Most Inspirational Moment
The landscape. And the food.
Thoughts on Group Leader
See above
Advice for Potential Travellers
Make sure to take a waterproof. And a travel kettle was welcome !
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Mixed messsages
This was a great trip but some parts were hard. There were some steep climbs which I found difficult. The hotels were great. Our guide was not the best, because he didn’t give enough information about each days programme. No daily briefings. On occasion we were out and about without toilet or refreshment breaks for 5 hours. However, all in all a fantastic trip.
Albania tour
A wonderful full on tour visiting a vast array of varied cities, countryside, coastal locations and historical sites. Our guide Amir was excellent. He was very personable and knowledgeable, we learnt so much about the people, culture and history of this fascinating country. Also our driver, Gani, deserves a mention for his incredible driving along the winding hilltop roads, allowing us to relax and enjoy the amazing scenery. Thank you to you both
Most Inspirational Moment
Experiencing the friendliness, kindness and generosity of the Albanian people
Thoughts on Group Leader
Amir displayed an excellent knowledge of the country both past and present. He was very approachable and his answers to the many questions were always answered in a clear and understandable way
Advice for Potential Travellers
This was a very full on tour which allowed us to get the very best experience of this wonderful country. Be prepared for full days and a different hotel most nights, but well worth it
Albania
Albania is a gem to visit. The rugged snow capped mountains to the blue Ionian Sea, there is much scenery to take in. The small villages have character of days of old. The people are friendly and helpful. Edjon the tour guide was excellent. His enthusiasm to share his country with others was infectious. Edjon was prepared, knowing all the information to enlighten the group about Albania. His outgoing personality, individual attention when needed, and small surprises he had planned along the way kept the trip interesting. Edjon is a top tier tour guide, that we were blessed to have in Albania.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Edjon the tour guide was excellent. His enthusiasm to share his country with others was infectious. Edjon was prepared, knowing all the information to enlighten the group about Albania. His outgoing personality, individual attention when needed, and small surprises he had planned along the way kept the trip interesting. Edjon is a top tier tour guide, that we were blessed to have in Albania.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Go to Albania. Ask for Edjon tours.
Surprising Albania
A beautiful country with a colourful history, much of it red.
Most Inspirational Moment
Standing at the summit of the acropolis in Berat Castle on a clear day, with gorgeous views over the surrounding countryside.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Uur guide Klodi was helpful, funny and knowledgeable. Great guy!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring lots of cash to exchange because credit cards are almost never accepted at hotels or restaurants.
Incredible country. Get there now before inevitable the crowds!
I was blown away by this trip to Albania. The country surpassed my expectations and the scenery was at times breath taking. You cover a lot of ground in the trip and so really are getting a flavour for the places visited rather than having lots of time at each to fully explore.
It was fascinating to find out more about the history of Albania and to see a country that is very much driving forward in it’s development albeit in the early stages. Tirana feels like a youthful, vibrant capital city with the usual cacophony of car horns and sounds of a major city. As soon as you are out of Tirana you see the more traditional side of Albania, however everywhere we went there were signs of development and construction.
The people of Albania were on the whole lovely and welcoming. With just the smallest effort to use an Albanian word or two, people’s faces would light up and be happy to have conversations with you about where you are from etc. Our group had a particularly moving encounter with an elderly man who lived through the communist era in a concentration camp and had such a beautiful and emotional take on his Muslim faith, and how to live in peace with others.
