Travel back in time on your bike Bosnian MTB weekend adventure

Afternoon departure from Ljubljana. Approximately 4 hours travel to Banja Luka. We cross two borders on the way, so travel times may be extended. Transfers to Banja Luka for guests flying into Bosnia (Tuzla Airport) or Zagreb Airport can be arranged. Dinner at the hotel is followed by a short meeting on our plans for the weekend.

After breakfast we take off to some amazing trails close to Banja luka. Once again you will be surprised how good the riding in Bosnia can be. After the ride we’ll take well deserved lunch with a toast to a successful weekend. Then it’s time to return back home.

We meet at 16.00 in our office in Ljubljana. After a short introduction we pack our bags and bikes take a trip to Bosnian town of Banja Luka. Transfers to Banja Luka for guests flying into Bosnia (Tuzla Airport) can be arranged. We all meet at our hotel for a dinner.  After dinner we will have a short meeting where all tour details will be explained by your guides.

The official currency in Bosnia is the Convertible Mark – KM. 1€ is 1,95KM. Additional costs you may encounter during your stay in Bosnia: 2 meals per day (5-10 €), drinks in bars (1-2€). Most places don’t have payments by credit card, but there is a sufficient amount of ATM machines around the city. Tipping is welcome (if you are satisfied with the service), not mandatory. The usual tip is up to 10% of the bill.

On our Bosnian package 3 breakfasts are part ob B&B lodging option. One day includes a lunch stop (on 2nd day lunch is part of the package) at a specially selected local restaurant, serving local home made food, friendly atmosphere and range of foods characteristic for the area. Other lunch option is buying food in the grocery store. We kindly ask our guests to report any special nutritional requirements in advance (vegetarians, gluten free …) so we can notify the hotels and restaurants accordingly.

The best bike for our trips is a good all mountain or enduro bike with at least 120 mm of travel. The bike should not weigh more than 15 kilos as there is quite a bit of uphill riding. Hardtails are always an option, provided your knees and back can take the punishment.

Sure! We have a number of DeVinci, Mondraker and Trek bikes available for rent. For a full list of bikes, sizes and pricing contact us at  info@bikegalaxy.si.  Bikes can be reserved upon booking to eliminate any chance of not having a bike ready and waiting for you when you arrive.

Most basic bicycle spares and components are available for purchase in bike shops in Banja Luka. But, to set your mind at ease, we recommend you bring the following set of spares with you:

• rear derailleur hanger
• one set of brake pads
• chain (if your bike chain is older than 6 months)
• 2 inner tubes (with the appropriate valve)
• 2 spokes (appropriate lengths for your wheelset)
• Shock pump (particularly if you ride a Cannondale:) )

You can also do away with worrying about spares altogether and rent a bike for the week.

With the exception of May and October, weather in Bosnia is rather stable and not too cold. Expected temperatures in May and October are between 10 and 25 C and temperatures between June and September are between 15 and 30 C. Packing rain gear is always good as we cannot guarantee the dry weather. Some long sleeves can certainly come in handy.

Clothing and accessories:

• at least two cycling jerseys with short sleeves and one with long sleeves
• padded bike shorts
• bike helmet
• knee pads (elbow pads optional)
• sunglasses
• bike gloves
• rainproof jacket and pants
• warm “civilian” clothing (fleeces, pants …)
• swimsuit, towel
• sunscreen and insect repellent
• personal hygiene set (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo…)

Your riding backpack should carry at least:

• 2 liters of fluid/day (hydration bladder or plastic bottles)
• 1 spare inner tube (appropriate valve)
• tools
• pump

Plus any other stuff you can’t ride without (phone, camera etc.)!