8-day self-guided Albanian Alps

Prachtige natuur, zware tochten afgewisseld met lichtere. De accommodaties zijn beter dan verwacht, de reis in deze streek is minder een cultuurshock dan de reisbeschrijving doet uitschijnen. Overal in de bergen kom je Nederlandse en Vlaamse toeristen tegen, er is bijna altijd telefoonbereik en wifi.

SNP zorgt voor een geweldige ervaring in de Albanese Alpen. Alles wordt in de puntjes geregeld. De tochten zijn minder zwaar dan wordt aangekondigd maar bieden prachtige vergezichten. De accommodaties, vervoer en het eten zijn fantastisch goed. Albanië ontwikkelt zich razendsnel, het is dus minder ongerept dan wordt gepresenteerd. De beschrijving van de ongereptheid komt niet meer overeen met de werkelijkheid in de zin dat er overal WiFi, telefonische bereikbaarheid, stromend water en elektriciteit is. Plus veel toeristen. SNP zou de informatie dus wel frequenter mogen actualiseren. Let op bedelende kinderen in Teth en mogelijke oneerlijke praktijken. Wij waren erg enthousiast over de reis.

De tocht was prachtig! Alles was ontzettend goed georganiseerd. De tickets voor de bussen, de veerboot en alle accommodaties. We hebben niets meer hoeven doen behalve lopen, eten en slapen. De tocht heeft vrij pittige stukken, maar alsnog viel het me mee. Het land is ontzettend mooi, je verveelt je geen seconde. Mensen waren aardig en het lokale eten erg lekker. Zeker doen!!!

Hiken in Noord Albanië, fantastisch. Prachtige natuur, rustig en puur natuur. Enorm veel bloemen onderweg. Dagtochten zijn goed te doen binnen de aangegeven tijdstippen. De dorpen veranderen snel, overal elektriciteit en bijna overal Wi-Fi. Teth is alleen lopend of per 4×4 auto te bereiken. Heerlijk eten, o.a. de zelfgemaakte kaas en yoghurt. Het zijn lange afdalingen, ik was erg blij met mijn wandelstokken.

Albanië. Wat een mooie reis was dit. Naast de overweldigende natuur viel ons de vriendelijkheid van de mensen op. De wandelingen waren pittig en mooi, maar zijn met een goede conditie prima te doen. Guesthouses zijn prima en gezellig en het eten was ronduit goed. Een echte aanrader dus deze reis.

We hebben een enorm gave wandelvakantie gehad in Albanië. We zijn geen geoefende wandelaars maar blijkbaar toch fit genoeg om deze wandelingen te kunnen doen, zelfs met hielspoor klachten hebben we het gered. We hebben er voor gekozen 1 lange wandeling (Peña pas) over te slaan en deze te vervangen door een andere wandeling in de omgeving. Een dagje rust en omdat er wel erg veel geld gevraagd wordt voor een transfer van 4 km €25/30 per enkele reis. En dat stuk zelf lopen is erg saai. We genoten van natuur, bevolking, flora en fauna het heerlijke weer en de perfecte organisatie! Complimenten voor SNP! Het verliep zoals beschreven!

Hele mooie reis in een prachtige omgeving. Pittige wandelingen dus goede conditie is wel een vereiste. Leuk met herdershutten onderweg waar je iets kunt drinken. De eigenaren van de verschillende guest houses zijn erg aardig. Heerlijk eten, wel heel veel!

Der Buchungsvorgang bei Asi war sehr schleppend. Für die diversen Erinnerungen und Richtigstellungen war aber stets ein freundlicher Mitarbeitender gut erreichbar. Nicht alle Fragen wurden zur Zufriedenheit geklärt. Den Flug mussten wir selbst buchen.

Dit is een bijzonder mooie, maar pittige trip door een ongerept natuur paradijs. Niet voor beginners maar voor wandelaars die van een uitdaging houden. Fantastische vergezichten, groene bossen en kabbelende beekjes, met ‘s avonds een heerlijke maaltijd bij goed verzorgde guesthouses. Een aanrader!

This self guided walking holiday in Albania was my first visit to Eastern Europe and I hope will be one of many. We felt safe and welcomed, and everything went smoothly, with kind friendly people looking after us. The scenery of the Albanian Alps was superb and we liked having different options of walks where we had two nights in the same location. The lesser known walks off the beaten track were preferable to the very well known and busy (but beautiful) Valbone Pass. The farm stay at the end of the trip was fascinating, with delicious food. Thank you KE, another great trip to add to my memory bank. Show more

Everything about our trip was brilliant – the transfers ran smoothly and on time; accommodation was always clean and comfortable with friendly hosts and the walks were amazing. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to get a taste of Albania and its amazing scenery!

First, thank you for a wonderful experience.
The plan, tracks, logistics were very well organised. I feel we received all support needed. Special thanks to Arsina who was very responsive to our requests.
Also, loved our Valbone accommodation. Very warm hospitality.

Overall, the Albanian Alps captivate with beautiful hiking trails, breathtaking views of the “Peaks of the Balkans,” and remote paths with very little foot traffic—even during peak season. The tour is demanding, especially in summer temperatures, and requires a good head for heights. The itinerary features fantastic hiking routes, but unfortunately, the four most challenging stages are packed into the first four days. As leisure hikers, this put an immediate strain on our legs and feet and overall energy. Fortunately, we were able to adjust the route through our own coordination and transport bookings, allowing us to take a rest day on day three. Points of critique: Travelers should expect uncomfortable and adventurous transport options both on water and land, making the journey into the mountains exhausting on the first day. Communication with most accommodations was also less than ideal. I strongly recommend discussing the plan for the coming days with your hosts whenever you manage to catch them; despite prior verbal assurances, you cannot always rely on things being arranged in advance. While the food provided is sufficient in quantity, it lacks variety. Travelers with dietary restrictions or specific expectations should prepare by bringing their necessary supplies from home. Albania is not a destination to visit for its culinary scene. I am glad to have explored the Albanian Alps and experienced this stunning nature. Booking through an agency provided value for the transport coordination. However, due to issues with a few accommodations, that unfortunately did not meet standard of basic cleanliness and general lack of service mentality, detracted from the overall quality of the trip over time, I can only give a maximum of 3 out of 5 stars. Given the mentioned shortcomings, the overall price of the trip felt too high for what was actually provided.

