Planning a trip to the Balkans and wondering what kinds of wildlife you might encounter? With vast swathes of undisturbed forests and wetlands, the peninsula is teeming with animals which are rare, if not extinct, in the UK. Despite being popular for the beaches, Albania is actually two-thirds forests and mountains. Across the border in Montenegro, Europe's most mountainous country, lots of nature hotspots are under environmental protection. They include Lake Skadar National Park which is on its way to becoming a UNESCO biosphere and joining the Amazon of Europe. Serbia, Kosovo and Croatia equally boast their fair share of natural habitats. So, in short, the Balkans is the place to visit for wildlife sightings in Europe. Sadly though, there’s a way to go before proper protection is in place for many of the species listed below, meaning they’re at threat of dying out due to human activity (read: damming, deforestation and pollution). That’s why we’re on a mission as a travel company to support vital conservation efforts in the region by donating to our chosen local NGOs through our Book to Give Back scheme and touring responsibly. So, without further adieu, here are just some of the fantastic wild animals you could see (or hear) in the Balkans. 1. Dalmatian Pelican It’s the world’s largest member of the pelican family with a wingspan of three metres and weighing around 9.5 kg respectfully, the Dalmatian Pelican is also the world’s largest flying freshwater bird. A lot of work is being done to protect these remarkable creatures in Montenegro and Albania, particularly in Lake Skadar National Park (where we run Villa Miela), which has a sizeable population of roughly 300 pelicans. You’ll also find them in large numbers on Lake Prespa, shared by Albania and Greece, which you can visit on
Planning a trip to the Balkans and wondering what kinds of wildlife you might encounter? With vast swathes of undisturbed forests and wetlands, the peninsula is teeming with animals which are rare, if not extinct, in the UK. Despite being popular for the beaches, Albania is actually two-thirds forests and mountains. Across the border in
International Women's Day is HUGE in the Balkans. It's traditional for children to give roses to their female teachers as a token of their appreciation, while women swap messages of love and appreciation for each other. And so, we want to take this opportunity to spread the love too. You'll know if you've travelled with us that the Balkans boasts some truly breathtaking wild spaces. It's also home to vulnerable and endangered species - like our friend the Dalmatian Pelican at Lake Skadar - and some of Europe's few remaining free-flowing, wild rivers. One of the biggest threats to these ecosystems are hydropower projects which have devastating impacts on both people and nature, from blocking fish migration to destroying natural flood defences. There are some brilliant individuals and organisations out there defending these precious places and today we’re showing our appreciation for some of the fierce females standing up for nature in the Balkans. ‘The fight is on for these last truly wild spaces in Europe,’ says co-founder Emma, who herself has gotten behind some of the environmental campaigning in the Balkans. 'These women are doing some incredible, brave work to protect the nature and communities around them. They deserve our thanks, recognition and support.’ Jelena Popović: Montenegro If you joined us on our super active adventure in Montenegro, you may have experienced the beauty of Nevidio Canyon (aka the ‘Unseen Canyon’) for yourself. What you won't know is that the river running through it, the sky-coloured Komarnica, is threatened by a hydropower development that, if built, would devastate its entire ecosystem - one tipped by UNESCO for the heritage list due to its outstanding value. Ecologist Jelena Popović is one Montenegrin taking a giant stand to stop this, working tirelessly with other activists to protect the river. She's one of
International Women’s Day is HUGE in the Balkans. It’s traditional for children to give roses to their female teachers as a token of their appreciation, while women swap messages of love and appreciation for each other. And so, we want to take this opportunity to spread the love too. You’ll know if you’ve travelled with
The Balkans can be a bit behind when it comes to sustainability. For instance, you’ll see single-use plastic bags being handed out willy-nilly in Serbia or Montenegro, and a lack of understanding around how human activities can impact wildlife (ATV tours in protected areas are still not illegal here). Without coming across all preachy, it’s important we as visitors don’t contribute to the problem. By choosing to holiday with us, you’ve already made a positive impact by employing local people, creating meaningful cultural exchanges, and funding important environmental projects through our Book to Give Back scheme - amazing! But there are a few things you can do during your trip to help even more. Here are 10 ways to be a responsible traveller in the Balkans. 1. Go flight-free Planes chomp through the fuel - a return flight from London to Tirana releases nearly as much CO2 per passenger as travelling from London to Singapore by train. Why not make the journey part of the holiday and hit the rails instead? There are some stunning train routes across Europe and you can reach Montenegro within two days from London. In fact, the train from Belgrade to Bar is one of National Geographic’s top 10 European rail trips. Rome2Rio and The Man in Seat 61 are both great websites for help planning your route. Alternatively, you could take a coach. FlixBus is one of the largest bus operators in Europe and it offers routes from the UK. This is the best option if you’re travelling to Bosnia and Herzegovina as there have been no cross-border trains there since the 1990s war. 2. Pack light, lower emissions The lighter the load, the less energy is consumed to carry it, says co-founder Emma. '[Packing light] lowers emissions for air travel and also means the
The Balkans can be a bit behind when it comes to sustainability. For instance, you’ll see single-use plastic bags being handed out willy-nilly in Serbia or Montenegro, and a lack of understanding around how human activities can impact wildlife (ATV tours in protected areas are still not illegal here). Without coming across all preachy, it’s
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