19 independent reviews for Montenegro mountain biking vacations, self guided
Reviews for Montenegro mountain biking vacations, self guided
Deidre Vercoe review 26 Aug 2023
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole thing was memorable - it's hard to pick a highlight among the many. Virpazar was definitely a highlight. We loved getting away into quieter areas and being surrounded by spectacular scenery. Staying in the heart of Kotor old town was awesome. Seeing lots of wildlife including snakes, lizards & tortoises was a real treat. The accommodation selected for us was fantastic and the accommodation providers were always super friendly - especially in Virpazar and Budva.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The fitter you are the more you will enjoy it. The riding was challenging at times when on more rugged remote trails. Be prepared for crazy cool storms in the mountains and take loads of photos :). We travelled in May which was a great time - warm, but not too busy. It sounds like June/July is an extremely busy time of year.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Biking through more remote locations brought us into contact with more locals who hopefully benefited from our stay: accommodation, shops, restaurants. Great to be in more out of the way places. Biking in general helped reduce environmental impacts of getting around, but we still used transfers at times so not entirely guilt free.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent - loved it so much. If you're thinking about doing it - go for it! The whole trip ran very smoothly, we felt well looked after. It was great to have advice/help on hand if needed.Orit Kapon review 24 Sep 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Biking in the north part of Montenegro.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Benefited local people in advancing tourism in the area.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great experience and expert vacation management by the tour operator.Carin Roest review 22 Aug 2022
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The beautiful landscape, nice small villages and great food.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take one day extra at lake skadar. We made a wonderful trip by boat on the lake.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Difficult to say. Nice small local hotels, nice people. But I can not compare with other trips.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
As very, very good.Matthew Gittens review 28 Sep 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Lovley views and trails.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Definitely do self guided it's great to go at your own pace instructions easy to follow.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We went to less tourist areas and met some lovley local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
One of the best vacations we've had in Europe.Amy Hart review 30 Jul 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Some of the downhill rides, in particular the downhill through the Vramac range and down into Kotor Bay were truly breathtaking. We also loved the experience of crossing the borders into Bosnia and Croatia on our bicycles.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
You will definitely need to have a good level of fitness, some of the uphills were relentless. Some of the trails were also fairly bouldery and quite challenging to cycle on, so a decent level of skill is definitely required.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I definitely feel that the vacation benefited local people. All of the accommodation that we stayed in was run by families. A few of the places we went to were definitely off the beaten track, so would have benefited some of the smaller communities too.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We had a truly excellent vacation, Montenegro is an absolutely beautiful county and is well worth a visit. The team at the company who organised the trip worked incredibly hard to ensure we were ok, so thank you to them, in particular Drazen & Vlado for looking after us. My only comment, and this is purely constructive criticism, would be that the bikes could do with a service prior to them being hired out. My first bike had squeaky brakes and my husbands bike had a gear issue which caused his chain to keep falling off. We cannot complain because as soon as we made the operator aware, the bikes were replaced/repaired with no impact on our vacation, it would just have saved the operator some trouble if the bikes were ok in the first place.Margit Matthews review 5 Jul 2019
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Finding a little cafe on the side of a hill on our way to Virpazar. It came along just at the right time when we were needing some refreshments and shade. We had a lovely plate of cheese, bread and olives made for us which went down treat. They also made us cherry juice 'to go' to take with us. Another memorable moment was being given a Coca Cola bottle full of engine oil when we asked for some bike oil for our bike chains.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Check your bike carefully when you first get it, and also check that you have been supplied with the necessary bike tools for emergencies. The guys who run the company were really nice and helpful if we had any problems, but the bikes were not serviced when we got them. The company specialize primarily in hiking tours and it was evident that all but one of the guys had limited knowledge about bikes. Any ladies thinking of going on this trip may want to ask if the company would supply a ladies saddle or take your own saddle. Riding on a man's saddle on a hardtail gets a bit uncomfortable after a while. On one of the days there is an option of biking through a tunnel if you don't want to take the very long detour up a steep hill. If you want to bike through the 1.3km dark tunnel however, you need to take a torch (preferably a head torch) with you as this is not supplied. If you have a handlebar bag to put maps in take it with you.