It took two days to travel from the Albanian capital Tirana to the Alps in the northern part of the country bordering with Montenegro. The trip from Tirana involved driving to Shkoder where we spent the night followed by a taxi to a ferry which navigated a large reservoir to the drop off point followed by another taxi which left us at a trailhead to walk the remaining 5 miles upriver to the commmunity of Valbone in a gorgeous canyon surrounded by the Albanian Alps. The river hike was in thick duff among deciduous trees lining the crystal clear river which a few of the hikers enjoyed for a quick swim. Our chalet guest house was a treat as our balcony on the top floor faced east toward the surrounding mountains and numerous gardens below which supplied our delicious meals for the next two days. Our hike the following day didn’t start until almost noon as we waited out the rain that started as a loud thunderstorm at 4 am. Our second day in Valbone, we hiked to a small mountain village and back in misty clouds. The next day we tackled the grand pass to Theth- a 10 mile 3000′ climb in cool sunny weather unlike the previous day. The descent into Theth valley was equally stunning despite the crowds of mostly younger Europeans with daypacks or full backpacks. Our luggage went by horseback to Theth where we stayed two nights in a quiet guesthouse with more views of the alps. We walked to a high mountain meadow the next day along more of a scree scramble on much of the steep route. Definitely needed our walking poles! Our last day was a visit to the famous Blue Eye swimming hole on the crystal clear river. Lots of folks on this popular short hike before driving the five hours to Shkoder and then Tirana.

Just to say thank-you. From start to finish our “self giuded” adventure was perfectly organised by Zbulo. Everything worked as expected. The maps, the accomodation, the food , the pickups and the transfer all met or exceeded expectations in this stunning country

Hallo, alles war perfekt. Die Organisation von Eurohike, die Betreuung inkl. Transfers Vorort von Zlubo, der Routenplan und die wunderschönen Gästehäuser/Hotels. Einziger Negativpunkt: wir kamen mit dem Garmin überhaupt nicht zurecht. Andere Wanderer berichteten Ähnliches. Wir konnten uns in Valbona mit der App OutdoorActiv behelfen und waren happy. Es wäre für Neukunden, gerade bei Partnerreisen ohne EurohikeApp, sicherlich hilfreich diesen Aspekt vor Urlaubsantritt zu kommunizieren. Zuhause am Rechner ist es komfortabler die GPS-Dateien in Komoot o.ä. zu laden und sicher und gut vorbereitet zu sein. Wir wissen nun Bescheid und werden nächstes Jahr wieder bei Ihnen buchen. Beste Grüße Ralf-Peter Rausch

The Albanian Alps aren’t just a few hills, they’re stunning mountains that are just as beautiful as their more northerly namesake. A real highlight was the extension up to the Montenegrin border. We were worried it would be too hot (with Albania bordering Greece) but this was not as challenging as we thought, with temperatures ~ 5-10ºC lower than Shkoder and Tirana. The bujtina (guesthouses) were all friendly and well appointed (with a particular shout out to the lovely welcome at Bujtina Pllumi!) We would have rather had more hiking than visiting the Blue Eye, which felt more touristy and less charming than the rest of the trip.

An absolutely outstanding experience. The Zbulo team were so good at communicating before, during and after our trip. They made everything so easy. The places we stayed, the food and the support during the hike were fantastic. The Zbulo team meant we had nothing to worry about during our time in the Albanian Alps meaning we could enjoy every breathtaking minute.

We had the most amazing trip with Zbulo. Their communication before, during and after the hike was brilliant as was the material they gave us to find our way. Great accommodation and transfers. Would highly recommend Zbulo if you want a stress free way to enjoy every breathtaking moment in the Albanian Alps.

Don’t hesitate to go with Zbulo! Being a regular mountain walker and fairly independent, this is the first time I’ve used an organization for arranging a holiday. I would do it again! With Zbulo. As a group of friends our self guided trip was just perfect – first class and responsive communication, great accommodation, safe drivers (the roads can be tricky) and food was fabulous. Great people, fascinating culture and history, beautiful and spectacular scenery … I could go on. It was a fabulous adventure, thanks to all at Zbulo.

I adjusted the kit list to the weather and nature of the trail etc. e.g no need for some things such as sheet liner as all the guest houses were very clean and not in the high mountains! All had air conditioning.

We met a lot of Australians who heard about Albania through TikTok and we met several other groups that booked through tour agencies in their country, but subcontracted to Zbulo. Hence I recommend you advertise yourself directly on TikTok. It’s pretty easy and cheap. Just contact 2 – 3 influencers that do travel type postings and offer them to do a trip for free in return for a post per hike day.

This is the 2nd time we booked a self-guided ‘luxury’ hiking trip with Zbulo. We were 7 friends that hiked together. Zbulo, like for the first hike 2 years ago, have a very good organisation. No hiccups with transport of luggage, people, accomodation, meals or the hiking routes. I can definetly recommend them.

Wieder eine wunderschöne Wanderreise in ein interessantes Land mit grandioser Natur und freundlichen Menschen. Wie ich es von Eurohike gewohnt bin, war wieder alles bestens organisiert und hat hervorragend geklappt. Die Quartiere waren in der Regel eher einfach aber völlig ausreichend. Besonders gut gefallen haben uns die Quartiere in Shkoder (Hotel Tradita) und in Nyderlysaj (Gästehaus Xhovan Zelna), sowie die Lage das Hotels in Tirana (Hotel Vila 60). Das Gästehaus Pashko in Theth war sehr einfach (es fehlte an Möglichkeiten nasse Wäsche nach der Passüberquerung bei Regen im Zimmer zu trocknen. Aber die Wirtsleute waren besonders herzlich und hilfsbereit. Insgesamt eine wunderbare Reise an die wir sehr gerne zurückdenken.

We had a great time hiking in the Albanian Alps. The mountains are just breathtaking and I warmly recommend this route. The accommodations were nice as well – especially Vera and Pashko were the best hosts! We were also very happy with Zbulo. They provided us with everything we needed and in case of questions they responded within a few minutes.

Wir hatten eine wunderschöne Wanderreise. Die Natur ist hier eindeutig der Star. Durchs Wandern taucht man in die Landschaft ein und entdeckt immer wieder tolle Motive und Ausblicke. Dabei hatten wir nicht immer gutes Wetter. In Albanien kann es auch stark regnen. 😉 Aber auch dieser Regentag hatte etwas Besonders, da am Wanderziel die Sonne durch die Wolken kam. Hervorheben möchten wir die sehr gute Organisation. Das gilt für EURO HIKE und das Partnerbüro vor Ort. Es hat bei uns alles Organisatorische, wie die Transporte an sich und des Gepäcks funktioniert. Die Navigation mit dem GPS-Garmin und dem dazugehörigen Roadbook waren für uns sehr gut händelbar. Zusätzlich hatten wir selbst noch eine GPS-Uhr und außerdem sind auch die Wege, für unser Empfinden, gut gekennzeichnet. Mit den Quartieren waren wir überwiegend zufrieden. Besonders gefallen haben uns das Gästehaus Mehmeti und das Hotel in Tirana.

Zbulo proivded exceptional custoemr service, thorough guide materials and an iterinerary which took some through some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen. Over the past five year (from 2019 to 2024) the numbers of tourists in Albania has voer doubled and the accomodation wasn’t to the standard I had hoped. However, work is being done throughout the country to create the infrastructure for the increased tourism so I would highly recommend visiting, and definately recommend using Zbulo as your tour guides. We look forward to returning.

We booked our holiday through Zbulo and had a wonderful time in Albania in September. I was really impressed by the excellent customer service and timely responses of the Zbulo team. Thank you so much!!

