Albania remains one of Europe’s best-kept secrets – a land of soaring mountains, glittering coastlines, and timeless villages where traditions run deep. On this immersive journey, you’ll hike through the dramatic valleys of Theth, explore UNESCO cities like Berat and Gjirokaster, paddle the turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea, and share meals with families who embody Albania’s legendary hospitality.
From quirky museums and artisan wines to donkey farms and slow-food feasts, this adventure balances outdoor exploration with meaningful cultural encounters. With a small group, boutique accommodations, and an expert local guide, you’ll experience Albania the way few travellers ever do: up close, authentic, and unforgettable.
Hike to the Blue Eye spring and Grunas Waterfall in the Albanian Alps
Visit the slow-food pioneer Mrizi i Zanave farm with wine tasting and dinner
Explore UNESCO-listed Berat and Gjirokaster, Albania’s cultural crown jewels
Go off-road into sacred Mount Tomorr, with the option to summit on foot
Kayak the Ionian coastline near Himare, discovering hidden coves and beaches
Share home-cooked meals with local families in castle towns and mountain villages
Stay in boutique hotels and family-run guesthouses that showcase true Albanian warmth
Ready to discover Albania before the rest of the world does? Spots are strictly limited to 16 guests per departure — secure your place today and join us for an unforgettable journey.
Touch down in Tirana, where the buzz of the capital greets you with colour, charm, and character. Once settled, take some free time to relax, explore the streets at your own pace, or simply absorb the atmosphere of a city reinventing itself as one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals.
As evening falls, gather with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a favourite local restaurant. Over traditional dishes, your guide introduces the journey ahead, and the group begins to bond over shared anticipation of the adventures to come.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Tirana
Sample Hotel: Kotoni Hotel or similar
Wake to the sound of rushing rivers and birdsong in Theth National Park. After breakfast, a short drive takes us to Nderlyse, where smooth limestone pools form a natural playground. From here, we begin a hike through forested trails, leading us to the Blue Eye of Theth, a dazzling turquoise spring that feels both magical and untouched.
Continuing onward, we reach Grunas Waterfall, tumbling dramatically into a crystal basin. Along the way, your guide and local hosts share stories of mountain traditions, village life, and the deep connection people here maintain with the land.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Theth
Sample Hotel: Hotel Thethi or similar
Leaving the alpine peaks behind, we descend toward the shimmering shores of Lake Shkodra. Here, in the tiny fishing village of Zogaj, we meet locals keeping age-old traditions alive, from handwoven qilim rugs to freshwater fishing.
In the afternoon, we continue to Fishte, home to the renowned Mrizi i Zanave agriturismo. A pioneer of Albania’s slow-food movement, this sustainable farm celebrates everything local – from artisan cheeses to fine wines. Wander the vineyards, tour the cellars, and taste vintages crafted with care before gathering for a memorable farm-to-table dinner. Our group will spend the night in cozy village guesthouses, where warm hospitality offers an authentic glimpse of rural Albania.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Fishte
Sample Hotel: Fishta Guesthouse or similar
This morning we head south toward the Adriatic, stopping in Durres for a surprising cultural detour. The Peeping Tourist Museum is a quirky, creative space blending photography, humour, and heritage — a fresh take on Albania’s identity that stands in contrast to the ancient ruins nearby. A guided visit paired with local tastings makes this stop an unexpected highlight.
By afternoon, we reach the UNESCO city of Berat, famed for its hillside of Ottoman houses and medieval fortifications. Explore Berat Castle and the Onufri Icon Museum, then meander through the Mangalem and Gorica quarters, where cobbled streets and stone archways whisper centuries of history. Tonight, we share dinner with a local family inside the castle walls — a rare opportunity to experience Albanian hospitality at its most intimate.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Berat
Sample Hotel: Hotel Plaza Berat or similar
Today’s adventure takes us high into the sacred landscape of Mount Tomorr, revered in Albanian culture and central to the Bektashi faith. A thrilling 4×4 drive winds through dramatic mountain terrain, where ancient tombs and holy sites reveal layers of spiritual tradition. Depending on fitness and interest, you can hike or drive to the summit, choosing a path that best suits your pace.
After exploring the summit’s windswept views, we descend to Bogove Waterfall. A short walk leads to its refreshing pools, the perfect place to relax after a day of exploration. Returning to Berat in the evening, we cap the day with wine tasting at a family-run winery before sitting down to a dinner in the heart of this historic city.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Berat
Sample Hotel: Hotel Plaza Berat or similar
Heading south, we journey into Albania’s cultural heartland to discover Gjirokaster, a UNESCO World Heritage Site often called the “Stone City.” As we wander its cobbled bazaar, time seems to slow — stone rooftops gleam under the sun, narrow lanes twist between tall Ottoman houses, and the air carries the scent of mountain herbs and fresh bread.
A highlight is the Skenduli House, a centuries-old residence designed as a labyrinth, with secret chambers, ornate ceilings, and cool stone walls built for family life and defence.
