Balkan-Carpathians-Albanian Alps Tour 1

Stage for the day 188 km!
After breakfast together at our hotel and a short briefing, we set off on our journey. We pick up the motorcycles at our starting point in our Meet&Greet location in Trogir and get them ready to go. At the start, the clock is set to 9:00 a.m. 

Off we go on an adventure! 

To get used to the new motorcycle, we won't be riding around the world on our first stage, so we'll take it easy and only tackle a relatively short stage. 
Our first stop will be Mostar. 
Mostar is a city in the south of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is crossed by the River Neretva. Its landmark Stari Most (Old Bridge of Mostar), a reconstructed medieval arch bridge, is particularly well-known. The nearby alleyways are packed with stores and market stalls, and the bridge museum traces the bridge's long history. A narrow staircase leads up to the minaret of the Koski-Mehmed-Paša-Mosque, from where there is a magnificent view over the city.

On the way there, we take the well-developed and winding roads along the Adriatic, the well-known Jadranska Magistrala, until we turn off in Omiš to reach the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina over the mountains.

Stage for the day 284 km!
A new day lies ahead of us. After a hearty breakfast, the new adventure begins around 8:00 a. m. on two wheels.

Today we continue eastwards, towards the Danube, on the way to Romania, through Serbia. We have to cross the border from Bosnia to Serbia today, as our primary destination is the Carpathian Mountains. 

Experience the natural beauty with us on the ride through Serbia's west by motorcycle to Zlatibor. Known as a ski resort in the winter months, it is popular with motorcyclists in the summer months. Yes, Serbia also has a lot to offer. Waterfalls, impressive rivers and mountains as far as the eye can see.  

Apart from its beautiful nature, Zlatibor is also known for its good food. Enjoy typical regional dishes with cheese and kaymak with us in the evening at our hotel in the perfect ambience.

By the way, there are still original houses and courtyards from the early 19th century in this area. Reconstructed and not reconstructed.

Stage for the day 241 km!
Today, too, we have an exciting journey ahead of us. 

We are approaching the mighty Danube, Europe's second longest river (by the way, the longest river would have been the Volga). We are on our way to Smederevo, a fantastic and very cultural town in the very east of Serbia, located directly on the Danube. And of course, the perfect geographical location for growing wine. Even the ancient Romans knew this, which is why the Smederevo region is probably one of the oldest and best-known wine-growing regions in Europe today. So, if you love wine, you've come to the right place.

Before that, however, we make a stop at the Risovača Cave. The cave is another famous site in Europe and dates back to the Palaeolithic Age. Archaeologists have found various fossils here, including the remains of mammoths, cave bears, prehistoric lions, rhinos, buffalo and other animals from the Palaeolithic period.

So don't be fooled, because Serbia is always good for something!

Stage for the day 299 km!
Today is the day we cross the border into Romania.
A large part of our route takes us north-east, on the Romanian side, along the Danube to the Iron Gate. A gorge and small water passage forms the border between Serbia and Romania. This gorge also separates the Carpathian Mountains from the Balkan Mountains.

So, off to Transylvania!

Here we already get a taste of what lies ahead of us, dreamlike and pristine landscapes. We ride through typical small and dreamy villages, places where not so long ago steam locomotives were used to transport everything necessary (such as animals, food and goods) between the surrounding villages. 
However, the locomotives have since been taken out of service and have simply been left where they were and today the locomotives look like monuments in the countryside.

We will spend the night in Apa Neagră, idyllic, quiet and surrounded by an enchanting landscape.

Stage for the day 230 km!
A new day is coming up. We start as usual at 8:00 a. m.
Our destination for the day is Alba Iulia (Karlsburg) in Transylvania, which means we have to cross the Southern Carpathians.

Guaranteed to be the best opportunity to ride the most beautiful panoramic road south of the Swiss Alps through the Southern Carpathians, the Transalpina.
The view of the sheer endless expanse, over the rugged peaks of the Transylvanian Alps, will take your breath away. 
The highest point of the Transalpina is the Urdele mountain pass at an altitude of 2,145 meters. 
Down in the valley, the fascinating barren and rugged landscape of the Southern Carpathians spreads out in its pure and unique beauty. 

At a stop, locals will sell you buttery polenta, cabbage rolls dipped in a spicy sauce and steaming coffee with sweet pastries in wooden huts they have built themselves. 

In September, the first snow has already fallen in some places at this altitude. 
The atmosphere is absolutely fascinating and, of course, typical of the region.

Stage for the day 255 km!
Our experiences are far from over and there are certainly no limits to them.

Because today we are already heading south again through the breathtaking Cozia National Park, before conquering the Transfăgărășan from the southwest towards the northeast. Another spectacular and extraordinary panoramic road, which is in no way inferior to the previous one. 

The Transfăgărășan connects Great Wallachia to the south of the Carpathian Arc with Transylvania to the north and has a total length of just under 150 km. The pass road is only open for four months of the year - from July 1 to October 31. 
The rest of the year it is not possible to cross due to snowfall and icing!  

