About us

Hello and welcome (or should we say dobrodošli!) to Undiscovered Balkans, your go-to activity holiday specialist in the Balkans.

We’re Ben and Emma Heywood, the adventure-loving husband and wife behind this operation, and we’re thrilled to have you here with us in Europe’s most unexplored corner. 

When we landed in Montenegro in 2008 as frivolous travellers without kids, this beautiful country stopped us in our tracks. Its jagged mountains footed by blue and green lakes could easily be mistaken for the Canadian Rockies while miles of unspoiled wilderness resemble an African game reserve. 

Having visited more than 50 countries worldwide we’re not easy to impress, so you can trust we’ve selected only the most breathtaking locations for our holiday activities, with the help of our expert local guides. 

You won’t find big, brash resorts and double decker tour buses on our trips. We do small group travel, community tourism and family-run establishments – including our very own Villa Miela, where it all began. Sitting at the heart of Lake Skadar National Park, it’s the base for several of our holidays, from yoga retreats to kayak safaris.

Like our family, our holiday offering has expanded. We now run tours in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia.

We pride ourselves on being a small business and we personally handle all bookings, so rest assured you will never be on hold to an operator when you get in touch. 

When you travel with us, you’re officially part of our ever expanding Balkan family and as a family, we take care of one another. That’s why a percentage of our takings go back to the communities we work with. You can learn more about that here.

We look forward to seeing you in the Balkans soon!

 


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Considering a trip to the Balkans in 2025 and not sure when to go? Why not plan your holiday around a music festival or cultural event? Or challenge yourself to a marathon in your new year's resolutions? We've pulled together the top festivals & outdoor events in the Balkans for 2025 for inspiration (and linked our holidays located nearby – handy, eh?) 👇undiscoveredbalkans.com/festivals-in-croatia-montenegro-albania-serbia-kosovo-2025/Pic 1 – Boris Jović, Ston Walls Marathon, CroatiaPic 2 – Dragan Stojkić, Blacklake Xtreme Triathlon, MontenegroPic 3 – Robert Giordano, Ultra Europe Music Festival, CroatiaPic 4 – Тара Дрина Бајина Башта, Drina Regatta, Serbia#undiscoveredbalkans #travelinspiration See MoreSee Less
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1 week ago

Move over Bavaria, this is Serbia! 🇷🇸 🤩Every trip here has us craving more, and this time, Eastern Serbia has seriously snatched our hearts with its under-the-radar charms. Picture this…🌊 That same famously blue Danube River, beloved in Germany and Austria, but without the crowds.🏰 A jaw-dropping, ancient fortress that could have stepped out of Bavaria — or even Game of Thrones! ⚔️🏺 The remains of a human settlement WAY older than, say, The Acropolis, or even Stonehenge – Lepenski Vir dates back 10,000 years!🍷 Wine country at Fruška Gora and the super cute town of Novi Sad (twined with Norwich!) – the perfect base to explore the region🧗‍♂️ So many hiking, kayaking, wine tasting and adventure opportunities we can’t wait to string them together for you in one amazing week. Watch this space! And, of course, where better to kick off and wrap up an adventure in East Serbia than the buzzing city of Belgrade? 🍻Check out these snapshots from our incredible trip last week! A massive thank you to Experience Serbia, Zorica, and Bojana for hosting us and filling us with endless travel inspiration.Ready to explore one of Europe’s most underrated gems? Visit our Serbia travel page to learn more. 👉 undiscoveredbalkans.com/serbia-holidays/#UndiscoveredBalkans #ExperienceSerbia See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

Excited to be back in Serbia researching new trips! 🇷🇸 Back in May, we ran our first ever Serbia trip – a week during which Emma and our adventure testers picked up a serious rakija habit (at breakfast), hugged trees in Tara National Park, hung out with Griffon Vultures 🦅, dangled over gushing waterfalls, donned wetsuits to kayak the Drina, and narrowly escaped a much-feared phenomenon called Promaja thanks to a kind mountain ranger and his hairdryer (long story 😂)! This time we’re exploring closer to Belgrade on a trip hosted by Serbia’s Tourism Organisation. Stay tuned to follow our adventures in this wonderful country everyone should visit. Speaking of which, if the above sounds like your kind of adventure (and it’s family-friendly too), do book our Western Serbia holiday while our early bird special offer is still on – £100 off all 2025 trips confirmed this month! Visit the link in link below to find out more👇undiscoveredbalkans.com/tours/7-day-multi-activity-holiday-in-serbia/#undiscoveredbalkans #experienceserbia See MoreSee Less
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2 weeks ago

🍂 Autumn vibes are in full swing on our Montenegro hiking holidays, with another group traversing the peaks this week! Last week’s adventures could not have been more colourful. From the dramatic peaks of Prokljetije, to the sweeping meadows of Bjelasica, and the bright blue Mrtvica river – it’s lifted our spirits just to see these photos from our lovely guests (thanks you good peeps!). 🤩Our mountain hiking adventures begin again in June, when the winter snows are gone. Book now for an amazing early bird special deal – £100 off all bookings confirmed by the end of this month!Visit the link below to reserve your spot or learn more.undiscoveredbalkans.com/tours/walking-holiday-montenegro/#undiscoveredbalkans #undiscoveredmontenegro See MoreSee Less
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3 weeks ago

Meet Nebije, the owner of a women’s weaving co-op in North Albania keeping hand woven rugs alive.First introduced by the Ottomans, Albanian/Balkan rugs – known as ‘kilim’ – used to be a popular form of dowry in the region. They’re mostly bought up by tourists, hotels and Albanian diaspora as decoration now.Nebije has been weaving since the age of 10, all throughout the communist era and beyond. We love to visit Nebije, and her inspiring team of gals, on our North Albania holiday!Read her story and learn more about the significance of Albanian rugs on our blog this week.👉 undiscoveredbalkans.com/albanian-rug-traditions-nebija-qotaj/ 📷 @lauratruetravel #undiscoveredbalkans #albania #supportingtradition See MoreSee Less
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Holidays

Man on an activity holiday swimming in a crystal clear, bright blue rock pool near Lake Skadar

7 Day Activity Holiday at Lake Skadar

Our original adventure loved by everyone! Kayaking, hiking & wild-swimming…
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A girl sitting on a mule while trekking on Mount Tomorr in Albania

7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Albania

Discover Albania’s lakes, mountains & sea on this multi-active adventure!
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7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Kosovo

Discover the beauty of Europe’s newest and most fascinating country!
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7 Day Winter Activity Holiday in Montenegro

Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on the alpine slopes of Montenegro!
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