Our itinerary was really good, we all enjoyed hiking in the beautiful Albanian Alps.

I highly recommend using Zbulo for your next holiday!

Thank you to Zbulo team for the lovely holiday!! 🙏

We had a wonderful adventure in the Albanian Alps with Zbulo’s expert arrangements for our self-guided adventure. We loved the lodgings – for example, in Schkoder at La Tradita where we had excellent meals, there was a charming courtyard for breakfast and relaxing, and the live music at one of our dinners was an extra treat! The ferry trip was a beautiful and great adventure (we had a beautiful day of weather for this) – loved the local stops to drop off local people and their packages or deliver items. Our lodging at Vila Dina in Valbone was comfortable with good hearty breakfasts and options for our picnic lunches. Enrique, our host, was gracious, welcoming, and very helpful in arranging travel to/from the excellent restaurant where we ate dinner (Hostel Rilindja). He was also flexible and gave us a generous deal when we had to spend an extra night at Vila Dina due to a huge storm that prevented our hike over the mountain pass to Theth. Zbulo provided a helpful Garmin with hiking maps which we were also able to then download onto our phones which made our hikes easily navigable. We also loved our stay at Xheni (?) in Nderlysaj – our host there was very welcoming and helpful, and immediately made calls and arranged for our luggage to be delivered from Theth when it was not at the lodging when we arrived. Had a great dinner and breakfast there as well!

We greatly appreciated the transport Zbulo arranged for our day’s travel from Nderlysaj, up over the mountains (beautiful drive!), through Albania, and then Montenegro, to Croatia and our destination of the Old Walled City of Dubrovnik. Our driver, Tim’i (?) was excellent – safe and skillful on treacherous mountain roads. He took us to a wonderful restaurant for lunch in Podgorica. I am most grateful for his returning with my laptop (an extra hour and a half drive for him in the dark, after a very long day) which I had mistakenly left in the vehicle after we were dropped off. My mistake, but he was incredibly kind to again navigate the borders and so greatly delay his return, in order to get it back to me! All in all, I am happy to recommend Zbulo to others who are traveling in Albania!

I was impressed with all the helpful info on Zbulo’s website and which they provided us to ensure we were well prepared for our Albanian adventure, and could learn about the country and its people. Thank you!

Thank you! Albania was a beautiful country with kind people and I enjoyed my time there, particularly with Zbulo’s information and arrangements which made it all very well-organized and arranged!

I’ve been on many tours, and admittedly I don’t often post reviews, but in the case of Zbulo I will make an exception. The 8 day Self Guided Tour in Albania organized by Zbulo was perhaps the best organized tour I have ever been on. I say that because: -The information they provided in advance was clear, detailed, and they quickly and thoroughly responded to any questions. -Logistically, everything was perfect. The drivers, the hotels, the equipment, the information, etc was all provided exactly as promised, without any problems. -The tour itself was great. The hikes were a mix of difficulty levels, the lodgings exceeded expectations, and despite our initial hesitation at a “self guided” format, they made the experience easy. In short, I’d highly recommend this tour and Zbulo – I just wish they operated in other countries as we’d be happy to go through them again!

Een goed georganiseerde reis! We hebben prachtige wandelingen gemaakt. Wij (45,46 jaar) vonden het heel goed te doen, qua inspanning en ook was de route makkelijk te vinden. Het was wel druk op de paden, de authentieke kleine bergdorpjes zijn uitgegroeid tot toeristische plekken, dat is wel iets om rekening mee te houden. Super vriendelijke bevolking, je eet de hele week ongeveer hetzelfde, de ene keer lekkerder dan de andere keer.

We loved this holiday, the Alps are just stunning, the walking challenging (no more than described beforehand) but perfectly doable and the Albanian people not initially outgoing but really lovely. It was our first time doing a self-guided trip such as this and it worked really well, with a couple of caveats. The first was understanding how many of the journeys were commercial group transfers rather than specific to the tour company. Secondly the directions to reach our accommodation in Valbona were unclear (we’re still not sure we were staying in the guesthouse listed in our trip notes), this was sorted thanks to helpful locals. Finally there was no guide for the Valbona pass: this was preferable to us as we prefer to walk at our own pace but others may have been upset. The trip notes were if anything too comprehensive. The information was valuable, but quite a bit was repeated and the layout made it pretty hard to read (and wasteful to print out). There were some other small inaccuracies, mostly timings (e.g. breakfast before 7am when it actually starts at 7.30 or later). We really appreciated being able to customise the trip with an extra night in Shkodra, no hotel in Tirana (booked our own) and a retimed airport transfer home at no extra cost. Thanks for enabling that! We’d certainly use The Natural Adventure again and urge anyone on the fence to visit Albania, it’s just fabulous.

We found Zbulo through our websearch, and have been very satisfied from our first contact to tailor our trip with start &stop in Skhoder.

Zbulo has been amazing in flexibility and service.

Despite our only meeting with Zbulo where through a late videomeeting on the hotel in Skhoder due to our late arrival, we have felt a good follow up and that you have available at all times.

We really reccomend choosing Zbulo !!!

The hikes were beautiful and well organized. The trip was well suited for our family (mom, dad and our kids, 12&14)
The accomodations is varried. Some are fantastic and some are very basic. But everywhere the staff is nice and helpfull
We would love to have Zbulo organize another trip for us

We had a great time walking the Albanian Alps and enjoyed the beautiful scenery on each of our hikes. The hikes were clearly way-marked, the use of the Outdoor Active app, with the gps files provided, helped resolve any uncertainty when on route. At all times the walks were interesting, scenic and challenging. Our particular favourite was the walk to Rama’s hut and the extension to Pyramid 18, where we had a picnic lunch a couple of metres inside Montenegro. The organisation of the week was faultless with good communication with Natural Adventure in advance of us going. Once in Albania, the Zbulo people were extremely helpful and friendly, with all the connections working seamlessly. The accommodation and meals were good. We were very fortunate to meet up with four other people who we could share our experiences with at our communal meals: we walked a few of the days with one couple in particular. Meeting new people is a great aspect of doing this type of holiday. We would highly recommend this holiday.

Our group of six had a wonderful holiday – it was all very well organised and the transfers happened like clockwork. We loved the Albanian Alps – it was a real privilege to be there, especially to walk across the pass from Valbone to Theth. Beautiful wild flowers, some great river swimming and very welcoming guest houses/hotels.

We had an absolutely fabulous holiday, hiking in Albania’s Accursed Mountains. The organisation was superb and our days were well paced and planned with several alternative walks should we have wanted to do less or more. The mountain scenery was stunning and very varied which we really liked – sometimes we walked in forest, sometimes through meadows, other times up rocky slopes. Our accommodation throughout was excellent, luggage transfers always very smooth and packed lunches ready and waiting for us each morning. Route notes were detailed and helpful and the routes in fact well marked. It was still reassuring to have the Garmin though which gave us complete confidence to set out. As an itinerary there is nothing we would have wanted to change and starting out with the boatride up Lake Koman was very special. We would single out Zamir for a special mention who met and briefed us in Shkodra on our arrival and drove us back to Tirana at the end. He was extrememly helpful and reassuring. Albania is such an interesting country and we felt privileged to be able to visit.

