Raft, Kayak and Hike in Albania
Dive into spectacular natural scenery on an active adventure through untamed rivers, mythical mountains and epic canyons
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guidesHotel
4 nights in hotels, 1 night in a guesthouseMeals
5 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinnersTransfers
To and from the airport and everything in betweenEquipment
Everything you need for kayaking, rafting and river hike (seasonal)Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Kayak and raft along the mighty Vjosa, the last truly wild river in Europe – a unique and richly biodiverse ecosystem
Venture deep into the sacred Tomorr Mountains on remote trails, featuring incredible vistas and welcoming villages
Explore the verdant natural wonder that is Osumi Canyon, swimming in natural pools and waterfalls along the way
Want to round off your adventure with some coastal hikes to pristine beaches? See our Canyons to Coast Adventure in Albania, which finishes up on the Albanian Riviera
Key Information
Day 1
Welcome to Albania!
Driving
Your host will pick you up either at Tirana Airport or in central Tirana, then drive south for about an hour and a half to reach the ancient, fortified city of Berat – a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Visit the old castle here and get to know your travel companions this evening over a traditional Albanian meal.
Day 2
Explore the sacred Tomorr Mountains
Hiking
Driving
Head out in off-road vehicles to explore the remote mountains of Albania. At the heart of Albanian folklore, they have deep spiritual significance in the country. Hike through one of the last wild wolf and bear sanctuaries left in Europe, stopping for lunch in a small village. Enjoy the views of Mount Tomori, one of the country’s most magnificent mountains, then unwind with wine tasting in a local winery.
Day 3
Osumi Canyon
Hiking
Driving
Enter Osumi Canyon – one of the most spectacular natural attractions in Europe. You’ll either river hike or raft along the River Osum (this depends on the time of year and corresponding water level; please read the FAQ below for more information). There will be plenty of chances to wild swim whilst surrounded by the canyon’s unique ecosystem, which stays lush and green all year round. After lunch in Corovoda, you’ll drive back to Berat.
Day 4
Kayaking the Vjosa River
Kayaking
Driving
Take another scenic road journey through the remote interior of Albania to Këlcyrë Gorge, for a truly memorable kayaking adventure on Europe’s last wild river. Have lunch in Tepelena before paddling a beautiful and calm stretch of the Vjosa's turquoise waters. Hop back into the minibus to head to the town of Permet to check in to your hotel, and then relax at the mineral baths in Benja.
Day 5
Rafting the Vjosa River
Rafting
Driving
Experience more of the incredible Vjosa River today, newly established as a protected National Park, on a morning rafting adventure – you'll tackle Class 3 rapids through spectacular mountain scenery. You'll head back to Berat for your final evening.
Day 6
The Cave of Pellumbas
Hiking
Driving
Depart beautiful Berat, and begin the journey back to Tirana. En route, you'll stop off to hike a short, steep and scenic trail which will lead you to the mysterious cave of Pellumbas, filled with huge stalagmites and dripping stalactites (be sure to watch out for low-flying bats!). After lunch in one of the local villages, you’ll return to Tirana for your journey home.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
Arrive any time on Day 1
Ends
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
17:30 on Day 6
Transfers
Arrive at any time on Day 1 and your host will arrange a transfer from Tirana Airport to the hotel in Berat. The transfer time is approx 1.5 hours and if travellers are on flights arriving at similar times, then there may be a short wait in order to group the transfers together.
Pickups can also be made from a location in central Tirana for anyone who has arrived earlier and is staying in the capital - this is usually the Dinamo Stadium near the Grand Park of Tirana. Your host will confirm the pickup time and location with you in advance.
On Day 6 you'll be dropped off at the airport in time to catch any flight leaving after 19:00.
If you are arriving or departing outside those days your host can arrange private airport transfers for an extra cost. See Optional Extras for details.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Tirana from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2 – Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4 – Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Albanian food consists of hearty and healthy dishes of meat and vegetables, much of which is seasonal and sourced locally. Popular dishes include turkey, lamb or goat pershesh, served with a local bread known as kulac, a meat and leek pie made with thin pastry called byrek and freshly caught fish served in a Mediterranean style. Fish dishes are often flavoured with white vinegar and olive oil grown in Southern Albania, and many dishes are served with wine from one of the local vineyards.
