The Western Balkans offer one of Europe’s last truly undiscovered frontiers for cycle touring — a region of towering limestone mountains, emerald rivers, ancient stone towns, and quiet roads made for adventurous riders. For cyclists who enjoy long mountain days, the landscapes of the Western Balkans are unforgettable. Riders move through dramatic alpine terrain where rugged peaks rise above deep river canyons, glacial lakes, and high mountain plateaus. While there are two mountain passes to conquer, as much as possible we follow green valleys where clear rivers flow through fruit and nut tree orchards and we see old Ottoman bridges and white stone towns surrounded by vineyards and fig trees.

Unlike the busier cycling regions of Western Europe, much of the Western Balkans still feels authentic and lightly traveled, with welcoming local people. Traffic is often minimal once outside major towns, and cyclists frequently find themselves riding through landscapes that seem unchanged for generations: stone bridges spanning fast rivers, shepherds tending flocks on alpine pastures, and cafés where local people gather slowly over strong coffee. Mediterranean cuisine influences combine with Balkan and Ottoman traditions for flavorful, healthy dishes made from locally grown vegetables, grilled meats, mountain cheeses, filo pastry with either savory or honey and nut based fillings, beans, yogurt, and seasonal fruits and with a resurgent wine industry developing excellent wines from indigenous Žilavka (white) and Blatina (red) local grapes.

The Western Balkans sit at the crossroads of empires and civilizations, where East meets West and Byzantine, Muslim, Judaic and Catholic influences blend and co-exist. Riders can encounter Roman ruins, medieval monasteries, Ottoman mosques, Venetian coastal towns, and reminders of the more recent Yugoslav era all  in the same valley. 

Commercial outfitter Sitnica has 10 year’s experience running road cycle tours in Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Czechia, Portugal, and Italy mostly for non-profit clubs like BAC and they take pride in giving strong roadside support. As Croatians they speak the dominant language of the W. Balkans fluently. This will be Sitnica’s 10th BAC tour and it is custom designed for BAC:  a 20 night road tour through Bosnia and Herzegovina (12 nights), Albania (4 nights), Montenegro (3 nights), and Kosovo (1 night) that will combine demanding climbing and continuous riding days with extraordinary scenery, rich culture and history, warm local hospitality, and delicious meals. Highlights will include:

• Sarajevo (BiH) It's old bazaar district is filled with narrow cobblestone lanes, copper workshops, mosques, tea houses, and traditional cafés feeling closer to Istanbul than to many European capitals. Here the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand sparked WWI and more recently Sarajevo endured the longest siege in modern European history during the 1990s Bosnian War. Museums, memorials, and preserved scars on buildings offer moving insight into the city’s resilience.  
• Prozor/ Rama Lake (BiH) An important trading hub during the Ottoman Empire and the site of the famous Franciscan Monastery of Šćit sitting on a peninsula surrounded by the crystal clear waters of Rama Lake.
• Jablanica (BiH) Surrounded by stunning mountains and pristine lakes where a visit to the Museum of the Battle for the Wounded on Neretva River is a poignant reminder of the town’s significant role in World War II. The museum is located near the famous destroyed bridge, which stands as a symbol of resilience and courage.
• Mostar (BiH) was the administrative hub of the Balkan Ottoman empire. Spend a rest day exploring the UNESCO designated Mostar bridge, just named by worldwide travel website ' Time Out'  as “the most beautiful bridge in the world.” The area around the Old Bridge is every bit as captivating as the bridge itself with cobblestone streets lined with traditional shops, markets, and cafés.
• Kotor (MNT) A dramatic UNESCO-protected town on the Adriatic featuring Venetian palaces, ancient churches, and massive stone ramparts. We will have a full day cultural/walking sightseeing tour with a local guide including a bus/ cable car excursion into the mountain sanctuary of Lovcen National Park. Opportunity for some light hiking.
• Koman Lake (ALB) Relax on a spectacular 3 hour ferry ride through narrow winding channels enclosed by steep, forested mountains and near vertical towering cliffs. After we disembark we ride alongside the river to authentic Bajam Curry, gateway to trekkers destination Valbona National Park.
• Peja (KOS) This will be our one night in Kosovo, a historical town and a hub for tourism in western Kosovo. Take a self-guided walking route through Peja's historical center and see the spectacular interior frescos of a UNESCO listed 13th C Romanesque - Byzantine monastery.
• Durmitor National Park (MNT) Today is a full day excursion by bus through this UNESCO World heritage status National Park  "of exceptional scenic beauty”. With sheer walls, the 40 mile Tara River gorge is the deepest gorge in Europe. Optional Tara River Rafting – 80 EUR per person. Opportunity for some light hiking.
• Gorazde (BiH) An important Ottoman trade route junction surrounded by fruit orchards. Enjoy a gentle afternoon cycle along the peaceful Drina River and marvel at how this vibrant town of 40,000 suffered and survived a three year siege just 30 years ago.