It was interesting to note once we were dropped off at the airport- 5 minutes later we were notified that our lost luggage had been found after 5 days and in it was in your possession- coincidental? maybe but certainly glad we got our bags back before we left Albania. On a whole a very nice attentive staff.
The last place we stayed at Thete was not as nice as the others. No toilet seat in the bathroom which floods every time you take a shower. They played soccer on the outdoor TV till 11:30 PM making it impossible to sleep in addition to having camp fires right in front of the open windows where we slept. Close the very small windows and there is no air in the room.
However everyone was very nice which makes it easier to overlook the other problems. But the bathroom problems was a real annoyance.

Zbulo gave us an exceptional experience in the Albanian Alps. A great self guided walking itinerary (tho the trails a little busy at times) in an extraordinary and majestic landscape. Walking with the freedom of a small daypack was a real pleasure. The accommodation, food and transport Zbulo organised for us was excellent. I highly recommend Zbulo’s professionalism and attention to detail.

The trip to and from Shkoder was a highlight thanks to Zamir our driver. Loads of interesting info on Albania history, culture and modern politics. An excellent guide.

Please only use my first name when you put this on your website.

We were a group of 6, all over 65, and we thoroughly enjoyed the self-guided Albanian Alps trip. Everything was perfect: the detailed website, the responses to our questions before arrival, the self-guided material we received, the transfers, the accommodations, and the hikes themselves. I would advise leaving early in the morning to see the Blue Eye to beat the crowds. Also, it’s worth adding a day at the beginning to visit Shkodra and a day at the end to visit Tirana if your flights do not permit a full day at each of these cities.

I have already recommended Zbulo to other friends and plan to return for another hike in the future.

We went on Zbulo’s self guided 8-day walking tour of the Albanian Alps and couldn’t have been more pleased with the experience. A well thought through (and flexible) itinerary gave us access to the most amazing views. It was lovely to be able to walk at our own pace rather than as part of a larger group. Food, accommodation and transport were all excellent. Highly recommended.

Nordalbanien ist ein Traum für jeden “Hiker”. Tolle Natur und freundliche Menschen. Die Organisation vor Ort ist vorbildlich und bei Fragen wird einem immer weitergeholfen. Eine gewisse Trainigserfahrung ist für die Strecken vorteilhaft. Für die Hauptstadt Tirana ist es sicherlich sinnvoll 2-3 Tage dort zu verbringen ( wenn man schon mal da ist 😉

The holiday was terrific; weather was great and scenery, accommodations and food were all fantastic, and all arrangements were spot on, including the airport transfers from/to Podgorica. Albanian office provided zipped route maps in advance and suggested we use free trial of OutdoorActive (no roaming required), which proved to be brilliant and much better than the GPS (also provided).

It was a great holiday and we really enjoyed most of the hikes and guesthouses. The scenery is spectacular; the people very friendly and helpful. Our only criticism is that the itinerary could be a lot clearer – the way it is set out is not customised and very repetitive in such a way that is confusing. It also then means it is far too long to print off! (and even with electronic version, a paper copy is good to have!). Also having both Garmin and the Outdoor App feels like overload. Given the aim to pack light, maybe just encourage people to use the App? And then make sure that the walks to download onto the App have the SAME title as in the itinerary. Maybe number them? One day we did the wrong walk as a result of different titles ….Maybe supply a decent map? But apart from these glitches, it was a great hiking holiday.

Thank you to Natural Adventure for putting this trip together. For the most part, we enjoyed the accommodation and food provided. The guest houses were comfortable and food provided was good. The hiking was very enjoyable although the trip notes at times were difficult to follow. It would have been very helpful to have the elevation of the waypoints so we could affirm that we were in the right place and whether we should be ascending or descending to reach the next waypoint. All four of us were not able to download the maps before we left and the printed map provided was not to scale.

The walk is amazing particularly walking over the pass. The sting is taken out of several walks with drop offs, meaning that you don’t have to walk long road stretches. Maps and GPS routes were invaluable and we used in the outdoor app with no problem. Accommodation was fine. The only comment I would make is that Albania are not ready for vegetarians yet, we had fairly similar food in the mountains morning, day and night! Take yourself some snacks. Natural Adventure were very responsive and helpful prior to going. The local agent was really helpful, particularly when our luggage didn’t arrive and with our onward journey. We will be booking with Natural Adventure again.

This area of the world is (still) a wonderful gem. I felt like I was stepping back in time, hiking trails that have a long history of use by the people and their predecessors living in these areas. The scenery never failed to provide the beauty of the surrounding areas and was often stunning!

We had an amazing trip! The mountains are so beautiful and the trails are easy to self navigate. I wish we’d had more time. Zbulo were brilliant – friendly, well organised and super helpful – even beyond the alps trip finishing they help us with our next leg of travel in Albania. Many thanks!

Albanien ist Immer noch ein sehr ursprüngliches Land mit großen Gegensätzen zwischen traditioneller Bewirtschaftung und Moderne. Wir haben viele interessante Einblicke gewonnen. Die Reise war professionell vorbereitet. Sämtliche Transfers haben reibungslos funktioniert. Die Betreuung vor Ort, soweit notwendig, auch. Die Bevölkerung abseits der Touristenströme ist sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit.

We did the 8days Albanian Alps self-guided tour with Zbulo. It was an amazing experience. They give you all what you need in order to have a pleasant trip. Everything was very well organized and the support during our trip was excellent.
I highly recommend Zbulo!

We did the 8days Albanian Alps self-guided tour with Zbulo. It was an amazing experience. They give you all what you need in order to have a pleasant trip. Everything was very well organized and the support during our trip was excellent.
I highly recommend Zbulo!

Vom Anfang bis Ende : Eine gelungene, abenteuerliche und trotzdem gut organisierte Reise! Die Etappe über die Passhöhe nach Theth war für uns über 60jährige ganz schon anstrengend…. Empfehlung : Zusatztag in Shkodra und Fahrradleihe für eine kleine Radtour zum See.

First, much gratitude to Natural Adventure for an outstanding job coordinating the logistics of our Albania trip. They were organized and responsive and I would book with them again. Albania itself was good, but not great. One day in particular was out of this world – the hike over the pass from Valbona to Theth. It was just glorious. But the other hikes were pretty but not particularly outstanding, as compared to other places in Europe, or even the Western US. Albanians are also relatively new to nature tourism, and there was a fair amount of litter on some trails. People in Albania were a mixed bag, some very friendly, others a bit cold. People considering the trip should be aware that a sizable percent of the people smoke cigarettes, so there is smoke almost everywhere you go, from restaurants and even the trails. Our taxi drivers didn’t smoke in the car per se, but themselves smelled from smoke. Our day in the capital was a nice surprise, and learning about the history of communism in the country gave the tour a cultural and historical piece that others might not have. Overall, it was an enjoyable trip, but I would put it lower on one’s bucket list than other places in Europe.

