After amazing and fresh local breakfast, start with cycling. This stage on your Montenegro cycling tour on Trans Dinarica is one of the most visually stunning of the entire 5,000-plus-kilometer route. Leaving from Trsa/Nedajno you will immediately be riding on great asphalt among tall peaks.  

Taking the southern route under the 2,523-meter Bobotov Kuk, the tallest peak along the Durmitor Massif, from Trsa to Žabljak, cyclists will tackle multiple climbs that average about 6% grade. The payoff is immediately obvious. Not only is the scene around you more magnificent with every hilltop, but there are designated view points to rest, take pictures, and absorb the magnificence of Durmitor National Park.

Two highlights along the way are the 2,393-meter Mount Prutaš, which rises right next to the road, and the Sedlo Pass, in the heart of the national park. After the pass, cyclists are rewarded with 20 kilometers of descent and easy riding into the town of Žabljak, the final destination. Overnight is in local farm with dinner included. We suggest you to explore small town of Zabljak, Montenegrin town settled at the highest attitude in the country – 1456m. The ski resort town of Žabljak is an excellent place to take a break for a day to do some shopping, make any necessary repairs, explore Durmitor National Park, have a few nice meals, and get a good night or two of sleep. The town, which has cafes, accommodations, tourism operators, bars, and restaurants is quickly being discovered by adventure travelers. Explore restaurants and have dinner on your own.

Distance: 40 km Elevation: 870 m Paved: 99% Unpaved: 1%

After breakfast, we will head on longest stage in Montenegro part of route.

The first part of the stage is relatively easy and follows a pleasant asphalt road. After the route leaves the R18 road, the Trans Dinarica demands more work from you: first with a steep asphalt climb, and then with a longer section on not-so-perfect gravel road. Those with fully loaded bikes will probably have to get off the bike at times. On the stretch from the picturesque St. Archangel Michael Church to the serpentine descent into the valley of the Ropušica river, you will cycle along a dreamy mountain plateau, exposed to incredible views, but also to mountain weather conditions. After descending into the valley towards the village of Gornje Lipovo, you can again expect some civilization and possibilities for accommodation. This part of the stage is especially challenging if you tackle it in the opposite direction – from Kolašin towards Žabljak.

Today’s stage along the Trans Dinarica bike trail in Montenegro takes cyclists to another incredible ski resort town: Kolašin. Sitting on the banks of the Tara River with the Kolašinska River running through it, Kolašin is a beautiful spot to stay while investigating the 56.5-square-kilometer Biogradska Gora National Park, which is on UNESCO’s tentative list. Overnight in Kolasin, free time for dinner in one of local restaurants. Recommendation to have a local bear in small cafe SFRJ that reflects on reins of Yugoslavia.

Distance: 70 km  Elevation: 1.060 m   Paved: 78%    Unpaved: 22%

Breakfast and start of cycling towards Komovi mountain. The ride today will be dominated by a steady climb. For approximately the first 10 kilometers, the road will follow the Tara River. At the village of Mateševo, the angle of the road and the river will change. From here, the route will follow the Drcka River and will tilt gradually up for the rest of the climb. 

The stage’s terminus will leave cyclists at the beautiful and remote Etno Selo Štavna, where cozy mountain huts are surrounded by peaks. Adventuring travellers here will feel the area’s embrace through its inviting landscape, great food, and hospitality as beautiful as they will experience along the route. Overnight in mountain lodges.

Distance: 32 km Elevation: 910 m  Paved: 100%  Unpaved: 0%

Breakfast and transfer before cycling. One of the aspects that draw cyclists to travel the Balkans is its diversity … and the Trans Dinarica is nothing if not diverse both culturally and geographically. Fans of this diversity will not be disappointed as they leave from the remote Etno Selo Štavna, where cozy mountain huts are surrounded by peaks. Adventurers will feel the area’s embrace through its inviting landscape, great food, and hospitality as beautiful as they will experience along the route. After breakfast we will have 1.5h transfer from Stavna village to Rozaje, to avoid cycling beside traffic on the main road. This last  stage in the far eastern corner of Montenegro (if you’re coming from Kosovo and Montenegro) will also necessitate cyclists to cross two international borders. This stage will begin in the mountain town of Rožaje, Montenegro. It will end in Tutin, a town in the far southwestern corner of Serbia.

