Vjosa River Expedition
- 7 days
- Montenegro and Albania
- Intermediate
- 3 - 8
- Apr - Jun + Sep
Summary
Experience the ultimate Balkan adventure with our 5-day, 100 km packraft & kayak expedition through Vjosa river national park in Albania.
Discover incredible landscapes, history, and vibrant culture, meet locals & feel their hospitality as you paddle down the magnificent Vjosa, ending at the Adriatic Sea. Camp in surreal locations, surrounded by the majestic mountain ranges and beautiful villages.
Don’t miss out on this chance and be one of very few people that followed Vjosa from mountains to-sea.
Book your spot now and immerse yourself in inspiring landscapes and local hospitality and simplicity that will leave you breathless.
Itinerary
On all the paddling days will set off after breakfast,. Lunch will be on the go and will consist mainly of high energy snacks to sustain you during the paddling. We always select accommodation/camp sites in the logistically most convenient locations depending of our fittnes, water level and other factors.. However, if the bookings are made for high season or at short notice, the preferred accommodation/campsite, from our itinerary may not be available. In this instance we find the best alternative of a similar standard.
Highlights
- Extraordinary paddling adventure at the firts river national park in the world,
- Explore remote areas & villages, enjoy the local food, and experience wild camping at the riverside
- Suitable for adventurous, nature and history enthusiasts seeking a unique Balkan experience
- Once-in-a-lifetime journey combining outdoor adventure, cultural immersion, and stunning scenery
What's included?
What's not included
What to bring
What's included?
- Fully guided packrafting – kayaking holiday
- Experienced bilingual (Montenegrin and English) guides
- 6 nights’ accommodation (tent or lake houses)
- All food – 6 breakfasts, 6 dinners and snacks
What's not included
- Airport pick up & drop off
- Flights
- Insurance
What to bring
- Appropriate clothing for camping in the evening
- Swimwear
- Towel
- Aqua shoes/sandals
- Sunscreen, sun hat, sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Sleeping bag and mat
- A plate/bowl, a cup and a spork
Day 1: Arrival
The meeting point for this adventure is Tepelene town down south towards to the border with Greece . Aproximetly 2 hours drive from Tirana airport.
During the afternoon you’ll have time to get your gear packed and get ready for our expedition to the sea. Also we will hopefully use the chance to jump in the hot spring in Permet village and walk in the afternoon.
On the first night with us we will have a group dinner and you will stay in a one of the guesthouses in Tepelene.
Day 2: Memaliaj - Leshnje
After breakfast, we will get the gear ready and there is a short drive to our departure point, Memaliaj village on the eponymous Vjosa RIver.
From our departure point, we will meander along Vjosa, paddling all the way down towards to the remote areas ahead. We will set up our camp on the bank of the river , next to Leshnje were will spend the night under the sairy sky . On the first paddle day, we will paddle approximately 16 km
Day 3: Lesnje - Kute
From Leshnje , we will cross the small canyon and the place where there was a hydro power project started , but luckily baned by locals and different ngo, heading towards to our maybe even favourite spot in an old and picturesque village, Kute where we will meet our local friends, make a camping fire and enjoy another beautifull night in the national park.
On the second paddling day, we will kayak approximately 16 km
Day 4: Kute - Mesarak
After a morning swim, we will continue our expedition, along the widest section of the river valley. This is the day where we have the biggest chance of seeing some of the birds. We will paddle trough many small channels that are cutting the valley . We will make a pit stops to speak with the fisherman’s and shepherds next to the river and maybe even try to fish and get ourselves dinner from the river. We will find another nice camping spot next to the river.
On the third paddling day, we will kayak approximately 20 – 25 km.
Day 5: Mesarak - Ada
In the fifth morning of our remarkable journey , we will complete the final stretch of the “wild & wide” Vjosa valley coming closer to the sea where river gets bigger and closer to civilization but still beautiful like up to here.
Here we will set up the camp on the border between Fier and Vlore county at the shepards land, hoping to here them singing some traditional Albanian folk songs while keeping the sheeps on going back home after all day fiesta.
On the fourth paddling day, we will kayak approximately 15 km.
