Cycling Bosnia & Montenegro

Day 1
Start at our hotel in Sarajevo.

Day 2
Today's route takes us to Bjelasnica 'Olympic' and Treskavica mountains. We set off early morning from your hotel using the same route once used by the steam trains heading for Visegrad and Serbia. After a short climb we head to Bjelasnica. We’ll be using a busy road for about 20 minutes, before we start our climb up Bjelasnica. The climb is strenuous, but once up we’re treated to beautiful views of Bjelasnica and Treskavica mountains. 2 hours into the trip we descend fast to the foothills of Treskavica mountains with the beautiful emerald source of the Zeljeznica river. An ideal place for our lunch break in the shade of the many beech trees and the cooling breeze created by the various small waterfalls. After lunch we follow the river back through narrow canyons to Sarajevo. This is a well paced ride through a mixture of towns and countryside. Approx riding 77km/ 5 hours. Ascent 1158m, descent 1121m.

Day 3
This trip takes you along the former front lines of the recent war up and along the Olympic bobsledding and downhill skiing venues. It’s a day of endless views and gentle climbs on the edge of the Sarajevo Valley and Miljacka Canyon. We’ll break for lunch at the ski resort of Jahorina, before setting off down to the small city of Pale and up to our final destination of Ecofutura. At Ecofutura we'll be treated to some excellent vegetarian and organic food and a quiet night in modern straw bale chalets. Approx riding 60km/ 5 hours. Ascent 1802m, descent 1162m.

Day 4
We ride the old Ottoman caravan route connecting Sarajevo with Istanbul. Many years ago the Hajduk bandits staked out this area as their own. Harassing the caravans laden with their silver and gold on their way to Istanbul. The caravan route is endless and as the green forested countryside rolls by we slowly edge closer to the blue waters of the Drina River and the beautifully placed town of Gorazde. Tonight we sleep in quaint bungalows where the Drina and Tara rivers collide. Approx riding 76km/ 5-6 hours. Ascent 1870m, descent 2746m.

Day 5
This is a day of extremes with the deep Piva Canyon, highland villages and Durmitor National Park’s highest peaks. The road has recently been paved and significantly shortens this once huge trek. Be prepared for long steady winding inclines taking us ever higher and higher. We end the day with a fast descent down into Zabljak, Durmitor’s ski and tourism centre Approx riding 50km/ 5 hours.

Day 6
A relaxing half day ride among the various lakes in the National Park and on the edge of the Tara Canyon with breathtaking views of 800m drops below. We can then spend the rest of the day exploring and or swimming in the Black Lake. Approx riding 35km/ 3-4 hours.

Day 7
Sinjajevina mountain is more like a plateau, an elevated plain at an average height of 1600 m above sea level. This area was once well known for it numerous sheep: a pasture on top of the mountain. Indeed the biggest pasture in Montenegro. The area will enchant you with its grey-green colour, a thin layer of grass covering the big karst boulders hidden beneath the grass. This "sea of grass" will follow us for hours while we inch forward in this isolated corner of Montenegro to Kolasin our final destination for today. The road to Kolasin descends steadily leaving behind the wilderness of Sinjajevina. Approx riding 70KM/ 6-7 hours.

Day 8
After a 30 minute transfer to Moskra we start our trip along the old regional road connecting the many villages around the Piva Canyon. Our final destination of the trip is the luxuriously decorated cottages “Izlazak” (“The Rise”), built in the village of Rudinice located at the edge of the beautiful Piva. An ideal end to this enchanting road trip that takes us well and truly off the beaten path to see Bosnia’s and Montenegro’s highest peaks, wildest rivers and deepest canyons. Approx riding 70km/ 6-7 hours.

Day 9
We transfer to Sarajevo (3 hours) where we have time to relax before taking a late afternoon city tour. Sarajevo is an intriguing cultural mix, having spent over 400 years under Turkish rule before falling to the Austro-Hungarians. It was here that Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated, a key trigger in the outbreak of the Frist World War. The city’s more recent history is of course much fresher in the mind, including the Winter Olympics of 1984 and the 4 year siege of the recent conflict. Today Sarajevo is again an inviting place to explore and enjoy.

Day 10
End Sarajevo