Albania · Boating

6-Day Albanian Coast Adventure with Kayaking, Canyons and Mount Tomorr

6 Days Round trip from Tirana Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Experience a range of outdoor activities along one of Europe's best-kept coastlines
02 Paddle across Albania's largest lagoon beside the Mediterranean Pine Forest
03 Explore the beautiful Karaburun peninsula and snorkel in remote bays
04 Admire Osumi Canyon, one of Europe's most spectacular natural attractions
05 Meet a local family on Mount Tomorr and enjoy traditional organic food
06 Visit the centre of Vlora and enjoy the nightlife

Visit an ancient fortified city, explore the beautiful Karaburun peninsula by speedboat, and meet a local family on the holy Mount Tomorr while enjoying traditional recipes made with handpicked local organic food. Explore mysterious caves, snorkel in remote bays, and kayak across an uncrowded lagoon. Hike and cycle through green forests, go birdwatching at Divjakë-Karavasta, and visit the mysterious cave of Haxhi Aliu.

Visit an ancient fortified city, explore the beautiful Karaburun peninsula by speedboat, and meet a local family on the holy Mount Tomorr while enjoying traditional recipes made with handpicked local organic food.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 6 Days

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Berat, Tirana, Vlore, Çorovodë, Divjakë-Karavasta National Park

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Tirana and Old City Sights

Fly to Tirana Airport in Albania and transfer to your guesthouse for the night before sitting down for a meal of traditional Albanian food with your fellow adventurers.
Visit Skanderbeg Square if time allows, and see the Et'hem Beu Mosque, the Clock Tower, and the place where old Tirana once stood.
Continue to the New Bazaar, Tabak Bridge, and the old Castle of Tirana.
See Bunk'Art 2 and the House of Leaves.

Day 02

Divjakë-Karavasta Lagoon Adventure

Drive for around 1 hour to the largest lagoon in Albania.
Visit the museum of the park.
Hike and ride a bicycle through the green forests.
Enjoy birdwatching from the tallest observation tower.
Spend 2-2.5 hours paddling and swimming in the lagoon while sightseeing in the Mediterranean Pine Forest near Karavasta Lagoon, home to one of the most interesting faunas in the country.
Go birdwatching in the Divjakë-Karavasta area, which provides special conditions for several plant communities and animal species, many of them at risk of extinction worldwide, such as the pelican (Pelicanus Crispus Bruch).
Finish the kayaking.
Jump in the car and enjoy a delicious local lunch based on fish, with meat available upon request.
After lunch of locally caught fish, drive for around two hours to the historic city of Vlora on the Adriatic coast.
Sit down for a meal of traditional Albanian seafood.

Day 03

Karaburun Peninsula, Sea Caves and Snorkelling

After breakfast, explore the beautiful Karaburun peninsula by speedboat, including the Karaburun-Sazan National Marine Park. This is the country's only reserve of its kind, and little is yet understood about the park's biodiversity; if you are fortunate, turtles, seals, and dolphins have been sighted here before.
Visit the mysterious cave of Haxhi Aliu, used by traders and smugglers for millennia and now a national monument.
Snorkel in a remote bay, sunbathe on an untouched beach, and then enjoy a picnic lunch on the sand.
Return to Vlora and check into your guesthouse, followed by a dinner of locally caught fish and seafood.
Visit the centre of Vlora to enjoy the nightlife.

Day 04

Berat and Osumi Canyon Exploration

Check out of your hotel and drive around ninety minutes to Berat City.
Eat a late breakfast at the hotel in Berat.
Drive to the ancient Osumi Canyons for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Visit Osumi Canyon, one of Europe's most spectacular natural attractions, and swim in a natural pool surrounded by the canyon's unique green ecosystem.
Go rafting from March to June, and river hiking and canyon exploration from July to October, along the Osum River through an unspoilt landscape of pine forests and river plains, visiting local landmarks like the Crocodile Head, Love Waterfall, and Devil's Gate.
Savour a local lunch with natural and traditional food from Skrapar city.
Return to Berat and check into your guesthouse. Tonight, you can explore the town and eat in any local restaurant (dinner not included).

Day 05

Mount Tomorr Mule Ride and Village Life

Witness the blessings and harmony that the wild offers on the back of a sturdy mule. Mount Tomorri, located in southern Albania, with an elevation of 2417 meters, undoubtedly holds a special place in every Albanian's heart. Historically, this so-called throne of gods, or home of deities, has been mentioned more than once. Homer spoke of it in the eighth century BC, calling it Tomaros, but the myth is far more ancient. The toponym Tomaros, Tamari, or Tmari appears in the documents of Strabon and Plin Secundi. This mountain breathes! You are in the right place if you want to visit the most mystic grounds this country offers.
Drive along a remote village road, witnessing how people live around the area.
Experience the honest hospitality of the shepherd and occasional members of his family. Discover the deep forest with its unique aura and animals around it, and enjoy unique landscapes from where the whole surrounding area will be at your hand.
Enjoy a picnic with local products facing Mount Tomorri in all his might. If all this was not enough, experiencing it while riding a mule and hearing the vast legends and stories that are part of this mountain will create a memory you will cherish for a long time.

Day 06

Berat Castle, Pellumbas Cave and Departure

Visit the Castle of Berat after breakfast before departing for Tirana. For departures before 15.00, return directly to the airport after breakfast to catch your flight home. For departures after 15.00, after breakfast depart for Pellumbas Village, Tirana, for a hike and Black Cave exploration. The Cave of Pellumbas, or the Black Cave (Shpelle e Zezë), is about an hour's hike outside the village of Pellumbas. The cave is approximately 360 meters deep, and there are impressive stalagmites and stalactites, as well as bats flying around inside. The cave becomes completely dark beyond its single entrance.
Eat a local lunch in the villages.
Enjoy a short guided tour of Tirana in the afternoon.
Get dropped back at the airport in time for your return flight home.