Albania

[Ralf1150GS]

Hi to all of you!

I will be riding to Albania and Kosovo this summer. Can anyone suggest nice locations down there - dirt roads, camping grounds, points of natural or cultural interest???

Thanks a lot you guys!

[henryuk]

Lake Ohrid for beauty spot, Tirana at rush hour for an eye-opener!

[Andysr6]

Hi, A fun and easy dirt trail about 70 km long in Albania is from Peshkopi to Kukes, some amazing scenery, pity i didn't photograph it. Andy

[Ralf1150GS]

...sounds good!
mmmmh: nice foto!!!

This is our plan (until now): crossing the GR-AL-border down at Konispol, have a look at Butrint and ride up to Gjirokaster.
Peremet-Korce-entering MK at Prespa Lake and then to Ohrid Lake.
Peshkopi-Burrel-Kruje-(Tirana???)
Komani Lake ferry to Fierze, Bajram Curri-Kosovo: Dakovica, Prizren-Brezovica-Prishtina-Pec
Crna Gora and finally riding homeward north.

... what about good ideas on this route?

[Ralf1150GS]

...thanks for the "bunkertrail"-hint in your pm,these maps are already stored on my ZUMO!
As well I´ve downloaded the OpenStreetMaps yet.
And even the "reise-know-how" map Albania 1:220.000 is already mine...

So maps are not the problem, just good hints: trails, bays with sandy beaches and clean water, cheep restaurants & hotels...

[PanEuropean]

Hi Ralf:

I rode through Albania 18 months ago on my ST1100. Although I certainly wasn't looking for any dirt roads (the PanEuropean kind of prefers pavement), the dirt roads appeared by surprise. So, you certainly have the right kind of moto for Albania if you are riding a GS.

Some thoughts for you, based on my experience:

1) It's quite a delightful country, and the people are very nice. Even the cops are nice - I was stopped a few times in roadside spot-checks, and as soon as they saw I was a tourist, they smiled and waved me on without further questions.

2) Until 20 years ago, there were only about 500 cars in the whole country. Now, everyone has a car, typically a 10 to 15 year old Mercedes Benz diesel that couldn't pass the emission standards in Europe, or a brand new Cadillac or Lexus that was stolen from a dealership in the USA and shipped over in a container to Albania. The whole concept of 'driving' is new to Albanians. I doubt very much if there is any effective enforcement of the requirement to have a driver licence. I am sure many drivers do not have a licence of any kind, they are self-taught.

What this means is that you have to be very alert and very defensive when riding. The majority of the Albanian drivers are merely incompetent, but there are quite a few that are downright dangerous (and probably intoxicated). Never make the mistake of expecting someone to follow the rules.

3) Road conditions vary greatly. I remember riding along a beautiful stretch of 4 lane divided highway - with a Swiss-quality surface - and then suddenly it ended and changed into a dirt road, with no warning, no signs, no notice of any kind. Scared the crap out of me and I just about laid the bike down due to the 20 cm drop from the end of the paved surface onto the dirt surface. So, be VERY alert to sudden changes in road conditions, missing manhole covers, large potholes, etc.

4) The coast highway is wonderful, really beautiful. Don't fail to ride the coast highway. It is quite desolate, have a full tank of fuel and bring some food with you when you start out.

5) If you use a GPS navigator, don't trust it in Albania. I had an up-to-date set of the best Garmin maps in my Zumo, but still wound up on dirt tracks, cow paths, long-abandoned roads, etc., even though I had the road avoidances set up for 'pavement only'.

The physical placement of the roads on GPS navigators will be more or less correct (in other words, if the GPS says there is a road there, it will be there), but the road characteristics (paved, dirt, highway, rural lane, etc.) are not yet present. Many roads are simply not shown yet on electronic maps. So, put more faith in paper maps than in your GPS.

6) Vehicle theft is a big problem in Albania. If you have a nice, new, shiny motorcycle, take appropriate precautions when you are parking it overnight - put it in a locked garage or other locked compound. In my case, I stayed at hotels, and was always able to put it inside the hotel garage. The hotel-keepers offered this service automatically.

7) The Albanians will accept Euros, but they really don't like doing so. ATMs that you can put your home bank card in and get local currency out of are few and far between. Credit cards are not widely accepted. So, get sufficient Albanian money at the border to keep you going for the intended duration of your stay in the country.

8) Although I had no concerns about my personal safety while I was in the country, I am aware that there are a few isolated rural areas that are 'beyond the law'. These are discussed on the travel advice sections of various major government websites (UK, Canada, US, etc.). So do your homework, and avoid these areas.

Everything is cheaper in Albania than in the surrounding countries. In particular, prices almost triple when you ride south out of Albania into Greece. So stock up on gas, cigs, etc. before you leave Albania.

Kosevo is also delightful, but much more 'advanced' than Albania.

Enjoy your tour!

Michael