Albania-Zyda

DAY 1

Welcome to Tirana!

Welcome to Tirana, one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe where you can feel the architectural influences of both the Soviet & Ottoman empire.

First you'll get picked up from the airport and dropped off at our hotel in Tirana to unwind from your trip. In the afternoon we'll start our walking tour through Tirana.

We'll start off by making our way to the core of the city at Skanderbeg Square and the Clock tower where we'll be able to explore the pastel coloured buildings that surround the heart of this city and try to spot as many of the bunkers around every corner of both this city and country.

Later on we will take a cable car to the top of Dajti mountain so we can enjoy one of the most picturesque views of Tirana.

DAY 2

Making our way through the beautiful north of Albania

Today we'll start off the day with an early breakfast so we can make our way to the first capital city of Albania, Kruje.
Once at the dethroned capital we'll be visiting the old Bazar while enjoy the scenic view that reaches out to the Mediterranean before starting our journey to the north!

Enough capital cities, it's time to make our way up to the north to Shkoder and it's beautiful lake but not before taking an essential break at one of the best Albanian restaurants in the country, Mrizi i Zanave, where you can enjoy a delicious local meal (excluded from package - has to be pre-booked).

After filling our bellies with food it's time to fill our souls with more adventure at Shkodra, where we'll have free time to explore and get a more genuine experience of this beautiful lakeside city and its vibrantly coloured streets.

DAY 3

Shkoder and the Accursed mountains 

Good morning! Today we'll be starting our day with a nice hearty breakfast before some of us go on our optional activity to kayak in Shkodra lake which is one of the largest bird reserves in Europe, if we're lucky we might even see some of the last pelicans in Europe.

Once everyone's done and ready we will make our way to Theth through the gorgeous Accursed mountains, which have been nicknamed the Albanian Alps due to how beautiful the mountain range is.

We'll arrive to the lush mountainous village of Theth in the afternoon where we'll go on a hike to Grunas waterfall & canyon and have the rest of the day free to explore some of the incredible trails that come out of Theth or just sit back and enjoy being in the heart of the mountains completely surrounded by nature.

DAY 4

Mountains to Beaches, The Albanian Alps to Vlore

Early breakfast at the Thethi Paradise then we'll start our day early by heading to Theth Blue Eye, a breathtaking waterfall nestled in a valley amongst the mountains where we'll enjoy the view and its pristine water.

After our morning hike to the waterfalls we will depart for the dazzling Vlore, a city that sits on a bay that splits both the Adriatic and the Ionian seas and it's known for the beauty of it's beaches and delicious food that's heavily influenced by Italy which is right across from it on the sea.

Day 5

Llogara National Park & Porto Palermo

Breakfast at the hotel and drive towards our first destination of the day, Llogara National Park, 

Once we've had our fill of Llogara we will drive off to Porto Palermo bay where we'll have a chance to take a dip in the water and swim in this beautiful bay. We will also see the Ali Pasha Castle, a beautifully located at the mouth of the Vivari Channel. 

After we finish at Porto Palermo we'll continue the drive to Sarande where we'll be spending the night.

DAY 6

Llogara, Porto Palermo & Gjirokaster

Breakfast at the hotel and then we will start our day by heading towards the famous Blue Eye of Sarande where we will take in it's pristine turquoise water.

Once we've finished at the Blue Eye we will make our way to one of the highlights of all of Albania and we will explore the famous city of Gjirokastra a world renowned UNESCO world heritage site.

Here at the fairy tale hillside town of Gjirokaster undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and enchanting towns on the Balkan Peninsula. The city has plenty of gorgeous places to visit such as the Castle of Gjirokastra and the old bazar.

DAY 7

Gjirokaster, the pearl of Albania 

We'll be waking up for breakfast at the hotel then begin exploring the beautiful Berat, which is a UNESCO heritage site due to its beauty, being a rare example of an architectural character typical of the Ottoman period and for bearing witness to the coexistence of various religious and cultural communities over the centuries.

During our tour of this mountainside treasure we will go visit the Old Castle of Berat, Onufri Museum, the Mangalem and Gorica neighbourhoods.
After the tour we will have lunch and head to Holta Canyon where we will do canyon walking and explore it's winding paths and crevices.

Once we've finished with Holta Canyon we will starting making our way back to the place we started from and head back towards Tirana.

DAY 8

Depart Albania & Head Home

Sadly the trip has come to an end, so get your souvenirs and say your goodbyes before checking out.

Optional transfer to the airport for departure.