Albania has Ottoman towns of white houses stacked up hillsides, ancient ruins by the sea, wild mountains in the north and a Riviera that still feels like a find. It is also small enough to see a lot in a week or so, which is why the tours here differ less in where they go than in how: by minibus, on foot, by bike, with children, or in style.
This guide is for anyone comparing escorted tours of Albania. We line up every tour on our Albania tours page, from an eight-day cycle to the coast to journeys that carry on through the Balkans to Greece, with who each suits and its honest drawback.
The quick answer
- If you want a thorough first look, pick Highlights of Albania.
- If you want mountains on foot, pick Walking in Albania & Kosovo.
- If you want to ride from the mountains to the sea, pick Cycling in Albania.
- If you have children aged seven or over, pick the Family Albania Adventure.
- If you want comfort and the Bay of Kotor too, pick Albania & Montenegro in Style.
Every Albania tour compared
| Tour | Days | Price from | Physical rating | Group size | Flights included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albania | ||||||
| Highlights of Albania: Tirana to Kruja – 11 Days | 11 | £1,560 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | Culture, the length of the country |
| Walking in Albania & Kosovo: The Accursed Mountains – 8 Days | 8 | £1,526 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Keen walkers |
| Cycling in Albania: Mountains to the Riviera – 8 Days | 8 | £1,229 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Keen cyclists |
| Family Albania Adventure: Rafting, Riviera & Caves – 8 Days | 8 | £1,395 pp | Medium | Max 16 | No | Families with children aged 7+ |
| Albania & Montenegro in Style: Dubrovnik to Tirana – 10 Days | 10 | £4,195 pp | Low | Max 12 | No | Comfort, with Montenegro |
| Albania and the Balkans | ||||||
| Albania, Kosovo & North Macedonia Explorer – 15 Days | 15 | £1,995 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia |
| Southern Balkans for 18–35s: Dubrovnik to Corfu – 9 Days | 9 | £995 pp | Low | Max 16 | No | 18 to 35s, Dubrovnik to Corfu |
| Dubrovnik to Athens: Balkans Overland via Albania & Ohrid – 15 Days | 15 | £2,775 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | Overland from Dubrovnik to Athens |
| Dubrovnik to Santorini: Albania, Olympus & the Greek Islands – 22 Days | 22 | £4,570 pp | Medium | Max 12 | No | On to the Greek islands |
| Treasures of the Balkans: Bucharest to Belgrade – 16 Days | 16 | £4,028 pp | Low | Not stated | No | Eight countries by coach |
Prices are per person, twin share, live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). The lowest price can apply to a later departure, so check the dates you want on each tour page.
Ask us which Albania tour fits →
The cultural loop
Highlights of Albania
Highlights of Albania: Tirana to Kruja – 11 Days
- 11 days
- From £1,560 per person
- Max 16 people
- Tirana, Albania to Kruja, Albania
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Eleven days the length of southern and central Albania with a tour leader and up to 16: Tirana on foot and by cable car up Mount Dajti, Elbasan’s fortress, Lake Ohrid, Voskopoja and Korça, then the southern highlands to Gjirokastra with lunch with a local family, the ancient city of Butrint, Ali Pasha’s fortress on the Riviera, a night among the pines of Llogara, Apollonia, Vlora and the white Ottoman houses of Berat, ending in Kruja.
Suits: culture lovers and first-time visitors. The honest drawback: there is little beach time and a fair amount of driving.
Hike or bike (pack the sun cream either way)
The Accursed Mountains on foot
Walking in Albania & Kosovo: The Accursed Mountains – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,526 per person
- Max 16 people
- Tirana, Albania to Berat, Albania
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, September
Eight days in the mountains of northern Albania, with a tour leader and four to 16 walkers: the Ottoman old town of Prizren in Kosovo, a walk to Rama Hut in the Valbona Valley, a hike to the high pastures of Doberdol with a night in a mountain hut, Dashi Lake, then a ferry along the fjord-like Koman Lake to Kruja and Berat. Every breakfast, three lunches and three dinners are included.
Suits: keen walkers who want remote mountains and village life. The honest drawback: long hiking days, a night in a hut, and only a few departures in May, June and September.
Mountains to the Riviera by bike
Cycling in Albania: Mountains to the Riviera – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,229 per person
- Max 16 people
- Pogradec, Albania to Vlorë, Albania
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in April, May, June, August, September, October
Eight days on good touring bikes with a support vehicle, from Pogradec on Lake Ohrid over the Barmash Pass to a working farm, across high plateaux to the thermal springs at Benje, down to Gjirokastra and Butrint, along the Albanian Riviera to Himarë and over the Llogara Pass to Vlorë. Groups are six to 16.
