Durmitor, Theth Pass & Kotor: 10 Gravel Days

The start is in Graz. Mostly on the motorway, around 380 kilometres lead through Slovenia and Croatia to Banja Luka in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where the first night waits and there is time for a stroll through the city.

This stage follows the river Vrbas south – half on tarmac, half on gravel – to the well-known pilgrimage site of Medugorje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Around 220 kilometres are on the programme for the day.

The morning runs through the hills of Bosnia, and around midday the group reaches the border with Montenegro, one of the youngest and greenest countries in Europe. The night is spent in a traditional guesthouse, around 180 kilometres on.

Durmitor National Park is Montenegro's highest and largest national park, with gorges, caves and glacial lakes. A picnic break at the Piva reservoir is part of the day, before the way continues towards Savnik – around 160 kilometres.

Past the capital Podgorica the way crosses into Albania. The asphalted part of the Theth Pass climbs to 2,600 metres, after which the gravel descent drops deep into the valley of Theth – around 180 kilometres.

Through the national park again, past Theth Lake and over a technically demanding gravel stage near Lake Shkoder, the way heads towards the Adriatic. The night is spent in Budva close to the sea, around 175 kilometres on.

After breakfast the Bay of Kotor delivers one of the most striking views in the Balkans. Winding roads through Lovcen National Park and several tunnels then lead to Niksic – around 150 kilometres.

Through characterful villages and along fairytale country roads the way returns to Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the UNESCO city of Mostar with its famous bridge. In the evening the old town invites a stroll – around 190 kilometres.

On fine gravel roads and past water-rich glacial lakes the way returns to Banja Luka, where the group spends a relaxed final evening together and looks back on the past days – around 240 kilometres.

On the last stage the way runs mostly on the motorway back to Graz – around 380 kilometres, rich in memories of national parks, mountain passes and gravel tracks in the Western Balkans. Here the programme ends.