Connal BCA Tour Balkans Cycle Adventure 2024

BCA Tour -  Balkans Cycle Adventure Tour by Connal Tours.

Flying Perth to Sofia (Bulgaria), for our cycling adventure in the Balkans. Our previous year’s tour was labelled as the trip of a lifetime (ABC Tour 2023). This time we felt we were being more adventurous, but nervously contemplating how it would all go. We chose Sofia, Bulgaria as the start and end point of our planned 2024 BCA Tour. 

Our daily cycling exploits can be seen on our YouTube Channel.  Videos were created for the 45 main cycle days with images included from our rest (walk) days. These have all been published to our YouTube Channel Kit JS Connal. A couple of these are embedded in this blog to give a taster. More details of the planning read to the end. 

Our cycle tour plan incorporated non cycling days to enable us to enjoy the places we were visiting and to provide a rest from cycling, which turned into hours of walking instead. From our starting point in Sofia, Bulgaria, our cycling route took us into 8 countries, cycled nearly 2500km and climbed about 18500 vm. We averaged 60km per day. Accommodation was only booked 2-3 days in advance giving us the flexibility to adjust our route as we went along. To complete the planned circuit, we made up some time with 1 bus, 1 taxi and 2 train trips plus a number of ferry trips as we travelled through the islands of Croatia.

Our Baltic Cycle Adventure (BCA) Route was as follows:
Fly Perth, Western Australia, via Dubai to Sofia, Bulgaria. (late April)
3 nights in Sofia, Bulgaria
Cycle Day 1 Sofia to Sapareva Banya, (Bulgaria) 69km
Cycle Day 2 Sapareva Banya (Bulgaria) to Delčevo (North Macedonia) 81.5km
Cycle Day 3 Delčevo to Štip (North Macedonia) 82km
Walk Day Štip
Cycle Day 4 Štip to Skopje, (North Macedonia) 88km
Walk day Skopje;
Cycle Day 4(A) and Bus day Skopje to Bitola (short cycles to and from bus stops).
Walk day Bitola.
Cycle Day 5 Bitola to Ohrid, (North Macedonia) 70km
Walk Day Ohrid (North Macedonia)

Cycle Day 6 Ohrid (North Macedonia) to Pogradec (Albania) 38km
Walk Day Pogradec (Albania)
Cycle Day 7 Pogradec to Elbasan (Albania) 84km
Cycle Day 8 Elbasan to Berat (Albania) 67km
Walk Day Berat (Albania)
Cycle Day 9 Berat to Kavaje (Albania) 74km
Cycle Day 10 Kavaje to Tiranë (Albania) 64km
Walk day Tiranë (Albania)
Cycle Day 11 Tiranë to Lezhë (Albania) 71km
Cycle Day 12 Lezhë to Shkodër (Albania) 45.5km
Cycle Day 13 Shkodër (Albania) to Virpazar (Montenegro) 57km

Taxi Transfer Day Virpazar to Kotor (Montenegro)
Walk & Boat Day Kotor (Montenegro)
Cycle Day 14 Kotor to Sutorina (Montenegro) 36.5km
Cycle Day 15 Sutorina (Montenegro) to Dubrovnik (Croatia) 45km
Walk Day Dubrovnik (Croatia)
Cycle Day 16 Dubrovnik to Korčula (Croatia) 2km plus ferry
Cycle Day 17 Korčula to Vela Luka (Korčula – Croatia) 45km

Cycle Day 18 Vela Luka (Korčula - Croatia) to Trogir (Croatia) 33km
Walk Day Trogir (Croatia)
Cycle Day 19 Trogir to Šibenik (Croatia) 56km
Cycle Day 20 Šibenik to Tkon (Pašman – Croatia) 59km
Cycle Day 21 Tkon (Pašman) to Preko (Ugljan), ferry to Zadar (Croatia) 38km
Cycle Day 22 Zadar to ferry to Pula (Croatia) 9km
Walk Day Pula (Croatia)
Cycle Day 23 Pula to Rovinj (Croatia) 39km
Cycle Day 24 Rovinj to Grožnjan (Croatia) 53.4km
Cycle Day 25 Grožnjan to Buzet (Croatia) 32.5km
Walk Day Buzet
Cycle Day 26 Buzet (Croatia) to Rodik (Slovenia) 45km
Cycle Day 27 Rodik (Slovenia) to Gorizia (Italy) 59km
Cycle Day 28 Gorizia (Italy) to Most na Soči (Slovenia) 39km

