Day 1 – Arrival
Arrive into Tirana and immediate transfer down to the coastal towns of Himarë or Dhërmi (depending on availability). Once settled into our accommodation we will enjoy a welcome dinner hosted by our expert local adventure leader.

Day 2 – Sea Kayaking
Exploring the Ionian coastline by kayak is one of the best ways to enjoy this beautiful landscape, with caves, wild lagoons and marshes, brooding mountains, and pebbled beaches to discover. Starting at Drymades beach, we start with a safety briefing and some brief tuition before paddling along the coast to see Bohem beach, Dhërmi beach, a Pirate cave, and the beach and canyon of Gjipe, otherwise known as “The Gods Garden” nominated as one of the pearls of the Albanian coastline. Packed lunches and barrels for your valuables are both provided. Dinner and overnight in Himarë/Dhërmi.

Day 3 – Gjipe Canyoning and Rappelling
An awesome adventure day involving abseiling, rappelling and splashing about in Gjipe Canyon! Over the course of the day you will be walking for about 4 hours and there will be 7-9 descents by rope in altitude ranging from 6 to 27 metres. Along the way there are various pools to jump or splash into (it depends on the water levels, according to the season). All safety equipment is supplied as well as a full briefing – just be aware that once you start, you kind of have to finish as rock climbing is not part of our program! After we are finished we will transfer by car up to the charming hillside town of Gjirokaster to soak up the traditional Albanian vibes. Dinner and overnight in Gjirokaster.

Days 4 – Explore & Discovery day
This 4×4 tour takes in the ex communist villages of Valare, Shen Thodher and Erind before we make a stop at the spring of Brat and also at a luxurious shepherds hut where we can have a shepherd’s style breakfast. We will restart the trip now through the region of Zagoria and our next stop will be an abandoned magnificent bridge dating back in 1777. Another great place to rest, cool down and then hop in the cars again towards the Holy Apostles church in Hoshteve with breathtaking paintings inside. The lunch stop will be at Policani village where we will enjoy the bio products of the region. After lunch we head towards the waterfall of Selcka, a miracle of nature, an unbelievable “swimming pool”, as our last stop for a day to remember.

Dinner and overnight in Gjirokaster.

Day 5 – Transfer to Përmet via Langarica Canyon 
The scenic drive up into the mountains towards Përmet is worth it for the views alone! Before reaching the town itself we will stop off for a hike into the justly renowned Langarica Canyon, where we can dip into a selection of freshwater pools as we traverse the canyon floor. At the mouth of the canyon are a selection of “hot” pools, where thermal waters are collected into some natural and some man-made basins under a gorgeous Ottoman-era bridge – perfect for chilling and stretching out after the journey. Our destination for the evening is the gorgeous Traditional Guesthouse, set high in the hills overlooking the Vjosa river, where we will enjoy authentic local hospitality and dinner.

Day 6 – Rafting on the Vjosa, transfer to Lin  
In the morning, it’s time to go rafting! The Vjosa is one of the last remaining untouched rivers in the Balkans and the only one to be designated a National Park. The amount of thrills on offer depends on the season, but with with fabulous clear water to jump into, it’s heaps of fun even in quieter moments! Once the rafting is done, we will drive up into the mountains on another unbelievable scenic road, stopping off for an organic lunch at the charming Farma Sotira, before we reach the last location on our itinerary – the bucolic, undiscovered village of Lin, on the shores of Lake Ohrid. Dinner & overnight in Lin.

Day 7 – Double Lake Day  
The twin lakes of Prespa and Ohrid are two of the most beautiful in the whole region – and unknown to most tourists! We will take a boat tour on Lake Prespa to visit hidden island monasteries (and have a swim, of course), before taking lunch at a local restaurant right on the shores of the lake in the village of Pustec. In the afternoon, it’s time for a real treat – swimming in Lake Ohrid, with a walk behind the village of Lin to some of the most incredible viewpoints and clear freshwater swimming that we’ve ever seen (and we’re hard to impress!). Dinner and overnight in Lin.

Day 8 – Departure 
Your South Albania adventure concludes here. Transfers back to Tirana are included – otherwise we will happily help you arrange your transfer to your next travel point.

Prices are £ Sterling per person and include all transport, all activities, all accommodation, all breakfasts and lunches and 6 evening meals, all guiding and a book-to-give-back donation (drinks not included). Transfers included only to/from Tirana.

On this holiday, accommodation is quirky, characterful and always locally-owned and operated. If for any reason the first-choice accommodation is not available, we will let you know about the alternatives of a similar standard in advance of your holiday.

PORTA QEPARO, HIMARË

OLD BAZAAR 1790, GJIROKASTER

TRADITIONAL GUESTHOUSE, PËRMET

HOUSE 1960, LIN