I've done a smimilar trip last year. I'm living near Karlsruhe, so I had a different initiary. First stop was in Austria, on the second day I crossed Italy and stopped in Ancaran (Slovenia). Since I already knew the northern part of the croatian coast, I went into the country and stopped near the Plitvice lakes. From there it is just a stone's throw to the border and since I've never been in Bosnia-Herzegovina before, I went there and ended up in Sarajevo.

From Sarajevo I went south-easterly heading for the Durmitor national park in Montenegro. I stayed in Zabljak. After a round trip around the national park I went through the valley of the Tara and to Plav to get to the back entrance of Albania.

At the border crossing you can say goodbye to tarmac for several dozens of kilometers and you enter the Vermosh valley (doesn't have a proper entry in Wikipedia, but this one is about the region). There is a small hotel near Lepushe lead by a very friendly family where I stayed. Then down the Vermosh valley to the mediterranian, from almost 1500m to sea level in about 60km. Skoder is just a city, so I headed on to Tirana and Elbasan. I ended up in Gramsh.

Since I was on light bike (DR-Z 400), I took it crossing the mountains to Berat. If you want to go to the castle by bike, don't take the slippery road from the town center but the other road from the northern exit of the town. The tall hotel near the bumper car ride is fine and offers a nice breakfast. Take a room without air condition (half the price and not needed) in the top most storey with a view on the castle.

Via Gjirokaster and Sarande I went to Kalambaka in Greece to go to see the Meteora cloisters.

I headed back into Albania going north to Kastoria and then Korce in Albania.

An alternative would have been to go through Macedonia and enter Albania later via Debar. My main objective in Albania was to take the ride with the ferry on the river Drin (albanian: Liqeni i Fierzës) from Fierza to Komani. This is absolutely worth a detour.

Pictures and a report (german only) from friends Phil and Ralf and pictures from my trip.

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Seen whilst travelling - Fernwehstammtisch Karlsruhe - Relief action Togo Togoville e.V.