The day will be, on the whole, easier than many. The landscape (with 100% asphalt surface) will be rolling with undulating hills from beginning to end, reaching its highest point, or 1,240 meters, about 12 kilometers into the 42-kilometer ride. The itinerary will wind back and forth for the entire stage. At around the 31-kilometer mark, cyclists will cross the border into Serbia.

Tutin itself is an underrated spot and a great place to absorb culture. It has a significant Bosniak population. Key points of interest include Tutin’s Old Town and the Djurdjevi Stupovi Monastery.

Distance: 42   Elevation: 600  Paved: 92%    Unpaved: 8%

The Trans Dinarica’s bike tour in Serbia comes up from the Montenegrin border to Tutin (a distance of about nine kilometers) riding along a quiet, rolling state road. In Tutin — famous for its medieval iron mines — cyclists can relax in the quaint town center, which is cradled by hills. Or, they can pedal just outside of town (about 5 kilometers) to the Etno Selo Raduske Staze (Ethno Village Raduske Staze) to learn about traditional architecture and eat local food. 

Then, riders will continue north for approximately 30 kilometers of easy-going cycling to Novi Pazar, which was officially founded in the 15th, but sits within an area that was once the original capital (Ras and Stari Ras) of Serbia through the heart of the Middle Ages. The main city (population, about 75.000) of Serbia’s Sandžak Region, Novi Pazar, which means ‘new market’, straddles the Ljudska River. The city center buzzes with activity with restaurants and cafes as well as in its ​​’čaršija’, or old town bazaar district, where traditional coffee (stove-cooked) is served and shops selling everything from candy to clothes to jewelry can be found. This is a great place to make sure you have all the provisions needed for the next stages.

Cycling Serbia, you will pass by Novi Pazar, which is the center of several of the Western Balkans’ most important UNESCO sites. Stari Ras, founded in the 9th century, is an archaeological site and the location of the first capital of Serbia during medieval times. Another UNESCO-inscribed locale is the Sopoćani Monastery, established in the 13th century. Among the reasons for the monastery’s inclusion on the World Heritage List, according to UNESCO: “The frescoes in the Sopoćani Monastery church, dating from about 1270-1276, are among the finest in Byzantine and Serbian medieval art.”About 2.5 kilometers north of Novi Pazar’s center, cyclists will find the 9th-century Church of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. This version of the Orthodox church can be traced back to Byzantine times. Actually, the structure’s foundations are from the Roman era and go back several centuries earlier (approximately the 4th century). It is considered the oldest church in Serbia. The Church of Saint Peter is part of the larger Stari Ras Complex of historical sites.

Distance: 43 km   Elevation: 650 m   Paved: 82%   Unpaved: 18%

From Novi Pazar, the bike route continues to the northwest as it climbs up into the reaches of western Serbia. This is a slightly longer stage than some in order to make sure that travelers have plenty of options for accommodation, food, and to resupply as necessary. The day follows a combination of asphalt and packed gravel paths, and Trans Dinarica cyclists will get their first real chance to do some moderate climbing in Serbia. In addition to the beautiful natural panoramas, one of the man-made wonders in Delimeđe village is the exceptional mosque with two minarets, 77.2 meters high, the highest in Serbia and also in Europe (excluding Turkey). The trail rolls through mostly relaxing hills on the way to the next overnight in Sjenica, which is famous across the region for magnificent food, especially cheese, and warm hospitality.

Located on the Grabovica River, the town of Sjenica (population of around 25,000) was mentioned by travelers as early as the 13th as an important stopping point on trading routes connecting the East and West. At more than 1.000 meters in elevation, the town holds a unique and beautiful position over the incredibly green and fertile countryside of southwestern Serbia. A bustling town with cafes and shops, Sjenica is another great spot to purchase supplies for the upcoming stages and to relax a little with a great dinner of fish or meat and magnificent cheese, known locally as Sjenički sir, which has been specifically labeled geographically as unique.

