Itinerary
- Day 1
Tirana/Saranda to Tepelena
Zbulo staff meets you at Tirana Airport or downtown with your trip materials including roadbook, maps, GPS, and SIM card. From there, you'll head south to Albania via public transport, taxi, or private transfer, which takes about 4 hours. The route passes coastal produce stands and follows the Vjosa River down to Tepelena. You'll stay at a family-run riverside hotel, giving you time to settle in after your arrival.
- Start point
- Tiranë, Tirana, Albania (Tirana City Center/International Airport - Main Bus Terminal , 14:00 - 16:00)
Optional Activities
- Private transfer to hotel (€135 additional fee based on 2 persons)
Landmarks Vjosa River - Day 2
Tepelena to Zagoria/Limar
A short, windy transfer brings you to a mountain village where your hike into Zagoria's hidden valley begins. The path takes you through open woodland and up to a pass with views across the entire valley and surrounding mountains. You'll pass one of Ali Pasha's Ottoman stone bridges near the deserted village of Kala, then continue climbing to Limar. The stone architecture here is really something. You stay with a local teacher whose house serves the three school pupils still living in this remote village.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hiking to Limar through Zagoria valley
- Visit Ali Pasha's Ottoman stone bridge
- Village exploration and local interaction
Landmarks Zagoria Valley Ali Pasha's Ottoman Stone Bridge Mount Strakavec - Day 3
Limar to Hoshteve
This trek connects multiple stone villages, and here's where things change a bit: your luggage goes by horse while you walk the footpaths. You'll see rural mountain life up close, pass through hamlets, and encounter the Doshnica Waterfall, which provides a nice cooling break. The route continues through grassy meadows before the final push up to Hoshteve. Your hosts returned from Greece and the US to open their B&B. Don't skip the Church of the Holy Apostles if you get the chance, it shows Orthodox heritage well.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hiking through stone villages
- Visit Doshnica Waterfall
- Church of the Holy Apostles visit
Landmarks Doshnica Waterfall Church of the Holy Apostles Zagoria River - Day 4
Hoshteve to Sheper
Today's a shorter, easier hike with Mount Cajupi in view as you pass through connected villages: Vithuq, Koncka, Nivan, and Sheper. Many of the newer buildings are weekend or retirement homes. Nivan was the old commune center with military installations still visible. The central square here honors William Tilman, the British explorer who fought with the Albanian resistance during WWII. After descending back to the river, you'll visit a monastery and can optionally see another Ali Pasha bridge before reaching Sheper for the night.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hiking through villages of Zagoria
- Visit Nivan commune center and monastery
Optional Activities
- Visit Ali Pasha's stone bridge (detour)
Landmarks Mount Cajupi Nivan Commune Center Ali Pasha's Stone Bridge - Day 5
Sheper to Permet/Leuse
The final trek crosses the Dhembel-Nemercke Range and brings you back to the outside world. You'll pass Enver Hoxha's bunkers and climb toward Dhembel Pass at 1,450 meters, where shepherds from across southern Albania gather for summer pasturing. From the alpine valley, you can see the Eastern Mountains and into Greece. The rocky descent leads to Leuse, a stone village with a fresco-covered church that might be the region's finest. Rest at your hotel afterward.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic)
Included Activities
- Hiking across Dhembel-Nemercke Range to Dhembel Pass
- Visit Leuse village and fresco-covered church
Landmarks Dhembel Pass Mount Cajupi Leuse Church 
- Day 6
Permet to Gjirokaster
A scenic 45-minute drive takes you to the hiking trailhead where the Vjosa River cuts deep into rock below the rugged Nemercka Range. Your walk heads toward Sopot Waterfall at the base of southern Albania's second-highest peak. After the hike, transfer to Benje's thermal pools at Langarica Canyon entrance. These sulfuric waters are said to have healing properties, so you can soak or walk the canyon if preferred. Then it's a 90-minute drive to Gjirokaster, where you'll stay in an Ottoman building in the old town.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hike to Sopot Waterfall
- Visit Benje thermal pools
Landmarks Sopot Waterfall Nemercka Range Benje Thermal Pools Langarica Canyon Vjosa River 
- Day 7
Gjirokaster to Tirana
Walk through Gjirokaster's intricate Ottoman mansions and UNESCO-listed old town at your own pace. It's known as the birthplace of Enver Hoxha and novelist Ismail Kadare. The maze-like cobbled streets are worth wandering, and the ethnographic museum sits in Hoxha's birth house. Climb to the castle above to see displays like a captured American spy plane and views from the clock tower. Later, transfer to Tirana (up to 4 hours) and stay centrally, then explore Skanderbeg Square and the trendy Blloku district.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore Gjirokaster old town and streets
- Visit ethnographic museum in Enver Hoxha's birth house
- Visit Gjirokaster castle
Optional Activities
- Visit nearby Butrint (less than 2 hours drive)
- Visit Blue Eye karst spring (less than 2 hours drive)
- Visit Albanian Riviera beaches (less than 2 hours drive)
Landmarks Gjirokaster Castle Gjirokaster Old Town Enver Hoxha Birth House Skanderbeg Square Blloku District Butrint Blue Eye - Day 8
Tirana to Airport
Before heading out, explore Tirana's center at your own pace. Hit the New Bazar for edible and drinkable souvenirs, or grab an espresso at one of the local bars. Optional museums like Bunkart 2 and House of Leaves cover the communist era and sit just a 10-minute walk from Skanderbeg Square. Your Albania journey ends with a 30-minute organized transfer to the airport.
- End point
- Tiranë, Tirana, Albania (Tirana City Center - Tirana International Airport, 12:00 - 17:00)
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit New Bazar for souvenirs
- Visit Bunkart 2 museum
- Visit House of Leaves museum
Landmarks New Bazar Bunkart 2 House of Leaves Skanderbeg Square
