Albania

Hotel & Bike Tour Albania with luggage transfer (guided or self-guided)
(10 days/9 nights, approx. 294 mi./470 km by bike; level 3)

Albania (Shqipëria) is rising as one of Europe’s hottest and least expensive destinations. Offering unspoiled beaches, snowcapped mountains, traditional cuisine, Cold War era artefacts, unique traditions, unrivalled hospitality and wild countryside, it’s more than ready for becoming a flourishing destination on the tourist market.

There are also some that say visiting Albania is as close as you’ll get to traveling back in time.

This tour includes also the 3 UNESCO world heritage sites of Butrint, Korçë and Gjirokastёr.

For more and updated info please visit www.inselhuepfen.com/en/alb

1st Day Tirana (Arrival)
Individual arrival at Tirana. Depending on your timetable arriving to Tirana you can enjoy a walk by yourself to Tirana until you meet the Guide and the group at the Hotel at 6 pm for the Tour Briefing. After the tour briefing we will join the Welcome Dinner.

2nd Day Qafë Thanë to Tushemisht (Pogradec) (aprx. 25 mi./40 km)
Morning transfer (distance: 69 mi./110 km/1.5 – 2 h) to the Albanian-Macedonian border. Start cycling along the lake, stopping for lunch at one of the many restaurants at the shore of the lake. After lunch continue through Pogradec to Tushemisht, near the other Albanian-Macedonian border on the south-east corner of the lake. After checking in the hotel we will ride to St. Naum in Macedonia to visit the beautiful Monastery. Don’t forget you passport.

3rd Day Tushemisht (Pogradec) to Korçë (aprx. 32 mi/51 km)
A climb out from the lake into another high plateau bounded by mountains. Continue following the gorge for a while until the hills open up leading into a vast plain, a patchwork of individual farms and colours. An early arrival in Korçë allows you to go for a cultural tour around the city known as the Paris of Albania.

4th Day Korçë to Sotire (aprx. 45 mi/72 km)
We start cycling leaving behind the agricultural plateau of Korçë climbing steadily into the border mountains through a landscape of barren rock interspersed with wild flowers. Numerous cols and valleys lie ahead, climbing into the heart of the Gramoz Mountains and over the Barmash Pass(1,159m) to Sotire lying in its own tranquil valley.

5th Day Sotire to Benje (Përmet) (aprx. 32.5 mi/52 km)
A climb out from Sotire to a high grassy plateau surrounded by soaring peaks before reaching the source of the River Vjosa and descending through its spectacular gorge to Leskovik. Descending to Çarshove and then following the corniche route high above the river to Benje situated on a bluff above the river. After lunch and checking in the guesthouse we will take a short ride to the thermal springs for a swim at the end of the Langarica canyons.

6th Day Benje to Gjirokastёr (aprx. 44 mi/70 km)
Continue along the valley towards Kelcyra the distant shark’s tooth peaks, which guards a further gorge. Ride between them to the confluence of the Drinos river following yet another gorge. This opens out into a wide plain with the town of Gjirokastёr (city of 1,000 steps) high above on your right side.

7th Day Gjirokastёr to Sarandё (via Butrint) (aprx. 44 mi/70 km)
After a fast 16 mi. (25 km) morning transfer we will start riding toward Sarandё, which lies along the Ionian coast, sandwiched between the high mountains and the sea and close to the ancient remains of Butrint. As an UNESCO World Heritage Site, Butrint is one of the county’s most important archaeological sites, tracing its origins back to the Greeks and the Romans.

8th Day Sarandё to Himarё (aprx. 33 mi/53 km)
A roller coaster of a ride, leaving as the mist is burnt off by the sun, climbing steeply out of Sarandё to a rocky plateau. Then it’s over cols into bays and around headlands, always with the stunning mountain scenery to the right and sea to the left before descending to the long beach and the bay of Himarë.

9th Day Himarё to Vlorё (aprx. 41 mi/65 km)
Today’s route is as challenging as it is spectacular. Cycling up to the Llogara pass 1,000 m above the blue water of the Ionian Sea and its National Park, home to black pine, Eurasian otter and golden eagles. The park is a scenic expanse of protected woodland that encompasses the forests on the northern side of the Llogara Pass. After lunch we cycle downhill all the way to Vlorё.

10th Day Departure (transfer time aprx. 3 hrs)
Farewell! Morning transfer from Vlorё to Tirana Int. Airport. Please keep in mind, that a transfer to Tirana airport needs aprx. 3 hours. We recommend to book a return flight that leaves after 1 pm.

GOOD TO KNOW

Level 3
This trip consists of mid to high difficulty tours through mountainous terrain with lengths of 25 – 40 mi./45 – 72 km. Our routes usually follow quiet asphalt or gravel roads with an average daily elevation of 2,427 ft./740 m. On the self-guided tours, you have the full day to cycle the tour and can complete it at your own speed, following a route description. Albanian drivers are generally very considerate of bikers.

