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!
A seasoned backpacker, Emma’s itchy feet have taken her across Africa, America, Asia and Australia in search of adventure and new experiences. She worked as a conservationist in Zambia, a press officer for the British Government, and for the US oil industry before deciding her future lay in sustainable tourism in the Balkans. Inspired by this region’s incredible, ever-changing scenery, Emma is able to indulge her love of travel, yoga,
art and photography to the full organising adventures in Montenegro. In her spare time, Emma volunteers her publicity skills to local conservation projects and initiatives and enjoys strong Turkish coffee. She speaks English, Serbian/Montenegrin and French.
EmmaCo-Founder
Born in Scotland and raised in Venezuela, Germany, the UAE and the UK, Ben speaks English, German, French and Serbian/Montenegrin, and is a BCU qualified kayak coach. Prior to setting up Undiscovered Montenegro and Undiscovered Balkans with Emma, he spent 15 years in international publishing, Following a round-the-world backpacking trip with Emma, Ben ditched his desk job for Lake Skadar’s incredible backdrop where he can indulge in his passions for snowboarding,
kayaking, occasional carpentry, and organic home-cooking (in between organising adventures for others).
BenCo-Founder
Vera is one of the most respected hiking guides in the country. Like us, she loves being outdoors. In fact, the more remote the area, the higher the chances of spotting Vera. She’s particularly passionate about her roots in the north of Montenegro. Popular with parents and children alike, Vera speaks excellent English as well as Montenegrin/Serbian.
Vera Adventure Leader, Montenegro
Alfi’s enthusiasm for Albania is infectious! He has been working as a licenced guide in Albania since 2015, never happier than when exloring all corners of his country. Outdoor adventure is his passion, and it shows with every guest! Alfi speaks fluent English.
AlfiAdventure Leader, Albania
Nenad is an outdoor adventurer whose ambition is to visit every corner of this spectacular country – he is happiest when biking, hiking or kayaking, making him a natural fit for Undiscovered Montenegro! He speaks excellent English and of course Montenegrin/Serbian.
Nenad Adventure Leader, Montenegro
Milija comes from a family of adventure enthusiasts who live and breathe the outdoors. Whether biking, hiking, kayaking or skiiing, you’re in good hands. Milija speaks fluent English and Montenegrin/Serbian.
Milija Adventure Leader, Montenegro
Ana has over a decade’s worth of experience guiding tour groups around her country, and has earned her reputation as one of the funniest and most quotable tour guides in Montenegro! She speaks near-native English, has full tour guide qualifications and loves leading our family adventures!
AnaAdventure Leader, Montenegro
Arben‘s enthusiasm for his country and all outdoor pursuits is infectious! As one of Albania’s most renowned licenced guides, he has stupendous historical knowledge and seems to have visited every corner of Albania! He lives in Tirana and speaks superb English.
ArbenAdventure Leader, Albania
Dino is one of the most knowledgable and experienced guides in the country when it comes to the amazing Prokletije, straddling Montenegro and Albania. A native of Gusinje, he speaks excellent English, fluent Montenegrin and also Albanian.
DinoAdventure Leader, Montenegro/Albania
Aurora is a native of Shkoder in North Albania who has over twenty years of experience guiding guests around her favourite places in the region. A qualified biologist, she is actively involved in many different wildlife conservation efforts and intimately knows the mountains of the Prokletije in both Albania and Montenegro. She speaks superb English, as well as her native Albanian.
AuroraAdventure Leader, Albania
Skender has over a decade’s worth of experience guiding tour groups around his country, and has earned his reputation as one of the funniest and most quotable tour guides in Bosnia & Hercegovina! He speaks near-native English and has full tour guide qualifications.
SkenderAdventure Leader, Bosnia & Hercegovina
Aleks and Philomena are a brilliant Serbian/Australian couple who have been leading groups around Serbia for years. We’ve now teamed up with them to offer you our first week-long activity holiday in Serbia, with more to follow! They speak fluent English and Serbian.
Aleks & PhilomenaAdventure Leaders, Serbia
Ston native Robi has over 15 years’ worth of experience guiding around his country – but it’s the Pelješac peninsula that he considers his home. You could not be in more knowledgeable hands! Robi speaks fluent English and has full adventure guide qualifications.
RobiAdventure Leader, Croatia
Fatos has over three decades of experience guiding guests around his native land. He is a qualified mountain guide, loves caving, canyoning and hiking and runs probably the most knowledgeable tour outfit in the whole country! He speaks superb English.
FatosAdventure Leader, Kosovo
Alejandro & Javiera are the amazing Adventure Hosts at our own Villa Miela in Virpazar. Funny, knowledgable and endlessly practical, they are the organisational dynamos behind our Lake Skadar Adventure holidays!
