The Balkans 50 plus Tours & Trip Packages

The Balkans 50 plus Tours & Trips

175 The Balkans trips. Tours from 91 tour companies. 769 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.

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50 plus
Green Charms of Slovenia
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Group Tour
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Ljubljana

Highlights

  • Trekking in the Logar Valley
  • Visit of Bled Castle, Bee Family and Pletna Boat Ride
  • Bovec and Soca Valley with Rafting
  • Visit of Postojna Caves
  • Bike Tour

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Rafting, Kayaking, Canoeing

What travelers are saying

"Kensington Tours is a vendor with nasty, pushy old school sales tactics and sketchy opaque pricing to get you fleeced in my opinion, read on ! Kensington Tours pre-charged my Amex Centurian card a staggering $85,985.00. for 6 nights without international airfares in one cost-opaque invoice. This consisted of a simple assembly of 9 hotel room nights in 3 locations, 6 in-country economy flights, 3 airport pickup/drop offs, a 2 day 'tour' and a 1-day expedition on a small boat. It was so bad we declined the 2nd tour day and boat trip. The full retail cost of the trip, which would include profits to Kensington Tours, is estimated at $30,140.47 versus their invoice of $ 85,985.00. That is a staggering overcharge of $54,859.43. see details below. The experience should have been amazing for this amount of money, but the cost was so egregious for the average to low quality of the tours, flights, boat, and cheap or kerb-side restaurants and food establishments I decided to assemble the full retail price for these activities by speaking directly with all the major vendors. These are mostly time-specific cost comparisons on the days we were there. Both hotel general managers informed me the costs were about the same as on the previous days for the day extensions they quoted. i.e. peak season pricing. The full retail costs I've assembled would include any tour outfits profits on the hotel, airfare and lunch as they buy wholesale. It should be a close season-specific estimate. This was verified by a call from Kensington Tours Director of Asia sales who confirmed she couldn't reveal room prices because they have contracts with the hotels for discounts over retail. Kensington Tours provided near zero value, I also didn't get the typical additional hotel $ benefits, comped amenities and prestige of direct Centurion bookings, instead the reservations showed as a lowly Kensington Tours operator booking. Kensington Tours unilaterally declares their sales brochure is a de facto contract agreement without either attaching the contract doc to my knowledge or getting a counter signature, i.e. it's not a contract and would never hold up. They attempt to hide behind 'private discount contracts' with hotels and insinuated to me costs were 3x reality The comped me back $30,000.00 because I have some leverage, it should have been $55,000.00. I'm still considering whether to file a quick suit, they'll eat at least the balance defending against me in attorney fees. I'll see if I can be bothered to do that. I probably will, to let others know to be careful and not use an outfit like this. Hopefully save folks their hard earned money. My bottom line, Kensington Tours is a disgrace run the other way. Paolo T Here are the cost details: #1 HOTEL : CHANG MAI : FOUR SEASONS 3 BEDROOM VILLA RATE: THB 179,250 + 18.7% TAX & SERVICE CHARGE PER NIGHT X 2 (2 NIGHT STAY) COST USD: $10,262.06 COMMENTS: PRICE FROM HOTEL #2 HOTEL : KRABI : PHULAY BAY ROOM 1 VILLA RATE: THB 63,000 + 18.7% TAX & SERVICE CHARGE PER NIGHT x3 COST USD: $5,409.18 COMMENTS: PRICE FROM HOTEL ROOM 2 VILLA RATE: THB 78,500 + 18.7% TAX & SERVICE CHARGE PER NIGHT x3 COST USD: $6,741.18 COMMENTS: PRICE FROM HOTEL #3 BOAT : PRIVATE SPEEDBOAT FULL DAY RATE: THB 36,251 FOR 3 PERSONS INCLUSIVE 17% COST USD: $1,034.93 COMMENTS: TRIP DECLINED. PRICE FROM BOAT VENDOR #4 THAILAND IN COUNTRY FLIGHTS BANGKOK AIRPORT TO CHIANG MAI RATE: $211.40 USD PER TICKET ECONOMY x3 $634.20 + TAX COST USD: $634.20 PRICE FROM CARRIER CHANG MAI TO KRABI RATE: $256.00 USD PER TICKET ECONOMY x3 $768.00 + TAX COST USD: $756.00 PRICE FROM CARRIER KRABI TO BANGKOK AIRPORT RATE: $195.80 USD PER TICKET ECONOMY x3 $587.40 + TAX COST USD: $587.40 PRICE FROM CARRIER #5 KENSINGTON TOURS : ESTIMATED ADDITIONAL SERVICES ROUND TRIP TRANSPORT FROM AIRPORT TO HOTELS ESTIMATED COST PER TRIP: $150 x6 ($900) INEXPENSIVE TRIPS + LUNCH ESTIMATED COST PER TRIP $500 x2 ($1,000) NO PRIVATE TOURS #6 MANDARIN ORIENTAL HOTEL BANGKOK DELUXE 2 BEDROOM SUITE RATE: THB 98,600 + 18.7% TAX & SERVICE CHARGE PER NIGHT x1 COST USD: $2,815.52 (ONLINE ESTIMATE) TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $30,140.47 KENSINGTON ESTIMATED COST 80% $24,112.37 KENSINGTON COST PROFIT 20% $6,028.09 KENSINGTON TOURS AMOUNT CHARGED TO CUSTOMER: $85,000.00 COST DIFFERENCE: $54,859.43"

