Albania is a country of contrasts.
Bikepacking in Albania has been the most mentally challenge part of this bikepacking trip so far.
The first impressions were not that great: trash everywhere, polluted rivers, broken streets and after cycling for a few days and being sick for more than a week in Tirana, I couldn’t wait to leave and honestly was expecting to have the same landscapes all the way to Greece.
BUT Albania had a different plan for me and more to offer than I thought!
Cycling through the Llogara pass was very challenging physically, but seeing all the beauty of Mount Çika, the picturesque villages built in the mountains and the trash situation improving, made me look differently at this country.
Albania is a beautiful country, the people are the warmest I’ve met so far and made it hard to say goodbye at the end!
#bikepackingeurope #europebybike #bikepackingtrip #eurovelo8 #untraveledroads
▬ Content of this video ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
00:00 In the previous episode…
01:19 The route…
02:10 Climbing up Mount Çika
03:16 The tough ride up the Llogara pass
05:16 Nothing better than a summit
07:31 Best food in Dhërmi
09:07 All the way to Sarandë
10:28 Freddo Cappuccino & greek-looking villages
14:37 My recap of Albania
15:52 The last 35km in Albania
17:30 Goodbye Albania, Hello Greece!
18:33 Episode 11 – bike odyssey across Europe
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If you are curious and want more insights into my #adventure, make sure you follow me on my Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/_untraveledroads_
I have set up a Patreon page where I provide EXCLUSIVE content, insights, and tips about my adventures, so if you want to support me and help me show you parts of even further away lands, check if there is something there for you. https://www.patreon.com/untraveledroads
If you need more information related to traveling in Albania or practical things you might need in your trip, I found this group on fb to be helpful: https://www.facebook.com/groups/forumalbania
10 Comments
Nice to see a different side of Albania. That looked awesome. 👌
Great singing too. 😋👍
👋Hope you enjoyed part 11 🤗. In part 12 I will make the first km's in Greece , I will follow the entire coast till the border with Turkey, which are a lot of Kilometres 🚵☺ If you are curious for some extra content and exclusive insights checkout my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/untraveledroads and if you want to support me by making more projects like the bike odyssey subscribe to my channel – Thank you 🤗🙏
This road looks stunning! I bet it is amazing to hike there as well.
I am glad you found something beautiful and changed your mind about Albania. I believe every country has good and bad parts and travelling by bike allows you to see all parts of it: the good and the bad.
The part that shocked you is the northwest of the country. That is that part that got affected the most from the unregulated capitalism that occurred during the transition years. That’s why the road and drainage infrastructure are in horrible conditions. Not everywhere though but at a lot of places. The other parts of the north, not the plains, are as beautiful as the rest of Albania.
Welcome to Greece!
don't go to athens if you have a fear of trash
Hi, really enjoyed your video's, nice work and gives a good impression on your journey, the highs and difficulties. This summer I did roughly the same trail from your episode 4 (Ljubljana) till nr 11 (Igoumenitsu), but started in Holland. You're right: a lot of heat, heavy climbing but awfully nice surroundings, very nice people and interesting history and cultures.
Beautiful Albania 😉🖐️🇦🇱
12:45 that submarine factory was very cool when i saw it for the first time
Thanks for this. I’m doing it in September (23) All the best mate 👊