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All the accommodation was in local hotels which was good. Having said that, most of the hotels in Montenegro seemed to be private rather than chains of hotels.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We had a great vacation. We saw some nice scenery and enjoyed different terrains for biking. We also enjoyed seeing tortoises and lizards in the wild. We stayed in some nice accommodation which was organised by the tour company. They supplied a local mobile phone and responded timeously if we had any questions or requests. As mentioned before, the experience would have been even better if the bikes had been properly checked over and serviced before we started off.Anon review 15 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
This was the best vacation ever and the absolute highlight of our Europe trip. The tour was very well organised and Zoran was super knowledgeable and helpful. Every day on the bike offered different highlights and challenges, the stay in Kotor was most memorable.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you're fit and if you do not have any experience cycling uphill, practice or at least do some reading about how to conserve your energy. If you wish to stay longer, arrange to spend more time in Kotor or the old town of Bar.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It sure did as we mostly traveled by bike. The accommodation was mostly with family-run hotels.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was perfect. We could not have asked for a better vacation. If you enjoy exploring cities by bike and exercising during your vacation, this is the tour for you.Fizz Williams review 8 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Stunning scenery particularly from high above Kotor bay and walking through Kotor old town.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Cycle as many hills as possible before going!! There is a good balance between hills, coasting and downhill.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The use of local accommodation and eating out is the obvious benefit, kayaking at Lake Skadar supports local operations. Lake Skadar is a Ramsar wetland site and an amazing place to be, But they need to find a way to clear up the plastic and rubbish we saw around the shorelines and to reduce the boat speeds before they start to erode the banks around the shore and canals. Montenegro is a beautiful country and tourism will be one of their main sources of income now that they have independence. They need to set in place good environmental controls to ensure the country retains it beauty.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
The scenery, food and cycling were amazing and we would recommend it highly. The organisation was excellent in the bikes we used and transferring our luggage. Zoran was great on providing detailed information on the routes we were to do. Being given a local phone to contact him on in case of any problems was also a great idea.Mariacristina Marchitelli review 11 Sep 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Bay of Kotor, town of Kotor, Lovcen NP, Cetinje, Skadar Lake, Bar green market and old Bar2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Request the local tour guides who were assigned to (Elizabeta, Igor and Dusan); not hiring a car as roads are too steep and winding and best travelled by locals; avoid staying in/near Sv Stefan: pretty but overrated3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Purchased local products at Bar green market and, while food tasting, in Old Bar and Lake Skadar local farms.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I was extremely impressed by the scenic variety and the architectural and natural beauties of this small country. Much was relayed to me about it’s complicated history and culture which has made me keen on learning more about both. The only downside was moving to Sv Stefan: looking back, had I known the area, I would have stayed at Babilon Apartments in Dobrota (Bay of Kotor) all the way through and joined excursions from there onlyAlun Griffiths review 30 Jul 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The whole trip was memorable because of the changing scenery each day. There was a really nice contrast between the coast, the mountains and Skadar Lake, which gave us a really good insight into what Montenegro has to offer2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
We did the trip in July and were a little concerned about the heat but the temperatures were not too bad (32 deg C max) if you took things relatively slowly and drank lots of water. Fitness levels need to cope with typical days of 30-40 km cycling/600m climbing on quiet asphalt roads or rough tracks.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Hopefully, staying in local apartments, using a local travel agency and eating in small, family run restaurants provided some benefit to the local economy. And cycling is pretty enviromentally friendly!4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Really enjoyed it and would definitely go back to Montenegro. The people we met were very welcoming and the tour agency staff were really kind and helpful.Ana Krol review 9 Jun 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