The food and drink was excellent overall and was great to explore the Albanian beers and wines, alongside the food.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were a few moments that really stand out from the trip. The first was in Korce where upon visiting the oldest mosque in the oldest part of the city, an elderly man came over to our group and through the guide told us his story. Under the communist regime he wrote poetry in opposition to them and was promptly put in a concentration camp, along with his family. Whilst inside he saw the death of his parents and grandparents, and was not able to practice his Muslim faith. However, they would pray in secret and when his Mother was still in Korce she would sit outside the mosque which was being used for storage under the regime and just by sitting there, felt connected to her son who was secretly praying in the camp. Upon his release in the early 90's and then being able to practice his religion freely, the man had such a beautiful attitude to others. He didn't care if you were Muslim, Christian or other faith, he just wanted to live in freedom and love others. There were not many dry eyes in the group by the end of his story. It brought home how brutal the communist regime was, but also the religious tolerance that is now exemplified throughout Albania. Religion is practised but it doesn't divide their society, in fact their ability to worship religion in freedom is a powerful unifier across the country. Gjirokaster which is a wonderful and beautiful village. The view from the hotel across the valley was amazing and only surpassed by the view from the hotel in Kruja! Driving through the mountains was very inspirational and the views were consistently breath taking. In Berat some of the group were fortunate enough to eat a local restaurant that was just the courtyard behind the host, Lili's house. The food was amazing and he was a fantastic host. It was a wonderful experience.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Klodi was a great group leader and very knowledgeable. In the majority of places we visited he was the one to give us the tours and tell us the history of the different places and had a wealth of knowledge on Albania. The drivers on the tour were all friendly and the journeys were largely comfortable on some difficult roads.
Advice for Potential Travellers
It is advisable to take some bug spray with you as I didn't have any and got a few bites. Whilst the country does accept Euros and Lek, it was only really the more touristy places that seemed to want Euros. From the start we were advised to get Lek and this worked well. There are so many places to change money in Tirana so it was very easy to do and there are lots of ATM's across the country. Some members of the group either arrived in Tirana a day or two earlier, or stayed on for a day or two after. This is a good idea to consider to give yourself more time to do the things that there aren't time to do on the tour. Think about the time of the year that is best for you to do this trip. I had originally planned to do it in July but given how steep some of the roads are when walking around and getting up to castles etc. the heat of that month would have been quite unpleasant. I ended up going in late September when the temperature was consistently in the mid 20's which was very pleasant. It is cooler up in the mountains however so another thing to consider.
Highlights of Albania
Great that the itinerary took us all around this beautiful, mountainous country. So much to keep your attention even on the longest bus journeys. The Albanians are very friendly people and always smiling and saying hello. All hotels were excellent, apart from the one on our last night. It was a bit too hot for most of the time, especially when having to climb in full sunshine! Nice and cool though by Lake Ohrid in Pogradec and I managed a swim there. The only swim included in the itinerary in a hot spring, however, was very disappointing for me. No shade, far too many people in a very slimy and rocky pool, so difficult to get in and out. I hadn’t realised that there was so much Greek and Roman history and ancient sites in the country so that was very special for me – particularly in Butrint National Park and Apollonia. We visited many museums, most were interesting but there were too many for me, so sometimes I decided to give them a miss. Photography is very important for me and there was so much to photograph everywhere we went.
Most Inspirational Moment
We had one inclusive lunch and it was at the home of a lovely family in the village of Dhoksat. The food was absolutely delicious and just kept coming .. finishing with an amazing dessert. A fantastic treat! Also loved all the ancient sites. So happy to have 2 nights at an amazing family-run hotel in Berat. Managed a lot of walks on my own there, and the best was when I left the hotel at 0640 as it was so cool at that time of day!
Thoughts on Group Leader
Arjan was an excellent guide. He knew so much about every place we visited. Also very calm and very friendly. As was our driver, Genti.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I would recommend getting up and out early, especially when it is so hot. I did a lot of special pre and post breakfast walks on my own.
Interesting insight to Albania
This was a good trip which covered the main highlights of Albania. It is interesting to see how the country is progressing and developing in the last few decades since the fall of communism and regional troubles.
Most Inspirational Moment
Really enjoyed the drives through the mountains and stopping for lunch at the working farm. Interesting castles to visit and I really enjoyed the icon museum.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Our group leader Ilir was excellent. He gave great talks and information on the history of Albania and it was interesting to hear about life during the communist era which he lived through himself. He took great care of everyone. Also our driver Kujtimi was excellent and felt save throughout the trip.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Bring some shoes with grips as there are a few walks with cobbles and a short walk in the forest. There are plenty of ATMs and exchanges for money and they will take Euro in most hotelsrestaurants. Plenty of veg and salads for vegetarians.
