Frequently Asked Questions / Balkans travel advice
How is accommodation arranged?
We have hand-selected comfortable, characterful guesthouses that perfectly balance local charm with modern amenities for all our holidays. We assume occupation of double/twin and family rooms unless otherwise specified. On each holiday page you will find an accommodation tab – get clicking and have a look!
Do we need a car?
No hire cars needed – all transport is taken care of by us!
Is there WiFi at our accommodation?
We have free WiFi throughout all of our other accommodation options. Please be aware however, that in remote areas reception can be sporadic.
How hot is it in summer?
April/May temperatures range from 20-30C. June/July – 25-35C. August – 30-35C. September – 20-30C. October – 15-25C. For the North of Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo, knock off 10C!
Are there many mosquitos?
Like anywhere in the Mediterranean, mosquitos are around but there are never swarms of them. If you’re worried about bites, bring some repellent and some antihistamine too if you know you react badly to them (hard to buy locally). They are not generally a problem away from the coast.
How much travelling is involved on your trips?
We firmly believe that holiday time in the car should be kept to a minimum. No single journey is ever longer than 4 hours, and most transfer times between centres are less than 2 hours.
Do I need to bring any specialist gear?
We provide a full kit list for anyone booking our holidays. If anything appears to be missing from the list, ask us about it!
Are your holidays suitable for young children?
Active families love our holidays – you can read what guests with children have to say about us via reviews on Responsible Travel and Tripadvisor. The minimum age for most of our holidays is 7 years but we can make exceptions for kids as young as 5 years old if your child is active, adventurous, can swim and has experience of hiking for at least 7 miles including some uphill stretches. On the other hand, our hiking holidays are probably only suitable for those over 14. Please refer to the activity level rating provided on each holiday page.
How fit do I have to be to enjoy the activities?
In all cases, please refer to the activity level rating provided on each holiday page, and the “activity levels explained” tab on the “About” menu. As a rule of thumb, you don’t need to be a marathon runner or champion athlete to enjoy most of our holidays (those who regularly push themselves to their physical limits would find our trips “soft”!), but you do need to be in good health and have a reasonable level of physical fitness. Age does not seem to be a factor in this – our oldest guests have been in their mid 70s – but if you are clinically obese, need a stick to walk or cannot swim, our holidays are not for you. Hikes on our multi-activity holiday range from 5-15km (hilly), kayaking trips from 7-20km.
Our all-hiking holidays are for experienced, hardy walkers only!
If you have an injury, illness or disability, then please disclose this in your first enquiry as we will need to assess our ability to accommodate your needs within the group. If in doubt, give us a call!
Are any meals included?
For most of our holidays, all meals are included in the price. The most obvious exception is our Lake Multi-Activity holiday in Montenegro, but in all cases please see the individual trip pages for details.
Can you cater for vegetarians or other specialist diets?
Within reason, yes. Of course your choices will be restricted if you don’t eat certain foods, but it ought not to prove problematic for us or our partners. Please note, however, that for our all-hiking, kayaking or Albania holidays you may have to put up with limited options.
How expensive is eating out or buying food for self-catering?
Restaurants are great value – mains are generally € 5-10 and you should never pay more than € 2 for half a litre of beer. At the supermarket it’s even cheaper of course – a loaf of bread is 80 cents, milk is 60 cents. The exception is Croatia, which can be as much as 50% more expensive all round.
Is Undiscovered Balkans a UK company?
We operate as Undiscovered Montenegro, which is a fully registered UK company, registered company number 06779866. Our Montenegrin company, Miela d.o.o handles our logistical operations in Montenegro, and in other territories we partner together only with fully licenced, family-run businesses. Payment for our holidays is generally made in Sterling.
Are you insured for the activities you offer?
We have full liability insurance up to £ 5 million.
Is any experience necessary for any of the activities, for example the kayaking?
No experience is necessary for any of the activities – our kayaking, rafting and canyoning guides have BCU or equivalent qualifications and all our other guides are equally experienced and qualified in their fields. Full safety equipment is provided where necessary. The exception is our kayaking holidays; these are not recommended for novice paddlers.
Sounds amazing – how can I book?
You can book by speaking to us directly via email, or you can go to your chosen holiday page and click on “BOOK ONLINE”. After this, select the correct rooms and rates, enter a discount code if you have one, fill out all asterisked fields and follow the prompts (if you are using a smartphone, you may need to enable pop-ups).
Can I pay for my holiday using my credit card?
Yes, you can! Just follow the online booking instructions on your holiday page.
Can I pay for my holiday in a different currency?
If you’re using a card, simply follow the online booking instructions, and your bank will do the rest. We have dedicated Euro and USD accounts, too, so if you prefer to control your exchange rate, email us direct.
Is a stay of less than one week possible?
For our multi-activity holidays, in July and August, our minimum stay is one week. At other times, we can occasionally offer shorter stays (3 nights, 2 activities minimum) at our discretion. We do not arrange accommodation only breaks – sorry.
Can we view your standard terms and conditions?
Of course – please click the file below.
How do we best contact you?
email: enquiries@undiscoveredbalkans.com
UK Tel: +44 (0)20 3287 0015
Montenegro Tel or WhatsApp: +382 (0)69 402 364