We did 250 km by bike in 7 days. All the rides were great, there was a special one, when we had to bike through a 1.3 km long tunnel inside the mountain, and we met a lot of cows obstructing the exit....2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Don't be afraid of self guided rides, we had constant back up from the operator, and they did all the changes that we asked for, even when we didn't think like a hotel, or an itinerary.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Of course, we did a very environment friendly trip.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was an unforgettable vacation, we highly recommend this kind of rides.Lorraine Stoker review 10 Oct 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The view down over Kotor Bay on Day 2 also the down hill arrival at Lake Skadar Day 3 (followed by a wonderful boat trip on the lake). We liked the feeling of arriving in our new destination each day and the food/ wine was always so good (low cost too).2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Make sure you ask for the GPS maps before your trip, we loaded these on our Garmin and they worked perfectly for navigation each day. The route maps were good, but there were a couple of spots you could easily have gone wrong. Also, get LOTS of cycling in before hand. We both cycle a lot back home (off road and on hills), but Montenegro is 90% mountains - so you will need a good level of fitness for this trip and avoid the hottest part of the year.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, we stayed in private apartments and hotels and ate locally.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
This was our first self guided vacation and the operator was brilliant, they arranged everything and can tailor the vacation to suit your requirements. The scenery, people, food and vacation itself were wonderful (We were however a little shocked in Montenegro by how much rubbish there was dumped by the roadside and over the side of mountains).Katherine Kennedy review 24 Jul 2018
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Cycling down the mountain to Lake Skadar on day 4.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
July is a bit hot for cycling in Montenegro, we only saw 3 other cyclists in our 6 days!3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We stayed in local hotels, so I guess we supported the local economy. We didn't need to hire a car whilst away, which is what we usually do on vacation, however, our luggage had to be transported by car on the transfer days. I saw no facilities for recycling in Montenegro. As it was so hot, it was inevitable that we bought drinks whilst on the road and these were often only sold in plastic bottles.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
We enjoyed this vacation, but it was quite hard cycling, especially as we weren't really mountain bikers (I booked that bit by mistake - I choose the vacation as the daily mileage was shorter than a conventional road cycling vacation!). The scenery in Montenegro is stunning, but the mountains are huge it could take us 2 hours to get up one, but coming down the other side was fabulous. Our guide, Zoran was really helpful, especially when my chain broke on the 5th day. The guide notes we were given we ok (definitely no GPS as mentioned on the web-site), there are very few signs in Montenegro so it is quite easy to get lost, one day we failed to find a mountain track (which didn't really matter as we were able to stay on a tarmac road) and another day we almost headed into a 1.6km tunnel with no lights, so had to back-track a few km to get to where we were supposed to be! I think we are all fitter than when we left, but were very pleased to have arranged 3 days extra days in Kotor at the end to chill. The tour operator was very reliable and professional in their organisation of the vacation, would definitely recommend using this company again.John Osullivan review 12 Aug 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The views. Just breathtaking2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Do some training and bring water3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Loved it. Wish i was still on it. The guys who organised were so helpful and nice.Gunnar Link review 9 May 2017
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Mountain biking in the area around Lake Skadar and in remote mountain areas. Wildlife was really amazing there.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The tours are possible for bikers without mountain biking experience as technically not difficult. However good fitness is mandatory. Book an extra day at Lake Skadar for having a break in the middle of the tour. In the morning or evening do a birdwatch boat tour on a small boat (25 euro per hour for the boat if you book on the street). You may see pelikans, but for sure amazing nature.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. Most accommodations were small local hotels and apartments. The agency conducted the tour was local and very competent and friendly.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great experience and very well organised!Abby Noyce review 15 Oct 2016
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