We thoroughly enjoyed our 8-day Self-Guided tour of northern Albania. All went smoothly from the hand-over documents and gadgets to transfers between locations and airport transfer. The hikes are doable and the accommodations are comfortable with delicious meals provided. A well rounded experience. We highly recommend Zbulo.

Overall, the trip was so well organised and at no point did we feel forgotten about. The walking is just beautiful and the trails are very well marked. Albania is definitely gearing up for more tourism, so go now while it’s still not very, very busy. The accommodation is a little basic in places, but you don’t need much in the mountains and the rooms were comfortable. Always lots of food as well!

It was all in all perfectly organized, the weather was perfect (there was rain/thunderstorms only after I had returned from hikes) and the scenery on the hikes was amazing. Also the meals were very good and the guesthouses were charming with very helpful hosts.

Maybe the best part was the Valbona-Theth crossing which had the best views in my opinion.

The best way to experience the Albanian Alps — self-guided but with all accommodations and logistics taken care for you.

Wow Albania what a beautiful country with amazing people! We loved this trip it was so well organised our pick ups each day and transfer of luggage all went very smoothly. All of the guesthouses we stayed in were beautiful in gorgeous settings. The walks were amazing and we decided to extend some of them. We were very happy to experience Albania before it undoubtably will become very popular!

The people, the hospitality, so lovely to meet all the people there, habitants as well as guests. Such a friendly, open, interested society!

Give tips, look besides the routes, take some time to relax at nice places, go in September or Mai 😉

I’m so glad that we booked this trip! The planning and care that Zbulo puts into the details to be sure you have a great experience is top notch!! Bernard was an excellent host who greeted ua with a big smile at the airport and he spent a lot of time with us to be sure we felt safe and “emotionally prepared” for our hike!

Sehr gut organisierte Reise. Perfekt aufeinander abgestimmte Routen mit Optionen. Gasthäuser mit sehr guter lokaler Küche, freundlichem Service, unaufdringlicher Gastfreundschaft und teilweise HomeSweetHome Charakter. Wunderschöne Natur, tolle Ausblicke. Gut angelegte Wanderwege. Macht Lust auf mehr Balkan.

The overall experience was excellent. Some of the best hiking I’ve done and I’ve hiked in many parts of the world. Views and mountains were spectacular. In general everyone we encountered along the way were friendly and helpful. Food was generally quite good.

A very lovely holiday! Our tour guide was wonderful, very informative and good natured. Everything was very well organised and we were given really clear instructions and good equipment! Everyone involved was very nice and helpful – thank you!

For nature: maja e rosit, Peja Pass. Taking baths in the river beds.

For people: coffee with two locals in their garden at Teth;

Learning about communism from Zbulo driver and the hosts;

Walk off the beaten path in Tirana to experience the real street markets.

Get to know the locals, drink Turkish coffee, ask a lot. Eat typical street food. Enjoy the quiet nature 🙂

Finally able to take our walking trip to Albania, this beautiful country did not disappoint. The Accursed Alps had dramatic scenery, lush vegetation and a mass of wild flowers with accompanying butterflies and other insects. The rivers look so inviting although too cold for us to swim in, a quick paddle was always welcome. Everyone we met were friendly and helpful and our accommodation comfortable with plentiful meals provided. I would highly recommend this adventure.

The scenery was great and the people welcoming. Arrangements went very much on schedule with few exceptions. The nits were as follows – Driver to meet us at the airport did not show. Undoubtedly he left before we got through baggage, customs and immigration which took a long time – at least 45 minutes after the plane landed if not more. It cost me $10 to activate my phone to make a call to the emergency number to get some action. There was further delay for the host to show up and take us to the hotel after he briefed another group. For a group of people who were exhausted from the long trip, it was annoying. Vila 60 was nice. A little far from the center, but at least walking distance. The hotel on the last day was awesome! I’m glad the Vila 60 was overbooked! The fiord was beautiful. Be nice if the boat guys washed the windows once in a while. . . Vila Dini very nice – the nicest trail hotel of the trip. No complaints. Staff there very helpful. The trail itself was relatively poorly marked and the GPS track indicating the river crossing near the hotel was completely wrong for the crossing. Makes the self guided aspect a bit more exciting. The next guest house Pavlin Polia was OK, but skimpy on meals and expecially lunch. We could have used a mirror outside the bathroom to facilitate multiple people staying in a room. The main light fixture was missing the diffuser and wall mounted so it shined right in my eyes as I lay on the bed. Again the trail over the pass was very poorly marked in the critical juncture where it splits to go over different passes and a couple of us missed it adding at least another hour to a very long day. The guest house Prek Bjeshka was not very enjoyable. We were in the attic rooms where the ceiling in the bathroom was so low, a stand up shower was not possible. The water pressure in the sink was nonexistant. No mirror either inside the bathroom or outside. Several power failures caused delays in breakfast and dinner. There was not enough room for inside meal service for all guests at once and scheduling was impossible as the Germans got first regardless of their scheduled time. However, the food was GREAT!!!! Thank goodness for the teenage granddaughter who seemed to take charge and keep things moving. . . Nits aside, we all enjoyed the trip.

Wow: this experience surpassed already high expectations! The company did a great job communicating with us before and after arrival. Before setting off on our own, an Albanian-based employee (Zamir) met with us and explained the self-guided process in a way that made is feel comfortable and safe. Delicious homemade food, very friendly people, and incredible views. We loved Albania and we will definitely travel with Natural Adventure Company again!

Really enjoyed our trek in the Albanian Alps. Organisation was great, everything worked well. Accommodation was good and we found the local people very friendly and helpful. We enjoyed the treks and did several extensions which made them more challenging. There is a lot of road travel but this is just a geographical necessity. The maps weren’t good but we didn’t have a problem following the trails. Special mention for Daniel who was very helpful and offered good advice.

I loved this beautiful and adventurous trip! Starting with the seamless transfers and continuing to the truly gorgeous scenery encountered, the warm welcome from hosts and the tasty, abundant food, including the best cucumbers and home-made cheese I have ever had. The one downside was the presence of too much garbage, though of course that is not within the control of the tourgroup and I expect they feel the same way. In any case, that does not stop me from highly recommending this trip to all.

Great trip that was very well organised. All local contacts were helpful, ensuring smooth transfers at each point. Lovely scenery, good accommodation and excellent food from the hosts. Really enjoyed the treks and most trails were easy to follow. Natural Adventure were very helpful tailoring our trip and re-organising (3 times) due to the pandemic.

We just got home from our self guided Albanian hike in the Accursed Mountains. We have used many companies for trips around the world, and Zbulo is one of the best we have ever used. Our main contact, Zmir, was always pleasant and had all aspects of this trip covered–from making sure all went well with accommodations, transfers, route notes, and even making sure to take us to get our Covid test that is required to reenter the U.S. They are a great company to work with! We just wish they had more trips outside of Albania!