Health and Safety: The Western Balkans are reported by many cyclists to be a very safe area to travel in terms of personal safety. One known risk is ticks  as we will have some light hiking opportunities. There will be a group Zoom call roughly 6 weeks pre-tour to review health and safety matters and logistics.

Participants are expected to come to the tour in good health and ready to ride. Should someone's health become compromised and the group’s health and safety placed in jeopardy, a plan will be developed by the ride leader and communicated to all individuals. The expectation is for the group to work together to mitigate any spread of infection or illness as a means to ensure the tour can continue as planned.

Ride Rating:  Over 16 riding days, and 570 miles, the daily tour average is 35 miles and 2,842 feet with an average 80 feet per mile climbing . Grades will sometimes exceed 8%. The longest day is 53 miles, and the hardest day has 4,593 feet of climbing. We’ll have two mountain passes. While mathematically this rates as a 3B tour, we are assigning it a 4B due to having 6 days (37% of the tour) with over 4,000 feet of climbing, also with having a longer than number of riding days (16 total ), and with having 7 continuous riding days early in the tour.

The word “balkan” means ‘mountains’ and the Dinaric Alps dominate the Balkan landscape. This tour follows valleys as much as possible, but does traverse several mountain ranges.  Most days will be on relatively quiet roads; however, when no alternatives exist, we ride with traffic, including truck traffic on roads with limited or no shoulders. Road pavement is usually good but there will be some rougher bumpy sections. Several short tunnels are on the route and bicycle lights front and rear are a required safety item.  This tour is suited to road bikes with 28 mm tires and larger.

Bikes and Bike Rentals : If you bring your own bike, you must be sure it is in good mechanical condition and has appropriate gearing for tours with a 4B rating in areas with limited cell phone coverage. Make sure to bring critical spares such as derailleur hangars. Road bikes, gravel bikes, hybrids and e-bikes are appropriate for this tour. Tandems will be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Sitnica has the following bikes available for rental (contact info@sitnica.tcloud.hr):

 - Hybrid Trekking bikes with suitable mountain gearing for 400 EUR, and E- Trekking bikes for 600 EUR,  There may be a possibility of a very limited number of gravel bikes (to be determined).    Participants are responsible for and must pay separately for any bike rentals and are expected to deal directly with Sitnica  if there is a problem with their rental.

Unfortunately there are no rental road bikes available either from Sitnica or in Sarajevo so road bike riders: you’ll have to bring your own. Bike boxes will be stored at our starting/ending hotel.

Cue sheets, maps, GPS files: GPS files for all routes will be created using Ride with GPS.  A link will be provided well before the tour to all the GPS files in an "Event" and you will be able to download all the files to your computer, bicycle computer or smartphone.  You will also be able to print maps and cue sheets if wanted.  Note: It is up to the rider to know how to use his or her GPS device before the trip begins.

Weather:  June is one of the best cycling months in the region with long days and daytime temps averaging low 70s and rarely getting above 80, and with nighttime lows in the mid to high 50s. It is also one of the wetter months with on average about 4” inches of rainfall in June, often occurring as afternoon thunderstorms over on average 10 days in June.

Lodging, Meals, & Social Hour: Included are 20 nights in mostly top hotels, but we cannot avoid some more rustic lodgings in places. Also included are 16 social hours with a beverage and snacks, where possible and 14 lunches and 11 dinners of authentic local cuisine. Vegetarians can eat very well here however vegans probably cannot due to heavy dietary reliance on local dairy, eggs and honey. 

Logistics:  Our tour starts at 5:30 pm  Monday June 7th at the Hotel Austria & Bosnia, located in Illidza,  a handsome Austro-Hungarian suburb 5 miles west of central Sarajevo and a short 10 minute taxi ride from Sarajevo International airport (SJJ). Participants should plan to arrive by noon June 7th to sort out rental bikes or assemble bikes but truly this is a city that deserves extra days to explore either pre or post tour as after our first day orientation happy hour and group dinner, we ride northwest out of town the next morning. 

On Saturday June 26, our last riding day , we will have a short downhill ride to our Sarajevo suburb Illidza starting hotel with time to box up bikes and return rentals followed by a final group dinner that evening. The tour ends after breakfast on Sunday June 27. 

Entry requirements to each of the four countries we are visiting are straightforward: passports are required and must be valid for at least three months after the date of departure from the Balkan country. Outside of cities and larger towns, merchants often deal only in cash. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the local currency is the convertible mark (BAM) valued at 1 BAM = 0.51 Euros. Elsewhere on tour, the Euro is the accepted currency. ATMs for obtaining local currencies are widely available. 

Singles and Solos:   It is recommended that singles who want a roommate try to find their own. However, after receipt of the initial deposit, a single rider without a roommate will be placed on the ride and given until February 1st, 2027 to find a roommate. If they are unable to find a roommate, they will have the option to receive a full refund (minus the BAC Ride Registration Fee and Payment Processing Fee) or to pay the $1,260 lodging solo supplement and stay on the ride. If a single pays the Solo Supplement, they may continue to seek a roommate, but must plan to participate without a roommate if necessary. The Ride Leader will assist by attempting to match singles who apply for the ride.

