ABOUT US
Undiscovered Balkans is a new venture from Undiscovered Montenegro, a UK-registered adventure travel company founded in 2008 by British husband and wife team and Balkans aficionados, Emma and Ben Heywood.
Between us, we have travelled to over 50 countries worldwide. We like to think that when it comes to taking the road less travelled in search of untouched, natural beauty, we’re hard to impress – so when we first visited the Balkans, our immediate impression was disbelief that such epic, African-style natural beauty had been hiding on our own doorstep in Europe.
From that moment, came our inspiration to bring a taste of safari to one of Europe’s wildest regions. We started out in 2008 by renovating our own property – Villa Miela – to become our ‘Activity Base’ for week-long hosted holidays at Lake Skadar – and have now expanded our group of specialist Tour Leaders to offer the same experience of adventurous activity holidays in the surrounding Balkan nations, too!
With the help of our team of expert guides, some of the best company you could hope to keep and with unrivalled knowledge and passion for the lesser-known gems, you can now discover some amazing, pristine locations in Albania, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia as well as Montenegro!
We have been committed from the beginning to bringing a responsible, sustainable approach to tourism to the region. Our small group activity and nature holidays are high impact in experience but low impact on the environment – and also, crucially, are designed to give back to local people and wildlife. Undiscovered Balkans actively supports local conservation, environmental action and community regeneration, so when you choose us, you’re giving back too. Read even more reasons why to choose us.
Come on our amazing adventures and we’ll introduce you to a world undiscovered!
Emma, co-founder
A seasoned backpacker, Emma’s itchy feet have taken her across Africa, Asia, Australia and America 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 running Undiscovered Balkans’ Montenegrin adventures. In her spare time she volunteers her publicity skills to local conservation projects and initiatives and enjoys strong Turkish coffee. She speaks English, Serbian/Montenegrin and French.
Ben, co-founder
Born in Scotland, 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 a 15-year career in international publishing – then a round-the-world trip back-packing with Emma convinced him that the world had more to offer than just a desk job! Lake Skadar’s incredible backdrop is now his office, where he can indulge his passions for hiking, kayaking, occasional carpentry and organic home-cooking, while also helping to organise holidays in our new destinations.
Gigo – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Gigo is probably one of the most intrepid and experienced adventurers in the whole of Montenegro! Not content with running regular kayaking tours on the Tara and Morača rivers, as well as at Lake Skadar, he is also one of the prime organisers behind the annual Tara Kayak Fest and is Tour Leader for our other multi-activity holidays in Montenegro. He speaks Montenegrin, of course, fluent English and is a fully qualified kayaking, rafting and mountain guide.
Alma – Tour Leader, Albania
Alma covers the second half of our activity weeks in Albania. She and her husband Zamo were among the first people in Albania to become qualified rafting and canyoning guides. When it comes to outdoor action, they have it all covered from their awesome family-run hotel in Berat! She speaks excellent English.
Andi – Tour Leader, Albania
Andi covers the first half of our activity weeks in Albania. His enthusiasm for his country and all outdoor pursuits is infectious! Whether hiking, kayaking or getting his hands dirty in the kitchen, he’s ready to go the extra mile to make sure you have a good time. He lives in Tirana and speaks superb English.
Vera – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Vera is one of the most respected hiking guides in the country, and has a passion for the outdoors and her roots in the north of Montenegro in particular. Popular with parents and children alike, the more remote the area, the more likely she is to be found exploring it! Vera speaks excellent English and has full mountain guide qualifications.
Fatos – Tour Leader, Kosovo & Albania
Fatos has over three decades of experience guiding guests around his native lands. He is a qualified mountain guide, loves caving, canyoning and hiking and is probably the most knowledgeable Tour Leader in the whole country! He speaks superb English.
