Magellan Motorcycle Tours

Balkans Explorer and the Dalmatian Coast

Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

Overview Highlights Itinerary Questions

Balkans Explorer and the Dalmatian Coast

Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

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An incredible ride through central Europe and down to the Balkans with stops in Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, and more.

Find out more about the Magellan team.

We ride through many fine countries on our motorcycle tours, but few offer the surprising diversity, culture, and beauty of the Balkan states. This really is motorcycling at its best; with vast mountain ranges, beautiful coastlines, and everything in between, all under the unmistakable sparkle of the Mediterranean sunshine.

Guided Tour
21 Day Tour
3330 miles
Folkestone, UK
HIRE BIKE AVAILABLE

UPCOMING
TOUR DATES

03/09/26 – 23/09/26
02/09/27 – 22/09/27
31/08/28 – 20/09/28

You start your tour with a night in Folkestone on the south coast of the UK, with a welcome meal and a briefing from your guide, setting you up to cross the Channel the next morning on the way to the famous garden town of Chalons-en-Champagne. From here, we head east through the sweeping curves of the Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord, en route to Germany’s legendary Black Forest. Long regarded as a motorcycling mecca, the region offers a tapestry of winding roads and alpine vistas as we ride on toward Füssen, near the Austrian border – where scenes from The Great Escape were once filmed.

Crossing into Austria and staying high up in the mountains, we'll ride one of the best roads in the world. The Grossglockner High Alpine Road is the highest pass in Austria at 8,215 feet, and is a mixture of tight switchbacks and fast-flowing roads. From wooden-clad chalets and the sound of cowbells across the valley, to the panoramic views of peaks and glaciers on all sides, this would be the highlight of any other motorcycle tour – and we're just getting started! From the Grossglockner, we head down into Slovenia to its stunning and quaint capital. Ljubljana is a joy to walk around, with peaceful riverside cafés, incredible bakeries and restaurants, and a fantastic castle.

Felix, Magellan Guide

Not only does this trip have all the big hitters in the Alps, Dolomites, and Croatian coast, but you get time on the beach, can explore Dubrovnik, and my personal highlight, the walking tour around Sarajevo.

Talk to us about Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

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Talk to us about Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

🇬🇧 +442039621162 9am - 5pm GMT, M - F
🇺🇸 +1 206-558-0990 5am - 12pm EST, M - F

Send an Enquiry

Book Consultation

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The Epic Grossglockner

From here, we follow the scenic route through Slovenia, passing beneath craggy peaks and beside storybook castles on our way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Plitvice Lakes National Park. This stunning 295-square-kilometre forest reserve is home to a chain of 16 turquoise lakes, linked by cascading waterfalls and tucked within a dramatic limestone canyon. We spend a full day here (entry included in the tour price) giving you time to explore its trails, waters, and wildlife at your own pace.

From Plitvice, the journey continues through Bosnia to Sarajevo, a city where East meets West and history runs deep. Once part of the Ottoman and Austro-Hungarian empires, Sarajevo has long been a cultural crossroads. In 1914, it became the flashpoint of the First World War with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Decades later, it endured one of the longest sieges in modern warfare during the Yugoslav Civil War of the 1990s. Today, Sarajevo is a city of resilience and renewal. We stay close to the old town, where cobbled streets, minarets, and Austro-Hungarian facades reveal layers of its past and invite you to discover the stories that shaped it.

For the Game of Thrones fans, we have a real treat as you leave Sarajevo via lunch at the old bridge in Mostar and head for Dubrovnik, where we stay for two nights in our hotel near the beach. You can explore the limestone-lined streets, ancient churches, and historic monasteries that make this Croatia’s most popular city, or simply laze on the beach overlooking the calm blue waters of the Adriatic.

Plenty of time to relax on this trip!

The mighty Grossglockner High Alpine Road

We leave Dubrovnik and wind our way up the beautiful Dalmatian coast with stunning views of the little islands on the shoreline and the huge mountains in the east to the coastal city of Zadar. From here, we make our way back into Slovenia, back to Ljubljana, and then across the border into Italy and the Dolomites. Perhaps Europe's most striking range, you'll be blown away by the steep rock faces and winding roads before staying at a hotel here in the mountains.

Crossing next into Switzerland, we'll find a plethora of world-famous mountain passes, many you’ll recognise from the pages of bike magazines over the years. Back into France and the stunning Vosges Mountains, we stay here for a night before riding to the stunning city of Reims. A ride through the French countryside to Calais makes for your final full day in France, before you conclude this epic journey to the Balkan states the next morning with your Eurotunnel crossing back to the UK!

Are you ready to come and explore the Balkans with us? Your adventure awaits...

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Tour highlights

The B500 in the German Black Forest: All the roads in the Black Forest are steep and twisty, and the B500 is no exception. A road that consistently features in the top ten biking roads in the world, its many twists and curves along the forest ridge are exhilarating to say the least.

