Hiking in Southern Albania
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Travelling from the Adriatic to the Ionian coast, guests can marvel at the splendour of Llogora Pass, with the mighty Cika peaks towering above the crystal waters and the white gravel beaches of the Ionian Sea.
A few days are spent enjoying the picturesque villages of the Riviera. The tour then proceeds to explore a succession of archaeological sites and the historically significant towns of Butrint, Gjirokastër and Berat.
- Duration: 8 day(s)
- Location: Southern Albania
The tour itinerary is as follows:
Day 1 - Welcome to Tirana
The hotel is located right in the centre of Tirana and has a cozy atmosphere. After checking in, you will meet your guide on the agreed time (18.00 hours) and go over the program of the coming week. Later we will take a walking tour through the city's most known spots like Scanderbeg Square, The Clock Tower, the Mosque of Tirana, etc.
We will also walk to Blloku district, before we stop in a nice restaurant for dinner, and then return in the hotel for overnight.
Optional: after dinner, people can go for a drink in "Blloku" - once the district of the communist polite-bureau, now the "hip" bar-district of Tirana (in walking distance from our hotel).
In Case you arrive earlier in the day you can visit the national museum.
Dinner: traditional restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in center of Tirana
Day 2 - Driving South
Today we will drive south towards the coastal city of Vlora and the national park Llogora. Before getting there, we will visit the ancient ruins of Apollonia, its Byzantine Monastery and at will, the Museum of Archaeology.
Founded in 588BC by Greeks from Corinth, the city quickly grew to 50.000 residents by the second century BC. Apollonia later became a free Roman city after it sided with Julius Caesar during the war against Pompey. It developed into a cultural center until the 3rd century AD when an earthquake rerouted a river and lead to the city's decline.
We will have lunch under the shadow of the trees in the restaurant of the Apollonia Park.
Before we drive to our hotel in Llogora Park, we will have a short stop in the bay of Vlora, to have refreshment with a beautiful view!
Dinner: Traditional restaurant
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Llogora national park. This family run mountain hotel right in the middle of the park, specialized in homemade wine and raki, lamb at the spite and a variety of tasty mountain dishes to enjoy for dinner.
Day 3 - Over the ridge of Saint Thanas
The surroundings of Llogora Park have been described as one of the most "dramatic" mountain & sea panoramas. It will be here that our first trekking will take place. The trekking will offer splendid views of the Vlora bay and of the western steep slopes of the Karabruni penisula, dropping in the waters of the Ionian Sea. (Gradient 600 meters)In the afternoon, on return, we will have an optional walk or the possibility to relax in the hotel until it is time for dinner.
Dinner: traditional Mountain restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Llogora national park.
Day 4 - The Riviera of Flowers
In the morning, we will hike up to Mount Cika. The Cika mountain is the highest massive of southwestern Albania. From the summit, you can admire the mighty view of the highlands of "Labëria" - land of southern shepherds; and the splendor of the Ionian Sea with Corfu and other minor Greek islands on the horizon.
After completing the hike, we will drive further along the Ionian coast, via Himara, until we reach the village of Qeparo at the sea.
Before reaching the village we will stop to visit the bay of Porto Palermo and the Ali Pasha Tepelena fortress.
The splendid bay of Palermo, served as an important submarine secret base during the regime days. The semi abandoned base, its tunnel and structures are still at sight and the main attraction of the bay is the 19th century fortress in the central promontory, built by the powerful Ali Pasha Tepelena.
After the visit, we will drive for 15 minutes to the nearby Qeparo, where we will check-in at a guesthouse by the sea.
In the afternoon, we have also the possibility to walk up to the old village on top of the hill.
Dinner: Family cooked dinner
Accommodation: Family run hotel at the beach of Qeparo
Day 5 - Saranda and the ancient town of Butrint
The drive will bring us further south along the splendid Albanian Riviera. Saranda it is set in a lovely horseshoe bay, being a holiday resort since communist times. Mentioned by Cicero, it acquired its current name in honor to forty (Saranda in Greek) Christian legionnaires who were put to death in 320AD. Nearby, following a panoramic road along the homonymous lagoon are the remains of the ancient Butrint that we are going to visit.
"Butrint is undeniably a beautiful place. Close to modern civilization yet with its monuments in thick woodland. With remains dating from so many different periods covering two and a half thousand years. Set in a marshy landscape besides the busy straits separating Corfu from Albania, it is also an environmental haven rich in bird life".
