Tours of Albania

With over 200 holidays to choose from, KE Adventure Travel has one of the very best collections of trekking and walking holidays worldwide. Graded on a scale from 1 to 12, we have holidays to suit everyone. Our tougher treks are likely to involve multi-day hikes through wilderness regions, with porter support and tented accommodation. Whilst at the other end of the scale, our softer walking holidays are more likely to be hotel or lodge-based with a day-walk format and an emphasis on uncovering the area's history, culture and cuisine. From our earliest days we've developed a range of treks that include celebrated classics such as Peru's Inca Trail trek, the ascent of Tanzania's Kilimanjaro and the ever popular Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. Alongside these, we have always made it a priority to seek out distinctive and unique itineraries in less familiar areas such as Armenia, Cameroon, Madagascar and Burma. Whichever of our trekking or walking holidays you choose to undertake, you can be sure you'll enjoy breaking out of your day-to-day routine and exploring exotic landscapes on foot, with the chance to experience different cultures.

Albania's Accursed Mountains

In the far north of Albania, a range of rugged peaks rises to a high point at Jezerca (2694m) and is known locally as the Albanian Alps. These "alps" form the southern part of the mountain range called the Dinaric Alps which extend for 650 km along the coast of the Adriatic, from the Julian Alps in Slovenia, south to Mt Korab on the border between Albania and Macedona. 20th century visitors to the area include the intrepid Edith Durham, author of 'High Albania', a book based on her own journey to the Thethi Valley in 1908 where she describes life as "of absorbing interest" such that she "forgot all about the rest of the world and there seemed no reason why I should ever return". Latterly the area was once again made famous by Robert Carver's book 'The Accursed Mountains'. Stunning and remote, this area is an undiscovered gem. .From the lakeside town of Shkodra, we journey to the village of Thethi, with its traditional wooden houses and impressive stone "lock-in" tower that sheltered the men-folk in times of blood feud. From here, we enjoy a series of walks before trekking with mule-support across the Valbona Pass into the lovely Valbona Valley. Staying in basic and newly established guesthouses, we will be treated to traditional food and highlander hospitality. A ferry ride on the fjord-like Lake Koman is an integral part of our journey out of these enchanting mountains. We spent our final night in the important historic town of Kruja, with time to shop in the bazaar and visit the interesting museums. Isolated from the outside world for much of the 20th century, Albania is a superb adventure travel destination, blessed with stunning mountain scenery and fascinating history.

With over 200 holidays to choose from, KE Adventure Travel has one of the very best collections of trekking and walking holidays worldwide. Graded on a scale from 1 to 12, we have holidays to suit everyone. Our tougher treks are likely to involve multi-day hikes through wilderness regions, with porter support and tented accommodation. Whilst at the other end of the scale, our softer walking holidays are more likely to be hotel or lodge-based with a day-walk format and an emphasis on uncovering the area's history, culture and cuisine. From our earliest days we've developed a range of treks that include celebrated classics such as Peru's Inca Trail trek, the ascent of Tanzania's Kilimanjaro and the ever popular Everest Base Camp trek in Nepal. Alongside these, we have always made it a priority to seek out distinctive and unique itineraries in less familiar areas such as Armenia, Cameroon, Madagascar and Burma. Whichever of our trekking or walking holidays you choose to undertake, you can be sure you'll enjoy breaking out of your day-to-day routine and exploring exotic landscapes on foot, with the chance to experience different cultures.

Walking in the Balkan Borderlands

Trekking the Prokljetije Mountains, this new and unique walking holiday crosses several international frontiers in the wild borderlands of Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro. Taking a short transfer from the Kosovan capital of Pristina we begin our adventure trekking holiday in the historic city of Peja. Located in the foothills of the Prokljetije Mountains, this enchanting city features well-preserved Ottoman-era architecture and friendly locals. With a morning visit to the monastery ‘Patriarchate of Pec', we then commence our trek into a real hidden corner of Europe. Passing through traditional villages and over the Jelenak Pass (2272m), we cross from Kosovo into Montenegro and continue our Balkan adventure following the old trade routes of the ‘Accursed Mountains'. As we cross into the wild and rugged frontier of Albania, we are welcomed by the highland hospitality of our farmhouse stay. Continuing our walk through pasturelands and over a rocky mountain pass (1900m), we take in refreshment with the last of our Albania hosts and transfer to overnight in the Montenegrin capital of Podgorica. With a morning boat ride on glistening Lake of Skadar we finish this Balkan Walking adventure with exploration of the UNESCO listed Bay of Kotor. With a glimpse into ancient and traditional cultures of Eastern Europe, this is a trekking holiday that won't disappoint.

Over more than 30 years Explore has developed a diverse and exciting range of more than 100 walking and trekking holidays. Whether you’re new to walking holidays, a casual hiker or a seasoned trekker you will find plenty of expertly planned walks and treks to choose from. We specialise in small group walking and trekking holidays. On these you will be in a group of up to 16 along with an experienced tour leader. Depending on the trek you may also have guides, porters, muleteers, cooks and camping crew with you too. For many trekkers the camaraderie with the crew is one of the highlights of the holiday.

Walking Albania

Tour Map of Walking Albania

Explore the mysteries of Albania on this scenic trekking holiday. The highlight of the trip will be the little visited north of the country where we trek in the stunning Albanian Alps region. We also walk along dramatic coastlines in Llogora National Park. As well as scenic walks, we will visit several traditional coastal villages and historical and cultural monuments.