Should you decide to take the guided tour, you will have an escort vehicle (Van, 8 seats with a trailer for up to 20 bikes) at your disposal on each tour, which transports your luggage and up to seven people. Your tour guide has expert knowledge of the region. It is important to us that everyone is able to cycle at their own pace, so it is possible that the group splits during the ascents. Should this be the case, the group generally meets at the top of the climb, or at another specified meeting point.

Should you choose to do the self-guided tour, you will receive an extensive information package, consisting of detailed maps, a GPS device, list of hotels, recommendations for restaurants, information on the most important sites as well as a small dictionary with the most important vocabulary and expressions. We also supply tools and a repair kit as well as waterproof pannier for transporting everything you need en route.

Group riding pace (guided tours)
On our regular cycling tours, the cyclists on regular bicycles determine the pace. We ask guests who have reserved an e-bike to be mindful of this and to acknowledge that the regular cyclists need time to rest and take longer to climb the hills. We thank you for your understanding.

Requirement to wear a helmet
Helmet use is mandatory on all bike rides. You are strongly encouraged to bring your own well-fitted helmet.

Weather
Albania has temperate, Mediterranean climate. In the beginning of spring temperatures begin to rise. Clear skies and pleasant temperatures provide a nice way to ease into the heat of summer. Cycling season: April to June; September to October.

Tour guides
What makes our bike tours exceed your expectations are our world-class guides. Chosen for their charisma, expertise and passion for the good life, they turn a good tour into an unforgettable experience. Multilingual with plenty of skills and know-how. Each tour has two leaders, one cycles with the group and one drives the supporting van.

Luggage Service
On the guided tour your luggage will be transported in the supporting vehicle. On the self-guided tour luggage can be left at reception desk for luggage service pick up.

Accommodation: Quality 3 – 4 star-hotels
During the tour, we stay at the best possible hotels currently reachable to us in Albania. The current infrastructure in Albanian currently allows our tours to reach 4-star hotels in big cities and 3-star hotels in smaller cities and towns with en suite facilities (according to Albanian Tourist Board grading system). We overnight in family-owned guesthouses in remote locations. The tour price covers one bed in a double room with two people. If you would like to stay in a room alone, single rooms are bookable for a surcharge of 15 euro/night depending on the hotel capacity.

Catering
The basic tour price covers a continental breakfast at the hotels, which is usually served at 7:30 am. Full board is only included in the tour price for the guided tour. If you choose the self-guided tour, lunch and dinner are not included in the tour price. However, with the information and tips we provide you will easily be able to find great places for lunch en route.

Self-guided tour

Dates & Prices (per person in a double room)

– from 1190 euro

This tour is offered from April to June and September to October and can be started on each day of the week.

Minimum number of participants: 8 people.

This tour is offered as self-guided tour with luggage transport and as guided tour.

Included services

– 9 nights hotel accommodation
– 9 x breakfast
– 30-speed rental bicycle (Giant) with waterproof panniers
– Transfers as described in the itinerary
– Luggage service from hotel to hotel
– Emergency phone

Additional optional services (self-guided tour) (on request)

– Single occupancy supplement: 135 euro/890 kn per tour (equal to 15 euro/115 kn per night)
– Transfer Tirana Airport – Tirana Town: 1 – 3 passengers 30 euro/225 kn / 4 – 7 passengers 50 euro/375 kn 
– Additional night in Tirana: Hotel Austria: Double room 35 euro/265 kn per person/night (Surcharge single room 25 euro/190 kn per night)
– Rental e-bike: 160 euro/1.200 kn per trip

Not included in the tour price (self-guided tour)

– Journey to Albania
– Drinks with meals
– Entrance fee for sights
– Lunch/Dinner
– Tip for driver and tour guide

If you would like to book the self-guided tour please send an email to our office team with your prefered starting date: info@islandhopping.com

Guided tour

Dates & Prices (per person in a double room)

– 980 euro/7.350 kn

Included services (guided tour)

– 9 nights hotel accommodation
– 9 x breakfast, 8 x lunch & 9 x dinner
– Professional English speaking tour guide
– 30-speed rental bicycle (Giant) with waterproof panniers
– Transfers as described in the itinerary
– Support vehicle with bilingual driver
– Luggage service from hotel to hotel

Additional optional services (guided tour) (on request)

– Single occupancy supplement: 135 euro/890 kn tour (equal to 15 euro/115 kn night)
– Transfer Tirana Airport – Tirana Town: 1 – 3 people 30 euro/225 kn  / 4 – 7 people 50 euro/375 kn
– Additional night in Tirana: Hotel Austria: Double room 35 euro/265 kn per person/night (Surcharge single room 25 euro/190 kn per night)
– Rental e-bike: 160 euro/1.200 kn per trip

Not included in the tour price (guided tour)

– Journey to Albania
– Taxi from Tirana airport to Tirana town: 20 euro/150 kn per way (1 – 3 people)
– Drinks with meals
– Entrance fee for sights
– Lunch/Dinner on day of departure
– Tip for driver and tour guide

For more and updated info please visit www.inselhuepfen.com/en/alb

If you would like to book this trip directly, please follow this booking link:
https://www.inselhuepfen.com/en/singletrip/?trip_id=153&trip_second_id=10000

If you have any questions about this trip before booking, please contact us by email at:
info@islandhopping.com