The Mongol Rally:
The Balkan Detour
Here, Chris Shorrock describes a six day Balkan detour we took on the Mongol Rally, to explore some of the historic sights and natural wonders.
The Balkans: A troubled history
Synonymous with war, the Balkans is a region of South Eastern Europe with a troubled history. From the spark that set off the first world war, through communism and the wars of the 90s that broke apart the former Yugoslavia, to the present day, this region hasn’t been the most accessible.
Now, however, the countries of the Balkan peninsula are stable and, to some extent, prospering. So we decided to take a six-day detour off the road to Istanbul to check them out.
Arrival in the Balkans: Lake Bled
We planned our first stop to take in one of the highlights of Slovenia, Lake Bled. After a beautiful but hot drive through the Austrian Alps, we arrived on the shores of this stunning alpine lake. Hot and tired after the long drive, we were drawn straight to its calm waters for a refreshing dip.
Cooling off in Lake Bled after a hot day on the road
Lake Bled is surrounded by steep forested mountainsides, with a castle on a cliff overlooking the lake and a monastery on an island in the middle. It’s not hard to see why Lake Bled has become so well known.
Thankfully it wasn’t too crowded in the late afternoon, and we could enjoy some tranquillity before meeting up with our couchsurfing host at his cabin in the forest.
Lake Bled was well worth the detour
Couchsurfing on the Mongol Rally
Tom’s home was something straight out of a children’s fairytale, a small wooden cabin hidden in the forest, moss growing on the roof, completely hidden from the outside world by an envelope of trees. Tom was a great host, and we spent the evening cooking over the open fire with his friends, feasting on fresh produce from his family garden by candlelight under the stars. It was a magical evening in a magical setting. A place we were sad to leave.
Our first night in the Balkans
The Rally Countinues
But leave we did. Our next destination: Bosnia, or Bosnia and Herzegovina, to give the country its full title. Bosnia was one of the countries worst hit by the wars of the 90s. The city of Mostar, in Herzegovina, was particularly badly affected, its old town and famous 16th-century bridge reduced to rubble.
Mostar has now risen from the ashes of that terrible time. When we visited, it was busy with tourists taking in the breathtaking views of the Stari Most (old bridge) and the Neretva River at sunset. We joined the crowds, wandering the narrow cobbled streets and taking in the panorama from atop the restored bridge, enjoying a much-needed ice cream as we went.
The Stari Most at sunset, a Balkan highlight
Driving towards a tourist Mecca
The following morning we couldn’t resist dropping by Mostar one last time en route from the campsite (best in Bosnia) to Dubrovnik. We had passed through Croatia already on our journey from Lake Bled to Mostar, the landscape dry and uninteresting, the radio similar (our radio adaptor annoyingly died on the second day of our rally; we’ve been relying on local radio for entertainment ever since). So as we headed to the coast, we hoped for much better.
into view, the journey became much more enjoyable. We had decided on a route to avoid tolls, so we spent our time in Switzerland winding along back roads, from one charming mountain village to the next, with local farmers making hay on the impossibly steep hillsides on either side of the road.
Bosnia gave us out first taste of off road driving on the Rally
A Balkan beach day
We weren’t disappointed. After our first bit of off-road driving (in Bosnia) and a single-track back road to the border (and past), we finally glimpsed the Adriatic Sea.
Fifteen minutes later and we were in it. A small pebbly beach below the coastal road was perfect for a cooling dip. But, of course, it could have been better for sunbathing. Still, we managed, and the lobster-coloured Russians clearly didn’t find the pebbles a hindrance to their baking.
Reluctantly we dried off and headed to Dubrovnik; expensive and insanely busy after Mostar but worth the cash and crowds.
Croatia’s famous coastline
Dubrovnik: like entering a movie set
With little time left in the day, we headed onto the city walls for a walk around the fortifications, with panoramic views of the old town and the sea behind. In the setting sun, the red roofs of Dubrovnik were illuminated like something out of a film set. Game of Thrones, perhaps?
Dubrovnik or King’s Landing?
Spectacular sea views from Dubrovnik city walls
Sleeping in the car is a rite of passage
We found the food and accommodation in Dubrovnik to be vastly overpriced. As a result, we decided to head south, pick up a bakery dinner, and find a camping spot to spend the night. This would be our first night of wild camping on the trip so far.
To find a good pitch, we used iOverlander. It’s an app that maps out locations useful for people travelling overland in their own vehicle; camp spots, good mechanics, cheap hostels. An abandoned hotel complex had good reviews, and we rocked up in the zebra just as the locals were ending their beach day and heading home. After exploring the beach and checking out the derelict hotels, we searched for a camp spot. Failing miserably to find a suitable pitch amongst the undergrowth, we settled on a night in the car.
Sleeping in the car at an abandoned hotel complex was a spooky experience
Sleeping in the car surrounded by spooky old hotels, with the odd shady character checking out our car on the way past, didn’t lead to the best night’s sleep. So we were happy when the sun finally rose, and it was time to depart for our next destination, Albania.