Distance: 71 km  Elevation: 1.440 m   Paved: 70%    Unpaved: 30%

The Trans Dinarica route rolls north from Sjenica and continues to evolve into its own character as it moves into Serbia’s interior. Today’s stage will find more unpaved (packed gravel) sections, which are slightly more challenging to pedal but also bring cyclists closer to the real personality and heart of the Western Balkans: its villages, and, arguably, the Trans Dinarica itself. After setting off, the stage follows good-to-excellent asphalt and gravel roads on the way up to the village of Kladnica. This section of the route truly epitomizes the Trans Dinarica — rolling hills, frozen-in-time settlements, and wonderful nature — with plenty of spots to take incredible photographs.

After Kladnica, the route heads up to the hillside village of Vilovi, where riders will find family-style homestays and apartment-type accommodations. They will also find incredibly friendly locals who are ready to provide information and homemade food and rakija to visitors. At approximately 1.100 meters in elevation, this beautiful layover will remind any cyclist why they started their journey in the first place.

Distance: 48 km   Elevation: 1.070 m   Paved: 66%     Unpaved: 34%

Alternative suggestion:

Sjenica – Molitva

• Distance:15 km
• Elevation:470 m
• Paved:60 %, Unpaved: 40 %

Of special note, for cyclists who like to go a little off the grid and are up for a more difficult challenge on their Balkan cycling holidays: Prior to Kladnica, the Special Nature Reserve Uvac, which covers more than 3,000 hectares and includes the magnificent and winding Uvac River, is an epic alternate route choice. The Uvac River, with its serpentine flow through the area’s mountainous landscape, is one of the most photogenic spots along the entire cycle route. Cyclists who choose this alternative will make their way to the Molitva viewpoint for panoramic views.

Cycling into Serbia’s fourth stage, visitors will start to become Trans Dinarica converts (if they haven’t already) on this easy day that both allows riders to take a little bit of a break and provides some extra time to really see the countryside. Moving due north, the trail provides lots of worthy sites and villages along the way. From Vilovi, the Trans Dinarica heads to the wonderful village of Kokin Brod on the banks of the Zlatarsko Jezero, or Golden Lake. Here you’ll find several accommodations if you’d like to take a load off early. There are also restaurants and the Ethno (and eco) village of Vraneša, where you will eat well and can stay in one of the property’s bungalows.

Today’s stage continues through the pastoral village of Jasenovo before it ends in Ljubiš, south of the city of Zlatibor. In a village of about 500 people, there are more accommodations and food options than one would expect in a community the size of Ljubiš. And, nearly anyone you meet (or lodge you visit) will be both helpful and welcoming for cyclists.

Distance: 45 km  Elevation: 830 m  Paved: 85%   Unpaved: 15%

Cyclists will start to ‘re-enter’ civilization as the Trans Dinarica cycle route heads north toward Zlatibor. Officially a town, the amount of growth and traffic makes it feel more like a city and riders should pay special attention to traffic. There is also a significant amount of new construction with new buildings rising and new roads being constructed in and around the town. Famous across the region as a winter and ski resort community near Mount Zlatibor, Zlatibor has become a year-round spot for people of all ages and interests. There are plenty of restaurants and hotels (apartments) to choose from, and, perhaps most importantly — given the backcountry nature of the next few stages — a good place to load up on any provisions, gear, and equipment needed.

Sitting at about 1.000 meters above sea level and with a history that dates back to the Illyrians and Romans, Zlatibor is important to the region historically and, these days, recreationally. Come early, eat well, stock up on rations and supplies, sleep well, and prepare yourself for more incredible stages ahead.

Distance: 34 km  Elevation: 700 m   Paved: 85%  Unpaved: 15%

Tour ends in Zlatibor where you can relax in this mountain resort for couple of days, explore small local routes, and have transfer from it to Belgrade, or just continue Transdinarica to Bosnia.