Please let us know of any dietary requirements in advance by requesting this on your passenger info form.
What is the accommodation like?
Berat
You'll spend four nights in Berat, staying in twin-share rooms at Hotel Castle Park. Set in a scenic area of woodland, it's located around 1.5 kilometres from the centre of Berat town.
Permet
You'll spend one night in a hotel in the small southern town of Permet, next to the banks of the Vjosa river. Rooms will be on a twin-share basis.
This trip has been rated as Moderate
No previous experience is needed, however a moderate level of fitness is required along with the ability to swim.
The best months for hiking in Albania are February to June, and September to November, when the weather is warm and sunny, reaching temperatures of around 30 degrees. July and August can be hotter, however, this is usually broken up by cool coastal breezes.
Had a great trip But
Had a great trip But would have liked a bit more free time in berat ( we had none ) And a bit less time travelling to the activities,though I appreciate this may be difficult
Brilliant!
Well done MBA! My third trip with you and each one different but equally amazing. It was well organised and nothing was too much trouble for our leader, Arti. Canyoning and rafting were exhilarating, some great hikes and a relaxing kayak all in stunning scenery. Still buzzing from the river jumps (and still getting over the raki🤣🤣). Can’t wait for the next adventure.
Loved it
Arti our guide was the best, the group of people was amazing. I loved it so much
An excellent adventure
This was a really fun trip and a first time for me in Albania as well. I enjoyed the variety of the activities on offer, which included canyoning (my favourite), kayaking and hiking. I also enjoyed the fact that there were different supplementary activities in place such as a visit to the thermal baths and wine tasting after our main activities. This does mean a full day of itinerary but it is worth it for the different experiences. The food is plenty and very tasty, with a range of vegetables and meat dishes that are shared between the group. Many thanks to Arti our guide and our drivers.
Points to note, it can be quite chilly in the evenings in September so bring some warm clothing. Definitely bring water shoes they dry so much more quickly. Make sure you bring some sickness tablets or sit at the front of the minibus as there are some windy mountain roads to navigate through. Have fun!
Had a good time
Had nice and fun time even if the weather was rainy on some days. Getting out of comfort zone and not having social media just fun in nature was very welcomed especially when coming from a big and busy capital. Will book other trip in the future and recommend it to others
raft,kayak and hike in Albania
We had a wonderful holiday, the guides and all the team on the ground (Albanian rafting) were superb. Beautiful scenery with fun activities
The ideal mix
What a great trip. My first with MBA and certainly won’t be the last. Our group had a great dynamic and made the week fly by. Our guides, especially Arti, were fantastic organising everything from food to sorting out any issues we had. They are great at taking photos throughout the activities so you don’t need to risk your phones then sharing them all each day in an iCloud folder.
Albania adventure
We would like to thank Much Better Adventures for a great trip to Albania, it was amazing and we managed to see some great areas of beauty, thanks to the great guides. Activities were challenging, but we would not hae changed athing. Our group was of 15 people - made up of differing personalities, but we felt we all gelled and had a great time. Having been on smaller groups in the pst , we could have not hoped for a better experience. Thank you to our group and Much Better Adventures. Maggie and Tracey x
Cannon Family Mania in Albania: 5 Star Review
If you like:
Castles and canyons, mountain safaris in jeeps, White water rafting with death defying leaps
Hot thermal baths and freezing cold springs, And a blood red flag adorned with a black eagle’s wings
THEN come to Albania but make sure you come fast, Because there’s always a chance the magic won’t last
We had a blast!! Great adventure in just a few days
Incredible trip, packed with great activities. The guides were excellent and fun, the food and accomodation were amazing and the group dynamic incredible. What a fabulous adventure. Highly recommended.
Stop looking for adventure and book this !!!!