Cycle Day 29 Most na Soči to Bled (Slovenia) part by train then 26km
Walk Day Bled (Slovenia)
Cycle Day 30 Bled to Ljubljana (Slovenia) 57.5km
Walk Day Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Cycle Day 31 Ljubljana to Žužemberk (Slovenia) 51.25km
Cycle Day 32 Žužemberk to Kostanjevica na Krki (Slovenia) 50km
Cycle Day 33 Kostanjevica na Krki (Slovenia) to Zagreb (Croatia) 58km
Walk Day Zagreb (Croatia)
Cycle Day 34 Zagreb to Sveti Ivan Žabno (Croatia) 59.3km
Cycle Day 35 Sveti Ivan Žabno to Đurđevac (Croatia) 50.5km
Cycle Day 36 Đurđevac to Slatina (Croatia) 79km
Cycle Day 37 Slatina to Đakovo (Croatia) 87.3km
Walk Day Đakovo (Croatia)
Cycle Day 38 Đakovo (Croatia) to Šid (Serbia) 86.2km

Cycle Day 39 Šid to Šabac (Serbia) 71.4km
Cycle Day 40 Šabac to Belgrade (Serbia) 80.11km
Walk Day Belgrade, Serbia
Cycle Day 41 Belgrade to Niš (Serbia) 4.7km and train.
Cycle Day 42 Niš to Bela Palanka (Serbia) 42.5km
Cycle Day 43 Bela Palanka to Dimitrovgrad (Serbia) 50.5km
Cycle Day 44 Dimitrovgrad (Serbia) to Dragoman (Bulgaria) 36km

Cycle Day 45 Dragoman to Sofia (Bulgaria) 48km
Thankyou Hotel Leda for storing our bike bags for 10 weeks.
Finishing our cycling adventure with another 3 nights in Sofia before flying home to Western Australia. (Early July).

The planning is always exciting, starts with the ideals of a region or a trade route, somewhere that has a large degree of the unknown, and has a diversity of cultures that may have been vaguely heard of, and has the intrigue of difference to our safe Australian living.  In the Balkans the starting point was not an issue as there are so many international airports, the weather was top of the list and tourist pressure close behind.  We wanted to start in the warmth, but also be along the Adriatic coast before the burning hot season. After scanning info on temperature and busy times we decided to start and finish in Sofia, Bulgaria, arriving late April, leaving early July – a 10-week period.  This meant riding south of Sofia, crossing into North Macedonia to Skopje, then southwest to Lake Ohrid by which time we hoped the temperature was into the high 20s. Mid-May to mid-June we aimed to be touring the Albanian, Montenegran and Croatian coast into Slovenia, hopefully mild weather (before the heat of July/August) and before the high season of tourists.  The last part of the journey would bring us through the hills of Croatia, Serbia then back to Bulgaria, historically still mild weather and a low tourist pressure area. 

The “slow” paced Journey.  This journey was an adventure, riding into some preconceived notions based around stories and photos of The Homelands War and deprivation associated with socialist rule.  On the “more popular touristy” 2023 Adriatic to Baltic Adventure we felt the need to pre book accommodation and have a set route and dates, and it was as much about the ride each day as the experiences.  This journey was about the people, the experiences - the sites and sounds … smells – all so available on a bike.  

