Useful Information

Performance Level

Our daily tour descriptions give detailed information about terrain, technical difficulty, estimated activity times, ascent/descent in meters and distance in kilometres. We kindly ask you to read these very carefully and consider them while choosing your tour.
Some of our tours include alpine crossings, which you have to perform in order to continue with the program. Please read the description of your tour very carefully before booking.

Abbreviations

↑ = Ascent in meters
↓ = Descent in meters

Hiking Difficulty

The estimated difficulty of hikes is given in the SAC scale, starting from T1 to T6. These grades are guidelines that must always be used in conjunction with your own experience, intuition and careful judgment.
The given technical difficulty for each daily hike specifies in any case the maximum difficulty that hike. That does not necessarily mean that the entire hike is technically that difficult.

Explanations for the difficulty scale can be found here.

Hiking Time

Estimated hiking times are given for each day. These times do vary, however, according to the day’s weather conditions, and the fitness levels of the tour participants. These times do not include times taken for meals and breaks. The hiking times are all calculated in accordance with the Albanian national standard for hiking trails, which is based on the Swiss Alpine Club adaptation of the DIN44366 standard.

Orientation

Most of the hiking trails are signed, but not always visible. For self-guided tours, we will provide you with a detailed information package to help your navigation. Some of the trails might not be well marked and eventual bad weather can make the navigation difficult. Good navigation skills are necessary.

Meals

We can accommodate most food-related allergies and intolerances. To ensure your needs are met, please notify us in advance of any specific dietary requirements.
On our guided tours, we carefully select quality restaurants and local homes for most meals during our tours. Menus are thoughtfully curated to showcase the finest Albanian dishes, prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and adhering to authentic traditions. To ensure a diverse culinary experience, we make certain that no meal is repeated, allowing you to savor the full variety of Albanian cuisine.
Packed meals may be included in your tour. In many cases, you will be provided with the ingredients and will pack the meals by yourself. Please do not pack more food than is necessary, in order to reduce food waste.

Transfers

Some of our private or self-guided tours, start from destinations other than Tirana. We are happy to assist you with the booking of private transfers to and from the destination.
Some of our tours don’t include airport transfers. Private transfers can be booked separately. Alternatively, you can utilize public transportation, take a taxi, or rent a vehicle at the airport.

Accommodation

During our tours, accommodation is provided in one of the following structures, or a mix of thereof. Please read the “The price includes” sections of your tour very carefully, to check what kind of accommodation is included.

• The accommodation in hotels will be provided on a twin-share basis. The hotel rooms all have a private bathroom with a shower/bath and toilet. In rare occasions, the accommodation in hotels will be provided in triple rooms.
• The accommodation in guesthouses will be provided on a multi-share basis. Bathrooms with a shower and toilet may be shared between multiple rooms. Please note that there may be occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different trips than your own.
• The accommodation in shepherds’ huts will be provided on a multi-share basis. Bathrooms are shared between multiple rooms. The shepherds’ huts are basic and might not have shower facilities. Please note that there may be occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different trips than your own.
• The accommodation in tents will be provided on a twin-share basis. Bathrooms and shower facilities are not available on the campsites. Single accommodation in tents is available upon request.

In all cases, we pair up solo travellers with other travellers of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports.

Border Crossing Permits

During some of our tours, you will cross international borders outside of regular border crossing points. To apply for the border crossing permits, we require a high-quality scan of your passport, no later than 35 days before departure. If you are unsure about the validity of your travel documents, please feel free to contact us prior to booking your trip.

Luggage Transportation

Please read the “The price includes” sections of your tour very carefully, to check if luggage transportation is included.

• In most guided tours, we take care of the luggage transportation between the accommodations.
• In some guided tours, in places where road transportation is not possible, your luggage might be transported by pack animals. For these tours, it is essential to pack your belongings in duffle bags and not in suitcases. The maximum weight of the luggage must not exceed 15kg per person, so please pack carefully and lightly. You will only carry your personal daypack.
• In tours where luggage transportation is included, it is advisable to bring a smaller daypack with you. This way, you can only carry the items necessary for the day’s hike.

Extensions

If you wish to extend your journey by a few days, we are at your disposal to further organize your tour according to your wishes. All related services and costs are not included in the tour price and as such will be additionally calculated.
If you wish to start or end your tour from/to a different location, we can pick you up or drop you off against additional charge, enabling your participation in the tour.

Sustainability

We are strongly committed towards responsible and sustainable travel.
We kindly ask our guests to follow our sustainability guidelines:

• Respect the local people, their culture and environment.
• Support locally owned businesses, restaurants and other services: Eat local food and drink local brands and brews.
• Shop from traditional artisans and for locally made products. Favor local products over imported items. This helps in keeping traditional crafts alive. Even a small amount could be extremely important to local producers.
• Always ask first before photographing or videoing people. Send them back copies of photos to help make it a two-way exchange.
• We strongly recommend bringing reusable water bottles. In places where tap water is potable, this eliminates the usage of single-use plastic bottles entirely.
• Bring a water filter. This way you can drink tap water even in places where it is otherwise unsafe to do so.
• In cases where packed meals are included, we recommend bringing a reusable container for packed lunch.
• In some cases where packed meals are included, you will be provided with the ingredients and will pack the meals by yourself. Please do not pack more food than is necessary, in order to reduce food waste.

Feel free to ask any questions you might have. Our staff and guides are trained and able to advise you in detail about our approach towards sustainability.

Health and Safety

We are committed to ensuring your safety and well-being during your travels. Here’s a summary of some important health and safety aspects for your upcoming visit to Albania:

• Travel Safety: Many governments (USA, UK, Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, etc.) provide travel advice for Albania, which includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements, and legal differences. Please visit your government foreign office for detailed information and travel advice.
• Water Quality: Please note that tap water in many parts of Albania may not be safe to drink due to aging infrastructure. We recommend bringing a water filter or opting for bottled water.
• Food Safety: While enjoying the local cuisine during your free meals, we advise you to follow standard food safety guidelines. This includes ensuring your food is thoroughly cooked and consuming only pasteurized dairy products.
• Drinking and Driving: Albania enforces strict penalties for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including potential imprisonment. The legal blood alcohol limit for drivers is 0‰.
• Illegal drugs: Penalties for drug-related crimes are severe. Possession of illegal drugs could result in a prison sentence of 5 to 10 years. The penalty for supplying drugs is up to 15 years in prison. Cannabis possession and consumption is not legal, and the same penalties as for all other drugs apply.
• Climate: Please be aware that Albania has a mediterranean climate. It can get very hot in the summers, and rain showers can be intense. Please be prepared for all weather conditions.

Please note that this is a general overview, and the specific health and safety issues can vary depending on the exact location within Albania and the activities undertaken. We always recommend checking the latest updates before travelling to Albania.