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Best of the Balkans: From Medieval Fortresses to the Majestic Adriatic Sea
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Wheelchair Accessible
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Alps, Belgrade, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Split, Zagreb

Highlights

  • Discover UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Montenegro, Dubrovnik, Split, Sarajevo, Zagreb and more
  • Enjoy a boat excursion on the captivating Adriatic Sea
  • Discover Lake Bled, a scene right out of a storybook with a tiny island, mountain landscape and romantic hilltop castle

Themes

50 plus, Education / Learning

What travelers are saying

"Our family of four, including two adult children, took the Bicycling: Day Trips to Paradise in Canada. This trip is entirely outsourced to the owners of the inn, there are no Road Scholar employees involved in the trip. Two of us have taken bicycle trips all over the world and the bicycling component of this trip was disorganized, haphazard and almost unsafe. We all filled out forms giving details regarding our bicycle fitting months before the trip. On the first day, the leader Stephen, went around the room and asked the same questions and said everyone would get fitted in the morning before we began the first ride. The morning brought a rack of bikes, all different types in various levels of readiness. There were road bikes, hybrid bikes, mountain bikes and e-bikes. The rides were all on paved surfaces and the mountain bikes were heavy and the additional suspension added weight. The bike I received had rust on the chain and rear sprocket. When I asked about it, was told they were waiting for another van to show up with tools and equipment. Once it arrived, they gave me the lubricant to spray on the rust. My wife’s bike would not shift into the high gear on the front sprocket. Instead of adjusting the derailleur, they suggested spraying it with lubricant. Our one son is over six feet and needed a larger frame bike, even though he detailed it in the bike form months ago, there was no bike to fit him. One of the guides, then went home and brought a larger bike that was a full suspension mountain bike for him. The bike was very heavy, hard to control on the road and he felt unsafe. After two days, one of the guides convinced Stephen that they could adjust a hybrid bike to fit him. Clearly there was no work done to prepare the bikes for the trip. Many of the bikes needed adjusting and all needed lubricant to function easily. For every day, there was a tray of snacks placed out for us to take along the ride. None of the bikes had any baskets or attached bags, so if you didn’t bring a small day pack, there was no way to carry the snacks. For lunch on the rides, they brought exactly one sandwich for each rider. Since most of us get hungry while doing a day of exercise, it would have been helpful to have a few extras. On one day, they ran out of sandwiches and one of the leaders that were riding with us did not get lunch. Do NOT take this trip if you are expecting it to be a bicycling trip. We have used VBT and Discovery Bicycle Tours many times over the past 25 years and they are excellent bike tour companies. Lastly, after sharing these details with Road Scholar after the trip, their response was weak at best. After doing the full reviews and having to call them, their response was to give us $200 credit after spending $8000 on this trip. Not only was that insulting, they assumed that I would take another trip with their organization."

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Scenic Slovenia & Croatia
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4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Croatia, Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Split, Zagreb

Themes

50 plus, Cultural

What travelers are saying

"We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-hotel transfers -The whispers (listening devices) didn't work from the get-go, so no whispers were used during the 13 day trip. - Porters are no longer hired to bring your luggage to and from your room. (Very elderly had to handle their own luggage. Our friends had to help many of them.) -A few days into the trip one couple left. At the end of the trip we found out they had covid. Cosmos did not let us know; a few people weren't feeling well and two of our friends then tested positive. -One hotel was awful and not even up to "budget" standards -Many of the stops had castles, churches... but were not included, so be sure to count that in when pricing.  don't plan to use Cosmos ever again. Gate1 is the best in my opinion. When my husband's passport was stolen, they assigned someone to go with him to the embassy, translate, etc...It was above and beyond what we expected  "

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Treasures of the Balkans & Transylvania
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4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Strenuous
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Belgrade, Brasov, Bucharest, Budapest, Romania, Sofia, Transylvania