The absolute highlight of this day is the glacial lake Balea. 

We won't be able to ride the whole of this dream road today, so we'll spend the night in the middle of the adventure, in the Făgăraş Mountains. 

We will be staying in rooms right next to Lake Balea.

Stage for the day 171 km!
Today we can take it a little easier, as we have a somewhat shorter distance ahead of us. 

Today we'll ride the remaining and probably more beautiful part of this pass road, the northern section, and then continue on to Bran, the actual centre of Transylvania.

Once we arrive in Bran, we will take a short breather and check into our rooms. 
Afterwards, and only those who want to, can join us on a visit to Bran Castle. Better known as Castle Dracula. 

Although it is advertised as the castle of Count Dracula from Bram Stoker's stories, there is no evidence that Vlad the Impaler, on whom the stories are based, ever lived there. Not even the storyteller Bram Stoker himself was ever in this place. 
Instead, the castle has been renamed Dracula's Castle by the Romanian tourism industry. 
But who cares about that. 

They are and always will be beautiful childhood memories.  

Stage for the day 0 km!

As promised, today is a rest day........., more or less.

Relaxation is on the agenda all day today: 
In short, you decide what you want to do with this day off.

• Sitting together with your new friends and sharing what you've already experienced
• Having a beer together at lunchtime
• or explore the town of Bran yourself

The motorcycle is of course also at your disposal on this day. 

You can also explore the area around Bran on your own. 

You can rely on it, there is a lot to discover in this region and especially on a motorcycle.

Stage for the day 354 km!
Unfortunately, this day is already over and so is our visit to the Carpathians.

Our journey continues in the direction of Albania, although this involves an even greater distance. 

On our way there, we visit one of the most beautiful Romanian towns, located directly on the Danube. 
We ride to Drobeta-Turnu Severin, not far from the Iron Gate.
A place that still has many reminders of Roman times.

Our accommodation there gives us a magnificent view of the Danube.

The place itself and a subsequent dinner together in one of the typical restaurants on the Danube will stay in your memory for a long time.

Stage for the day 422 km!
We first head back towards the Adriatic coast and through the heart of Serbia. 

We start in Drobeta-Turnu Severin, cross the border into Serbia, and how could it be otherwise, over the Iron Gate, following the route south of the Danube and not, as on the journey to the Carpathians, the northern side of the Danube.

We pass Lake Vlasina, near the Bulgarian border, and pass Kosovo. 
You can certainly call this area the poorest region in Serbia, BUT certainly not poor in culture and poor in indescribable landscapes and natural beauty. Not to mention the opportunities for motorcycling there. This Serbian plateau is simply worth a visit.

Our goal is to reach Lake Ohrid, probably the most beautiful and best-known lake in North Macedonia.
However, we have to make a stopover for the night in a small town called Surdulica, very close to Lake Vlasina.

Come with us and don't miss out on these experiences.

Stage for the day 313 km!
Today, Macedonia is on the menu and to round things off, a trip to the capital Skopje! The fact that Skopje is probably the most bizarre capital city in Europe is due to the most controversial construction project in Macedonia's history.

On the north side, on the Vardar River, is the old town and the Old Bazaar, an absolute highlight. In the Ottoman-influenced quarter, there are countless restaurants serving Macedonian and Turkish food, teahouses, stores AND mosques. Mosques as far as the eye can see. 
Each street is dedicated to a specific theme, so on one street, for example, there is one jeweler after the next and on the other street a barber after the next, and so on. 

The locals go there to shop, eat, drink tea or meet for a chat at the barber and when the muezzin calls to prayer, the carpets are rolled out on the street for prayers.
But more about this during our visit to this impressive city.

Our destination for the day is Lake Ohrid, nestled in the Galičica Mountains, on the border between Macedonia and Albania. The lake is one of the oldest lakes in the world and the oldest lake known to us in Europe. 

Here in Ohrid, with an incomparable view of the lake, we will spend the night.

Stage for the day 277 km!
Unfortunately, we must leave this wonderful place again, but we know that something fantastic awaits us shortly. We always have the Albanian Alps in front of us. Almost untouched and unique. A mountain region that can't be compared to anything, and nothing at all. Simply unique.

On the way there, however, we will make another stopover. Today, the 12th day of riding, we have the choice and the agony of having to cross national borders a total of 3 times. From Macedonia to Albania, from Albania back to Macedonia and then from Macedonia to Albania again. As we want to ride almost completely around Lake Ohrid, we have no other choice of route. 
But as has been said so often, the journey is the reward.

Arriving in Lezhë in the late afternoon, this place shows us emphatically that, contrary to many opinions, Albania is a very good place to live. Especially in the north-east of the country.
In Lezhë we will have the opportunity to call one of the most unusual accommodations our home for one night.
And a mosque is always and everywhere and omnipresent.

Stage for the day 293 km!
As predicted, the Albanian Alps are our destination. 
Today we try to make our way to Theth. 
We will only be able to find out whether the only road leading there is passable again, or finally, or still, when we are already at the entrance to the valley there. Because nobody can predict that exactly in advance.

