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 
Nikola is a native of Podgorica, nature enthusiast and all-round nice-guy! He leads our adventure days for guests based at our own Villa Miela in Virpazar, and particularly enjoys paddling and biking. He speaks excellent English and of course Montenegrin/Serbian.
NikolaAdventure 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 
Will and Sophie 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!
Will & SophieAdventure Hosts, Villa Miela 
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Our first ever South Albania tour has just wrapped up, and what an adventure it was! ![]()
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💦 Rafting the mighty Vjosa and soaking in Përmet’s thermal baths? Tick.![]()
🥾 Hiking to a hidden waterfall in the remote Zagoria valley? Stunning.![]()
🏛️ Wandering the cobbled charm of Gjirokastër? Loved it. ![]()
🛶 Kayaking on the UNESCO-protected Lake Ohrid? Just magic.![]()
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From the Ionian Sea to canyons, mountains and onto the glassy lakes that collide with Greece, this week’s journey has been all about uncovering Albania's soul. The food’s been incredible, the hospitality overwhelming, and our guide Alfie? An absolute star.![]()
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Once again, we've been blessed with a fabulous group of guests. If this looks like your kind of adventure too, get in touch to book our last-remaining spots for this summer, or your autumn escape. Full details at the link in the comments.![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #undiscoveredalbania
It’s here! 🎉 Our brand new South Albania adventure has officially launched this week, kicking off with a fab group of returning guests and travel writer Laura Sanders. 😄![]()
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Yesterday’s hike took us through olive groves and sage-covered hills with spectacular views of the Albanian Riviera 🌿🌊. We even dipped our toes in the sparkling Ionian Sea before sunset and dinner in the tumbledown charm of Upper Qeparo. ![]()
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As for today? Kayaking calls… 😎 ![]()
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📲 Stay tuned for more stories and photos from our week – and don’t miss out!![]()
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Want to join us in this beautiful spot? Tap the link in the comments or message us for details!![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #undiscoveredbalkans
Coming to the Balkans and wondering what on earth you’ve signed up for?![]()
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You're not alone. Half the fun of travelling to countries like Albania and Montenegro is the mystery – and it’s not just the wild mountains, secret swimming spots and place names that could have stepped out of a Harry Potter novel. It's also more mundane questions like:![]()
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💦 Can I drink the tap water? ![]()
📶 Should I get an eSIM?![]()
💶 What currency will I need?![]()
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Luckily, we’ve written a blog that answers all those practical questions so you can stop Googling and start packing.![]()
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👉 f.mtr.cool/ylvagkggxf![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans
We missed posting for Earth Day yesterday… because we were out exploring the wild wonders of Lake Skadar with our latest group in Montenegro. 🌿![]()
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But when you live and work in Europe’s wildest corner, every day feels like Earth Day.![]()
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For 15 years, we’ve kept things as sustainable as we can: only offering small groups, longer stays and adventures with low or no environmental impact, like hiking, kayaking and wild swimming.![]()
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The wildlife in these photos? All spotted on tour this month. But the habitats these animals depend on, that also act as carbon stores, are under threat – from logging and quarrying, to development for things like mass tourism or hydropower.![]()
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That’s why we've made it our mission to champion nature — supporting local conservationists through our Book to Give Back scheme, and educating our team and guests about these fragile ecosystems. 💚![]()
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Visit the comments to find out how we do responsible travel, the Undiscovered Balkans way. We wish we could do more. ![]()
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#UndiscoveredBalkans #EarthDay #ResponsibleTravel #naturelovers
Happy Easter to everyone celebrating today! 🐣![]()
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Here’s how the long weekend's gone with our guests in Montenegro:![]()
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🥚 Good Friday – a chocolate egg hunt in Villa Miela’s hillside garden ![]()
👋 Saturday – time to say goodbye to our school holiday guests and welcome a new group (all couples this time!), with a dip in the pool and al fresco dining on the terrace ![]()
🛶 Easter Sunday – onto Lake Skadar in our kayaks, with a bit of bridge-jumping fun thrown in for good measure!![]()
☀️ Easter Monday – chasing waterfalls, spectacular views, and some caving action![]()
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The photos are all from this past week’s lake adventures with a truly lovely bunch. Big thanks to everyone who joined us – it was a pleasure to host you!![]()
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Fancy joining us at Lake Skadar or on one of our other Balkan adventures? Check the link in the comments or drop us a message. ![]()
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#undiscoveredbalkans #undiscoveredmontenegro
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Holidays
£200pp off!
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Our original adventure loved by everyone! Kayaking, hiking & wild-swimming…
£200pp off!
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7 Day Multi-Activity Holiday in Kosovo
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7 Day Winter Activity Holiday in Montenegro
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