We did a self guided hiking trip organised by Zbulo, and really enjoyed it! The organisation was perfect, they are very responsive and arranging 🙂

It was great to have a GPS to help for the hike, and to stay with local hosts. The possibility of having a luggage transfer is also top! Their tips for the way are really useful, and it’s nice to have some background on the local history and customs.
we would totally recommend booking a trip with them!

Thanks for everything! 🙂

I booked a self-guided hiking trip through the Albanian Alps with a third party company but ended up only really communicating with Zbulo who were the ones that had all the knowledge anyway. They were approachable at all times and always available to help as I had a couple of minor things that I needed assistance with. Their drivers were also really nice, talked about their country and answered all my questions and went out of their way to help me get a PCR Test done prior to my departure at the end. Thanks for a memorable trip!

Dieses Jahr wollten wir in den albanischen Alpen wandern. Dieses Erlebnis wurde perfekt von Zbulo organisiert. Wir wanderten allein, was wir so lieben und wurden in privat geführten Gasthäusern oder Quartieren empfangen. Mit Jeeps wurden wir in die Einstiege gefahren. Unser Gepäck wurde transportiert. Über den Valbona Pass begleitete uns ein Pferdehirt, natürlich mit Pferd. Der Pass war noch verschneit – die Männer haben uns mit der Schaufel den Weg geebnet. Wir haben sehr sehr nette Menschen kennengelernt.

Our self guided hiking trip organised by Zbulo was perfectly organised, they are very responsive and arranging 🙂 It was great to have a GPS to help for the hike, and to have the luggage transfer possibility. We also really enjoyed staying with local hosts. Zbulo gives many tips for the way, as well as some background on the local history and customs. We would totally recommend booking a trip with them!

We returned this past week from almost two weeks in Albania. We don’t normally use tour companies, but we were glad to have done so for this trip as it made us all so much more comfortable knowing that all arrangements and transfers would be handled in country. We added nights onto the trip in Berat and Gjirokastra, and this too was managed by Natural Adventure Company and the Albanian tour company. Our main driver throughout was Dori, and we always felt like we were in very good hands with him as he made sure to address any issues that arose during our time. Throughout the stay, Dori would check in to make sure all was well. We enjoyed all of the hikes, the accommodations, and the people we encountered. I would not hesitate to use this company again!

We could not have been happier with our 8-day trip to the Albanian Alps organized by Zbulo. The selection of hotels & guesthouses was great with amazingly friendly hosts – needless to say that food was also great and very diverse at all times. In addition, the logistics / transfers of the trip were very well organised and drivers were already waiting at our pick-up points when we arrived. Most importantly, we were able to tailor the trip slightly according to our ideas that came up during the trip and always had a helping hand from the agency (thank you Dori!). After all, we really enjoyed our week in Albania and hope to be back soon!

I didn’t actually book a tour with Zbulo Adventures, but used their website and the trek descriptions as a reference for a hiking trip with my brother.
Eventhough we didn’t book anything Ricardo answered all of my questions very quickly and detailed.
We had some problems on our trip and he gave us alternatives to continue and overall great advice.
If a person is that caring and helpful to hikers in general, he must be great with his customers.
Overall great interaction, so if you are looking for guided trips in the Balkan area, Zbulo is definitely a good pick!

Excellent routes, hotels and nice people. As described. The purely online chat/email contact with Natural Adventure surprised me at first but I soon became aware it was better than phone/email contact, as there was immediacy and precision of response. Their friendly and experienced manner was demonstrated by their patient handling of the crises caused to the trip by repeated changes of Government rules re Covid travel restrictions.

Die Transfers haben immer einwandfrei funktioniert, die Wandertouren sind toll ausgewählt und sehr abwechslungsreich. Auch mit den Unterkünften waren wir sehr zufrieden, jede sehr nett und freundlich geführt und sauber. Die Wanderreise in den Nordalbanischen Alpen hat uns sehr gut gefallen!

Overall it was a wonderful holiday and on a scale of 1-5 we give it a 5.
Best part for us was the first 3 days hiking in Albania. Weather introduced a significant bias however as we had absolutely perfect weather in Albania and cold, rainy, windy weather in Montenegro.
We were very favorably impressed with the flawless logistics. Every driver was prompt and courteous although the local bus drivers drove a bit fast. We were also impressed with the lodging although the night in the unheated hut in Vranjak Ecovillage was quite chilly, the staff and the food and the hiking and the wild blueberries were all fantastic. Although we have very few friends who are as adventurous as ourselves, it’s a trip we would highly recommend and sing praises to Albania, Montenegro, the local people and Natural Adventure Company to anyone who we talk to about our trip.
Also we must mention that we appreciate that we interacted only with locals through out the trip and found all very friendly, resourceful and capable. Special compliments to Ermin in Valbona.
Finally, I don’t remember his name but the representative who met us the first evening at the Rose Garden Hotel in Shkodër downloaded the ViewRanger app and all our hikes onto my phone that first evening. Brilliant! It was all we ever used or needed. We didn’t have to use the ‘Road Books ‘ for navigation at all! Highly recommend you make this option available to all your clients.

We normally don’t use tour operators when we hike (which we do frequently and all over the world). However, because of the remoteness of the mountains and the lack of day hikes (as opposed to through hikes), we decided to use Zbulo, based upon Tripadvisor ratings. We are very glad we did. The pre-tour service was excellent. All emails were promptly answered and requests were all accommodated. More importantly, the logistics were perfect. The transfer drivers all showed up on time. The guest houses were wonderful. The food was great and plentiful. The maps and GPS unit which they provided me worked well. The hikes were fun and the overall value was excellent. I would recommend Zbulo to anyone looking for a effortless way to enjoy the Accursed Mountains.

Sure, you could probably arrange everything youself: accomodation, meals, transportation. However, Zbulo made this extremely easy for us. The guest houses were good and hosts very welcoming, meals were very good and transport was well arranged. In addition Zbulo provides a web page where you can easily find lots of useful information. Highly recommended!

We had a great time in the albanian alps. We asked zbulo to recommend and organise a tour suitable for a family with a 2-year old child. They did, and they did so superbly.
Everything was perfectly organised, everyone was friendly and all our special requests were met!
We loves it and would strongly recommend zbulo as a tour organiser

Um das Valbona- und Theth-Tal in den albanischen Bergen kennen zu lernen und selbständig zu erwandern, buchten wir (59, 62) bei ZBULO einen 6-taegigen self-guided Alps Explorer trip. Dazu stellte uns ZBULO einen günstigen Wanderplan zusammen, buchte die Übernachtungen, arrangierte den Gepäcktransport und stattete uns mit den nötigen Informationen sowie mit einem GPS-Gerät aus. Alles lief reibungslos ab. Ein großes Lob an das ZBULO-Team.

We had a fantastic trip! Below is our feedback. We will definitely be booking with you again. It was pretty seamless with minor blips that don’t even count as things to be improved. We were obviously tourists, of course we were foreigners but nothing felt like exploitation or detrimental tourism.