Day 6: Ada - Adriatic Sea
On our final and longest paddling day, we will at first place swap packrafts to kayaks and head downriver back towards Adriatic sea. We will reach the mouth of the River Vjosa, which is 60 m wide with wonderfully fresh and clean watert. After all, this destination has been the whole aim of our trip, but it also means that our adventure is almost over!
Our final destination is long sandy beach . Here we will soak up the sun, swim and relax in the Adriatic Sea. On our final night, we will stay by the beach in one of the nearby huest houses scattered along the estuary.
On the fifth paddling day, we will kayak approximately 37 km.
Day 7: Departure
Breakfast on the beach and the morning swim on the last day of our extraordinary expedition before returning back home we will pay a visit to Berat town (UNESCO World Heritage site for lunch and a short walk
. If you’d prefer to
If you are staying longer in Albania you can always join us us on another adventure 😊
We spent a day packrafting in the Tara Canyon with Mio.
It was a wonderful experience!!
Our guide, Mio, had a very educational approach for our first packrafting experience, which was safe and enjoyable!
The equipment was of very high quality.
Mio has a very respectful approach to nature, which we loved.
And as a bonus, the lunch was excellent, with wraps and muffins made with local products 😋
The river was MAGNIFICENT 😍
It was a wonderful experience!!
Our guide, Mio, had a very educational approach for our first packrafting experience, which was safe and enjoyable!
The equipment was of very high quality.
Mio has a very respectful approach to nature, which we loved.
And as a bonus, the lunch was excellent, with wraps and muffins made with local products 😋
The river was MAGNIFICENT 😍
Our half-day packrafting excursion was exceptional! The boats are very easy to maneuver for beginners and we go at our own pace, in the magnificent setting of the Tara River! Mio and his friend are very professional, super helpful and friendly! The picnic is homemade (and the cook deserves to open his own restaurant)! To do without hesitation!!
We did a half-day packrafting trip. It was an incredible experience. I highly recommend it.
Miodrag and his colleague are very kind and professional. They provided excellent advice and were extremely friendly. The lunch break in the great outdoors was very pleasant. We had a great time.
Thank you to the team. Everything was perfectly mastered and very accessible thanks to the explanations.
Miodrag and his colleague are very kind and professional. They provided excellent advice and were extremely friendly. The lunch break in the great outdoors was very pleasant. We had a great time.
Thank you to the team. Everything was perfectly mastered and very accessible thanks to the explanations.
We did a day of packrafting with them and it was incredible. They were very attentive, everything was well-prepared, and the Tara landscape is a spectacle of nature and colors. I would definitely recommend it to everyone.
Dear Mio and Mirco,
Thank you so much for this fantastic experience and for showing us the wonderful nature of Montenegro! Please take good care of it. Our heartfelt thanks!
Thank you so much for this fantastic experience and for showing us the wonderful nature of Montenegro! Please take good care of it. Our heartfelt thanks!
I’ve now been on two trips with Balkan Adventures, the Lake Skadar Kayak over 5-days and the Tara River Packraft 3-day trip. On both trips I’ve been blown away by both the scenery of the region and the dedication of the team. Most recently on the Tara River the guys once again beat expectations on their dedication to ensuring my party of 7 had the best experience. An amazing few days of seeing, eating, and enjoying culture which otherwise would not have been possible without the planning of the team. Thanks once again for your effort, I only hope others find you for a similar adventure!
This was my third trip with Gigo’s team and every tour has been excellent. This year myself and my husband and four sons and a girlfriend went on the four day pack rafting experience on the Tara river. The whole trip was excellently organised and the team were knowledgeable and fun. Myself and my husband ( both 60) who had never done pack rafting before enjoyed everything about the trip - the stunning scenery, learning new skills as well as very generous portions of local food! The team ensured we felt safe at all times and that we had an excellent experience that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys nature and would like to try a new activity in a fun and safe way.
Went packrafting on the Tara River, and it was absolutely incredible. The guides were fantastic, and the canyon was incredibly untouched. It was such a unique experience and I’d absolutely recommend.
We had a super day packrafting on the Tara river with Manu, he was a fantastic guide, the group was small and the route was beautiful and not too difficult for our first time packrafting, but there were still plenty of fun sections of rapids!
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