Spring 2018
Adriatic Ride
Spend six days cycling through Southern California’s beautiful desert landscapes
About the Ride
This four-country road biking tour is the ultimate journey to explore the diverse and culturally rich countries that border the Adriatic Sea
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Cavtat/Dubrovnik, Croatia
Bicycle with us through Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Albania to experience stunning landscapes from towering mountain ranges and deep blue lakes to the idyllic Adriatic Coast. Here you will also find remarkable architecture, charming old towns, classic Mediterranean cuisine, and Southern Europe’s most treasured natural areas.
Event Details
Positive Planet Impact
Full Event Story
Dubrovnik, Croatia, known for its majestic city walls that overlook the Adriatic Sea, is our starting point for this event. We begin with a shuttle to Montenegro’s mountain town Kolasin, then travel through quiet villages that were hardly accessible two years ago. We descend to the largest lake in the Balkans, the stunning Lake Skadar which straddles two countries, and then we’ll dip into Albania for the night. We’ll bike downhill along the 25 switchbacks of the Kotor Serpentine to reach the stunning Bay of Kotor. After exploring the alleyways of the fortified medieval town of Kotor, we’ll bike to Perast and its islands, and then onto Ston, another beautiful walled town before heading back to Dubrovnik.
In true Climate Ride style, we’re going to bike through four countries, experiencing iconic climbs and descents, and centuries of multicultural history. Through our local guides, we’ve put together an incredible adventure with important sustainability connections. We’ll meet organic farmers, conservationists, local development leaders, and National Parks managers.
This is a special Climate Ride Funders Trip and the proceeds directly support Climate Ride’s work (no beneficiary selection for this event). Your fundraising will benefit the programs and efforts of Climate Ride including our community scholarships for young sustainability leaders. You are helping us grow the organization to become an advocacy powerhouse that engages people in the world of active environmental philanthropy and sustainable solutions. All donations are tax-deductible.
We have daily cycling mileages to suit all types of cyclists. This is a fully-supported ride which means you can focus on the pedaling and making connections with your new friends while we take care of everything from overnight details, meals, snacks, luggage transport, and more.
Photo Gallery
Itinerary Overview
Itinerary subject to change, your Ride Guide will include full details.
Arrival
Today we meet you at the Dubrovnik airport in the morning or at our hotel in Cavtat. We shuttle to Podgorica (~4 hours), in the mountains of Montenegro. During the shuttle, you will experience various different landscapes, as we move from the Adriatic Coast to the mountains. Once we arrive in Podgorica we’ll jump on a train for one of the epic train rides in the Balkans. The train departs at 16:03 from Podgorica and takes 1hr 30 mins to our destination, Kolasin, a small town surrounded by the Tara and Moraca Rivers. Kolasin, founded by Turks in the 17th century, is now a destination for winter sports. Once we arrive in Kolasin, we’ll check into our hotel and then meet for a bike fitting, welcome, orientation meeting, and dinner.
Bike 43 Miles | Elevation Gain: 3609 ft
Starting in Kolasin, we bike along Tara River and then climb to a pass at Komovi Mountain, a beautiful massif, and the most western outpost of the “Accursed Mountains”, which are shared by Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. After panoramic views (a shuttle will be available if you need help on this climb) we have a great downhill through tiny villages to the very small town of Andrijevica in the Lim Valley. We’ll meet a representative of a regional development agency at the traditional meeting spot of local tribes in Andrijevica for an introduction to local development issues, challenges, and success stories. We’ll sample local food provided by the “Slow food” convivium. We continue cycling to Plav and Lake Plav, a beautiful glacial lake. We’ll meet a representative of the National park “Prokljetije” – the youngest protected area of Montenegro. Tonight our evening will include local dishes, folklore music, and dances. We’ll stay in two hotels tonight since Plav/Gusinje are small villages.
Bike 69 Miles | Elevation Gain: 4921 ft
Today we explore quiet Albanian mountain villages and then onto the “ Balcony of Enver Hoxer”. We bike a road which was only very recently rebuilt and therefore now conveniently connects this beautiful mountainous part of Albania with the city of Shkodra. While cycling, we can still feel that this area was very hardly accessible only two years earlier. The major challenge of today is to climb the “Balcony”, a serpentine road built during the era of the dictator “Enver Hoxer”. On top, take a rest and enjoy the view back, before a big downhill to the biggest lake of the Balkans, Lake Skadar. Lake Skadar is two-thirds in Montenegro and then dips into Albania. On the Montenegrin side, an area of 400 sq km has been protected by a national park since 1983; now Skadar is renowned as one of Europe’s top bird habitats. The park includes steep mountains, island monasteries, clear waters, and beautiful meadows of water lilies. In the region of Lake Skadar, there are 20 monasteries, churches, villages, fortresses and sacred monuments. This lake is witness to Montenegrin history beginning in the 11th century and has been untouched by development or commercialization – at least for now. After the downhill, we continue to Shkodra (there is a shuttle available for the last 35 km). Tonight, we stay in Shkodra, the 2nd biggest city of Albania. For dinner, we’ll visit a “field to table” restaurant near Shkodra.
Bike 45 Miles | Elevation Gain: 4068 ft
Today we bike the southern shoreline of Lake Skadar. Crossing the border back into Montenegro, we explore a remote and very unique region – sleepy villages, ancient chestnut groves, monastery islands, a prison island, vineyards – all surrounded by stunning panoramas. Our ride concludes in Virpazar on Lake Skadar, a small fishing village wrapped around its town square. For dinner, we’ll taste typical dishes from the lake combined with locally produced wine. A representative of an NGO protecting the bird life of Lake Skadar will introduce you to the national park and their work.
