Albanian Alps walking vacation, tailor made

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

This walking vacation in Albania’s Accursed Mountains is, by its very nature, slow and sustainable, with guests walking 7-15km per day, in wilderness and forest areas that provide a vital carbon sink for this Balkan region. The Accursed Mountains are considered of great importance for biodiversity, which is why they are protected by two national parks, Valbona and Theth, which guests explore on this vacation.

We offer advice for our guests who might like to travel to Albania using bus and train, as an alternative to flying. When possible, we recommend public transport transfers on this vacation, by bus and ferry. We also use a horse at various points to transfer luggage.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE


Part of the reason that these mountain landscapes are protected is because of their superb array of wildlife, including brown bear, chamois, roe deer, lynx, wild goats and wolves. We remind our keen birdwatching guests to travel with binoculars so they can keep an eye out for the lesser kestrel and golden eagle, just two of many species being protected along these walking trails.

We are very watchful and protective of the environment and our guests, in the event of snowfall in this region, particularly on the Valbona Pass, which can happen at any time of year, even in summer. If, for example, the summer route is closed due to snow, we organise a local mountain leader to guide our guests safely on the ascent.

Our tour manager, Katya, also reminds guests to always practise Leave No Trace throughout their vacation, especially as we are aware that litter and recycling are an issue in Albania. We remind guests not to add to the problem by bringing lots of packaging with them or buying single use plastic while they are there. As Albania is hoping to join the EU in the near future, issues like litter and waste will have to be resolved by local authorities as soon as possible, along with other pressing issues of corruption and human rights.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

Accommodation and some of the meals on this vacation are in traditional mountain inns, locally owned and many offering cultural experiences, such as harvesting fruit or vegetables, or milking sheep. As this vacation takes guests into some rural areas, this directs tourist spend directly into local Albanian’s family coffers, a world away from the mass tourism of Albania’s cruise ship industry in Saranda, or its all-inclusive coastline resorts.

All of our host accommodations provide picnic lunches too, and we work closely with them to avoid single use plastics when packaging them. We always advise our guests to bring their own reusable sealable lunch box, and refillable water bottles of course.

Directing guests to local food in the Accursed Mountains and also in the town of Shkodra is important to us, not only so that they have an enjoyable cultural experience, but because they are also supporting the local gastro-economy. Katya knows all the best places to find local specialities such mountain lamb-filled tava e kosit after a day on the hills, a hearty mountain gjellë or stew, or where to enjoy some qofte meatballs with your Albanian aperitif. We point our guests in the direction of local bazaars and breweries, as well as a celebrated slow food restaurant in Shkodra. In addition, our daily trip notes direct guests to plenty of other good local eateries, with traditional Albanian fare.


EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

All of our partners in Albania live locally and play an important role in contributing to the local economy. At home, we have a strict policy to pay all our own employees and team members a living wage and fair wage, with vacation entitlement. In the hiring process, we prioritise experience, qualifications and passion, emphasising that race, gender, sexual orientation, or nationality are not factors of consideration. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace based on skills and expertise. We also endeavour to support any guests with visible and non-visible disabilities or any special requirements, when possible.