. The food was a fusion of Mediterranean and Turkish meze style and every meal was a feast in itself!

Absolutely loved this trip. I am more of a runner so I found the mountain climbs quite hard at times, but once at the top, I had the most fun cycling down towards the ocean. Had no idea that Albania was this beautiful!!

If your thinking about booking this trip and not sure... Here is my review. With shameful ignorance I knew almost nothing of Albania before I went, Macedonia way... Ex-communist country... I didn't even know the currency however I have come away with a very good impression of the country and it's friendly people, the food, history, geography and scenery.

Very enjoyable holiday giving us a taste of life in the remote mountains and on the Ionian and Adriatic Coast with a very committed engaging guide. The participants were all good company, the locations for lunch and dinner well-chosen and well prepared (our guide always phoned in advance so they were ready having checked which of their dishes we wanted to eat). The cycling route was impressive: the views are extraordinary, with several long climbs, some quite steep, and some hairy descents on roads that were - in the South- the quality of off road. In the heat, cycling up these mountains can be daunting. Even very experienced cyclists found this trip challenging, and considered its "moderate" rating a bit of an underestimate.

'Albania' why go there? was something we heard many times from friends and family when we told them of our plans. Well firstly its off the beaten track, it isn't full of mindless tourists and its got some sense of mystique still. But mostly it is such an interesting place with such lovely people. My third Exodus cycling trip and the most challenging, it is more challenging than moderate in my opinion. We went in September and it was still fairly hot so the long climbs were a bit of a 'push'. I was tail end Charlie for most days, partly due to my frequent stops to take photos and I was not going to be rushed, all at my own pace. The point is that this trip allows this to happen, no pressure whatever you capability. The rear-guard van is never far behind so you are not on your own. The scenery here is amazing, both mountains and the coast. Albanians we met were lovely and you always felt safe and welcome. Bikes were good and days were planned well. Hotels were varied but all were more than adequate. There was a bit of culture thrown in which was interesting but not overdone. We were a large group of 16 but in no time at all we had all gelled and were supportive of each other and had many laughs and shared experiences. We have all shared our photos so we have a great bunch of memories. Most of my memories are of quiet roads, no people anywhere and incredible views made more amazing by people still living in a bygone age. Apart from start and end there are no significant transfers so this is a positive. Food was excellent and plenty of it too.

This was our third cycling trip with Exodus & it didn’t disappoint. Albania is a stunning country but also very mountainous so a good level of cycling fitness is necessary although there is always the option of an e bike. The scenery is incredible & the local people really friendly- they would often wave & cheer us on as we panted up the hills! We were blessed with great weather although it was very hot in the full sun & it was really Important to stay hydrated. The food was excellent & as a vegetarian I ate really well. The baked cheese was a particular favourite & there was plenty of fish or meat for those who ate it. The accommodation was mixed & varied but on the whole was really good.