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. We personally handle all enquiries and bookings, so when you get in touch, you’re not speaking to a salesperson or a receptionist but directly with us.
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
Who needs some Albanian sunshine in their lives? 🇦🇱 ☀️![]()
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After weeks of grey skies (yes, even in the Balkans), we're dreaming about long sun-soaked days in Albania. Imagine: morning light over the mountains, kayaking the sun-dappled waters of Lake Koman or Shkodër, swimming in quiet coves and waterfalls, hiking in the Albanian Alps, and evenings with local wine and simple, delicious food. ![]()
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With the days getting longer, it's the perfect time to start planning your escape. Our adventures here begin in May, all expertly guided by locals who'll introduce you to some of Albania's best hidden beauty spots and experiences. Full details at the link below. ![]()
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👉 undiscoveredbalkans.com#undiscoveredbalkans##visitalbaniaalkans #visitalbania
It's been a weekend of love… and wine! ![]()
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February 14 in the Balkans is not just for lovers. Enter St Tryphon, the patron saint of winemakers, the protector of vineyards, gardeners and field crops – who happens to share his day with St Valentine's. So before you go on a Valentines or Galentine's date, don't forget to prune your vineyards, pour some wine into the soil for the good harvest, and eat traditional foods like Gibanica (cheese pie). Try our recipe for a taste of adventures to come. 👉 undiscoveredbalkans.com/recipe-gibanica-cheese-pie-for-st-tryphons-day-on-february-14/![]()
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Photos 1-3 from wine tasting in Macedonia at the wonderful Alesto winery by Lake Pre#undiscoveredbalkans#undiscoveredbalkans
Celebrate the ultimate girls' getaway on Galentine's Day! 💛 ![]()
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This unofficial celebration of female friendship has become a bit of a thing. And we’re all for it.![]()
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Over the years we’ve welcomed many besties onto our trips in Montenegro and beyond: sisters, old school friends, work wives, uni housemates who now live miles apart and treasure that one special week together a year.![]()
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They come for some proper QT somewhere beautiful and different, and the easy wider company of one of our small groups.![]()
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Here's some of our top Galentine’s ideas for exploring Montenegro:![]()
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• Kayaking and wild swimming on Lake Skadar![]()
• A yoga retreat and proper switch-off time at Villa Miela![]()
• Mountain-biking and rafting thrills on a super-active break in the mountains![]()
• Or a full week taking on Montenegro’s spectacular peaks together![]()
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If there’s someone you’re always saying “we should go on a trip” to… consider this your nudge. ![]()
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We've popped a link to all our Montenegro trips in the comments. Share this with a friend and get planning! 😄 ![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #happygalentinesday
Balkan road trips made easy. 🚗 Many visitors ask if they can extend a trip with us by road tripping between Balkan countries. Yes—but it is tricky! Border crossings, car insurance and mountain roads are hard to navigate in this region.![]()
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We've been driving in the Balkans for decades and can share our advice on documents, safety, insurance, and border crossings, from Montenegro to Albania and beyond. Get advice in this week's blog 👉![]()
undiscoveredbalkans.com/driving-in-the-balkans-montenegro-croatia-albania#undiscoveredbalkansredbalkans
NEW TRIP ALERT! We've got a fresh adventure to float your boat in Montenegro – and it's perfect with teens or adult kids. 🛶![]()
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Join our 6-night family packrafting adventure this summer and head on an odyssey of exploration through the epic Tara River canyon (the water's so clean you can drink it 💧). We'll spend three days here, packrafting through some of the wildest, most remote sections of Europe's deepest canyon, paddling its turquoise waters, camping by the river and swimming straight from the beach. ![]()
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Packrafts are ultra-light, super stable and ideal for adventurous families, giving access to parts of this pristine river that most trips never reach. You’ll be fully guided by our expert partners, fully kitted out, and tackling some thrilling rapids along the way. 💦![]()
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Availability is limited so get in touch soon if this trip sounds like your family's sort of fun for this summer. Full details in the comments.👇![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans
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Holidays
£200pp off!
7 Day Activity Holiday Montenegro
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!
£100pp off!
7 Day Winter Activity Holiday in Montenegro
Skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on the alpine slopes of Montenegro!