It's hard to pick one part that was the most memorable! It was amazing to spend so much time on a bicycle, seeing the scenery change so much in such a short distance - from bay views to national park to old capital city to lakes to mountain passes and back to the coast again. Montenegro is definitely perfect to explore by bike. The routes were a fantastic mix of national park roads, old unused roads and some exciting off road sections, which meant we were experiencing so much nature and not very much traffic. The views were absolutely incredible each day and with the - it meant that we could pace ourselves well and know when to break for snacks / rests. Getting to see all of the towns was an exciting part of the trip, as we stayed in Kotor, Cetinje, Virpazar and Budva we definitely got to see a few different sides to local life in Montengro. Some days the route took us from town to town (so from lodgings to lodgings) - this made the journey rewarding and made us feel like we were covering a whole lot of ground.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Do it!! It was an amazing activity vacation packed full of lovely views, climbs, freewheeling and some city chilling. Thoroughly enjoyed seeing how beautiful Montenegro is, but the experience was heightened being on a bike. I put in no training, which didn't stand to me, but my boyfriend had been cycling daily for 6 weeks (not a huge distance each day but some kind of cycling). He was much better able to handle any inclines, whereas it took me halfway through the vacation to get fully into pacing myself. Make sure you bring cycling gloves and shorts! Without those it would have been an uncomfortable week. Much of the cycling is on old military roads and asphalt roads but some of it is quite technically challenging according to my downhill-biking partner...try to have a little bit of experience at this or be prepared to take it a bit easier. We visited in early October, the weather was perfect with just one day (the very last!) of pouring rain but we managed to finish having completed all of the routes and without having to ring our guides for directions! Summer heat wouldn't have suited us Irelanders.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. From our accommodation to our guides there was definitely a homegrown and local sense to the place.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A most scenic, rewarding and relaxing vacation. The 7 day self guided tour really gave us an insight to Montenegro past and present. Our bikes were well maintained and suited to the terrain, the routes were well explained (maps provided) and our guides were great - always available to text or ring with any queries and I'm sure they would have been happy to suggest alternative routes should we have required them. A little more suited to someone with a keen interest in biking and the outdoors. Accommodation was always very comfortable and breakfast was tasty and flexible timewise. For our first cycling vacation it really was an amazing experience and I am definitely tempted to pursue activity vacations in future.Nadine Williams review 29 Jul 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
We really enjoyed a challenging cycle in the morning, made more so by 40 degrees heat in July, with fantastic views of the mountains, coast and lake. Some long, sweeping, traffic-free downhills were good fun. The roads were relatively traffic-free and motorists considerate, giving a beep just to let you know they were there. Rehydration in the form of beer and cool-off by swims in clear waters was the pattern of the afternoons. The tour was good in terms of mileage and allowed us to explore the region. We found everyone that we came into contact with very pleasant and welcoming. Vlado was on call at any time and explained the routes well, he also answered the many, many questions on Montenegro that we fired at him. The small hotel called Babilon with it's own frontage on the Bay of Kotor (table for two at sunset) was our favorite place but all of the overnight bed and breakfasts suited us very well. Fresh fish and the wine of Montenegro rounded off the days. A great mix of physical activity, relaxation, sunshine and the reassurance that we were being looked after made this a vacation that we would recommend to anyone who also enjoys variety in their days.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
There is alot of cycling on road and the mountain bikes suited the gradient and the roughness of some surfaces, whist not being technically demanding in MTB terms. Ladies might want to request a women's saddle before setting off! July this year was pretty hot for the long uphills.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Although our bags were transferred by car, our touring around by bike and foot had little environmental impact. We spread our spending amongst a number of small, local establishments. (We had a cup of tea on a mountain and were given apricots for the remainder of the journey.) We paid small entry prices for historical sites that will go towards their conservation.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very good. A 'full' week.Gillian Holley review 28 Jul 2015
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Walking through virgin woodland in Biogradska Gora to a traditional mountain farming community and staying with a very friendly shepherd, who looked after us all superbly. All the Montenegrans we met were extremely kind, friendly and helpful making for a great vacation.2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Speak directly with the vacation operators to tailor make your perfect vacation.3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Staying in small and locally run accommodation and participating in activities run by local guides benefits the local people.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A great trip to a stunning country.STEPHANE DESOBRY review 10 Jun 2014
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
We loved to be in the area of the Skaddar lake!2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Leave the Adriatic coast which is to busy and to artificial and enter in the country , discovering the real Monténégro3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Difficult to say , but in working with a small company we are convinced that the foreign big companies won't take their percentage to Our travel.4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
As I got commentaries from My friends ( 29 people) , That loved Their vacation in Monténegro and they are ready to comme back as soon as possible.Holiday Reviews
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