Again, we felt the bicycle is a wonderful means of transport, able to be stopped at any point and open to the natural elements, we felt the country.   It was not about the speed or whether we rode or walked a particular section, it was about the feelings on that day.  This is quite a transition from Strava records and fitness targets, where speed, distance and elevation defines your worth.  With this “slow” (def: retaining always a degree of energy and time) approach we took in more, but also felt there is more - we can’t say we “did” North Macedonia or even Lake Ohrid, or anywhere along the way, we experienced that there is so much more to experience.  Given the tourist off-peak timing accommodation was easy to find, we used booking.com and generally decided where we might be 2 days ahead, and whether we extended our stay.   This flexibility gave us the opportunity to listen to our bodies and consider weather forecasts.  Initially, dialling it back and stopping and listening, there were gaps/silence … but these soon filled, and we saw the butterflies and felt the country/people/city/the rhythm. 

Our limiting factors were 10 weeks and a return ticket to and from Sofia.  The route we had softly planned using the app: komoot, based on a mix of “Bike Touring” and “Road cycling”, but as we progressed, had conversations and saw different maps we had the flexibility to select other roads and villages to get to the end point.  Whilst not averse to sections of gravel we found that the “Bike Touring” choice often resulted in mountain bike tracks, so we consulted local maps or the locals, or looked at the “Road cycling” route.   Every time the App got us to the destination, plus the indicated distance & gradients were very accurate.   

What Did We Take.    Our own Norco “Search” gravel bicycles (11 speed, 11-40 t and 46-30 on the crank, around 12kg with rack) in Evoc bike bags, leaving the bags and excess luggage in accommodation in Sofia. 

About 10-11 kg of clothing, toiletries, tools & parts, food and water in Topeak handle bar and seat post bags plus a couple of small Tailfin small pannier style side bags.  Clothing comprised of Connal Kit (was so good!) and a few other street clothes.  In hindsite we possibly needed only 2 changes of bike shorts, not 3, and similar in the singlet layer area.  We rinsed/washed our knicks and base layer every night, and in all but a couple of instances, they dried overnight.  The range of Connal Kit clothing makes the issue of what to pack so simple.  It is comfortable and an efficient choice for Bikepacking/touring being wearable on and off the bike.

The chains had been waxed before going which resulted in the chain and gears staying clean, though we did carry a can of WD40 to help clean and lubricate after messy days.  

Our only repair was 1 puncture on the second day, however it was necessary to check for loose bolts and remove dirt every day. 

BikePacking or BikeTouring??  What’s in a name? Bikepacking has been derived from the terminology Backpacking whereby a person travels by whatever means with their luggage on their back, unsupported and perceived to be freewheeling timewise and on a low budget.  Touring is thought as having some support for luggage and an organised itinerary.  Whilst we had no support and carried all our luggage on the bikes for the 10 weeks, we stayed each night in (mostly) apartments, and carried only snacks for daily nibbles on the road.  So, for us … possibly more “packing” than “touring”.     

As with out 2023 Adriatic to the Baltic Cycle Tour we once again recorded our daily thoughts, photos and the map of our progress on the Kit Connal Polarsteps site. On YouTube is not just the 2024 Balkan Adventure, but also the 2023 ABC Europe Cycle plus the 4 Western Australian Connal Cycling Tours.  All now posted to YouTube. 
Subscribe or view them on our YouTube Channel. (Kit JS Connal) or search Connal Kit on YouTube. 
Please feel free to share these touring ideas with your family and friends. 

It was the trip of a lifetime (another one). Since being home, I miss the excitement of the adventure, not knowing what was around the next corner or over the next hill, navigating into town and city centres. Rattling over cobbled streets and roads, dodging huge potholes, visiting the cool and quiet inner sanctums of huge churches and cathedrals, savouring foods, beers and wines to fuel our bodies without any pangs of guilt, knowing everything we consumed would be converted into fuelling our cycling days ahead. Blessed with good weather, good health, friendly and helpful strangers and incredibly courteous and friendly drivers (or all vehicles from motorbikes to cars, buses and trucks). The friendly beeps put smiles on our faces and energy in our legs.

The 2024 Balkan ride was such an adventure that we have begun searching and planning for the next cycle tour. 

... Jen & Greg August 2024