This was from start to finish an absolute amazing experience, every part of this was amazing, the hotel you are in is literally a castle with amazing rooms, comfy beds and awesome views, the rafting, kayaking and canyon are amazing, beautiful and so natural, make sure if you like jumps you ask about then, there is some epic ones on here The guides Arti and Renato did everything to make the adventure and week one to remember, they wasn't just guide but one of the crew 😀 they are amazing The lads who did the kayaking and rafting was so experienced and you always felt safe with them plus they knew how to have fun 😀 The hotel staff especially fabjan and meshi was young but nothing was to much trouble, they helped ladies with their bags and made sure we was always happy The driver was an absolute boss, didn't get flustered once no matter what happened, I'm a professional driver and that lad is cool as ice and such an amazing driver This adventure is by far one of best things I've done and I have been to 40 odd countries and have an extensive bucket list complete
If you looking for something to do then look no further. 😀
Amazing time in Albania!
Great activities with amazing tour guides - Arti and Renato were so good, really knowledgeable and helpful. Our activity leaders were great at taking pictures and videos so you'll get plenty of memories to look back on. The hotels were really comfortable, fully air conditioned and very clean, with super accommodating staff on hand to help out. The only thing I would change is making the water-based activities longer as these were only about 3 hours each. My tip for this trip is to buy snacks - the meals are huge but with long gaps between them. Also if you're a vegetarian then the food, whilst really tasty, can be quite repetitive.
A truly great holiday ,
A truly great holiday , it’s well organised with plenty to do each day, the guides are great , Arti and Renato made the trip so much fun. Thoroughly recommend
A deep dive into the
A deep dive into the past and present of an amazing country.
Fantastic trip
Super trip with like minded people. Really enjoyed how packed it was using all available time to make the most of it. Albania is spectacular and I’ll be coming back!
Great trip
Absolutely fantastic trip. Fun activities that were not too difficult but still challenging. Beautiful country with great views. Hotels and food were good. Our guide Arti was top notch, communicated well and was helpful every step of the way.
Great trip overall, disappointing vegan food
The highlight of the trip was river hiking in the Osumi canyon. Incredible scenery and so much fun to float along the water, jump from cliffs and stand under waterfalls. The accommodation was very nice. We had an excellent guide with us all the time. He was fun, spoke good English and was very helpful. The days were fully packed with activities. We visited so many cool places and nature was so beautiful. The only disappointing thing was the food. I asked in advance if they could offer vegan food but all I got the whole trip was basically side dishes.The others got meat and many different kinds of cheeses for every meal. I got greens and rice. No beans, lentils, nuts or tofu. Usually Bürek is vegan as long as it doesn't contain cheese, which it did in most meals we got unfortunately. If you are vegan I would recommend bringing protein bars or something. I have told the organizers and I hope they will get better in the future.
Jelle Zwemstra
I had a great time in Albania , the trip was well organised and our guide Arti was exceptionally helpful.
Fantastic Week
Had the most wonderful week away with two palls from Hull. We met five others adventurers from the uk. Albania is a beautiful country and the people we met where just great, couldn’t do enough for us, Arti and his team looked after us and they did a sterling job. I would go back in a heartbeat and I would certainly recommend much better adventures
wonderful trip
Arti is the best guide ever, beautiful places, fine food, exciting stories, nice people, delicious beer, always something going on.
An action packed way to enjoy Albania
This is a great trip for seeing the beauty of Albania and meeting some locals while doing some fun activities that only require a reasonable fitness level. The other reviewers have covered all the key points already so you know what a you are getting. My only advice would be to arrive the day before to give yourself time to look around Tirana, exchange currency etc, as I arrived from chilly UK wearing jeans to 32 degree heat and was taken straight on a 1.5 hour bus ride and tour of the castle without pause to get changed. Lesson learned!
A wonderful trip
A well organised and fun activities packed trip. The Albanian nature is absolutely stunning and food’s delicious. Arti and his team worked very hard to make sure all of us were well looked after, thank you.