Fantastic tour in an amazing country
This was my first Exodus trip and it exceeded my expectations. I really enjoyed the different aspects of the trip from swimming in the lake in Pogradec (and eating local korani trout afterwards), to the icon museum in Berat, from the walk in Llogora to the Mirahori mosque visit in Korça. Albania is a fascinating country and I enjoyed exploring it with like-minded individuals who were great fun. I found hotel accommodation very good (single supplement basis).
Most Inspirational Moment
Difficult to say as there were several. The moment when we witnessed the call to prayer at the Mirahori mosque in Korçë, or possibly swimming in the lake in Pogradec, or maybe the last evening sampling raki and local cheese while listening to a young local musician playing the accordion.
Thoughts on Group Leader
I liked the group leader Gerti very much - he had a great sense of humour and we had some great laughs. He provided us with a great introduction to Albania and was very knowledgeable. I was very grateful for his help ensuring I stayed in the same room for my extra night in Krujë at the end of the trip. His style was to recommend restaurants rather than accompany everyone and I thought it worked well as it gave you the opportunity to make the most of your free time and interact with locals. There was the occasional lapse when it wasn't clear how long we had in a particular short stop but nothing really serious. I also thought he was kind looking out for any group members who struggled on the steep cobbled roads.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I recommend arriving early in Tirana to have more time to explore - I arrived the night before and had almost a whole day to explore places not included on the tour. It's a great city to explore on foot and apart from general wandering I really enjoyed visiting the National Art Gallery which included an Ottoman period exhibition but also featured many communist era paintings. Also I recommend taking walking shoes with a closed toe for the mini-hike in Llogora which was great!). I managed fine with walking sandals with a good grip but it is quite stoney in parts so shoes would be better.
Excellent tour of a less-known country
The trip was packed with interesting and ‘must-see’ visits and activities, but there was still enough time to relax, explore independently, and try the wonderful locally grown food. Mediterranean climate and food. Mountains, fertile plains, and freshwater lakes, natural springs and the sea to swim in. Welcoming, relaxed and friendly people, a fair level of comfort but not ‘touristy’ – Albania is a great place to holiday!
Most Inspirational Moment
Swimming in Lake Ohrid one morning, and being nibbled by fish (ok, I had eaten 3 of their relatives the night before...) Listening to a young and talented student musician playing the piano accordion for us, at a raki and cheese sampling at Kruja Castle. Proper Italian-style icecream every day, only 30p a scoop, loads of flavours.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Klodian was a great tour leader. I feel he had a good balance between introducing us to the country, giving us information and tour guiding, and letting us take things in for ourselves. There were some challenging group dynamics on our trip, something I have not come across on such trips before, and he dealt with it very calmly and professionally, with great patience. He earned my respect for this.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take some comfortable shoes with a good grip, and possibly a trekking pole for balance if needed. There is a lot of walking on slippery polished cobblestone slopes and hillsides, particularly if you want to go off and explore independently.
Interesting Cultural Trip
A very well balanced trip with visits to UNESCO World Heritage sites, free time to explore our own personal preference areas and introductions to Albanian culture.
Most Inspirational Moment
Exploring and eating local dishes in restaurants with a view in Berat.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Very average actually but I believe this was his first tour for Exodus. He led our tour straight after finishing one for another company and planned to start another group within an hour of ending ours. His timings didn't work out however and we had to have a replacement Tour Leader from the last night and for the final day - our replacement Leader was fanrastic - so professional, spoke excellent English and did extras to make our holiday special.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be aware that there are more hours of small coach travel than is stated in the write-up. It was lovely to see the countryside though and all travel was broken up with visits to intetesting places.