UNESCO Sites Of Albania Bike Tour Reviews page 3
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★★★★★ Bob Anderson
Best Albania bike group!
This was our first group bike tour and we could not have been happier. Albania is an amazing country to visit.
Biking- the daily biking takes you through outstanding scenery ranging from lake views, forest, mountain views, rural agriculture farms to palm tree lines views of the Ionian Sea. The roads were generally great with some rough spots in the mountains. Traffic was light, just needed to share the road with goats, sheep and horse drawn wagons.
Food- the meals were served family style giving us the opportunity to try lots of different thing we would not normally be able to do on our own. We were served lots of fresh vegetables, cheese and bread. No one ever went away from the table hungry. Would love to get recipes for several of the dishes we were served. We visited several outstanding restaurants with service and awesome decor.
Lodging- the hotel selection was very comfortable with good beds and pillows. Location and views very good. One area that could use improvement is the shower facilities in a few of our lodging locations. The service provided by our Albanian lodging owners was very friendly and helpful.
Guides- our biking guide was Demetrie and he did a fantastic job, I can not say enough good about his job performance. His historical knowledge of the country was outstanding. We really appreciated the personal insights he contributed every day of our tour. We learned so much about the country that we never would have without taking a guided bike tour. The support vehicle driver, Bato, was always there when you needed him. Constantly filling water bottles and helping with luggage all with a smile.
I encourage you to take advantage of this outstanding tour. It was great to met fellow bikers from around the world and share time and make new friendships.
Tour time- first week of October, 2022
Bob Anderson
Iowa - USA- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- This is our third European bike tour.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Susan Cleary
Amazing!
My friend and I did the UNESCO Albania tour (self guided)and it exceeded all our expectations.
The routes were breathtaking. Riding through the mountains, even in the rain,
I felt like we were in a virtual reality ride.Our tour guide, Aldo was fantastic.
Every morning he checked our bikes and made sure we had everything we needed. He would also be seen in the hotels mornings and evenings helping serve meals and drinks.The sag driver, Fitim, was wonderful too.
He would wash bikes after rainy days, make sure we had water and occasionally give a whistle if we happened to take a wrong turn and he was in the vicinity.The hotels were great with one exception, however, the others certainly made up for it especially the first and last night.
Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
Thank you Aldo and Fitim!- What was the date of your tour?
- April 19
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Rhonda Aliah
Fantastic adventure!
The perfect way to experience Albania from the saddle of great bikes. Erlis and Tani were wonderful, caring, capable and very courteous. I was the slowest cyclist and their reassuring presences made the trip very enjoyable. Had a great time! Would love to explore more someday.
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★★★★★ Bill P
Better than I ever imagined.
This tour is a great way to experience the beautiful country of Albania- a fascinating country I knew very little about. Our local tour leader was resourceful, knowledgeable, and passionate about both biking and his native country. The bikes were very good; I had and e-bike; even so, the biking was challenging, but definitely worth the challenge. Very good local meals with lots of camaraderie with my fellow travelers- an interesting and lovely mix of people from all ages, countries, and biking abilities. I have long been a passionate biker, but this was my first organized bike tour, including first one in the mountains! It won’t be my last. I can’t wait to go on my next one! Kudos to both Bike Tours and Cycle Albania.
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-20, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First organized tour.
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Elaine
A Fabulous Trip
First time biking as a way to visit a country and it was fabulous! I chose Albania as it was still untouched by tourism, the reviews were good, and it looked beautiful. Experiencing this beautiful country and its people while biking through its landscape fufilled my expectations beyond what I could imagine. The scenery was spectacular! And biking is a way to go! Our guide, Arijan and his assistant, Bato, were organized, patient, helpful, informative, and fun! We were in good hands! We had a group of 4 Americans, 4 Brits, and 2 Germans, which resulted in good exchanges and great conversations. I was thrilled with the variety and challenges of the varied terrain, but at age 70 an electric bike made the trip possible and enjoyable. The climbs would have been very difficult without one. I had read some reviews before signing on and took the good and necessary advice of training before going. Without training, this trip would be difficult. The bikes were in good condition and worked well considering a few of the rough roads we encountered. Our guides handled the varied paces of the group very effectively. The hotels were quite adequate with the exception of one mountain guest house, which was minimally adequate. The food was
abundant and very good. I highly recommend this tour company and the tour of Albania specifically! You will not be disappointed! It was a most memorable travel experience!- What was the date of your tour?
- October 12-21, 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- First one!
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Timr
Beautiful Country, Great Cycling Excellent Value
So much fun. Friendly people, great food, some challenging rides and bumpy roads, but that just made it more interesting. Learned so much history of this area. Tour provider was very attentive and helpful. Bikes were excellent touring hybrids (all were new or nearly new Giant bikes. Bring your sunscreen, appetites and climbing legs!
- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2019
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Pedal
Wonderful surprise
Beautiful country, great food. We had a wonderful guide, Ted
- What was the date of your tour?
- Started on Sept 23
- How many tours have you completed?
- A number in the US
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Roxana Miranda
Great adventure to be discovered, amazing places, people and food
The tour is perfectly described online and the guides are excellent; same for food which was above average at every location; accommodations are perfect. Suggest renting e-bike unless you bike 7/365 on uphills; we had very hot weather (up to 37C) and it was hard even on e-bike just because of the heat, hard to find shade! We were 19 people in our tour and the guides (Erlis and Rimi) were wonderful, friendly and knowledgeable. Albania is waiting for you to discover, laid back people, excellent food and very cheap compared to other European cities. Highly recommend.
- What was the date of your tour?
- September 3, 2022
- How many tours have you completed?
- first one
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Elmo
Albanian wonderland
Amazing country. Wonderful riding. Best guides Eerlis,Yuli and Ted. Recommend highly. Maybe best ever bike trip. 4 Americans. All else Canadians,Brits,Hollanders Aussies and Germans
- What was the date of your tour?
- August 38
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Jim n Anne
Not To Be Missed
Albania is a wonderful cycling destination, and the tour company did an excellent job with the route, rental bikes, support, accommodations. The hotels/inns were amazing; comfortable, beautiful, excellent locations. The bikes were well suited to the terrain and conditions. It's impossible to overstate the beauty of the country, and a bicycle is the best way to appreciate the magnificent scenery. The roads are in good condition, but the inclines can be steep; it is necessary to train for this trip. But don't put off a visit to Albania; it's a complex, exotic country with easy-going, proud citizens who are eager for visitors.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 2018
- How many tours have you completed?
- Several dozen
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ riverhiker
Best of both worlds, self-guided but with an accompanying driver
The scenery was amazing. I highly recommend this company and this trip. The roads varied from recent resurfaced smooth pavement to a slalom course of potholes. However, since on the pothole roads the traffic amounted to maybe seven cars an hour, there was plenty of space to dodge the holes. In all but a couple of stretches, the busier roads had good shoulders. And there were some roads that had both a good surface and little traffic. How often does that happen?Do be prepared to climb. Those elevation profiles don't lie.
Hotels varied from high end to very basic depending on the locale. If you are in the middle of nowhere and have great scenery and no traffic, there are going to be compromises. When I rate the accommodations a four instead of five, it is because of the limited options out in the countryside. This is through no fault of the tour company but it would not be fair to readers of this review to have them think everything is up to US standards.
Since we were self-guided, breakfast was the only meal provided. In all cases it was totally adequate and a couple of times, outstanding
The bicycles were quality and in good shape.
We did a self-guided trip and had thought that would involve just having the luggage moved for us. They gave us a driver that was with us the whole time. Not only did he transport our luggage, if the route out of town had any turns, he led us out and also waited at any tricky turns along the way. Great job Elvis!!!!
I can highly recommend this trip. Do go in the off season like we did so the coast is not crowded and go now. They are improving a lot of the roads which I am sure will lead to more traffic. Also, as the country becomes more affluent there will be more cars on the road.- What was the date of your tour?
- Oct 3rd
- How many tours have you completed?
- seven
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Ashley A
My favorite trip ever!
This was an incredible trip! I can't say enough how wonderful the guides were, and how much I loved seeing Albania. The meals were amazing (if you love grilled veggies and cheese as much as I do, you'll be in heaven), the accommodations were better than I expected, and the bikes were fantastic. The hills and mountains made the biking pretty challenging some days, but in a great way. Make sure you train before this trip, but don't miss the opportunity! If I could rate it a 12/10, I would.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 27 August
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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BikeTours.com staff reply from Jim Johnson, founder and president
Ashley, thanks so much for the rave review! I'm delighted you loved the tour as much as I did last year. It ranks among my favorites--and I'm sure always will. I hope others will take the opportunity to explore Albania soon, while it remains the amazing gem it is today.
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★★★★★ Wendy
First bike tour & trip over seas!
A wonderful way to be immersed in Albanian culture, history, foods and drink! Guide was thoughtful, anticipated all our needs and was a wealth of information. Riding provided ample opportunity to experience changing topography and breath taking views. Wonderful meals of locally sourced foods. A great international group to ride, eat and relax with. This tour was outstanding!
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 7, 2017
- How many tours have you completed?
- This one only
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Lilia
The time of my life.
It was my first bike tour. And this is the perfect way to explore the country. I am really impressed. Wonderful country, breathtaking views, warm friendly people and really helpful professional guides. I am absolutely happy that I chose Albania. And of course will continue bike tours to other places as well.
- What was the date of your tour?