Theth is a small village in the Bashkia Shkodra in the Albanian Alps, in what is known as the Theth Valley. It lies in the highest part of the trough valley of the Shala River, surrounded by several high two-thousand-meter peaks, Radohima to the west, Arapi to the north and Maja e Popllukës to the east.

The village itself is secluded from the outside world, and you quickly get the feeling that time has simply stood still THERE. 
Others might also say; the village behind the 7 mountains and the 7 dwarves. But that's exactly what makes it so appealing and interesting. Here you will find incredible and untouched nature at its very best. The perfect environment to explore by motorcycle.

Our final destination for the day will be Kotor in Montenegro, on the Bay of Kotor. We will reach Kotor from the south, at a high viewing point.  We will have an unparalleled view of the city of Kotor. 
Let yourself be surprised!

Stage for the day 249 km!
From Kotor to Žabljak: twists, mountains, and Durmitor National Park!
Our motorcycle journey through Montenegro continues: we set off from Kotor and leave our hotel overlooking the bay—an unforgettable panorama. From there, the route takes us back up into the mountains toward Žabljak, right at the edge of Durmitor National Park. The ride in is a real highlight: countless hairpins, epic views, and pure riding fun.

Tara Canyon & Tara River: down into Europe’s second-largest canyon!
After arriving in Žabljak, we continue on toward Tara Canyon. From there, the road drops deep into Europe’s second-largest canyon, all the way down to the Tara River. That’s where we spend the night: a hotel in the middle of nowhere, right by the river. Far away from mass tourism, we experience Montenegro’s nature in its quiet, untouched form.

Tara Bridge: viewpoint & photo stop!
Before descending to the river, we stop at the famous Tara Bridge. The view over the canyon is spectacular—perfect for a short photo session and another true highlight of the tour.

Stage for the day 0 km! – Private Rafting Tour on the Tara River!
Today is our free day — but instead of a “break,” we’ve got a real highlight: a private rafting tour on the Tara. Pure nature, crystal-clear water, dramatic canyon walls, and an experience that fits a Balkan motorcycle adventure perfectly.

Starting Point: Splavište in Durmitor National Park!
Our rafting tour begins in Splavište, right in the heart of Durmitor National Park. The transfer to the put-in is organized — you don’t have to worry about a thing, except making sure your phone has enough storage for photos and videos.

Route & Highlights on the Water!
During the rafting trip, we experience Durmitor’s untouched landscape from the best perspective possible: from the river.
Our finish point is our hotel again — spectacularly located at the foot of Ćurevac. From there, you look out over the deepest section of the Tara Gorge, which, depending on the source, reaches around 1,300 meters.

Stage for the day 237 km!
Our second-to-last day stage has arrived — unfortunately. But that’s exactly why we’re going to make it a big one.

After breakfast together on the hotel terrace, surrounded by nature you don’t find around every corner, it’s time to fire up the engines and head back to Žabljak. From there, we ride toward the Adriatic coast again — destination: Dubrovnik.

The route is a true highlight: we cross the spectacular Durmitor National Park and continue all the way to the Piva Canyon on the other side. And that’s where the kind of view happens that sticks with you — a gigantic panorama dropping into the Piva Gorge. Perfect for a photo stop and a moment to simply breathe.

Experiencing Durmitor by motorcycle is, for many riders, one of the absolute peaks of the entire trip: endless curves, wide-open space, mountains — and that indescribable sense of freedom only roads like these can deliver.

Once we arrive in Dubrovnik, we check into our rooms and then head straight into the Old Town. It’s a must — not because you “should do it,” but because it’s simply impressive. 

Genuinely worth it.

Stage for the day 242 km!
It’s done — we’re heading back to where it all began. We’ve covered a huge distance.
So far, it’s been around 3,800 unforgettable kilometers, taking us through seven countries. The final 242 km are still ahead of us.

For the last stage of our journey, we’ve saved what is probably the most beautiful stretch of the Jadranska Magistrala — the legendary coastal road along the Adriatic. A few more kilometers of breathtaking Adriatic views are still waiting for us. This road is famous for a reason: it’s widely considered one of the most stunning coastal routes in Europe.

Once we arrive in Trogir and the motorcycles are safely parked, we’ll have plenty of time for a relaxed farewell dinner together — and we’re really looking forward to it.

Afterwards, you’ll stay in the same hotel as on your arrival day.

That means you can start your journey home the next day without any rush. Or — and we recommend this to every participant — you can simply extend your stay in Trogir or the surrounding area by a few more days.

Stage for the day 0 km!
After the tour, you’ll spend one more night in the same hotel you stayed at on your arrival day — so you can start your journey home the next day feeling relaxed and without any rush.

Or — and we truly recommend this to every participant — simply extend your stay by a few days: Trogir and the surrounding area are perfect for winding down after the tour, relaxing by the sea, and enjoying a bit more of the Adriatic.

If you don’t want to extend your stay, then today is your travel day home.

Either way: thank you for your trust. We wish you a safe trip home — and many great kilometers until the next adventure.