After our first night sleeping in the car
Destination Albania
This would be our biggest car day so far. But it wasn’t the distance, the car, or the borders that made the day so long, hot and exhausting; travelling from Croatia to Albania, you must traverse the Montenegrin coast, and in summer, it is packed with holidaymakers, clogging the roads and forming long lines of cars at the borders.
We spent hours getting into and out of Montenegro. And struggled to enjoy the coastal scenery as we baked in our car, at a crawling pace, along the packed road linking the Montenegrin resorts.
Unfortunately, this was also the day we realised the car insurance company hadn’t been entirely truthful about covering us for the whole of Europe. So it added insult to injury that we had to pay €15 for the privilege of a day in the Montenegrin queues.
The Balkan coast in Montenegro
Crossing into Albania, we were happy that the border guards didn’t ask for proof of our car insurance as the Montenegrins had. And we entered the country without having to fork out for more insurance.
Ten miles down the road, however, we were pulled over by the police for not having our headlights on (in the blazing afternoon sun). A €20 fine, plus €140 for having no insurance. Our spirits hit rock bottom. A bit of chit-chat later, though, and we were down to €10 total. As we walked back to the car to get the cash, the police seemed to have lost interest, and we tentatively started to pull away. We weren’t followed; Silk Road truckers: 1, corrupt officials: 0.
The Balkans is steeped in history
Feeling dejected after the long hot drive and worried about being pulled over again without insurance, we debated giving up on our planned destination of Berat, in Southern Albania.
Thankfully, we soldiered on, and the following morning after a much-needed rest and shower at a great little campsite, we headed into the old Ottoman town of Berat.
Set on the steep hillsides flanking the Osum River, Berat was built during the Ottoman Empire’s rule in Albania. It was easy to get lost in the maze of narrow cobbled ‘streets’ between the old Ottoman houses. Still, after a few wrong turns and a lot of sweating, we finally made it to the hilltop fortress overlooking the town.
After stopping to admire the views and cool off after the hot climb, we explored the old town within the fortress walls. There was barely another tourist in sight, a pleasant change after the crowds of Dubrovnik.
The Ottoman houses of Berat, Albania
Lost in the maze
Another Balkan lake
With little time to linger on the long road to Mongolia, we continued onwards as the day got hotter, headed for Macedonia. Well off the tourist trail by now, the route was much quieter and the border much less traumatic than the previous day (although having to pay €50 car insurance for one night in Macedonia was a bit of a kick in the teeth).
Lake Ohrid is the undisputed highlight of Macedonia. And happily, for us, it was only a 20-minute drive from the Albanian border. So we headed straight for Ohrid town, on the lake’s shore, to check out the old town, with its city walls, Roman amphitheatre, and the beautifully positioned Sveti Jovan Kaneo perched on a cliff above the lake.
Sveti Jovan Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, Macedonia
Mongol Rally Camping
After picking up some more pastries for dinner (our staple food by now), we set out south along the lake to find our next wild-camping spot. Using iOverlander again, we pitched our tent in a quiet clearing overlooking the lake, then headed down to the shore for an evening swim in the crystal clear waters.
After some initial wrong turns, we found a tiny secluded beach nestled in the cliff shore. With the sun setting across the lake, we plunged into the beautifully cool waters, surrounded by thousands of shimmering fish and not another soul in sight. As the sun finally disappeared behind the hills on the far shore, we returned to camp, filled with awe for this magical place.
Soaking in the clear waters of Lake Ohrid
A Balkan sunset over Lake Ohrid
Last stop of the detour
We awoke feeling refreshed and couldn’t resist another dip before hitting the road again. Our plan for the day was to get as close as possible to Turkey. After a slow drive through Macedonia, we decided on Plovdiv in Bulgaria as our target for the day.
Our first impressions of Bulgaria were not encouraging; a drab landscape punctuated by even drabber towns, with the odd derelict industrial complex thrown in for good measure. After a few hours of driving, this feeling didn’t change. Dinner in Plovdiv didn’t help either.
Luckily iOverlander saved the day again. Following the GPS coordinates from the app, we headed out of the plain we’d been travelling so far and started climbing through a forested gorge towards the mountains. Finding the recommended camp spot occupied by a group of drunk Bulgarians, and a lot of trash, we continued up the canyon on a spectacular winding road and found our own pitch.
More Balkan camping, this time in Bulgaria
We spent a restless night baking in the hot tent, unable to open any ventilation for fear of the swarms of mosquitoes gathered outside. A 6am start the following morning gave us time for a quick poke around Bachkovo monastery, which happened to be just around the corner, before making a beeline for the Turkish border.
Bachkovo is a Bulgarian Orthodox monastery. As we arrived, the monks were starting to stir. Some were still wearing their pyjamas, others already in their black robes, chanting prayers from under their thick, flowing beards. A smattering of pilgrims were lighting candles in the courtyard. All very tranquil, mildly exotic, and a nice end to our detour through the Balkans.
Bulgaria’s Bachkovo Monastery in the morning mist
This Leg
Days: 6
Countries: 10
Distance: 1,619 miles
Time in car: 16 hours 30 minutes
Total
Days: 9
Countries: 15
Distance: 2,633 miles
Time in car: 2 days 11 hours