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 
Aldo’s enthusiasm for Albania is infectious! A former military officer, he has been working as a licenced guide in Albania since 2015, specialising in hiking, trekking, climbing & mountain biking. Outdoor adventure is his passion, and it shows with every guest! Aldo speaks fluent English.
AldoAdventure 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 
Eni is not just a qualified tourist guide with a deep love and knowledge of Albania’s history and culture – she’s an organisational mastermind and speaks fluent English and Italian! Her curiosity to learn about “almost everything” led her to leave behind a professional career in banking and become an expert in more authentic kinds of tourism. Her motto is “Trust your passions and you will never be bored.”
EniAdventure Leader, Albania 
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 
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 
Semir is a qualified mountain guide and is probably the most knowledgeable tour leader in the entire Balkans. He speaks superb English and Albanian as well as his native language Montenegrin, and is happiest deep in the mountains!
SemirAdventure Leader, Montenegro & Albania 
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 
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 
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Connect with us
We may be biased, but the Balkans has some of the best rafting spots in Europe. 🚣♀️![]()
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With thrilling rapids and unrivalled scenery, there's never a dull moment on the wild rivers of this region. ![]()
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Want to know our favourite rafting locations? Find out on the blog this week, where we've also answered your FAQs about this exhilarating sport. Link in the co#undiscoveredbalkansr#outdoorsportsdoorsports
Merry Second Christmas! 🎄 That’s right, January 7th is Christmas in much of the Balkans due to a religious calendar quirk. Srećan Božić to all our friends celebrating with their loved ones today.![]()
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Speaking of which, isn’t it time you took your nearest and dearest on a winter break somewhere different? With thick layers of snow coating Montenegro's high mountains right now, open ski centres, and cheap flights from the UK, now’s the time to book our winter holiday. It’s a fabulous week mixing classic winter sports like skiing and snowboarding with adventures out snowshoe hiking, cheese tasting, and even horse riding. ❄️ ⛷️![]()
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Great news for families — we still have availability for February half-term, at less than a grand per person thanks to our current special offer. 🙌 Find out more and book last-min at the link in the comments. 👇![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #srecanbozic #winterholiday
The Telegraph has picked our Serbia trip as one of the 50 best family holidays for 2025 *IN THE WORLD*, via our dear partners, Responsible Travel. 🙌![]()
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Why?![]()
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Because, as an activity holiday, it offers families so much more than the annual fly-and-flop. “Instead of sand and kids club, you can opt for mountains and river rapids…”, and a fascinating destination in the Balkans, where interest is growing.![]()
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Find out what all the fuss is about by visiting our Serbia holiday web page and booking for summer while our January sale is on – £100 off per person until the end of the month, offering tremendous value. Link in the comments, along with a link to the Telegraph's article.👇🏽![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #visitserbia
One of our 2024 highlights was an unforgettable journey researching South Albania.![]()
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This part of Albania is synonymous with beaches and budget-friendly all-inclusives, but there's so much more to see. ![]()
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From UNESCO World Heritage lakes to ancient cave monasteries and authentic Albanian hospitality, read what our co-founder Emma discovered this summer with her family and how it inspired our NEW South Albania adventure.![]()
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Link to Emma's blog post in the co#undiscoveredbalkansredbalkans
The Balkans might have a reputation for cheap beach breaks, but most of this region is made up of mountains and forests, where an abundance of amazing animals live – recognise any?![]()
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Read our latest blog post to learn about wildlife in the Balkans and see how many you could tick off on your next trip (or in the deadly viper's case, avoid! 😅). Link in the comments.
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Holidays
£100pp off!
7 Day Activity Holiday at Lake Skadar
Our original adventure loved by everyone! Kayaking, hiking & wild-swimming…
£100pp off!
7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Albania
Discover Albania’s lakes, mountains & sea on this multi-active adventure!
£100pp off!
7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Kosovo
Discover the beauty of Europe’s newest and most fascinating country!
£50pp off!
7 Day Winter Activity Holiday in Montenegro
Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on the alpine slopes of Montenegro!