Themes

50 plus, Cultural

What travelers are saying

"We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-hotel transfers -The whispers (listening devices) didn't work from the get-go, so no whispers were used during the 13 day trip. - Porters are no longer hired to bring your luggage to and from your room. (Very elderly had to handle their own luggage. Our friends had to help many of them.) -A few days into the trip one couple left. At the end of the trip we found out they had covid. Cosmos did not let us know; a few people weren't feeling well and two of our friends then tested positive. -One hotel was awful and not even up to "budget" standards -Many of the stops had castles, churches... but were not included, so be sure to count that in when pricing.  don't plan to use Cosmos ever again. Gate1 is the best in my opinion. When my husband's passport was stolen, they assigned someone to go with him to the embassy, translate, etc...It was above and beyond what we expected  "

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Venice, Slovenia, Croatia &  Montenegro
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4/5 Great
100+ reviews
Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Croatia, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Montenegro, Split, Venice

Themes

50 plus, Cultural

What travelers are saying

"We've taken over 10 group tours using Cosmos and Gate1. This trip last month, 9000 was not very good. -During booking, incorrect information was given about airport-hotel transfers -The whispers (listening devices) didn't work from the get-go, so no whispers were used during the 13 day trip. - Porters are no longer hired to bring your luggage to and from your room. (Very elderly had to handle their own luggage. Our friends had to help many of them.) -A few days into the trip one couple left. At the end of the trip we found out they had covid. Cosmos did not let us know; a few people weren't feeling well and two of our friends then tested positive. -One hotel was awful and not even up to "budget" standards -Many of the stops had castles, churches... but were not included, so be sure to count that in when pricing.  don't plan to use Cosmos ever again. Gate1 is the best in my opinion. When my husband's passport was stolen, they assigned someone to go with him to the embassy, translate, etc...It was above and beyond what we expected  "

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European sojourn
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2.7/5 Average
41 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Amsterdam, Bamberg, Koblenz, Nuremberg, St. Martin's Cathedral, Vienna

Highlights

  • Get an opportunity to Visit 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
  • Enjoy the amazing river cruising across Amsterdam
  • Explore Budapest enjoy innovative, efficient metro.
  • Discover Vienna
  • Experience a tour of Bamberg, with its medieval city center, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Most of the people on this 17-day river cruise was quite elderly and infirm. Therefore the complimentary excursions were painfully slow walking. Local guides mostly told stories of their own upbringing and the conflicts they lived through. There was not much history on any of the excursions; and none of the buildings we saw gave us an opportunity to go inside, even the paid excursions. The accommodations were excellent, except that we paid for the best veranda but could not sit on our veranda because for the first 5 days our ship was packed tight next to another Viking ship. Food was good, except for dinners which were quite mediocre and never captured the flavor of the local foods."

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Passage to Eastern Europe
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4.7/5 Excellent
41 reviews
River Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Belgrade, Bucharest, Budapest, Croatia

Highlights

  • Take guided walk through the grounds of Kalemegdan Fortress
  • Experience two nights in bustling Budapest, cosmopolitan capital of Hungary
  • Sail past dramatic natural wonders like the soaring white cliffs of the Iron Gate region
  • Enjoy Serbian & Hungarian folkloric performances
  • Enjoy the authentic flavors of Eastern Europe, on shore and aboard

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, Small Ship Cruise

What travelers are saying

"Most of the people on this 17-day river cruise was quite elderly and infirm. Therefore the complimentary excursions were painfully slow walking. Local guides mostly told stories of their own upbringing and the conflicts they lived through. There was not much history on any of the excursions; and none of the buildings we saw gave us an opportunity to go inside, even the paid excursions. The accommodations were excellent, except that we paid for the best veranda but could not sit on our veranda because for the first 5 days our ship was packed tight next to another Viking ship. Food was good, except for dinners which were quite mediocre and never captured the flavor of the local foods."

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Adriatic Cruise
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3.8/5 Great
18 reviews
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Dalmatian Coast, Dubrovnik, Sarajevo, Sibenik, Split

Highlights

  • Opportunity to see the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Mostar, Trogir and Dubrovnik impressive Cities
  • Experience the cruise to Sibenik
  • Explore Hvar, city which is one of the largest and oldest in Dalmatia
  • Enjoy a panoramic city tour of Sarajevo including the Parliament Buildings
  • Discover Frankfurt

Themes

50 plus, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Small Ship Cruise, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"I went on a Grand Tour of Italy with my husband and we had the trip of our lives. Senior Discovery Tours took care of everything so we just got to enjoy ourselves. Would highly reccomend!"