Suits: fit cyclists who want an adventurous ride. The honest drawback: there are some long climbs, so it is not for anyone new to cycling.
Families and comfort
Family Albania Adventure
Family Albania Adventure: Rafting, Riviera & Caves – 8 Days
- 8 days
- From £1,395 per person
- Max 16 people
- Starts and ends in Tirana, Albania
- Physical rating: medium
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, July, August, October
Eight days for children aged seven and over: a river swim on the way to Gjirokastra, rafting the Vjosa and the thermal pools at Benje, Ali Pasha’s fortress and swimming at Porto Palermo, a free day in Himara, a boat along the Karaburun Peninsula to Haxhi Ali cave, Apollonia and the Dajti Adventure Park. Hotels include beachside stays.
Suits: active families. The honest drawback: it is not a relaxed beach holiday, and only breakfasts and one lunch are included.
In style, with Montenegro
Albania & Montenegro in Style: Dubrovnik to Tirana – 10 Days
- 10 days
- From £4,195 per person
- Max 12 people
- Dubrovnik, Croatia to Tirana, Albania
- Physical rating: low
- Flights not included
- Departures in May, June, July, August, September, October
Ten days by private vehicle from Dubrovnik, with two nights on the Bay of Kotor, a boat to Our Lady of the Rocks, Lovćen National Park and Cetinje, then Berat, a cooking class and dinner in Gjirokastra, the Drino Valley monasteries, Butrint and two relaxed nights at a seaside hotel on the Albanian Riviera, in stylish hotels with up to 12.
Suits: couples and food lovers who value comfort. The honest drawback: it is not an active trip and costs more than the small-group tours.
Albania and the wider Balkans
Five tours combine Albania with its neighbours. Albania, Kosovo & North Macedonia Explorer (15 days) includes the boat along Lake Koman, the Valbona Valley, Prizren and Lake Ohrid, with four nights in family-run guesthouses. Southern Balkans for 18–35s (9 days) runs from Dubrovnik via Kotor and the Riviera to Corfu, staying in hostels, guesthouses and hotels. Dubrovnik to Athens (15 days) and Dubrovnik to Santorini (22 days) travel overland by public bus and train through Kotor, Tirana, Berat, Ohrid and Mount Olympus. Treasures of the Balkans (16 days) is a coach tour through eight countries from Bucharest to Belgrade.
How to choose
By time available. Eight to ten days: walking, cycling, the family trip, the 18–35s trip or Albania in Style. Eleven days: Highlights of Albania. Two weeks or more: the Balkan journeys.
By budget. The 18–35s trip, the cycling trip and the family adventure are the cheapest. Highlights of Albania, the walking holiday and the Explorer sit in the middle. Albania in Style and the longer overland and coach tours cost the most. Live prices are in the table above.
By fitness. Highlights, Albania in Style and the 18–35s trip are rated low; walking, cycling and the family trip are rated medium.
By travel style. Small groups of up to 12 or 16 on most tours; public buses and trains on the overland trips; a coach on Treasures of the Balkans.
When to go
Most Albania tours run from spring to autumn, roughly April to October. The walking holiday runs in May, June and September, and Highlights of Albania starts in March. The months for each tour are in its fact panel above.
Before you travel, check the FCDO travel advice for Albania and any other country on your route.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Albania tour for first-time visitors?
Highlights of Albania covers Tirana, Lake Ohrid, Gjirokastra, Butrint, Berat and Kruja in 11 days.
Can I walk in the Albanian Alps?
Yes, Walking in Albania & Kosovo hikes the Accursed Mountains, including the Valbona Valley and a night at Doberdol.
Is there an Albania tour for families?
Yes, the Family Albania Adventure, for children aged seven and over, with rafting, beaches and a sea cave.
Which Albania tours visit the Riviera?
Highlights of Albania, the cycling, family and Albania in Style trips, and the 18–35s trip all include the Riviera.
Can I combine Albania with other Balkan countries?
Yes: Kosovo and North Macedonia on the Explorer, Montenegro on Albania in Style, and Greece on the overland trips to Athens and Santorini.
Are flights included?
No, all of these tours are land-only, and we can arrange flights.
Ready for Albania?
Tell us how active you want to be and how long you have, and a Travelisto specialist will compare the Albania tours with you.
Keep planning
- All escorted tours in Albania
- Escorted tours in Montenegro
- Escorted tours in Greece
- Escorted tours in Croatia
- Albania holidays
Prices are live from our tour pages (updated October 2026). Tour details and dates can change; your specialist will confirm everything before you book.