Grossglockner High Alpine Road and glaciers: At 2,500 km above sea level, the Grossglockner boasts 36 unforgettable, elegant hairpins sure to delight any rider!

The dramatic Postojna cave system and the castle at Predjama: This fascinating system of caverns span 22km underground and is 24,120 metres in length. The castle at Predjama, built into the cave mouth, is equally beautiful and a real treat to visit.

'Back in the day to day routine in the UK it seems like a dream when I think back to my tour, the best scenery, food and roads I have ever experienced on a motorcycle. If I ever had any fears or problems I knew I could come to you at any time and you would bend over backwards to help.'

Will H

Plitvice Lakes: One of Croatia’s most stunning natural wonders, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its cascading waterfalls and turquoise lakes. Wander the wooden walkways, take in the lush forest scenery, or explore the trails nearby.

Sarajevo: Famous for its role in the Yugoslav civil war of the 1990s, here we stay in the heart of the old town to soak up the culture and history of this interesting city. Take an included walking tour, visit the tunnel museum or get lost in the Kasbah.

Dubrovnik: The city of Dubrovnik, right on the water in Croatia, allows some time to relax on the beach or explore the famous city by boat or cable car. Dubrovnik’s old town is a mass of limestone buildings surrounded by high city walls and has featured in a wide range of films and TV series over the years.

Mostar bridge: Mostar is a city built in the 15th century as an Ottoman frontier town. We pass through it on our way to Dubrovnik, to see the old bridge ‘Stari Most’ which was recently rebuilt by UNESCO and the old Turkish houses.

Stunning riding up the Dalmatian Coast past Split: Our ride up the coast has some of the most beautiful scenery on offer on any of our tours. We sweep along the coast past 1,200 islands scattered in the bright blue Adriatic Sea on one side, lush green fields on the other, and steep, rugged cliffs in the distance.

Swiss Passes: Ride some of Europe’s most iconic mountain roads. These twisting ribbons of tarmac are as bucket-list-worthy as they come!

Route des Crêtes in the Vosges Mountains: A real jewel in the Vosges Mountains, the Route des Crêtes has twisty and sweeping bends to really get your blood pumping!

The Iconic Mostar Bridge

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Tour Map / Itinerary

Full Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival Day

Meet your guide and fellow tourmates in Folkestone for your welcome meal, ready to cross the Channel early the next day. If you're renting a bike, you'll collect it from near London and ride with the guide together to Folkestone on this day.

Day 2 280 Miles

From the Channel tunnel we ride through northern France towards the famous Châlons-en-Champagne.

Day 3 210 Miles

We enter Germany via the beautiful sweeping curves of the Vosges Mountains and ride through the Black Forest region before we reach our hotel near Baden-Baden.

Day 4 190 Miles

We ride incredible roads through Bavaria, taking us to our overnight stop on the border of the Austrian Alps in Füssen.

Day 5 150 Miles

Crossing the border into Austria, we ride along the Austrian Alps to the Saalbach-Hinterglemm municipality.

Day 6 220 Miles

Today we tackle the Grossglockner high alpine road, the highest surfaced mountain pass in Austria, and then head down into Slovenia to Ljubljana.

Day 7 170 Miles

This morning we visit the dramatic Postojna cave system, check out the castle at Predjama before a short ride in the afternoon to our hotel near the Plitvice Lakes National Park World Heritage Site.

Day 8 Explore Day

Day off the bikes today to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Plitvice.

Day 9 210 Miles

Our destination today is the Bosnian city of Sarajevo. We will stay near the heart of the old town for two nights, allowing us to soak up everything on offer.

Day 10 Explore Day

Day off to relax and explore the town, take a walking tour, or visit one of the many churches and galleries a short stroll from our hotel.

Day 11 165 Miles

Today we leave Sarajevo to make our way to Dubrovnik via the world-famous town of Mostar.

Day 12 Explore Day

Day off to immerse yourself in this magnificent walled city of Dubrovnik.

Day 13 210 Miles

We spend the day winding up the Dalmatian coast via Split to our stop in the little coastal town of Zadar.

Day 14 210 miles

We ride back up into Slovenia today and have a second chance to explore Ljubljana.

Day 15 200 Miles

From Slovenia's beautiful capital, we cross into Italy and ride through the Dolomites to our hotel in the mountains.

Day 16 200 Miles

Crossing into Switzerland, we ride more incredible mountain passes before staying once more in the mountains.

Day 17 100 Miles

You’ll spend the day travelling through the Swiss Alps, crossing the best bucket list passes, before you enjoy another night in the mountains.

Day 18 165 Miles

Leave Switzerland and ride into the Vosges mountains of France.

Day 19 200 Miles

Right through Vosges and the French countryside to Reims, heading north.

