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!
Emma has spent the last 20 years living and adventuring in the Western Balkans, exploring the region on foot, by kayak, and occasionally behind the wheel of a Land Rover Defender. She designs and often leads trips across the Balkans, favouring wild landscapes, local knowledge and a more authentic way of travelling. A keen hiker, yoga lover, photographer, advocate for nature – and mum of three – Emma brings energy, experience and a deeply personal love of the region to everything she does. She speaks English and Serbian/Montenegrin and loves a strong Turkish coffee.
Emma HeywoodCo-Founder
Ben has been organising holidays in the Balkans for nearly 20 years, most of which has been spent living at Lake Skadar in Montenegro. His passions are kayaking, authentic local food and wine, swimming wild in rivers and waterfalls and beautiful but unreliable motor vehicles. He speaks fluent Montenegrin, German and French and has played international cricket for his adopted homeland.
Ben HeywoodCo-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
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 & Herzegovina
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
Our new newsletter has dropped, with plenty of inspiration for an early Spring 2026 escape. Where will you be: on a yoga or art retreat in Montenegro? hiking in Serbia? wild swimming in Albania? wine tasting in Croatia? April to May is one of the best times to visit the Balkans, so if you're dreaming about getting away, check out our adventure travel early spring offers. ⛰️![]()
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Read it here 👉 mailchi.mp/undiscoveredbalkans/january-newsletter-2#undiscoveredbalkansl#SpringTravelravel
Looking for somewhere new to hike in Europe? 🇲🇪![]()
Montenegro’s mountains are packed with big views, quiet trails, and unforgettable scenery.![]()
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Our guided hiking holidays take in the very best of this small, mountainous country — and they’re currently 10% off with our January offer. ![]()
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Climb dramatic peaks on our Mountain Hiking Week, or trek from Montenegro to Albania along iconic routes like the Via Dinarica and Peaks of the Balkans.![]()
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Travel slow, in a small group, and enjoy insights only a local knows, led by experienced mountain guides from the region.![]()
👉 Trips run June to October![]()
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Use code HEALTHY10 when booking via the link in the comments.![]()
⏰ Offer ends 31 January 2026. T&Cs apply.![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #undiscoveredmontenegro
Wine tastes better after a long walk 🍷![]()
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With new wine hiking trails, local festivals and warm vineyard homestays, there are many reasons to plan a Balkan adventure around the glorious grape. ![]()
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👉 Read our Balkan wine guide, with tips from Dušan Jelić (@winesofserbia) on the best Balkan pours undiscoveredbalkans.com/travellers-guide-to-balkan-wine-regions/![]()
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🍇 Pair vineyard visits with hiking and nature activities on one of our tours in Montenegro, Albania, Croatia and beyond.![]()
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Tempted to come out of season? Finish dry January at Saint Tryphon’s day in Serbia, or visit the Virpazar wine & fish festival in Montenegro in March. ![]()
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#UndiscoveredBalkans #BalkanWine
Everyone’s talking about today's Blue Monday being the most miserable day of the year. But what if blue could lift you, rather than bring you down?![]()
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Here in the Balkans, blues shimmer on lakes like Ohrid and Skadar, highlight giant karst peaks, and sparkle in the Adriatic sun. From kayaking and SUP boarding, to snowshoeing, wild swimming and mountain hiking, these are the kind of blues we love. 💙![]()
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📹 All clips taken on our adventures in Montenegro, Macedonia and Albania![]()
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Want to swap your blues for Balkan ones, like us? Visit the link in the comments to choose your perfect Balkan adventure holiday.![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans
What if travelling to the Balkans was as much of an adventure as your time here? 🚂![]()
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One thing we hope to see more of in 2026 is guests travelling overland to reach us – or at least doing one leg of the journey that way. We even offer an incentive – 15% off our tours to swap red eye wake-ups and security lines for a leisurely meander across Europe's changing landscapes and exciting cities. ![]()
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If you're curious but unsure, journalist Holly Tuppen has written for The i Paper about her experiences interrailing to Podgorica with her family last summer to reach a hiking trip with @undiscoveredbalkans. We've put a link to her article in the comments.👇![]()
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And yes, train travel can be pricey (at least until you reach Belgrade), but a 15-day interrail pass isn't much more than the cost of summer return flights. The added bonus being avoiding hotel costs with sleeper trains and seeing some amazing scenery to boot! ![]()
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Now boarding for 2026 adventures. 😉![]()
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📸 Have a look at some fun pics from our guests last year exploring Mon#undiscoveredmontenegrod#adventureholidayso#traintravelolidays #traintravel
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Holidays
£100pp off!
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!