Connect with us
Instagram Photos
Facebook Posts
They say today’s Blue Monday. Well, we’ve definitely got the blues here in Montenegro. Perfect skies for our weekend hike along the coastal ridge above Budva to welcome our new volunteers Ella and Scott. After all the incredible sea views, we couldn’t resist a dip in the shimmering, salty Adriatic. Even in January, the sea’s warmer than some of the rockpools and rivers we take our guests to in summer. ![]()
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This trail's perfect for the early season, speaking of which, we still have some places left on our April and May multi-activity holidays. Send us a message to find out more or visit:![]()
undiscoveredmontenegro.com/tours/multi-activity-holiday-lake-skadar/![]()
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#undiscoveredmontenegro #adventure #montenegro
Isn’t it time to reclaim the word ‘positive’? Here are some of the things which made us feel positive in 2021 – and we plan to do a whole load more of this in 2022. ✅ ![]()
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Come and join us! 🤩 ![]()
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1. 🏊♀️ Bathing in hidden pools![]()
2. 🛶 Kayaking on Lake Skadar ![]()
3. 🌲 Nature hikes along mossy forest trails ![]()
4. ⛰ Looking at stupendous landscapes![]()
5. 🥘 Enjoying delicious local food and wine with friends and guests![]()
6. ☀️ Relaxing by Villa Miela’s hillside pool ![]()
7. ☺️ Seeing our kids gain new skills and confidence ![]()
8. 🌅 Watching the sun set ![]()
9. 🐕 Cuddles with the dog and cats![]()
10. 🧘 Practising yoga after knee reconstruction (Emma)![]()
11. 🔝 Hearing a guest tell us their holiday was their best ever![]()
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What gets a positive result for you? Tips please! Tell us in the comments.![]()
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#undiscoveredmontenegro
The Daily Mail newspaper has chosen Montenegro as one of its top destinations to visit in 2022! (full article at the link below) Our tip - skip the touristy coastline, or just spend a day, and head inland for majestic mountains, luminous lakes and spectacular natural beauty. Our carefully crafted adventures will take you to all the best spots and support local nature and community too - find out more & book at www.undiscoveredmontenegro.com![]()
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www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/escape/article-10360339/2022-holidays-best-places-year-globetrotters-k...![]()
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"Montenegro Magic - Montenegro is smaller than Yorkshire but packs in 117 beaches, four World Heritage sites, exhilarating mountains and the deepest canyon in Europe. ![]()
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Less crowded than neighbouring Croatia, it’s growing as a winter sports destination with Swissotel opening a ski resort in Kolasin at the end of the year (montenegro.travel)."![]()
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#undiscoveredmontenegro #montenegro #travel
After a little digital detox, it’s high time we wished you all a happy New Year! 🥳 2021, even with its challenges, brought many beautiful moments and wonderful guests we feel lucky to have hosted. ![]()
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We know 2022 promises even more good stuff 🙌, so let’s remember to cherish the positive, spend more time in nature 🦋, seek out stunning landscapes reminding us what small dots we are in this wondrous world 🌎 and embrace every opportunity for new adventures and new experiences while always travelling responsibly! ![]()
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In 2022, it’s time to do the things which make us feel really alive. 🛶 ![]()
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Cheers,![]()
Emma, Ben & Team UM #undiscoveredmontenegro #2021recap
Here’s some good news for British travellers! Wizz Air has just announced NEW FLIGHTS ✈️ between Gatwick and Montenegro’s Podgorica airport starting this April, just in time for our new season of kayaking, hiking and cultural adventures! ![]()
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Our latest clients just grabbed return flights for July for a bargain £150. Such deals won’t hang around for long, while Montenegro is firmly back as a destination to visit in 2022. ![]()
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Make your flights count by choosing one of our sustainable activity holidays designed to support local nature and communities while offering huge amounts of adventure and fun! ![]()
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For more details, visit www.undiscoveredmontenegro.com ![]()
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(posting some of our favourite aerial pics of Montenegro's lakes and mountains in celebration of this news for the skies!)![]()
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#undiscoveredmontenegro #montenegro #wizzair