Day 20 180 Miles

A relaxing day continuing north to your final night in Calais, ready to cross back to the UK the following morning.

Day 21 Departure Day

Cross back over into the UK via the Eurotunnel then ride on home full of new and exciting memories! If you're renting a bike, you'll return it to near London on this day before making your onward journey.

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What's included

If you select motorcycle rental, insurance and breakdown cover is included.

20 nights’ accommodation in high-quality hotels.

Eurotunnel return trip from Folkestone to Calais (if Folkestone isn’t convenient for you, please get in touch as other crossings can be arranged, as mentioned in the Q&As below).

Ice-breaking welcome meal and final farewell feast as well as excellent breakfasts each morning in the hotels.

Walking tour in Sarajevo, the fascinating capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Entry to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Plitvice Lakes.

Full use of all hotels’ leisure facilities.

Detailed route plans and maps.

GPS routes (Garmin / Tom Tom).

Detailed daily itinerary including sights and suggested coffee / lunch stops.

Fully guided and supported by an experienced tour guide throughout.

What's not

Fuel.

Toll charges.

Admission charges.

Occasional hotel parking charges.

Meals and drinks other than specified above.

Travel/Breakdown insurance covering repatriation back to the UK.

Common questions about this trip

Can I get a different crossing on this trip?

Of course, many of our clients cross by ferry from further north. If you would like to do this and meet the group at the hotel on the first night just let us know in the comments section of your booking form and we will deduct the cost of the Eurotunnel crossing from your booking.

What will the weather be like on this tour?

The weather can of course be changeable but we pick our tour dates to be in the best window to tour the region, not too hot and less chance of rain at the higher elevations. A sensible mix of vented kit and waterproofs with some base layers should cover all eventualities. Full kit and packing lists are supplied and we are happy to offer advice on packing for any of the trips.

Will my Satnav cover the areas we go through on this tour?

Most Garmin and Tomtom devices have maps that cover the entirety of Western Europe. On this trip though you will need maps of Bosnia as well. Check if your device has these and if not you can download easily before you go. We provide full instructions on setup in the tour packs and our guides are all Satnav Wizards!

Will I find this tour too tiring?

You shouldn’t do no, we design all of our trips to be accessible to riders of all abilities and include plenty of days off the bike as part of this. These longer trips are no exception, we could easily make them 3 or 4 days shorter as others do but we choose to add multiple rest days and avoid the motorways as much as possible so you can enjoy the ride and arrive at the hotels in the evening in good time to relax before dinner. The only exception to this is the last day of the tour where we use the motorway for just over half the day to get back to Calais giving us more time to spend on the good roads further east. If you would like to add an extra night in to break up this final day we can arrange this easily for you just let us know.

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More information

For general information on planning and preparing for motorcycle trips including what to pack please see our Prepare for your trip section.

More Information

Magellan Hub

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Bike Option	Single Rider Price (Total for 1 rider, 1 bike)	Rider & Passenger (Total for 2 riders, 1 bike)	Two Bikes, Shared Room (Total for 2 riders, 2 bikes)
Own Bike	£9795	£14390	£17590
HD Ultra Limited	£16095	£20690	£30190
HD Street Glide	£16095	£20690	£30190
/BMW K1600 GTL	£14835	£19430	£27670
BMW R1250GS	£13995	£18590	£25990
BMW R1250RT	£13995	£18590	£25990
BMW S1000XR	£13995	£18590	£25990
BMW R1250RS	£13995	£18590	£25990
Triumph Tiger 1200 Rally Pro	£13995	£18590	£25990
Triumph Bonneville T120	£13995	£18590	£25990
Honda CMX1100 Rebel DCT	£13995	£18590	£25990
Triumph Tiger 900 GT Pro	£13575	£18170	£25150
Ducati Multistrada V2S	£13575	£18170	£25150
Triumph Speed Twin 900	£13575	£18170	£25150
Yamaha Tracer 9 GT	£13575	£18170	£25150
Triumph Tiger Sport 800	£13575	£18170	£25150
BMW F900XR	£13575	£18170	£25150
BMW F850GS	£13365	£17960	£24730
BMW F800GS	£13365	£17960	£24730
BMW F800GS (low)	£13365	£17960	£24730
BMW F750GS	£13365	£17960	£24730
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport	£13365	£17960	£24730
Triumph Bonneville T100	£13365	£17960	£24730
Yamaha Tracer 7 GT	£13365	£17960	£24730
Triumph Tiger Sport 660	£13365	£17960	£24730

Balkans Explorer and the Dalmatian Coast

Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

Balkans Explorer and the Dalmatian Coast

Croatia, Slovenia and Bosnia

Tour highlights

Tour Map / Itinerary

Full Itinerary

Full Pricing

Common questions about this trip

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