- 11 -20 October 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Ray1
lovely country, great guide and driver..Junid and Nick were terrific hosts for their country
We saw the poorest country in Europe up close but one filled with hardworking, friendly people determined to build an economy and a tourist industry. Awesome scenery, and a running commentary from trip leader Junid. Great meals, and a wonderful group from a half dozen nations.
- What was the date of your tour?
- Aug 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 8
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ JimI
Great Trip Great Biking
The Guide was fantastic. The bikes were excellent. The hotels and guest houses were excellent' The food was excellent and plenty o it. The scenery was varied and all beautiful. The towns and villages on the tour were very interesting and beautiful. This was a great tour. Can't say one thing bad about it.
- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- 20
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, First-time bike tourists, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Anne and Bob
Albania: best unheard of destination in Europe!
If we had any concerns about choosing an unusual destination in Europe for our first international cycling tour, it was quickly put out of our heads as soon as we landed in Tirana. All arrangements were taken care of by our local tour company, Cycle Albania. A very friendly Albanian man picked us up promptly at the airport and took us to our hotel. We met our group and guide (Junid) for the next 2 weeks and set off on the adventure of a lifetime. A van transferred us to our starting point and we began to see a country that has a long difficult history of oppression, but is fully alive and growing into the 21st century. From carts pulled by donkeys, goatherds in the middle of the road, young boys shouting out greetings to us, fields of crops, vegetables, flowers, magnificent mountain views, wonderful seacoast panoramas, and visits to UNESCO world heritage sites, we are totally convinced that bicycle tourism is the way to go Some members of our group chose to ride e-bikes and that was helpful in maneuvering the many hills/mountains of our routes, but still giving the complete bicycle experience.
Junid was the best guide ever.....his knowledge of his country and ability to translate for us gave us a complete Albanian experience. He was ever eager to accommodate us in all ways. We stayed in hotels which were top of the line to the best that was available...always clean and adequate. All our meals were in restaurants along our route and more than adequate. We ate so much, we were never hungry!! Junid chose dishes that were Albanian and locally grown and prepared. Always lots of fresh vegetables.
After 8 days of cycling and 3 days of kayaking and relaxing on the Albanian Riviera, we returned home completely satisfied with our experience and will now be looking for ways to find another adventure off the beaten path.- What was the date of your tour?
- July 1 - 13, 2016
- How many tours have you completed?
- Only 1 international
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Lisa Luyckx
A Don’t Miss Tour
We just completed the ten day Albania UNESCO self-guided tour and I can’t say enough good things about it. Our tour guide Aldo made our experience in Albania all the more richer. He was available always for any help we needed, from servicing our bikes, to serving food, to making sure we were all set with our hotels to answering any questions we had. He did all of the above with a smile on his face. Our sag driver Fitim, who also helped keep the bikes clean and serviced, was always at the ready with water and a smile. We were in awe of the beautiful countryside and the friendliness of the hard working people of Albania. We truly felt like we saw the real
Albania on this beautiful route. I would recommend this tour whole heartedly.- What was the date of your tour?
- April 2024
- How many tours have you completed?
- 4
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- As expected
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
-
★★★★★ Karen Norlin
Albania is a wonderful destination!
The tour was great!. The bikes were in excellent condition. I didn't realize that the terrain was so mountainous, so I'm really glad I went for an e-bike. I really liked that most days included a side trip by bike or walking to explore the area. Each day had just the right amount of stops for coffee, snacks and lunch. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and courteous, and went out of his way to accommodate special requests. The food was great, all local, fresh, and authentic. Accomodations ranged from nice hotels in the cities to rustic cabins in the countryside to seaside resorts, which made me feel like I was experiencing the diversity of the country. One negative is that our group had 20 participants, which is the maximum for this trip. Although our guide and driver were able to easily handle this large a group, I would probably prefer being in a smaller group. I also would have liked a rest day in the middle of the trip, to allow some time to recover before the last 2 big climbing days, and provide an opportunity to spend a day exploring outside of the tour itinerary. I have been raving about this trip to my friends and family, and would not hesitate to recommend this trip to anyone looking for a biking adventure in Europe.
- What was the date of your tour?
- June 3, 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- This was my fourth group bike tour
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat harder
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- Solo travelers
- Do you recommend this tour?
- Yes
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★★★★★ Richard Radonis
Albania unleashed
From sea level to 7000 feet, Ionian Sea to hairpin mountaintop switchbacks, beautiful countryside abound.
Lodging was so different from the day before with local cuisine 3x a day. Vineyards, olive orchards, apple orchards, etc, fruit trees everywhere. Ebikes made it all possible for the average biker, but doable for the hard-core pedal pusher. Arjan, our guide, was awesome. He made it so much more enjoyable and seamless- What was the date of your tour?
- October 2023
- How many tours have you completed?
- 1
- Difficulty (actual vs. expected)?
- Somewhat easier
- Who is this tour suitable for?
- First-time bike tourists, Solo travelers, Families with teens
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