Ideas for Balkan route improvement?

Route planning
1

Hi all,

Planned a route for next year through the Balkans, have only visited Montenegro and Albania before but would like some input of fellow riders who have been there and have some ideas how to improve the route. Thanks!

2

Hi,

I would suggest to take the ferry from Fierze to Koman / Shkodra. Feels like a boat tour on an Norwegian fjord.

You could stay the night in Bajram Curri and get the ferry from Fierze in the morning. Get the ticket online in advance.

Just my 50 cents :wink:

Marco

3

If you have not been there already, Kotor is worth a visit. And you will have a spectacular view on the bay, if you take the hairpins from Lovćen National Park down to Kotor…

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4

Well done Stef!
But: ViaPoint 24 should be moved according your description …

2026-09-20 19_44_24-Ultimate_Balkan_Knaller_Full_Highlights
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Red dashed line = your route - blue line the new one with the serpentines. And be sure to visit Kotor - it’s really worth it, believe me.

5

Just fore me to know. How much time do you schedule for this trip?

6

I’ve been to Kotor but didn’t do the hairpins, could check it out :grin:

7

So for my last mototrip of 4500 km I had 2 weeks and it worked fine. Now for this one I think it will suffice too if the transit there doesn’t take too long ( I would go there with a trailer)

8

Thank you, yes I’ve moved some waypoints which kept the original names. I’ll change it :grin:

9

Thank you! Will consider this :slight_smile:

10

The picture was taken here:

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So you don‘t have to go the whole way down, if you know Kotor already and don‘t want to spend time there again.

11

What kind of bike do you ride and what kind of roads are you looking for? I made a similar trip this year in June, mainly on very small and bumpy roads, with a decent amount of gravel and rocks. If that’s what you’re interested in, I might have some tips. (All doable on a Scrambler.)

Like Marco_R, I definitely recommend taking the old R1 through the mountains above Kotor. Also, I took the coastal road right along the waterfront of the Bay of Kotor. There wasn’t that much traffic, and the views are amazing. I completed that day by taking the “panoramic road” south of lake Shkoder to the city of Shkoder. One of the best rides of my life, that day!