Albania Adventure: Hike, Bike & Raft with EverTrek’s CEO

We all arrived at the same hotel in Tirana, and two members of the group had already left me a personalised note saying they were looking forward to meeting everyone for a beer later.

That pretty much set the tone.

There were six of us in total: me, my two good friends, Matt and Gary, who regularly join me on EverTrek adventures; Nick, a dad travelling with his daughter; and Jackie, a solo traveller who quickly became part of the group.

By the end of the day, we’d all met properly, shared a few stories and, naturally, started talking about where we’d find that first beer.

The adventure had officially begun.

Our first proper day took us to Krujë, a historic mountain town closely associated with Albania’s national hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg.

Krujë Castle was the centre of Skanderbeg’s resistance against the Ottoman Empire, and its hilltop position gives you a sweeping panorama across the surrounding landscape.

Our guide couldn’t quite believe us when we told him Wales has more castles than Albania. I think we’d discovered the one fact we could finally use to impress the locals.

But we weren’t just there to admire the view.

We gained around 700 metres of elevation during the day’s hike, with breathtaking scenery throughout. It was the perfect introduction to hiking in Albania: plenty of climbing, plenty of views and just enough sweat to make the beer afterwards feel deserved.

That evening, we experienced traditional Albanian folk dancing.

It’s energetic, colourful and involves considerably more coordination than I personally possess.

Hearing the music and seeing the pride they take in keeping these traditions alive gave us a real appreciation for the country’s heritage and the importance of these traditions to local communities.

A brilliant way to finish the day and get our first proper taste of Albanian culture.

Next up was Berat, the famous “City of a Thousand Windows”. Its historic castle, or Kala, sits on a strategic hill above the Osum River and has origins stretching back to the 4th century BC.

We explored the castle, getting a real sense of Albania’s rich history and character. It was one of those moments where you stop, look around and appreciate just how special this country is.

We then made our way to a local vineyard, where things became slightly less educational and considerably more lively.

The locals were incredibly proud of their wine and traditions, and we were encouraged to get involved. Unfortunately for me, my friend Gary decided to tell our Albanian host that I was a fantastic singer.

I am not.

Somehow, this resulted in me being appointed Toastmaster for a table of around 30 people. My job was to deliver three toasts, with one very simple rule: if everyone liked your toast, everyone drank a shot of rakia.

This was particularly entertaining because my friend Matt absolutely hated rakia.

For the sake of the story, I’m going to explain my three toasts in reverse order.

My final toast was about how, as you get older, you start to appreciate the small things in life.

It was a genuinely heartfelt moment, although I may have slightly undermined it by reminding everyone that we were all getting older.

Everyone loved it.

Which meant Matt had to drink more rakia.

I found this hilarious.

My second toast was slightly more topical:

“Let's hope a certain someone doesn’t decide to slap an import tariff on the rakia of Albania.”

Again, everyone loved it.

At this point, I was beginning to realise that being a Toastmaster was essentially just finding increasingly ridiculous reasons to make Matt drink.

The first toast?

I genuinely can’t remember.

I blame the rakia.

But beneath all the laughter, I was falling in love with something much bigger. The warmth of the people, the traditions they’re so proud to share, and the sheer beauty I'd seen of the country so far was making me appreciate just how special Albania really is.

After a hearty breakfast, much deserved after the night before, we left Berat and headed towards Përmet for one of the biggest adventure days of the trip: white-water rafting on the Vjosa River.

The Vjosa is one of Europe’s great free-flowing rivers, running for around 272km from the Pindus Mountains in Greece to the Adriatic Sea. Its remarkable character has helped preserve a hugely diverse river ecosystem.

Being out on the water surrounded by mountains was a feeling I can't quite put into words.

Paddling through the rapids with Albania’s mountains rising around us was the perfect mix of adrenaline and wild charm - I was realising just how magical this country is.

By this point, the group was really starting to gel. It was beginning to feel less like a group of people on a trip and more like a team, which I’ve noticed seems to happen on a lot of our trips!

That evening we visited the thermal springs.

The only problem?

The sun had already gone down, so the water wasn’t quite the warm, relaxing wind-down we’d imagined.

Still, after our rafting experience, nobody was complaining.

This might have been my favourite day.

At around 7am, Nick, Matt, Gary and I wandered off into the back and beyond, before eventually stumbling across two locals, both around 80 years old, making their own rakia.

They spoke no English.

We spoke no Albanian.

Somehow, with hand gestures and wide smiles, we communicated perfectly.

They were incredibly welcoming and proud to offer us a taste of what they had made.

Poor Matt had to drink rakia again.