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The Balkans Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
769  Reviews
See all The Balkans tour reviews
Excellent
566
Great
163
Average
24
Disappointing
2
Terrible
4
A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

stunning coastline

Excellent leader Alan. Great balance between towns and countryside. Difficult to find anything I would change, perhaps better hotel coffee. not having been before, D...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Wonderful trip

What a fab trip. Great weather, wonderful company, and the gorgeous Dalmatian coast. The ride exceeded our expectations, it was a little tougher than we expected, ...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Amazing scenery & lots of laughs

We have recently returned from our first cycling holiday with Exodus and whilst I don't usually do reviews this time I felt compelled to write to say how impressed...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Breathtaking scenery and super smooth cycling!

It really was as described on the label - fabulously clear seas teeming with fish, gorgeous vistas of islands, vines and historic villages, with hidden gems of fre...

A

Anonymous

Oct 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Just brilliant!

We had a wonderful time cycling the Dalmation Coast. The scenery was amazing, the group were all lovely, our tour leader Marijo was fantastic and the food was grea...

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The Balkans Tour Selection Trips

  • There are several ways to tour the Balkans – overland, river cruises, and small-ship coastal cruises
  • The Balkans is a large and varied region that warrants multiple tours to see in depth
  • Greece and Croatia have the most highly developed tourist facilities in the region
  • Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Bosnia-Hercegovina are among the lesser traveled Balkan states
  • English is not as commonly spoken in much of the Balkans as in other parts of Europe, arguing for taking guided tours with interpreters
  • Keep close watch on conditions in Istanbul, Turkey, an extraordinary destination recently beset by violence

Additional details

What Countries are Included in the Balkans

There is some disagreement over the exact countries that are included in the Balkans, but traditionally this region of Europe includes Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and Slovenia. Additionally, parts of northern Greece and southern Turkey are also typically included as part of the Balkans.

What is Balkan Weather Like?

It honestly depends on the country. The Balkans cover over 250,000 square miles of Southeastern Europe with each of the countries having their own distinct landscape that dictates the weather.

However, the countries on the Adriatic Sea coast (Croatia, Montenegro, and Albania) have a typical Mediterranean climate on the coast and a cooler climate in the mountains. These countries are warmer throughout the year than Slovenia or Bulgaria which are landlocked and have more temperate climates.

An important thing to remember is that the Balkans have some of the roughest terrain in all of Europe. The Dinaric Alps, Carpathian Mountains, Balkan Mountains and other ridges stretch across this region causing the central Balkan countries to have a four-season climate. These mountains are also why the Balkans are a perfect time to visit during winter since many of the mountains receive heavy snowfall.

Who Will Enjoy the Balkans

Those wishing to get off the beaten path in Europe will enjoy visiting the Balkans. Since much of this region was under Communist rule and going through rebuilding, most of these countries are new to travelers. However, lesser known cities such as Skopje and Mostar are growing in popularity because of their uniqueness and smaller tourist scene than Western Europe.

History lovers will enjoy visiting the Balkans because of the unique cultural makeup of this region. The Venetian, Roman, Ottoman, and Hungarian Empires have all left their distinct influences on this region’s food, architecture, and cultural makeup. There are plenty of castles and old towns for any history enthusiast to get lost in.

Professional and amateur photographers will not be able to get enough of the Balkans. With towering mountains, aquamarine waters, and stunning cliff sides, the Balkans have some of the best untouched landscapes just waiting to be photographed.

The Balkans are also the ideal location for outdoor enthusiasts. There are many Balkan tour itineraries specializing in hiking and biking through the mountains of the Balkans. Also, there are tours that combine both the landscape of the Balkans with the metropolitan areas, allowing you to see all sides of the Balkans.

Do I Need Different Currencies when Traveling the Balkans?

Yes, you will need different currencies for the Balkans. Each of the Balkan countries have their own national currency, except Montenegro and Slovenia who both use the Euro.

You can exchange money before you leave for each of the countries. However, all of the countries have ATMs that you can use, but be forewarned, your bank may charge an international fee. There are also offices in the major cities, train stations, and airports where you can exchange your money.

If you are looking to exchange money from countries that are not near each other, like Bulgaria and Croatia, you will not be able to change the currencies. Also there are a few currencies, like Albanian Lek, you won’t be able to exchange outside of the country.

What Languages are Spoken in the Balkans?

The people of the Balkans speak a few different languages. You will hear Greek, a version of the Romance languages, a combination of Russian and Polish, and Albanian. But, some of the countries do have a similar language.

If you are traveling through Serbia, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Macedonia, and Croatia you will find a common language. While some of the words may be different, the general language is very similar.

Balkan Tour Lengths

Most Balkan tours last between 8-18 days. The length of the tour depends on the theme and region of the Balkans you are visiting.

If you are focusing on just the food of the Balkans or the Western Balkans, than the tour will be around 10 days. If you wish to see all of the Balkans, you will need at least 15 days because the area is so large.

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