This was a fab trip!
This was a fab trip! Albania is a stunning country and the people very welcoming. The trip packed so much in to a short time, don't expect any down time! The river walk was my highlight, so glad we did that particularly as we visited during a heat wave. Arti the guide adapted the hike on the first day to around 9km as the heat was too much, which we all appreciated! A few of us also went off the itinerary so that we could watch the football in Berat City which was no problem at all. I would recommend this trip :)
Albania has been amazing!
Albania was far more stunning than I thought it would be. The mountains are amazing. The trip was very well put together and the team here (Arti was our guide) were amazing. The little touches were great, some of the lunch spots were incredible and I would have never found them without being on a trip like this. The Vineyard tour was also particularly good.
The activities are for all abilities - the best part of them was the constantly beautiful scenery.
There is a fair amount of driving on this trip, which at times became uncomfortable. But driving around is normally a part of seeking certain river conditions wherever you go!
Overall I’d really recommend this trip!
Arti our guide was amazing
Arti our guide was amazing and so nice. He was accommodating to our group with all of our strange requests and great to talk to. The hiking was good but recommend bringing your own poles as they had limited sets. Definitely bring a hat and sunscreen. The cave was fascinating and the waterfalls beautiful. We had fun with the white water rafting and the kayaking but wanted more time on the river. The days on the river seemed easy compared to our first long hike. Many of us were working out or running the mornings. I would recommend scheduling one day where we had a morning to explore the town as I never got a chance to get souvenirs or visit local shops (support local!). There was a lot of time on the bus which was uncomfortable for some people but I got reading done. Alma at our first hotel was delightful. I so appreciate her tailoring meals to my limited diet. We had cucumbers, cheese and tomatoes every morning which were fresh and delicious, but really wanted something different half way through the trip. The stories the river guides told us about the area and the river were a nice touch. Mosquitoes are real, bring your spray. The 'thermal mineral pools' should really just be 'mineral pools' no thermal included:)
This was a very well
This was a very well organised trip with non stop fun and adventures in Albania. Excellent accomodation, food, scenery and company. I would strongly recommend this trip to anyone with a sense of adventure and fun.
Brilliant introduction to Albania
This was a fantastic trip, and a brilliant introduction to Albania, with so many things packed into the 6 days. As well as the headline activities - kayaking, rafting and hiking - we did a walking tour of the 13th century hill-top castle in Berat, explored a gigantic cave with bats, stalactites and stalagmites on the outskirts of Tirana, spent a morning relaxing at the Benja thermal baths, enjoyed a wine tasting at a family-run Albanian vineyard and went inside massive tunnels dug into the sides of Osumi Canyon during the communist period. We definitely got our money’s worth!
While there was a lot of driving, as previous reviews mention, all these extra stops along the way broke it up and made it manageable. It was also amazing how many of these places we had entirely to ourselves - I would definitely recommend visiting Albania now before it gets fully onto the tourist track.
The guides for the water activities were calm, professional and clearly very experienced - I always felt safe, even when my kayak got stuck in the middle of a rapid! They told me what I needed to do and waded across the rapid to help me out. They also made sure to take lots of pictures of us so we didn’t need to take our phones.
A few pieces of advice - I would pay more attention to the most recent reviews, as the trip itinerary has been refined quite a bit over the last couple of years. Make sure to bring a head torch for the cave visit. And bring proper water shoes - I just wore old trainers, but they never fully dried between activities and got rather smelly.
All in all, I can’t wait to go back to Albania - I’m eyeing up the Southern Coastal Trail trip for next year!
An amazing experience!
Albania is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever been to and the people were so warm and welcoming, it really made the trip special. The whole team involved in this trip were fantastic but a special mention has to go to our guide Arti and Alma, nothing was too much trouble. The whole trip was really well planned and packed with activities. The food at Castle Park and the restaurants Arti took us to was amazing; you definitely won't go hungry. I would encourage anyone to book this trip, you won't be disappointed.
