• All accommodation as described

• Tourist taxes

• Meals as described in the Meal Plan

• Self-guided information pack containing your detailed route notes

• A transfer from Tirana (airport or city) to your accommodation on Day 1

• Ferry on Komani Lake

• Transfers to / from your walks as described in the itinerary

• A transfer from Fishte to Tirana (airport or city) on Day 8

• Luggage transfers (limited to one piece under 15kg per person, in a soft bag e.g. a duffle bag)

• Small handheld GPS device & simple mobile phone with local SIM card

• GPX tracks supplied

• Travel insurance

• Travel to/from Tirana

• Visas (if applicable)

• Some meals as described in the Meal Plan

• Personal equipment

• Any additional activities/excursions indicated as optional

• Any charges incurred for loss or damage of loaned GPS & mobile phone devices

• Any additional costs involved for contingency arrangements in the event of snow on Day 4

Should there be snow cover on the Valbona Pass, for safety reasons it will be mandatory to hire a local guide to aid you over the crossing on Day 4. Our local agent will monitor the ground conditions prior to your arrival. In such an event that a guide becomes necessary, our local agent will engage the services of the guide for your party, and you will be advised of this at your welcome meeting on arrival. The guide can operate on a ratio of 1:8. Payment for the guide’s services would need to be made in cash directly to the guide. As an indication, a guide’s fee is typically between €80-€100 for the day.

If conditions are deemed too difficult for a winter crossing, a transfer around the mountains to Theth will be arranged (approx. 8 hours). The cost of the transfer is usually around €150-€200 and is payable locally in cash. This will be explained in more detail during your welcome meeting should this be the only viable option on Day 4.

Any additional cash payment can be made in Euro or in Albanian Lek.

Each self-guided holiday comes with comprehensive route notes and a map or pocket guidebook of the area you are exploring. The route notes contain information about the places you will visit and the local transport you might need, along with the detailed route notes for your daily walks or cycle rides. We even include some tips for the best places to stop for lunch.

You can expect to receive your Self-Guided Pack containing your route notes, a map or guidebook, and all your relevant documents, no later than 3 weeks before your holiday start-date. We will send your documents using a signed-for courier so that you can track your package and know that it is safely on its way to you. For bookings of more than 4 people we will send an additional Self-Guided Pack. If you do not need this additional pack please inform our Sales Team. Your pack will be sent to the lead booker, so please remind them to pack it before setting off.

Should your self-guided trip be part of a longer adventure requiring you to leave home more than three weeks before your holiday start-date, please inform our Sales Team so that we can make alternative delivery arrangements.

The trip starts and ends at Tirana Airport. All of our self-guided holidays are sold on a Land Only basis allowing you the flexibility to choose the travel method which best suits you. For this trip we have included a return transfer for you from Tirana Airport.

Please ensure you inform our customer sales and support team as early as possible of your flight times so that we can arrange your transfers for you.

On this holiday, the included transfers are shared where possible to minimise environmental impact and reduce demand on local services.

All breakfasts, 6 lunches and 6 dinners are included on this holiday. Drinks (water and other drinks) are not included.

It is not recommended to drink untreated water from the taps. You should take purification tablets or a filter bottle (such as a Water-To-Go bottle) to treat your water. We do not encourage the purchasing of single use plastic bottles.

With a mix of Balkan, Greek and Italian influences, Albania offers a rich variety of dishes with a Mediterranean flair, utilising the seasonal produce of the region. In the mountains, you can expect hearty meat dishes such as stews or grilled meats, typically with lamb. A national specialty to try is Tave Kosi, a baked casserole of lamb, yoghurt, eggs and rice. The popular side dish of stuffed peppers filled with rice and herbs, or even meat or cheese are delicious.

For breakfast, you can typically expect to be fuelled by bread and jam, meat, cheese, eggs and sometimes fruit. You may also have the chance to try a more traditional Albanian breakfast of flavoured rice. If you have the opportunity, sample the petulla – a traditional fried dough from the Balkans that can be eaten both sweet (with honey or jam), or savoury (with cheese or vegetables).

Included picnic lunches usually include bread, vegetables such as tomato, cucumber or pepper, cheese, boiled egg, sometimes with some cured meat. You may wish to bring some supplementary snacks; it is often nice to have your favourite trail food with you on your hikes.

Dinner is the main meal of the day and consists of multiple courses of shared dishes – a great way to sample multiple different options.

Whilst we can cater for vegetarians, albeit sometimes with a more limited choice, we cannot always provide for special diets.  Due to the nature of some of the trips that we operate and the countries in which we operate them, it can be very hard (and sometimes impossible) to cater for a wide range of dietary choices and you may have to supplement your meals with food/snacks from home.  If you have specific dietary requirements please do speak to our sales team and they will be able to advise you whether or not we will be able to offer your specific choice.  Please note that we are unable to provide separate menus and cannot accept liability for any problems arising from special dietary requirements or intolerances.

On this holiday, we have chosen a selection of small, traditional hotels and simple, family-run guesthouses surrounded by the majestic scenery of the Albanian Alps. At all locations, your stay will be in private rooms with ensuite bathrooms.

In Shkodra, you will stay at a comfortable city hotel of typically 3* standard, in double/twin rooms (single room occupancy available).

While facilities are more basic at the guesthouses in Valbona, Theth and Nderlysa, they provide an authentic reflection of the character of the destination and your stay at these locations will directly benefit local businesses and communities. At many rural establishments, single rooms are not available and odd numbers of travellers will be accommodated in a triple sharing room.

For the final night of your holiday, your accommodation is a charming agrotourism farmstay in Fishte whose restaurant follows a sustainable farm to fork philosophy. Here you have the chance to experience the freshest of produce in their restaurant serving up traditional Albanian fare. Rooms here are also in in double/twin rooms with limited single room occupancy available.

Please note that not all places are able to accept payment by credit card so having a supply of cash is a good idea.

It is possible to extend your stay with additional nights in Tirana at the beginning or at the end of your trip if you wish to spend some time exploring the capital city. It is also possible to have additional nights in Shkodra prior to the start of the trip if you would like more time to delve into this city. Just get in touch with our sales team for further details.

Please note that due to the nature of the remote mountainous terrain, there are significant areas on some of the walks with patchy or no mobile signal. If you wish to have a back-up form of communication in case of an emergency, you should consider carrying a satellite communication device such as Garmin InReach or satellite phone.

Your main luggage will be transferred between each of your lodgings while you are out on your walk. On Day 4 your luggage will be transported by pack animals over the mountain pass. We ask that you please ensure your luggage is limited to one soft bag (duffle bag or rucksack) under 15kg per person and that your luggage is ready for collection in the morning. Suitcases or flight cases are not suitable for this trip. You will also need a daypack to carry your daily essentials with you.