North Albania activity vacation

Planet

Responsible tourism has been the backbone of our business since we started offering small group adventures to the Western Balkans in 2011 - and by booking this trip, you will secure a donation from us to support local conservation as part of our Book to Give Back scheme, operating since 2017.

As the first tour operator in the region dedicated 100% to ‘sustainable travel’, our focus has always been creating small group adventures over longer stays, offering activities which are low impact on the environment – like hiking, cycling or SUP-boarding – but high impact in experience! Albania's stunning national parks are fragile and endangered treasures in a country that is developing faster than it can legislate to protect its natural assets.

Your visit will help sustain environmentally-aware tourism and protection for these areas. As such, our tour guides will encourage you to behave in an eco-friendly manner at all times by supporting the Leave No Trace principles – traveling where possible along marked water channels and hiking paths, disposing of waste properly, leaving what you find (unless it’s other people’s rubbish!), respecting wildlife and being considerate of other visitors and the local community.

We are committed to local conservation projects and have contributed actively as well as financially to local initiatives in the region, such as the conservation of the resident colony of Dalmatian Pelicans at Shkoder lake. As one of the leading sustainable tour operators in the Western Balkans, it is up to us to lead by example, protecting the National Parks from over-development and ensuring their beauty can be enjoyed by the next generation.

People

Our week-long adventure in North Albania goes beyond exploration; it's a commitment to supporting local communities where tourism is still relatively new, and preserving cultural traditions. We exclusively partner with passionate local guides and small locally-owned accommodations and activity providers, ensuring that a significant portion of our revenue directly contributes to the livelihoods of these communities. This not only enhances the authenticity of our tours but also supports the growth of the adventure travel economy in Albania, and its on-going regeneration following decades of strict communism.

Our dedication to responsible tourism extends to engaging with local artisans, buying their wares and facilitating cultural exchange. By connecting our guests with traditional activities like cooking, we provide immersive experiences that not only deepen their appreciation for the local culture but also contribute to the preservation of Albania's rich heritage. The journey we will take you on not only showcases the breathtaking landscapes but also fosters meaningful connections and positively impacts the communities we encounter.

English isn’t widely spoken, but your guides will be able to translate to make each interaction create a valuable cultural exchange between you and your host community. Your visit really counts in a remote, beautiful and unknown Balkan country which is still suffering from decades of impoverishment after one of the longest and harshest communist regimes made Albania in effect a closed country for over 30 years.