Bike 31 Miles | Elevation Gain: 2789 ft
After breakfast, we shuttle (1 hr) to Cetinje, the former royal capital of Montenegro. We’ll bike across the historical center before climbing to National Park Lovcen, which rises above the Bay of Kotor. At the top of the climb, lies the mausoleum of Petar Njegus, Montenegro’s ‘Poet-Prince’, who is considered to be the country’s most important historical person. Then we’ll bike the most beautiful downhill Montenegro has to offer – the 25 serpentine turns with full panoramas above the bay of Kotor. We’ll bike right to the old town of Kotor to spend the afternoon in the walled Venetian city. Tonight, we’ll meet with a professor who will give an introduction to sustainable tourism development in Montenegro.
(Optional: you can book a guided tour in Kotor at your own expense)
Bike 52 Miles | Elevation Gain: 4134 ft
In the morning we’ll bike 27 miles to see the highlights of the Bay of Kotor – Perast and its islands. (There is a shuttle if you need help on a 900m climb.) Lunch is at an organic farm, before our downhill to Trebinje. This small medieval town, located near the Croatian border, is part of Republika Srpska, also known as the Serb Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The town is filled with small houses, Ottoman bridges, and is the heart of wine country in Herzegovina. Dinner tonight is at a winery where we’ll meet a representative of a local development organization.
Bike 50 Miles | Elevation Gain: 2264 ft
Today we begin cycling alongside a former Yugoslavian railway track the “Ciro” heading toward Croatia. We’ll ride by the vineyards of Trebinje, which once were famous for supplying the emperor in Vienna. We cross the border into Croatia and arrive at Slano at the coast. Then we begin our last climb before entering the walled town of Ston. To celebrate, we’ll taste Ston’s oysters and locally produced wine. Then we shuttle (45min) back to Dubrovnik where we’ll spend our last night in the old town.
(Optional: you can book a guided tour of Dubrovnik’s old town at your own expense)
Departure
After breakfast, we transfer to Dubrovnik’s airport. Or consider extending your stay in Croatia.
Ready to get started?
FAQs and More Info
Arriving & Departing (Important Information)
Arriving
We advise arriving in Dubrovnik a day before the ride start or earlier to avoid issues with delayed flights and jet lag. Our trip meets in Cavtat, a smaller village close to the airport. In your ride guide, you’ll find information on pre-ride hotels in Cavtat.
Departing
We will help arrange airport transfers at the conclusion of the ride.
Accommodations & Meals
This is an all-hotel trip. A single supplement ($240) may be available if you prefer your own room and there is availability at the hotels. Otherwise, we will try to pair with another cyclist in our group. However, we cannot guarantee that we can pair you with another cyclist.
All meals and snacks are included once we arrive, excluding alcohol and incidentals. Please see what is included and not included below.
What is included? Not included?
Included:
Accommodations and meals
Expert guides and route support
Not Included:
All air tickets with airport taxes
Bike. You can bring your own bike or you can rent a bike:
–Touring Bike, helmet (you can rent for $200). These are basic Trek hybrid bikes. If you prefer a bike that is high-end or a particular fit for you, we suggest bringing your bike!
–E-Bike, helmet. There is limited availability – let us know ASAP if you wish to rent an E-bike. it is $260 for the event.
Alcoholic drinks and other beverages during meals outside tour inclusion
Any optional tour
Tips for guide, driver, boat crew & hotels’ porters (in your ride guide we will indicate recommended tips)
What are the travel documents/passports required for traveling to Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovia, and Albania?
You will need a valid U.S. or E.U.passport (valid at least 3 months or you can be denied entry). If you are a passport holder from another country please check your country’s regulations.
U.S. and E.U. citizens do not need visas are needed to enter these countries.
Is my U.S. medical insurance valid while traveling outside the U.S.? Can I get travel insurance?
Many domestic health insurance companies do not provide coverage outside of the United States, and, before leaving for the event travelers should speak with their healthcare providers to determine if they will be covered. Several private insurance companies offer short-term travel medical insurance. Check out Allianz Travel Insurance, World Nomads, or other comparable companies.
We highly recommend travel insurance. Remember, travel insurance can only cover expenses you have paid for (flights, additional hotels, etc). It cannot cover your fundraising.
Can I use my U.S. debit or credit card?
Yes, credit cards and debit cards are accepted throughout these countries. There are ATM machines in larger cities. When we are in smaller villages you may want local currency to purchase incidentals.
Fundraising Beneficiaries
This is a special Climate Ride Funders Trip and the proceeds directly support Climate Ride’s work. Your fundraising will benefit the programs and efforts of Climate Ride including our community scholarships for young climate leaders. You are helping us grow the organization to become an advocacy powerhouse that engages people in the world of active environmental philanthropy and sustainable solutions. Because of this, you cannot change your beneficiary selection after registering. All donations are tax-deductible.
Fundraising and Transfer Deadlines | Important Dates
Fundraising Deadlines:
| $500 to be raised by: | TBD |
| $2000 to be raised by: | TBD |
| $4,000 to be raised by: | TBD |
Transfer Deadline: There are no transfers for this event. Donations are non-refundable.
Note: If you’d like to register after or near a fundraising deadline, don’t worry, we’re here to help you get up to speed!
More Questions?
Be sure to review our general FAQ and policies or contact us!