Walking In Albania

Guide

There will be a local leader, driver, plus a second support guide and horsemen during the trek (to help with luggage transportation from one village to the next, although their English may not be as good as the leader’s). Our local partner, Dorien, was born and raised in the Albanian Alps and has been walking in the region since he was a child.

Meals

All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners included. Three of these lunches are packed lunches. In the itinerary, we state which meals are included on each day. Under the leadership of Enver Hoxha (the communist leader of Albania from 1944 to 1985), Albania became a self-sustaining country due to its isolation to the world. With fertile valleys, fresh mountain springs and Mediterranean climate, Albania still has a subsistence culture and shows very little signs of changing. In the countryside, expect your food to have been grown not too far from your plate. Food in Albania is quite varied thanks to the many influences on the country, particularly Mediterranean, which combines Turkish and European tastes. Dairy products, especially milk and yoghurt are present in almost every meal, usually locally sourced. Meals are reasonably priced at around 390-650 leks (US$3.60-US$6) per dish for traditional dishes such as baked rice, casseroles, stuffed aubergine and jani meat (beef or lamb sautéed with onions, garlic and spices). Fresh fish is also plentiful, from the sea or lakes, and is an important ingredient in many dishes. Dishes that must be sampled are Tirana stew, Elbasan yoghurt and baked phyllo pie. For dessert, there are the classic cookies and puddings but most importantly the baklava is very popular. Drinks are reasonably priced with a bottle of local beer costing around 130 leks (US$1.20) yet traditional drinks need to be tried as well, raki and Skenderbeu cognac for example (noted for its unique flavour and aroma). Your leader will recommend restaurants for each evening. Vegetarians are well-catered for in Albania as long as the hotels are advised in advance – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests. If you follow a vegan diet, the variety of food may be limited on this trip. This diet is relatively uncommon in this region and we cannot guarantee the hotels and restaurants will provide meals that have the necessary variety.

Transport

For this trip, we use private buses. One transfer includes a short off-road section, for this journey we use local transport which will likely not have seatbelts.

Accommodation

We spend two nights in a mountain guesthouse and five nights in three-star hotels. Ratings should not be compared to western Europe as there is currently not a regulated system for this in Albania. The guesthouse and hotels are chosen for their character, location and welcoming atmosphere. The hotel and guesthouse in the mountains (Theth and Valbonë) are charming yet rustic. Please note single rooms are not available during the during the four nights we spend in the Theth and Valbonë. Our two nights in the guesthouse at Theth are in double, triple and quadruple rooms, with shared bathrooms (rooms are not mixed sex). Additional accommodation It is possible to book additional accommodation in Tirana before and after the tour. For anyone looking to extend their stay, additional nights can also be arranged in Berat. Please contact your sales representative if you wish to extend your trip. Single accommodation is available on request. Please note, single rooms are only available in Tirana, Kruja and Berat due to a limited number of rooms.

Others

— Travel insurance — Visas and vaccinations — Single supplement