Cycle the Balkans

I struggled to find another company that offers such a unqiue tour like this one to see 4 Balkan countries. Having been to 4 of the other Balkans already I knew somewhat what to expect but Montenegro and Albania delivered some of the most beautiful scenery of them all by var. The climbs are tough and hill climb training is really important if you want to enjoy some of the days, but once you reach the summit this is quickly forgotten, as others say it is stunning and some of the best routes I have cycled around the world.

Nice opportunity to spent a couple of weeks cycling through varied terrain and four countries. Most of the time is spent in Montenegro, which is a very mountainous country.

A fantastic introduction to the Western Balkans. Good fitness is required, some tough climbs but scenery is so worth it!

A good trip. The views in the mountains and along the gorges were amazing. There were some long hard rides uphill and some long downhills. The trip was well organised with some transfers between places. The guide organised coffee stops, lunch and evening meal restaurants most of which were good.

A great trip covering some (as yet) relatively un-visited parts of Europe. I was inspired to book after reading 'To The Lake' by Kapka Kassabova, but had no idea how spectacular the mountain scenery would be or how vexed the relationships between Albania, Kosovo, N Macedonia and their neighbours to N, E & S - credit to our guide (Dhimo) for bringing this to life. I'd like to return to hike the Accursed Mountains and spend more time around Ohrid / Prespa under warmer conditions.

A fantastic itinerary through four Balkan countries, all offering scenic views, good cycling , excellent food and just enough historic places of interest. Challenging cycling climbs rewarded with spectacular long descents.

The tour is well paced for both distance and difficulty through beautiful scenery with some long climbs and exhilarating descents. We travelled the first two weeks of May and were very lucky with the weather with the rain staying away for almost all of the trip. The tour took us through glorious sunshine and took us right up to the snow.

Great trip and fantastic itinerary going through 4 countries ( crossing the borders by bike, was a lot of fun!). This trip is more on the challenging side with long climbs and several days spent in the mountains. The views from the mountain roads were fantastic and made us forget about the climbs. It was also a fantastic way to discover the history of this region going form Ottoman empire to Communist / modern era. The food was really good, a lot of local cheeses, grilled vegetables and olive oil. Great to refuel after a day spent cycling! The hotels selected were great and some of them even features a hot tub and a sauna to relax in the evening.

Met expectations - 4 countries in 2 weeks. Well constructed itinerary for the two weeks. Centrally located Hotels were good. This is a cycling trip with quite long well graded uphills and downhills most days. Sturdy (heavy) bikes handled the down hills confidently. Cultural visits were limited to a couple of hours in Ohrid, Peje & Prizren and Kotor. We did get an afternoon in Tirana to explore by our selves. Food was good - lots of cheese and seasonal veg. Friendly locals smoke a lot! Weather went from hot and humid to very wet to cool and then back to hot. Roads were generally quite but some sections were busier. Roads surfaces were mainly better than the UK, driving standards were variable - very few other cyclists on the road.

Great scenery especially Montenegro

A challenging and beautiful journey through Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Montenegro with breath-taking scenery. The cycling was challenging with lots of climbing, but the bikes that we were provided with were perfectly geared for and suited to the terrain. There were regular re-groups on the hills as everyone climbs at their own pace and is able to enjoy the holiday at a pace that suits them. Delicious healthy and reasonably priced meals were provided in the hotels and cabins that we stayed in. Our guide Joshua was knowledgeable and efficient and provided us with information each day about the route and some background history. He arranged for a local guide in each country we visited to give their personal perspective and an opportunity to ask questions about the complex history of the region.

The challenges were so worth while. The guide and driver/mechanic Dimitri and Juli were lovely guys. Juli made you smile every time he passed us slogging up the hills :) We saw different kinds of villages and towns, some busy some remote, all with their own charm. Having everything organised for you frees your mind to just enjoy the wonderful scenery and sweeping descents (some a little scary).

The Balkans cycle trip has magnificent, spacious mountains and lakes. It's an adventure, not knowing exactly what the weather or the mountains will challenge you with. A discovery each day, staying in high alpine mountains or by the spectacular Lake Ohrid. Likewise, the sea at Kotor and absorbing the cultures and religions of each country.

This has to be without doubt the most fantastic trip we have ever done, with breath-taking scenery around every corner. Josh, Dhimitri and Juli were full of local knowledge, well organised and complimented each other as a team. If you have never cycled a steep hill without some motivational Queen or Ram Jam then you have never met Juli! Accommodation and food varied, as you might expect, but was well above what we have experienced on other trips and generally superb. The roads were quiet for the most part, but some busy sections with manic drivers have to be negotiated, but no worse than in the UK.

Exodus has done well to allow us to cycle the best bits of 4 different countries in 2 weeks. Some epic climbs but all manageable and the grading at 'moderate/ challenging' is about right. You always got to enjoy the downhills as well. The accommodation was fine except for one guesthouse which I believe has now been removed from the itinerary. Remember, this is a new trip and Exodus are still ' fine tuning' it. Food was excellent and the group as a whole gelled well together. If you want to cycle 4 countries that are uncommon to cycle in, I would not hesitate in recommending this trip