Alejandro & JavieraAdventure Hosts, Villa Miela
Connect with us
10% off our mountain hiking holidays across the Balkans all this month. 🙌![]()
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If the festive period has got you itching to move again, how about setting yourself a goal that’s a reward too? Countries like Montenegro, Bulgaria and Bosnia offer some of Europe's best hiking trails, and if you book one of our awesome guided hiking trips here now, you'll get to look forward to some of this:![]()
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🥾 Climbing stunning mountain peaks, many rising 2000m high, whether in Montenegro, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, or Bulgaria – with each day bringing a different landscape and adventure![]()
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🥾 Catching the shepherds from June in their summertime mountain villages; a window onto the timeless traditions of the 'katuns' and 'stans' that still shape daily life![]()
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🥾 Consecutive hiking days set in some of the Balkans’ most striking ranges — from the UNESCO-listed Durmitor massif to the cross-border Prokletije mountains, Bosnia’s share of the Dinaric Alps and Bulgaria’s Rila and Pirin ranges![]()
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These are proper walking holidays with time, space, and landscapes that reward the effort you put in; ideal for couples, friends, and hobby hiking groups. They're also excellent value. ![]()
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Visit the comments for full details on all our hiking tours, and how to get the healthiest price. Offer ends 31st January. ![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans
We're in The Times for our Lake Skadar holidays – a hot tip for May 2026. 🎉![]()
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What a fabulous surprise and start to the year! Writer Oliver Berry has picked one of our favourite months to stay at Villa Miela, the base for our Lake Skadar activity holidays, bird watching breaks, yoga and art retreats. He stayed with us several years ago, when we spent an unforgettable time kayaking on the lake's tranquil waters, meeting local friends and photographing the amazing scenery we're so lucky to have as our backyard.![]()
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Swipe to read the section of the article about us and see some beautiful pics from Lake Skadar in May. We've put a link to the full article in the comments.![]()
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With huge thanks to The Times Travel #undiscoveredbalkans##undiscoveredmontenegrodiscoveredmontenegro
Want some top tips for Balkan travel in 2026? Travel journalist Camilla Bell-Davies shares the places she's most excited about as our first guest blogger of the year.![]()
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From Serbia’s hidden canyon to Bosnian coffee rituals, Kosovo’s wild swimming spots and the dramatic Dinaric Alps, get Camilla's inside track at the link below.![]()
👉 undiscoveredbalkans.com/balkan-adventure-travel-serbia-bosnia-kosovo/![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #balkantravel #serbia #kosovo #bosniaandherzegovina #adventuretravel
Looking for a calmer and healthier way to start the year? ✨![]()
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We just put a special offer on our Montenegro yoga retreats to give those New Year intentions a small nudge in the right direction. Save 10% all this month and join one of our deliberately small groups this May, June or September for that ME time you deserve.![]()
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We have three retreats running this year in the fabulously wild setting of Lake Skadar National Park. Which one’s for you?![]()
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🧘♀️ w/c 10th May & 20th September![]()
A wonderfully rejuvenating active yoga holiday with Yoga with Fiona – daily yoga and pilates plus kayaking and hiking![]()
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🌿 w/c 21st June![]()
A nurturing Wild Women retreat with Lou Kitchener Therapies – gentle somatic yoga practice and wild swimming in rivers, waterfalls and Lake Skadar![]()
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Just use the code HEALTHY10 when booking on our website. Offer ends 31 January 2026. T&Cs apply.![]()
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Link in the comments for all the details.![]()
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#undiscoveredmontenegro #yogaretreat #yogaholiday
Happy New Year from all of us at Undiscovered Balkans 🎉![]()
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As 2025 winds down, we just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who travelled with us this year. It’s been a record one, with more guests than ever exploring the beautiful Balkans with us. And we launched our sixth destination: Bulgaria! 🤩![]()
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So… what’s 2026 got in store for you? Hanging out with shepherds in Albania? Dipping in Bosnian waterfalls? Kayaking to visit nuns in Montenegro? Or how about watching Griffon Vultures soar in Serbia?![]()
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Make it happen by joining one of our trips. Our early bird sale with £100 off pp ends at midnight tonight, but you can still get a 5% discount, no matter when, by subscribing to our newsletter (details in the comments). ![]()
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Cheers – Živjeli – Gëzuar for tonight! 🥂![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans
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Holidays
7 Day Activity Holiday at Lake Skadar
Our original adventure loved by everyone! Kayaking, hiking & wild-swimming…
7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Albania
Discover Albania’s lakes, mountains & sea on this multi-active adventure!
7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Kosovo
Discover the beauty of Europe’s newest and most fascinating country!
£100pp off!
7 Day Winter Activity Holiday in Montenegro
Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on the alpine slopes of Montenegro!