Wow, what a trip! Albania
Wow, what a trip! Albania is one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen in the world. Arti gave us the best tour and kept us in check and on time throughout. We experienced so much in a short span of time - from rafting in Osumi canyon to kayaking near Permet and exploring caves near Tirana. None of it would have been possible without Arti! I already miss Alma's breakfasts and selection of jams at the Castle Park Hotel - our home away from home ♡ Thank you to Alma and Zamo for having us, it was a special time spent with a big Albanian family.
Amazing country!
Trip was brilliant, even better than I had expected, with lots of awesome surprises along the way. Scenery in Albania is epic and untouched, people were lovely and food was great (though a lot of it). Big thanks to Arti as our guide, made it all super easy.
Enjoy 12.5% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 12.5% discount to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
- All kayaking and rafting equipment
- Wetsuits, lifejackets and helmets for river hike
What do I need to bring?
- Small backpack with rain cover
- Suitable walking shoes for hiking
- An additional pair of trainers that can get wet (for use when rafting, kayaking and if doing the river hike)
- Breathable, light-weight, waterproof clothing
- Swimwear
- Plenty of spare underwear and clothes for getting wet
- Quick drying travel towel
- Wind-stopper jacket
- Sun hat
- Sunglasses
- Suncream
- Refillable water bottle
- Mosquito repellent
- Head torch for the cave visit
- Car sickness tablets (optional)
Optional Private Room Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room Upgrade
… Per Person
Pre/post trip accommodation in Berat (Double / Twin)
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Berat (Double / Twin)
… Per Night
Pre/post trip accommodation in Berat (Single)
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Berat (Single)
… Per Night
Pre/post trip accommodation in Tirana (Single)
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Tirana (Single)
… Per Night
Pre/post trip accommodation in Tirana (Double / Twin)
Payable Before Departure
Pre/post trip accommodation in Tirana (Double / Twin)
… Per Night
Berat to Tirana Airport
Payable Before Departure
Berat to Tirana Airport
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We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 135kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. We partner with the World Land Trust to ensure this trip achieves Net-Zero emissions. We also support their Buy an Acre programme, helping local communities to buy and protect natural habitats in perpetuity, ensuring the protection of the reserve and its wildlife.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
For departures between the months of March to June, you'll go rafting within the canyon as the typical water levels at this time of year allow a safe environment in which to use rafts. For departures between the months of July to October, you'll go river hiking. This involves hiking along the river bed within the canyon, jumping into pools along the way. A wetsuit, helmet and lifejacket are provided for this activity, but you'll need your own pair of trainers with a good grip – ones that you don't mind getting soaked through!
Tips are not included in the trip cost. These are entirely at your discretion and the amount should be reflective of your perception of service and quality - a tip is not compulsory and should only be given when you receive excellent service.
This trip visits locations where daytime temperatures can be extremely high during the times of year when this trip operates. High humidity and limited access to shade can also be factors, and warm temperatures can continue into the nighttime, which additionally influence the body’s ability to cool down. Personal care should be taken to keep cool as best possible in the conditions, such as wearing appropriate clothing and proper hydration. Very high temperatures can impair an individual’s physical abilities to perform an activity that they may otherwise be able to do competently at cooler temperatures. People may experience symptoms associated with dehydration and Heat Stroke. Your guide(s) are trained to mitigate the risks associated with high temperatures, by carefully managing the intensity of the activity, and to provide the appropriate support response should someone feel ill during the trip. Should you experience health issues during your trip you should inform your guide immediately so the proper care can be provided.
Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.
Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).
For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory for all of our adventures and you are required to provide your policy information before departing.
Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure. We also strongly recommend it includes cancellation and curtailment insurance, should you be unable to join your trip for specific reasons such as illness.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last-minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.
We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.
If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.
All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're always in good company on one of our adventures.
Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.
Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way.
It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.
Don't just take our word for it:
- 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
- 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
- 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends
See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.
Interested in a more exclusive experience? Opt for a 'Private Group' through the dates and prices tab to book this adventure for just you and your chosen companions.
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