My partner and I did Zbulo’s self-guided ‘Alps Explorer’ in the Albanian Alps in July 2019. The walking and scenery was great, and the trip itself was very well-organised and stress-free – transfers, food and accommodation. The instructions and GPS were great, and the overall experience was very positive. As regular walkers we found the itinerary not overly challenging (and about right to allow a relaxding break) except for the heat. We extended one of the walks to take in the peak of Maja e Rosit, which was a great experience. Having an extra night in Shkodra at the beginning is recommended given the early start on the first day. We also had an extra night in Tirana at the end to allow time to explore the city. Overall this trip is highly recommended and I would like to return to explore another part of Albania in future – I would not hesitate to use Zbulo again.

Die Organisation der Tour war von Anfang bis Ende perfekt, individuell, persönlich, flexibel und super pünktlich.
Die Touren waren gut ausgesucht und super beschrieben.
Die Unterkünfte waren sehr sauber und modern, fast immer auch sehr persönlich geführt und wir fühlten uns als Gast sehr willkommen.
Das Essen war bodenständig und gut, einmal etwas knapp, oft nur lauwarm, in einigen Unterkünften hervorragend.
Einziger Wermutstropfen sind einige nicht zu übersehende Müllberge sogar mitten auf dem traumhaften Koman-Stausee.
Wir danken dem ZBULO-Team für diese tolle Reise und empfehlen euch zu 100% weiter.
Wenn ich nicht Ärger mit verlorenem/verspätetem Gepäck auf dem Rückflug mit Austrian hätte, würde ich noch ausführlicher schwärmen.

Die Anreise nach Albanien erfolgte mit gemischten Gefühlen. Im Vorfeld hatten wir einiges zu Albanien gelesen, waren aber im Freundes- und Bekanntenkreis doch die ersten die dieses Land bereisten. Unsere Erwartungen wurden bei weitem übertroffen. Die ganze Reise war sehr gut organisiert. Es fing schon bei der Planung mit dem einem oder anderen Extra-Wunsch an, der prompt und zuverlässig vom tollen Euro-Trek-Team erfüllt wurde. Auch die Vorort-Betreuung durch Discover Albania war hervorragend. Für die Wanderung erhielten wir Kartenmaterial, ein GPS-Gerät und ein Notfall-Handy, das auch in den Bergen funktionierte. Sämtliche Transfer-Fahrten klappten hervorragend. Wir starteten somit total relaxed in die wunderschöne Wanderung. Wir haben schon einige Wanderurlaube erlebt, Albanien steht nun mit an der Spitze. Traumhafte unberührte Landschaft, eine sehr abwechslungsreiche Tour (Bootsfahrt, Wanderung, reißende Gebirgsbachüberquerungen ;-), Passüberquerung mit Pferdegepäcktransport, Wasserfälle und immer wieder tolle Aussichten). Und verlaufen haben wir uns auch nicht 😉 Highlight war die tolle Bootsfahrt durch die “Fjorde” des Koman-Stausees, die Wanderung über den Valbona-Pass, zum Teil noch durch Schneefelder und die sensationellen Aussichten immer wieder zwischendurch. Überall schwang ein Hauch von Abenteuer mit. Die Unterkünfte waren alle in Ordnung. Die Gastfreundlichkeit hat alles übertroffen oder auch schon mal wettgemacht. Das Essen war sehr lecker und auch für Vegetarier überhaupt kein Problem. Ein einziger Optimierungsvorschlag für unsere letzte Unterkunft in Nderlyse: Ein Teil der Zimmer befanden sich in einer Baustelle. Die Zimmer waren zwar fertig aber das Haus noch in der Bebauung. Dadurch viel Staub. Und die Türen waren nicht abschließbar. Ansonsten aber alles in Ordnung. Ich kann die Reise uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen.

Walking over the pass and the meadows below Ramaâ hut was a highlight, boat trip very good. You should tell people who arrive by ferry at Durres that they need to go over the walkway bridge to the bus carpark to meet driver. Very comfy beds throughout. Nderlysa had a delightful host and great meals in the garden.

Country, people and the very good conserved naturality of nature. The Albanians in mountain area still life in harmony with nature, what´s also recognisable within food -here everything tastes like back in the days, 30 years ago. People here are very hospitable, cooperative and communicative. You can also easily get in contact with people from other countrys…..

Zbulo helped us plan our 8 day trekking trip in the Accursed Mountains of Albania. Their response time was exceptionally quick and took all of our questions and concerns about a self-guided experience very seriously. They provided us with detailed hiking guides and instructions, arranged terrific accommodation and provided wonderful staff to work with us once we landed in Tirana. I intend to use them again next year when I plan on hiking the Peaks of the Balkans.

We had a fantastic time! We are keen to book another trip for next year! Or possibly two trips;We loved this trip! The mountain scenery was beautiful and the streams were turquoise blue and so clear! We particularly enjoyed swimming in the lakes and speaking with local people. Bring swimming clothes! And maybe some aqua shoes for paddling in. Pack light for the horse transfer. The ferry on Lake Koman was very exciting too. The trails were all beautiful, and there were streams everywhere to freshen up in. The food at the different guesthouses was excellent. A fantastic trip!

Especially enjoyed our Albanian mountain experience. The route and trails were well marked in the main and enabled us to see the beautiful the unspoilt countryside. [. . . ] The logistics were reliable and efficient -some of the travelling was adventurously bone shaking because of the poor quality of local roads but we always felt confident in the travel. All accommodation was comfortable ,clean and welcoming . Particularly specially was the NDERLYSA Guest House experience -talking to the family via their younger daughter. Their hospitality -eating inside their house- being entertained by a visiting musician and their local food was exceptionally good. Hotel Dini food was also special. All local people were helpful and attentive and we did exchange conversations in a very friendly manner -sometimes by signing and laughing. Basically we had a really wide ranging, fascinating experience of a country and people. Thank you for all your care.

Die Ruhe und Abgeschiedenheit samt nächtlichem Sternenhimmel in den Tälern war wunderschön. Die Touren doch recht anspruchsvoll und ohne GPS so manchesmal schwer zu finden. Touristische Highlights wie Blue Eye oder Valbona Pass finden viele Interessenten, aber es hält sich noch in Grenzen. Menschen, Essen, Natur aber auch Religion, die krasse Sprache sowie Kultur und Vergangenheit bieten viel Interessantes und Inspirierendes. Der Balkan hat sich damit ganz nah in den Fokus gerückt und macht Lust auf weitere Entdeckungen. Es hat auf jeden Fall Spaß gemacht und war sehr abwechslungsreich.

Die gesamte Tour war von Beginn an bis zum letzten Tag durchgehend “Highlight”. Albanien ist nicht nur landschaftlich schön; auch die Bevölkerung ist hilfsbereit und freundlich, wie wir es nicht erwartet hatten. Keine Tour von Eurohike war bisher vergleichbar; jede eine individuelle Schönheit! Ganz großen Dank an Eurohike und ganz besonders auch an die Partner!!! Gäbe es mehr als 5 Sterne: Auch die würden wir geben.