We will have lunch in a restaurant not far from Butrinti, after this we will go to a hotel at the sea where we can relax at the beach or stroll at the city, until it is time for another tasty dinner at a fish restaurant.
Dinner: 3 star hotel in Saranda
Accommodation: Restaurant of the hotel
Day 6 - The City o f Stone
We will leave the coast and drive inland towards Gjirokaster - the City of Stone. Here, we will visit the Castle, the Museum of Weapons, the Ethnographic Museum and we will make a walk along the stone paved alleys of the town.
Gjirokastër is one of the most beautiful Albanian historic towns, with a citadel dating from the 13'th century. From the walls of the castle, one can admire the view of its districts and the large valley of river Drinos. Walks along the stone paved streets will bring you at the discovery of the charming Albanian traditional architecture. It was in these grey colored streets that Enver Hoxha (notorious dictator) and Ismail Kadare (notorious writer) grew up.
At the end of our visits in Gjirokaster, we will drive to our next night-stop: Berat.
Dinner: traditional restaurant
Accommodation: 3 star, traditional hotel in Berat.
Day 7- The city of thousand windows
Berat is the best-preserved historic town of Albania. Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Socialist buildings accumulated over 2400 years, and show the importance and the rich history of Berat.
We will walk in the characteristics neighborhood "Mangalemi" to visit the Ethnographic museum. Then we will hike up to visit the citadel district of Berat, its splendid orthodox churches and the Onufri Icons museum - named after the famous 16th century master painter of icons and murals. The building where the museum is housed shows the important architectonic values of Berat's buildings.
In the afternoon, we will drive on to Durres (92km/1hr30min), where we will have a stop for refreshment at the sea, before we continue our way back to Tirana.
Dinner: traditional restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Tirana.
Day 8 - Leaving Albania
Today you can relax at the beach, before it is time to go back to the airport.
Price of the tour: 500€/pax.
Single supplement: 70€/pax.
Minimum group size: 6 people
Maximum group size: 15 people
30 days before departure, we will inform you about the group size.
In case there are less than 6 people in the group you can neither cancel nor get back your deposit payment or pay a small group supplement and do the tour.
The set departure tour dates:
Day 1 - Welcome to Tirana
The hotel is located right in the centre of Tirana and has a cozy atmosphere. After checking in, you will meet your guide on the agreed time (18.00 hours) and go over the program of the coming week. Later we will take a walking tour through the city's most known spots like Scanderbeg Square, The Clock Tower, the Mosque of Tirana, etc.
We will also walk to Blloku district, before we stop in a nice restaurant for dinner, and then return in the hotel for overnight.
Optional: after dinner, people can go for a drink in "Blloku" - once the district of the communist polite-bureau, now the "hip" bar-district of Tirana (in walking distance from our hotel).
In Case you arrive earlier in the day you can visit the national museum.
Dinner: traditional restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in center of Tirana
Day 2 - Driving South
Today we will drive south towards the coastal city of Vlora and the national park Llogora. Before getting there, we will visit the ancient ruins of Apollonia, its Byzantine Monastery and at will, the Museum of Archaeology.
Founded in 588BC by Greeks from Corinth, the city quickly grew to 50.000 residents by the second century BC. Apollonia later became a free Roman city after it sided with Julius Caesar during the war against Pompey. It developed into a cultural center until the 3rd century AD when an earthquake rerouted a river and lead to the city's decline.
We will have lunch under the shadow of the trees in the restaurant of the Apollonia Park.
Before we drive to our hotel in Llogora Park, we will have a short stop in the bay of Vlora, to have refreshment with a beautiful view!
Dinner: Traditional restaurant
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Llogora national park. This family run mountain hotel right in the middle of the park, specialized in homemade wine and raki, lamb at the spite and a variety of tasty mountain dishes to enjoy for dinner.
Day 3 - Over the ridge of Saint Thanas
The surroundings of Llogora Park have been described as one of the most "dramatic" mountain & sea panoramas. It will be here that our first trekking will take place. The trekking will offer splendid views of the Vlora bay and of the western steep slopes of the Karabruni penisula, dropping in the waters of the Ionian Sea. (Gradient 600 meters)In the afternoon, on return, we will have an optional walk or the possibility to relax in the hotel until it is time for dinner.
Dinner: traditional Mountain restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Llogora national park.
Day 4 - The Riviera of Flowers
In the morning, we will hike up to Mount Cika. The Cika mountain is the highest massive of southwestern Albania. From the summit, you can admire the mighty view of the highlands of "Labëria" - land of southern shepherds; and the splendor of the Ionian Sea with Corfu and other minor Greek islands on the horizon.
