Ex-Yugo / Balkan Bike Tour 2026

This is a part trip report / part trip planning post! This summer I'm doing a tour through most of the countries of former Yugoslavia – Croatia, BiH, Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia. I got interested in this trip because a) my family is part Macedonian and b) I learned about the Trans Dinarica bikepacking route and it got me especially interested in biking the larger region as a whole.

I'm doing the route with my homemade short-john cargo bike (frontloader), because I wanted to both give it a long term test and because I like the extra challenge. It also has an extra long platform which lets me use a regular backpack rather than more panniers, which I prefer. My spouse is also traveling the region by car and we meet up daily at the hotels, so I do count myself lucky to have that backup, but I am trying to mostly self-support (again, because I like a challenge!).

So far I've completed my route from Zagreb to Sarajevo. It's in general been an amazing trip so far, with a few caveats that some roads have been not ideal ( some of which was clearly self inflicted by bad planning ). Every town and city I've popped through has been great, the scenes have been beautiful, and the the trip interesting.

I wouldn't mind comments and advice on my stages beyond Sarajevo – please see my route overview at the bottom of the post.

Trip report so far up to Sarajevo:

• Drivers are excellent when they have space. They will fully switch lanes to pass you. This rarely happens back home (Canada).
• Conversely drivers WILL slow down and try to squeeze by even if a transport truck is coming opposite. I learned to take the lane to prevent unsafe passes and use hand signals to indicate to drivers behind when it was safe to pass, and then move over. On some of the hairpin turns in Bosnia it was the only way to be safe.
• Croatia outside Zagreb is a very different place. There is a definite transition as you get out into rural areas. I shouldn't have been surprised by this but yeah, of course!
• Took a reaction river ferry for the first time, in Croatia. Extremely cool.
• I consider myself decently apace of Balkan politics but the RS and BiH entities in Bosnia make my head spin a bit. It never feels unsafe but just existing feels like a political statement one way or another. Lots of damaged buildings remain in use with bullet holes so that is a lingering reminder of the tension. However everyone is friendly, hospitable, and very welcoming.
• Kozara National Park was amazing, the descent was 25 minutes of nonstop hairpins on a totally empty highway. The "Kozara cycling path" from Moštanica is technically signed… but is in a very poor state, and only passable by walking your bicycle at points. It's being (illegally?) used as a logging road, and is muddy and torn up as a result, but still extremely beautiful once you get past the first few kms.
• Garmin Connect route planner is a bit optimistic on what it considers a 'gravel cycling' path lol. I was definitely walking my bike for more than I wanted too on what were often little more than hiking trails. I will be going over future routes with fine-toothed comb.
• Banja Luka to Jajce routing along the main highway was terrible. I knew it would be bad but it was just awful. Transit trucks are flying along this route but worse are the private drivers who for some reason were MORE aggressive with passing once the rain started. Easily worst day so far.
• Jajce to Zenica via the mountains felt like I was in Switzerland. Just amazing being on those mountain passes. Excellent sights and ride down lasted for 30+ minutes of hairpin curves through mountain villages.
• I was in Zenica for the Canada-Bosnia game and the whole town erupted into fireworks and cheers when they scored their goal. And groans of disappointment when Canada tied up the game. I was 15 stories up in an apartment and it was amazing to see and hear.
• Met another rider about 20kms outside of Sarajevo who insisted we grab a coffee (on him) and ride in together. Was awesome. Nothing like practicing your language skills by discussing directions at 35kmph downhill.

Route Overview:

• Zagreb, Croatia (fly in point)
• Lonja NP, Croatia – via regional roads on the Sava river
• Kozara NP, BiH – crossed @ Kozarska Dubica, and via Moshtanica Monastery / "Kozara cycling route"
• Banja Luka – via Piskavica & road R405
• Jajce – via M16 / E661
• Zenica – via gravel path on Rika river/mountain pass to Čosići, then R413/R413A
• Sarajevo – via R445 and railway gravel access roads
• Višegrad – via Praća canyon ( if weather is dry enough – need to ford the river for this)
• Foca – via M5 & M20
• Mostar – via tertiariary roads; Kalinovik, Boračko Jezero, etc.
• Dubrovnik, Croatia – via Ravno / Ćiro Trail
• Bar, Montenegro – by car; yeah not riding this part
• Belgrade, Serbia – via night train
• Pozarevac, Jagodina, Niš, Leskovac – largely following EuroVelo with some variations to take tertiary roads when possible
• Vranje – via R227 / Kaludjerica over mountain pass
• Kumanovo, N. Macedonia – via Prohor Pčinski crossing
• Skopje – largely via R1104
• Veles – via tertiary roads out of the city, then R1102
• Prilep – via R541 / Bogomila probably; otherwise R1312
• Bitola – via tertiary roads; mountain access roads over to Kanatlarci,Dobrushevo, Mogila etc.
• Athens, Greece – via train connections in Florina & Thessaloniki (fly out point)