At 7am.

The true Albanian breakfast indeed!

Moments like these were starting to make Albania feel less like somewhere we were visiting and more like somewhere we were becoming connected to. The warmth of the people seemed to follow us wherever we went. You could simply cross paths with someone and, within minutes, find yourself sitting at their table, sharing a drink and being made to feel completely at home.

Later, we explored Përmet before heading out for around two hours of mountain biking along the river.

This is where Albania really gets you.

The route took us through some of the most spectacular landscapes of the trip, following the river through the valley with enormous mountains rising on either side as we wound our way between forests, open countryside and small pockets of rural life.

At times, the road seemed to disappear into the landscape altogether. Every bend seemed to reveal something new, with huge, untouched landscapes stretching as far as we could see. You’re cycling through mountains that seem to go on forever, and barely a moment passes without thinking, “How is this actually real?”

We finished the day with a small group hike into the hills, where we came across a house tucked away in the Albanian countryside.

Naturally, we were invited in for rakia.

At this point, we had stopped asking questions.

We were supposed to head straight towards the Albanian Riviera.

Instead, we decided to squeeze in some kayaking.

And I’m very glad we did.

We were on the river at around 8:30am, watching the sun rise over the hills.

For two or three hours, everything was quiet. The water was calm, the mountains were catching the morning light and the whole group was just taking it in.

It was a moment I didn’t fully appreciate until afterwards.

That’s one of the things I loved about this trip. The itinerary gives you the big adventure, but there’s enough flexibility to say, “Hang on, there’s something amazing over there. Let’s go and do that too.”

Eventually, we made our way to Sarandë, one of the main resorts on Albania’s Ionian coast. With its seafront promenade, beaches, restaurants and views across the sparkling Ionian Sea, it felt like a completely different side of Albania after days spent in the mountains and countryside.

It rained heavily that afternoon.

Then, somehow, at 7:15pm, the group reunited in a bar.

What happened after that is best left to the historians.

We eventually got back at around 4am, which would suggest that at some point the evening took a slight turn.

I have absolutely no recollection of what happened in between - so let’s move on.

Day seven was supposed to be another big day of exploring Southern Albania.

We were meant to start at Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Balkans’ most important archaeological sites. The ancient city brings together layers of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Venetian history, all set among beautiful landscapes close to the coast.

From there, the plan was to visit the famous Blue Eye, a natural spring where incredibly clear turquoise water rises from deep underground, surrounded by lush forest.

It sounded perfect.

There was just one small problem.

We were all absolutely shattered.

After six days of hiking, rafting, mountain biking, kayaking, exploring and well, rakia, the archaeological wonders of Butrint and the Blue Eye were going to have to wait.

Instead, we spent the day doing what any sensible group of adventurers would do after a night like ours: relaxing on the beach.

We found a sunlounger, took it easy and soaked up the views across the Ionian Sea, with the Greek island of Corfu sitting surprisingly close on the horizon. It was a strange feeling - lying on an Albanian beach, looking across at Greece, with the two countries feeling almost within touching distance.

Eventually, we regrouped for our final meal together.

Was it what we had planned? No.

Did we regret missing Butrint and the Blue Eye? Probably.

Did our bodies appreciate a day of doing absolutely nothing? Without question.

Sometimes, adventure travel is about seeing everything on the itinerary.

And sometimes, it’s about slowing down, soaking up the sunshine and making the most of a well-earned day on the beach.

The final day was when the reality of the trip really hit.

Eight days earlier, we’d been six people meeting at a hotel in Tirana.

Now we were saying goodbye.

This trip had given us so much - but the biggest thing I’ll take away is the people.

Nick and I became particularly close. Saying goodbye was unnecessarily emotional, and I’m pretty sure at least one of us was expecting the other to turn around and say, “Don’t go.”

We’d known each other for eight days.

That’s what I love about adventure travel.

You might book a trip because you want to explore somewhere new.

But you come home remembering the people you did it with.

Albania surprised me.

Its beauty was incredible. The food was fantastic. The roads were better than expected. Your money goes a long way. And the people are unbelievably welcoming and so proud of their country.

Down in the south, we were amazed by how many people from all over the world were already discovering Albania.

And I think that’s only going to grow.

The Albanian Riviera feels like a destination that’s still becoming itself. Give it a few years and I think it’s going to be very popular, but I hope it manages to retain the character and warmth that make it so special today.

So if you’re looking for an adventure holiday in Albania that combines hiking, rafting, mountain biking, culture, history and a healthy amount of chaos, this might be the trip for you.

I left Albania feeling like we’d only scratched the surface - and already wanting to come back for more.