Family Albania Adventure

Planet

Carbon Reduction

During the many years of communist rule Albania was cut off from the outside world, but now times have changed and it’s proving to be a popular destination for visitors looking to experience untouched countryside vistas, visit ancient sites and swim in the crystal clear coastal waters. Our trip is designed to gain an insight into this fascinating land and to experience the wide variety of sights it has to offer.
During the trip, we will raft on and explore the Vjosa river which has just been declared Europe's first wild river National Park. It is one of the last free-flowing wild rivers left on the continent and home to more than 1,100 wildlife species, including 13 animals and two plants globally threatened. By doing so, the Albanian government hopes to regenerate villages in the Vjosa region through ecotourism.
We will also visit Apollonia, an ancient Illyiran city sitting on a windswept hilltop. Few foreigners visit, but Apollonia is popular with locals for afternoon picnics. By visiting the site, we are helping to fund the ongoing work to conserve this important historical site.
We encourage all customers to take a reusable water bottle with them when travelling which helps to reduce the number of plastic bottles. Along the routes we take on this trip there are plenty of fresh, good quality water sources to make good use of your reusable bottle.
As a travel company we are continually looking for ways to improve and are proud to be ‘Responsible in everything we do’. Education is key, and so all staff, Tour Leaders and partnering suppliers are trained in responsible and sustainable tourism. At our Head Office, we continually strive towards a sustainable and planet-friendly working environment, including having solar panels installed and a company commitment to reducing our plastic usage.

Environment and Wildlife

This family tour is packed with adventures but also focus on traditions and culture of Albania. We use a local Tour Leader and guides on this trip who know the country very well and who will help to give us a unique insight into the history, customs, culture and folklore of Albania and get us that bit closer to the local people.
As we travel around we stay mainly in local, family run hotels and eat out in small restaurants which brings direct economic benefits to the communities we visit.
Our local agent in Albania also feels passionately about operating responsibly, and they have their own sustainable tourism pact, which includes ways that they minimise the amount of waste and plastic used and the importance of using local suppliers, they also have an animal welfare policy and support a number of local projects that benefit the communities where they operate trips. Recently they received the Golden Bee Award for Touristic Entrepreneurship Excellency from the Albanian Government. They were chosen due to the great work they do to help make Tirana a greener capital. They’ve done this by planting new trees and promoting cycling, green energies and recycling practices.
We strive to support nature and biodiversity through protection and regeneration projects, and for every customer that travels with us we make a donation to Rewilding Britain and Cool Earth.

People

Local Economy

Our leaders are the heart of tours. They bring passion and unrivalled knowledge of the destinations and communities that we visit. Their guidance ensures we observe the cultural norms in a destination, they act as a bridge between travellers and the local community and ensure that tourism is a positive experience for both host and guest. We believe in supporting local; staying in locally-run hotels, exploring markets, buying snacks from street vendors, and by doing this we add money to the local economy and enhance our connection with the local community.
Our Albanian tour leaders are real facilitators, enabling us to meet and mix with the locals wherever possible – all the more fun when we are travelling off the beaten track. They take us to small, locally owned and run restaurants wherever possible throughout the trip and take advantage of numerous opportunities to support local businesses by visiting local cafes, supporting historical churches and cultural sites. This ensures that small businesses benefit from our visit, and that we enjoy a very authentic experience.
All hotel accommodation used on this trip is Albanian-owned.

Employment, Inclusivity and Diversity

All our local guides in Albania are passionate and proud of their country, ensuring an authentic and insightful experience as they share their expertise and personal anecdotes for the region throughout our journey.