Today we also take part in a hands-on cooking class with a local host, learning the secrets behind traditional Albanian dishes before sitting down to a shared meal that celebrates the flavours of the region.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Gjirokaster
Sample Hotel: Rose Garden Hotel or similar
Today, we trade hills for coastline on our way to Upper Qeparo, an atmospheric hillside village where time seems to stand still. We will meet a local family who invite us to share lunch in their home, giving us insight into their history and culture.
Later, we head to the Ionian Sea for a kayaking adventure. Paddle past rugged cliffs, slip into hidden coves, and, if the weather allows, enjoy a swim in crystal-clear waters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Qeparo or Himare
Sample Guesthouse: Sea View Hotel Himare
Today’s journey winds along one of the most scenic drives in the Balkans: the Llogara Pass. With the sparkling Ionian Sea on one side and towering peaks on the other, every turn offers a postcard view. Along the way, an hike leads to the village of Tragjas, a place frozen in time since World War II. Here, a local family tends a small, sustainable farm amid the ruins, preserving centuries-old practices of living alongside nature and wildlife.
By late afternoon, we return to Tirana for our final night together. Celebrate the journey with one last group dinner, raising a glass to the mountains, coastlines, and communities that have made this Albanian adventure so memorable.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Tirana
Sample Hotel: Hotel Opera or similar
After breakfast, transfer to Tirana Airport for your onward flight. As you depart, take with you not only memories of Albania’s dramatic landscapes and fascinating culture, but also the warmth of its people — a reminder of a place where hospitality is woven into every experience.
Meals: Breakfast
Touch down in Tirana, where the buzz of the capital greets you with colour, charm, and character. Once settled, take some free time to relax, explore the streets at your own pace, or simply absorb the atmosphere of a city reinventing itself as one of Europe’s most dynamic capitals.
As evening falls, gather with your fellow travellers for a welcome dinner at a favourite local restaurant. Over traditional dishes, your guide introduces the journey ahead, and the group begins to bond over shared anticipation of the adventures to come.
Meals: Dinner
Overnight: Tirana
Sample Hotel: Kotoni Hotel or similar
Your deposit is refundable for 24 hours after booking. After that, there is a $100 per person transfer fee that applies to changes you want to make to your tour (ie. to change the tour date or to choose a different tour). Transfers are possible until the final payment deadline, unless otherwise specified. Of course, if Radventures cannot confirm your tour by the final payment deadline, your deposit can be refunded or transferred to another tour free of charge.
Of course! There is a $100 per person transfer fee that applies. Transfers are possible until the final payment deadline, unless otherwise specified.
Radventures lives for those who want to escape the ordinary. Those who want to steer clear of the tourist traps and queues of cashed up pensioners. Those who are nomadic by nature and desire deep, authentic and local connections to make their trip as much about the journey as the destination. If that sounds like you, then you’re just like us, and between our relentless efforts to blow your expectations out of the water and our super knowledgable team, we’re your travel experts!
This tour involves a few easy to moderate hikes, kayaking, and bumpy 4×4 driving. More details can be found in the day-by-day itinerary.
Different tours/trips have varying physical demands, but most tours are designed to be enjoyed by anyone who is reasonably fit. When selecting your tour please make sure you have read through the itinerary and itinerary carefully to assess your ability and to cope with our style of travel. Some trips visit remote areas with limited or non-existent medical facilities so you must be in good health. Factors such as altitude, cold temperatures, delays, unfamiliar food and different customs and cultures can also add to the physical toll. Keep in mind you will sometimes need to carry your own bags. Please note that if, in an extremely unlikely case, in the opinion of our guide, any guest is unable to complete the itinerary without undue risk to themselves and/or the rest of the group, Radventures reserves the right to exclude them from all or part of a trip without refund. You should consult your doctor for up-to-date medical travel information or for any necessary vaccinations before departure. We recommend that you carry a first aid kit as well as any personal medical requirements (including a spare pair of glasses) as they may not easily be obtained at the locations on this trip. For legal reasons our guides are prohibited from administering any type of drugs including headache tablets and antibiotics. Please ensure that you are adequately prepared.
Yes! We would definitely recommend an “All Inclusive” policy that covers you for both medical expenses as well as any trip cancellation or interruptions. You can purchase this from our booking platform, “WeTravel”, or contact us for more information.
At Radventures we pride ourselves on our flexibility. If you wan’t to enjoy more of this beautiful country before and after your time with us, we’d be more than happy to make any arrangements for you. As for being partly involved in a tour, whilst we can’t make any guarantees about whats possible or not, it’s best that you get in touch with us when you’re considering booking a tour or trip with us and let us know how you want things to work so we can see if we can make it work.
This is a tricky one. We don’t know when other people will book, so it’s hard to know if and when the tour will fill up. Our advice is to book as soon as you’ve made the decision to travel, that way you won’t be disappointed. Most of our service providers have a cutoff date of 2-3 months before departure that we need to advise them to release any excess space, and while we may be able to get these services back after the cutoff date it’s definitely safer to book early while we can still guarantee enough space for you.
You’re in great company! We have two options for solo travellers on our tours – you can join our share program to be matched with another rad solo traveller (of the same sex), or you can purchase the single supplement to have your own private room.