After completing the hike, we will drive further along the Ionian coast, via Himara, until we reach the village of Qeparo at the sea.
Before reaching the village we will stop to visit the bay of Porto Palermo and the Ali Pasha Tepelena fortress.
The splendid bay of Palermo, served as an important submarine secret base during the regime days. The semi abandoned base, its tunnel and structures are still at sight and the main attraction of the bay is the 19th century fortress in the central promontory, built by the powerful Ali Pasha Tepelena.
After the visit, we will drive for 15 minutes to the nearby Qeparo, where we will check-in at a guesthouse by the sea.
In the afternoon, we have also the possibility to walk up to the old village on top of the hill.
Dinner: Family cooked dinner
Accommodation: Family run hotel at the beach of Qeparo
Day 5 - Saranda and the ancient town of Butrint
The drive will bring us further south along the splendid Albanian Riviera. Saranda it is set in a lovely horseshoe bay, being a holiday resort since communist times. Mentioned by Cicero, it acquired its current name in honor to forty (Saranda in Greek) Christian legionnaires who were put to death in 320AD. Nearby, following a panoramic road along the homonymous lagoon are the remains of the ancient Butrint that we are going to visit.
"Butrint is undeniably a beautiful place. Close to modern civilization yet with its monuments in thick woodland. With remains dating from so many different periods covering two and a half thousand years. Set in a marshy landscape besides the busy straits separating Corfu from Albania, it is also an environmental haven rich in bird life".
We will have lunch in a restaurant not far from Butrinti, after this we will go to a hotel at the sea where we can relax at the beach or stroll at the city, until it is time for another tasty dinner at a fish restaurant.
Dinner: 3 star hotel in Saranda
Accommodation: Restaurant of the hotel
Day 6 - The City o f Stone
We will leave the coast and drive inland towards Gjirokaster - the City of Stone. Here, we will visit the Castle, the Museum of Weapons, the Ethnographic Museum and we will make a walk along the stone paved alleys of the town.
Gjirokastër is one of the most beautiful Albanian historic towns, with a citadel dating from the 13'th century. From the walls of the castle, one can admire the view of its districts and the large valley of river Drinos. Walks along the stone paved streets will bring you at the discovery of the charming Albanian traditional architecture. It was in these grey colored streets that Enver Hoxha (notorious dictator) and Ismail Kadare (notorious writer) grew up.
At the end of our visits in Gjirokaster, we will drive to our next night-stop: Berat.
Dinner: traditional restaurant
Accommodation: 3 star, traditional hotel in Berat.
Day 7- The city of thousand windows
Berat is the best-preserved historic town of Albania. Illyrian, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and Socialist buildings accumulated over 2400 years, and show the importance and the rich history of Berat.
We will walk in the characteristics neighborhood "Mangalemi" to visit the Ethnographic museum. Then we will hike up to visit the citadel district of Berat, its splendid orthodox churches and the Onufri Icons museum - named after the famous 16th century master painter of icons and murals. The building where the museum is housed shows the important architectonic values of Berat's buildings.
In the afternoon, we will drive on to Durres (92km/1hr30min), where we will have a stop for refreshment at the sea, before we continue our way back to Tirana.
Dinner: traditional restaurant.
Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Tirana.
Day 8 - Leaving Albania
Today you can relax at the beach, before it is time to go back to the airport.
Price of the tour: 500€/pax.
Single supplement: 70€/pax.
Minimum group size: 6 people
Maximum group size: 15 people
30 days before departure, we will inform you about the group size.
In case there are less than 6 people in the group you can neither cancel nor get back your deposit payment or pay a small group supplement and do the tour.
The set departure tour dates:
OA 1S OA 2S OA 3S
4-11 JUN 16-23JUL 6-13 AUG
10 10 10
The tour includes: transport, guidance, museum, park/resort fees and full board accommodation during the entire itinerary above described.
Transport: minibus or a 4x4.
Guide: English speaking.
Food: traditional restaurants and home-made dishes.
Vegetarian meals; available as well.
Accommodation: hotels and family run hotels.
The price does not include:
Drinks
Airport pick up/ delivery.
Breakfast and lunch on day of arrival.
Lunch and dinner on departure day.
Bank transfer fee (in case you pay via bank transfer)
If you would like to go on the tour on different dates with your own private group, please contact us. We have guides who can speak Albanian, English, Italian, French, German, Italian, Dutch or Serbian.