We really enjoyed our time in Albania. We did not expect the Albanian Alps to be so spectacular. The local people we met were wonderful: they make a huge difference to a traveller’s experience. The scenery was beautiful beyond our expectations. All the information about what to take was accurate. We didn’t get the accommodation and information sheet until the day before the trek when we realized it was missing. But this problem was fixed immediately by the company. Otherwise all excellent. The smartphone app was outstanding: we relied on it exclusively. Our local representative Dori was wonderful. Full of valuable practical information about what to see, what and where to eat, as well interesting historical information. The transfers were all smooth, something that removes one of the anxieties of travel. The trails were for us (we are 62 and 60) very well designed. The combination of longer and shorter days was perfect. We would recommend this holiday to anybody with a reasonable level of fitness.

We were overall very impressed with the organisation. The best was the walk between Valbona and Theth. We enjoyed the path, the lovely cafes in the mountains. In general terms we really enjoyed being in a country that did not yet seem to be totally in the grip of unbridled tourism. Expect simplicity and lovely friendly people. For us the walking could have been longer especially on the last 2 days. We felt they were too short, although lovely. We did use your smartphone app (my son did anyway) and it worked fine. In fact better than the GPS.

Die Reise war sowohl von Eurohike (herzlichen Dank an Frau Franziska Schwaiger) als auch vor Ort (sehr freundliche und hilfreiche Unterstützung) sehr gut organisiert. Man wandert in wunderbarer Natur und trifft freundliche und immer hilfsbereite Leute, auch wenn manchmal die Verständigung abenteuerlich war (aber auch das macht Spaß). Empfehlenswerte Wanderung.

Schönes Land, doch leider mit einem Abfallproblem 🙁 Freundliche und hilfsbereite Menschen. Kurzfristige Einzelzimmer-Buchung und alle Transfers haben hervorragend geklappt. Valbona Passwanderung mit Pferd und Guide war ein tolles Erlebnis. Shkoder und Tirana sind je eine Zusatznacht, -tag wert. Berglandschaft ähnlich wie Wallis, Tessin und Dolomiten. Tourismus im Aufbau, in den Bergen oft keine geteerten Strassen. Keine Lebensmittelgeschäfte in den Bergdörfern. Essen in den Unterkünften nicht über jeden Zweifel erhaben. Als Fleisch wurde ausschliesslich Lamm und Ziege serviert. Vegetarisch war reichhaltig und gut. Der Mitarbeiter vor Ort war sehr freundlich und hat sich sehr gut um uns gekümmert. Er konnte unsere Fragen stets in perfektem Englisch beantworten.

Zbulo is awesome! We are experienced travelers but the idea of visiting the Albanian Alps felt very foreign and remote. This was very exciting but also a bit nerve-racking. Zbulo took care of everything. Our self-guided trek was seamless and the experience of a lifetime. The unspoiled nature, breathtaking views and warmth of the Albanian people captured our hearts. Zbulo provided an incredible service in setting up the details of the trip so we could just relax and soak it all up. We will definitely be sending friends and hope to return soon to this special place.

Zbulo was easy to reach when needed, punctual and provided all of the necessary information for a successful trek. I highly recommend using them if you’re planning an adventure in Albania.

Haben uns auf diese Reise besonders vorbereitet. Obwohl wir zuerst skeptisch waren, ist diese Tour auf alle Fälle für Abenteuerlustige weiter zu empfehlen. Die Gegend ist sehr schön, die Leute sehr hilfsbereit, jeder hilft einen weiter. Man wird nach dieser Reise glücklich, aber doch nachdenklich und mit Bescheidenheit heimkehren. Keine Angst – Essen ist auch gut.

Die Reise in die Nordalbanischen Alpen ist (noch) ein kleiner Geheimtipp und für alle geeignet, die imposante Berglandschaften und noch wenig erkundete Gegenden schätzen. Die Gästehäuser sind einfach, die Gastgeber hilfsbereit und freundlich und das Essen ausgezeichnet (und viel!). Ich bin gespannt, wie sich die Region in den nächsten Jahren entwickelt.

We went for an 8-day hike in the Valbona and Thethi vallies perfectly organized by Zbulo. Pick up and transports were on time, accomodation exceeded our expectations, and Ricardo was very attentive and reponsive to all questions and requests before and during the trip. All guesthouses we stayed at were nice and clean and with the nicest hosts! The guidelines for the hike were mostly accurate and easy to follow and the GPS which included the route was especially helpful. Would highly recommend traveling Albania to anyone, and ever more so, to plan the trip with Zbulo!

Die Organisation war sicher nicht einfach, denn es waren mehrere Transfers inbegriffen. Alles hat gut geklappt, auch die Zeiten wurden mehrheitlich eingehalten. Die Leute waren zuvorkommend und nett. Die Natur hat einiges zu bieten. Das Wetter hat gestimmt.

We enjoyed the holiday very much. Even though Enis was not officially our guide but only the driver for the transfers, he showed us Skanderbeg memorial, walked around several castles with us, showed us how to boulder and rock climb, and was generally very gracious and friendly.

I travelled with my family including two teenagers to Albania and used Zbulo to organse a 4 day trip into the Albanian Alps, driving in to Theth, and then doing a variety of hikes, ad walking to Nderlysa. The planning and organisation was very efficient and Ricardo responded quickly to our requests for alterations to the itinerary, and also made some excellent suggestions. The trip itself ran very smoothly, and we loved the area. Zbulo’s choice of accommodation was excellent, and we especially appreciated the opportunity to stay with a local family in Nderlysa. Overall, this was the highlight of the trip. Thanks, Zbulo, for introducing us to such an amazing region.

Die Reise war sehr gut organisiert, die Leute überall sehr gastfreundlich und äusserst hilfsbereit. Das Essen, das wir während der 3 Tage Vollpension genossen haben war sehr lecker (Vegetarier kommen voll auf ihre Kosten!!!)Das GPS war sehr hilfreich, das abgegebene Katenmaterial allerdings taugte nicht viel.

Mal wieder eine Tour, die einen wirklich bleibenden Eindruck hinterlassen hat. Sensationelle Landschaften, unglaublich herzliche Menschen … Toll war vor allem, dass wir fast immer in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln unterwegs waren und so noch mehr Gelegenheit hatten, Einblick in das Leben in Albanien zu bekommen.

Our visit to both Valbona Valley and Theth Valley and the walks that we did there were all excellent. The trip from Shkoder to Dragobia via the Lake Koman Ferry was extremely scenic. We were able to meet very nice local people as well as other travelers. Crossing Valbona Pass on foot, with a horse and guide carrying our luggage was a lot of fun. Every aspect of our journey in northern Albania went according to schedule. All our transfers were perfectly on time and the drivers very reliable. The guesthouses and their owners were very hospitable. The food was plentiful and delicious. We would recommend this tour to anyone with an adventurous spirit who enjoys traveling in scenic mountain environments that have retained a local flavor.