Solos are welcome but as we have some smaller hotels, only a few solos can be accommodated. The lodging solo supplement of $ 1,260  is due by February 1st, 2027 and can be paid by Zelle or check. To pay using Zelle, in your bank's website, add Bicycle Adventure Club as a new recipient, with email address treasurer@bicycleadventureclub.org, then initiate a payment. In the Message block, enter the name of your ride. For questions, please contact Nancy Bohnett nbohnett@bicycleadventureclub.org. Checks should be made out to “BAC” with a notation of the tour name included on the check and mailed to:  Bicycle Adventure Club, PO Box 23998, San Diego, CA 92193

Cost & Administration: In addition to the non-refundable BAC ride registration fee of $150, the estimated tour cost is $ 5,125  person double occupancy based on an estimated exchange rate of $1.26 = 1 EUR and a minimum of 14 participants. The estimated cost includes:                                                          20 nights lodging, 20 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 11 dinners, 16 happy hours, van for on road support and luggage transport, water, fruit, snacks, and energy bars on the van, English speaking cycling guide and driver, local guide for  a fully guided day tour including cable car tickets out of Kotor into Lovcen National Park on day 12, Lake Koman ferry tickets on day 15,   bus excursion into Durmitor National Park on day 18,  and bus transfers on day 17 , 19 and 20 , premium RidewithGPS route files,  guide gratuities, and a 4% tour contingency. 

Deposit of $2,000 and $150 BAC Ride fee are due within 7 days of being accepted on tour. The final payment of $3,125  is due by Feb. 1, 2027.  Depending on exchange rates, there may be an adjustment in the amount of the final payment. 

Cancellation Policy:  Refunds of tour payments will depend upon whether a replacement rider signs up, and on costs that can be recouped. The amount refunded will be based on the principle that the tour’s remaining participants will not incur any additional cost as a result of cancellations. If the canceling participant is replaced, a refund will be made at that time. If the canceling participant cannot be replaced, any refund will be determined after the ride and final expense report are completed based on the above principle. 

A canceling participant who cannot be replaced will be responsible to pay Sitnica Cancellation Fees:     90 – 76 days before tour departure 10% of 3600 EUR tour fee  = 360 EUR;                                                 
75 – 59 days before departure 30% = 1080 EUR;              
58 – 45 days before departure 40% =1440 EUR; 
44 – 15 days before departure 80% = 2880 EUR;  less than 15 days before departure 100% =3600 EUR.    

If a single participant cancels and another roommate cannot be found, in addition to other costs that cannot be recouped the canceling roommate will also be liable for any solo supplement hotel charges incurred by the roommate remaining on the tour. BAC encourages members to purchase trip cancellation insurance.

The BAC Ride Fee and Payment Processing Fees are not refundable unless the entire tour is canceled because the number of participants registered is less than the minimum established for the tour.  

Participant Responsibility: Please remember that BAC Ride Leaders are volunteers, and that successful tours depend on participants providing much of their own support. Participants are expected to come to the ride well trained, in good health and ready to accomplish the required daily riding using well-maintained bicycles. All participants should accept responsibility for a safe and enjoyable tour. We encourage you to read the ride description carefully and respond to requests from the Ride Leader. While on the ride, support your Ride Leader with offers to help with various tasks such as happy hour preparation and cleanup. Please do not interfere with the ride by inviting non-participants onto any portion of the ride or tour. Please keep the Ride Leader informed of any special request you might have and respect the Ride Leader’s decisions.

Insurance Statement: BAC maintains two accident insurance policies for : a) United States, and b) Foreign (all other countries). Both the U.S. and Foreign accident policies are considered secondary policies to your personal medical insurance policy. They are subject to a $1000 deductible and may not cover all expenses related to an accident. Copies of the current policies are located under the “Docs” tab on the BAC website.

Before participating in any BAC tour, you should assess whether your medical and travel insurance coverage is sufficient. While touring internationally, i.e., outside of the U.S., BAC maintains foreign accident insurance to assist with expenses related to accidents, medical emergencies (including sudden and unexpected sickness), and repatriation. Insurance will apply door-to-door for treatment and travel for a maximum of 90 days overall. Coverage extends to a limited period spanning the published BAC trip dates, allowing for side trips occurring before and after the BAC ride; the limitation period is 7 days before or after the published BAC trip dates. The policy covers the cost of treatment for Covid and other unexpected illnesses, but not quarantine.

Sign Up: To register for this ride, use the sign-up links just above the Ride Description. After preliminary acceptance, you will be moved to the pending list and receive an email requesting you to go back to the BAC site to digitally accept the terms of the Release of Liability (ROL), and pay the Tour Deposit and the non-refundable $150.00 foreign BAC Ride Registration Fee by credit card. As soon as your deposit has been processed, your name(s) will be added to the Participant List. BAC members with questions may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.