Multi activity holidays in Albania

The intimidating, jagged peaks of the Accursed Mountains begin on the shore of Lake Shkodra in the far north of Albania. Shared with Montenegro and Kosovo, the mountains are threaded with rivers including the Valbona, the Shala, the Gashi and the Kiri. Lakes, plunging canyons and deep forests form a spectacular backdrop for adventure holidays in this still undeveloped region that was cut off from the rest of Europe for decades by a communist dictatorship.

Emma Heywood, with husband Ben, is the founder of our partner Undiscovered Balkans, who organise some of our Albania multi activity holidays. “You can’t not fall in love with Albania’s natural beauty, the wild rivers, the lakes, the epic mountains and old forests,” she says. “You’ll also be blown away by the friendliness of the people here, and the interesting cultural traditions.”

Full as they are with hikes, canyoning, wild swimming and stand-up paddleboarding, our holidays also introduce you to Albanian craftspeople, and help to support traditional artisans such as weavers, beekeepers and producers of wine, cheese and olive oil. Having emerged from communism later than other parts of eastern Europe, and then endured an unstable economy into the 2000s, Albania is only now beginning to reap the benefits of tourism – but there are potential pitfalls too.

The rush of development around Albania’s southern coast has been criticised for a lack of regulation and environmental protection, and some fear that northern Albania could be similarly affected. Emma and Ben are passionate about protecting Balkan rivers, and our holidays here financially support conservation efforts. “The big battle at the moment is over the Shushice River, a tributary of the Vjosa, which is being diverted to provide water for tourism developments on the coast. Then there is the new airport sadly being built on the Narta Lagoon. Albania needs to balance tourism developments with protection of its natural assets.”

Marjana Koçeku grew up in this region and now runs an agrotourism venture in the far south of the Alps of Albania National Park. She is wary of the way tourism is currently being expanded. “It’s a golden era of opportunity for northern Albania, we’ve been craving this tourism boost. But we need to be careful of the way we manage it. If government does not control it properly and work with local people then long term we will have problems. The focus should be on preserving our identity, our culture and nature. They were here before tourism began, and we must now ensure they survive for future generations.”

You can opt for a small group tour, typically a week long on fixed dates, with a full and well-crafted itinerary arranged for you. These are a particularly good option if you’re travelling solo as you have a readymade band of fellow adventurers for company. There are also tailor made options, where the itinerary can be created bespoke to your interests.

Several of our holidays are suitable for families, with minimum ages ranging from seven to 14. Albania is fantastic for kids, with very welcoming people, and a host of fun activities to enjoy from canyoning to trekking in the company of friendly mules.

Our trips run from April to October. July and August do see crowds especially on the coast but also in well-known parts of the north such as Theth, Valbone and Lake Komani. In the Accursed Mountains the snows of winter can last well into May, making hiking risky in the far north of Albania. “I think June may be the best time – when the snow has melted,” says Emma. “And September and October of course, when you have the perfect climate. The sea and lakes are warm, not so much the rivers and waterfalls, but swimming in them is still lovely if you don’t mind the chill.”

Albania’s tradition of weaving dates back at least as far as the Ottoman Empire which began in the 15th century. Centuries ago, most houses would have a small wooden loom at which women and girls would weave clothes, tapestries, blankets and rugs, and every region of the country had its distinct patterns and techniques. During the communist era weaving was industrialised, with state-run factories churning out traditional products and employing thousands of people. But in the 1990s as Albania transitioned to democracy, the factories closed and today weaving is something of a dying art whose few practitioners struggle to earn a living.

Our multi activity holidays in Albania take you to meet traditional weavers of carpets, place mats and tablecloths. You can sit down with a family of artisans and learn how to make slippers and queleshe skull caps. Then from the finished product you can turn to the very start of the process, spending an evening with shepherds and watching as they bring their goats in at night.

Honour and respect are immensely important in Albanian society. Among the most popular destinations in northern Albania is Theth, a remote village where our trips slow things down for a while. Here you can visit one of Albania’s ‘lock-in towers’. These tall buildings and their thick stone walls historically offered protection for those whose lives were threatened by blood feuds between families and clans, vendettas that in some cases continued for generations. Theth’s tower is now a museum showing what life was like for people forced to spend years in self-imposed exile because their ancestor once slighted the wrong person, and without even the consolation of Netflix to get by.

“People put great emphasis on personal honour here,” says Catherine Bohne, who created an organisation, Journey to Valbona, to promote more sustainable tourism in the Albanian Alps and now campaigns against hydroelectric dams. “A significant part of that is looking after your guests. People here will take you in, give you their bed to sleep in, refuse your money. You won’t find that kind of experience on Booking.com.”

While there are valid concerns about how it is being managed so far, Albania is certainly embracing tourism with open arms, and everywhere you go you’ll find a warm welcome. Our holidays introduce you to people making their own olive oil and rakija fruity brandies, smoking carp from the lakes or offering cookery classes, all of which help traditional industries survive. You’ll stay in locally owned hotels, and in some cases be invited into people’s homes for a glass of brandy, a coffee, and a chat with your hosts.

Key to all of this are the people showing you around. “We always use local guides,” says Emma. “They speak excellent English, they’re hugely knowledgeable and they’re just the best ambassadors for their country. Guide work really helps build pride in Albanian communities.” Our holidays also help to fund education and lessons in outdoor skills, which encourage young people to go into guiding and take an interest in protecting nature.

These are activity holidays, but they weave in elements of Albanian culture at every turn. You get a far deeper insight into life in the places you’re staying in than if you were to try and organise something independently, and in turn your holiday has a greater financial benefit to the local communities you visit.