I'm considering the idea of touring Albania. I've started to read journals here. But, in a nutshell, if you've toured there, what are your thoughts?

Hi Brent

I'm sure others have far better memories but ours have grown into war legend. I'll leave you to read this page and the one that follows: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/noah/a-journey-in-hell-part-1-plav-mreg-albania/

happy days

léo

Thank you!

Just read it... if ever I've read a reason not to cycle a region! Holy smokes that sounded grueling.

Hi Brent,

Leo's badass mountain undertaking is certainly cause for cautious route planning, which back in 2012 was likely an enormous challenge. But a lot has changed in Albania since then, for one thing, just four years later several roads were put on Google Street view, which isn't comprehensive but gives one at least a tiny preview of road conditions. In any case, there are other journals on CycleBlaze that document non-hellish conditions in Albania. The search function on CycleBlaze will lead you right to them.

Albania certainly intrigues me, my son's sister-in-law is Albanian, so I really hope you will go there and document it here on CB so I can experience it vicariously and be inspired to go there myself. 

I'm sure that you'd find Albania much changed since Leo was there.  We biked through southern Albania on our way from Corfu to Ohrid seven years ago and thought it was fascinating, and quite accessible by bike.  At the time an Albanian organization was running commercial tours through here, and we roughly patterned ours after theirs.  I'd encourage you to consider it, and sooner rather than later because it's changing so fast.

Here's our experience: https://www.cycleblaze.com/journals/greece3/

Hi Brent,

We only did a little bit of Albania this worst was the road with the trench. 

But if you are keen on sending your email to us I can connect you to a friends who live in Albania Chuck and Susan Atkinson or if you are on FB connect you through that medium. They are expats and have lived in Shkoder and know the area well. They are also Warmshowers Hosts and you can find them through that site.