Walk In Southern Albania

9 Days / 8 Nights 
  Highlights:
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  • Side trip to Ohrid, Pearl of the Balkans
  • Byzantine, Orthodox, and Aromanian heritage in Eastern Albania
  • Four UNESCO world heritage sites and cultural treasures varied walks in mountain landscape, forest national park and at the coast
  • Duration: 9 days Group Size: 8-14 (possibility for private departure starting from one person) Accommodation: middle-class and boutique hotels. Difficulty: 1.5/4 - no challenging walks. Average daily walking time: 6x I 3 Yz hours
  
Day 1---   Meeting at the airport, during the transfer (25km/30min) to our hotel to Tirana's center information about the country and people. After check-in and time permits, we can have a visit at the National History Museum or concentrate solely on a walking tour that immerses us in the turbulent past of the country. Illyrian ruins, oriental monuments, socialist apartment blocks and modern towers create a colorful patchwork of a very lively city. The first eventful day closes with a tasting of Albania's rich cuisine which we get to know better in the following days. Overnight Tirana

Day 2--- Today we travel southeast to Elbasan's castle (45km/lh), through the Shkumbin Valley and into Macedonia to visit Lake Ohrid (90km/2h). Before we cross the border, we visit the idyllic village of Lin and the ruins of the 5th century early Christian basilica with a great view on the lake. The lake is among the oldest in the world, said to be surrounded by 365 religious sites and together with the 2400-year-old city classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the combination of the Galicica national park's dramatic mountain backdrop, the shimmering surface of the lake and red tiles of historic buildings that make Ohrid a magical place. Ohrid is the second largest lake in the Balkans and home to endemic species of fish and aquatic birds! Overnight Ohrid

Day 3— We drive in the morning to a village nearby for starting our track for around 3 hours, crossing beautiful villages and having great views on the Ohrid Lake and surroundings. Picnic lunch and we get back at our hotel to get ready for the cultural part of the day, sightseeing of the city of Ohrid.  Our city tour ends in a restaurant on the lake shore where we can enjoy our dinner. Later we can troll at the pedestrian zone to enjoy the coffee in a street coffee! Overnight at Ohrid.
Day 4--- We continue to Korca (40km/45min), the largest town of south-east Albania is situated on a plateau beneath the Morava Mountains on 800m ASL and well known for its folk songs and distinctive kitchen. Pretty villas and broad boulevards bear evidence of former prosperity when it was an important trade center. In the 19th cent the first school that solely taught in Albanian was opened here and the area a stronghold of the partisans during the World War II. We visit the iconic cathedral and the rich collection of icons in the museum of medieval art before we travel to Voskopoja (23km/45min). This once prosperous city hosted in the 181h cent the one and only printing press in the Balkans and was quasi capital of the Vlachs, a series of raids reduced it to a small village with merely 700 inhabitants. On a walk through the idyllic landscape we explore the remaining churches, their rich mural paintings, enjoy the fresh air and quite atmosphere. Overnight in a hotel of the village.
  
Day 5-- We follow one of Albania's most scenic routes through the highlands around the town Erseka {61km/1:30h), along the Greek border formed by the Gramos Mountains {2.523m) and past wild  flowers of the Germenj national park {28km/lh) to Permet, stopping along the way for a short walk and lunch. From the highest point of the road at Barmash Pass {1.159m) we descend on a winding road into the Vjosa Valley that was shaped by one of Europe's last wild rivers. All along the way to the small village Benja {60km/1:30h) we enjoy majestic views of the Nemercka Range. Still marveling about the snow-capped peaks, we sit under an Ottoman stone bridge, relaxing in the thermal springs - a memorable moment. Before arriving in Permet (20m in) we may still have time to visit the tiny village Benja, try Gliko and later sit together for a good meal and glass of the cities famed Raki.

Day 6-- Across serpentines we drive to the Ionian Coast, stop at the "Blue Eye" (35km/lh), a mighty karst spring in a jungle-like environment, and visit on a walking tour (1:30h) the UNESCO classified site of Butrint (40km/lh), a former Greek colony just across from Corfu that enjoys a picturesque setting on a narrow peninsula. In Ksamil (lOmin) we enjoy a sumptuous seafood lunch, swim to the beautiful islands and would be unlucky not to enjoy one of the 300 days of sunshine per year. The following drive along the Albanian Riviera isn't less scenic, the shimmering crystal-clear sea and long sandy beaches on one, the craggy coastal mountains on the other side. Pretty villages, citrus groves and olive plantations line the road from modern port town Saranda to Porto Palermo's (60km/1:30h) submarine pens and Ali Pasha Castle. After arrival in our cozy sea-side pension in the village Qeparo (15m in) there is time to relax and swim, later we walk to the old hilltop quarter of Qeparo (1:45h), explore the maze of cobbled streets and watch the sunset.
  

Day 7-- We visit the secluded beach Gjipe and St. Theodor's Monastery (27km/45min), a great vantage point toward the Llogara pass which we will reach later. The beach is protected by a canyon and best reached on foot (30min), explore the 70m high gorge or use the last opportunity to swim in the Ionian Sea. We continue to the nearby village Dhermi and by car into the Llogara National Park (20km/45min). Our goal is to climb a saddle on l.SSOm, just below the Ceraunian Coastal Ranges' highest summits Mt. Qore and Cika (2018m). The trail that follows the rocky, forested ridge is scenic and the plateau offers stunning views of craggy peaks, rugged shore and turquoise sea. We take a little rest to fully enjoy the memorable views. Tonight's cozy mountain hotel is only a stone's throw away from the trailhead hidden in the forest (lOmin). In the evening we can stroll to the point where Caesar allegedly crossed with his troops two millennia ago and enjoy the views of the Bay of Orikum. At the end of the day we are rewarded for our efforts with a traditional meal.  
Day 8-- The cooler climate eases our ascent through the dense forest of the national park to a saddle on the Karaburun Peninsula (1.200m). Behind the shepherd huts the slopes plunge steeply into the deep blue Ionian Sea, walking on the spine of St. Thanas we enjoy panoramic views of the bay and Albanian Riviera. After lunch we transfer past Vlore and agricultural plain to Berat {135km/2:45h). Looking back at 2400 years of history the UNESCO protected City of Thousand Windows offers the best-preserved historic buildings of Albania. Within the castle's mighty walls, we visit the Onufri Museum and find a collection of beautiful Orthodox icons, the sweeping views of the Osumi River, Tomorri Mountain and city below top off another beautiful day of nature and culture. The day ends in the historic Mangalemi and Gorica quarters, we enjoy a last sumptuous dinner together, recall the past week of eventful travel and celebrate a successful, multi-faceted and memorable journey through Southern Albania

Day 9-- After breakfast and depending on the departure time we can further explore the old town and stop in Durres (90km/2h) to visit the largest amphitheater of the Balkans that is still struggling to make in on the UNESCO list. Our journey ends with a single timed transfer to the airport (30km/20min) where we wish each other farewell and you a safe trip home.