Sondor travel in Albania 2014 brochure

e-mail: [email protected]

Welcome to Sondor travel

thank you for taking the time to read through this message. at Sondor we have a continuous passion to show the best of the Balkan region to seasoned travellers. In this brochure we have included a range of tours that help you explore and submerse in the diversity of cultures throughout this region. our experience of more than 20 years in tourism is reflected at best in the way we handle each service or tour. We like to work with those suppliers that share the same way of thinking as us. that’s why our tourguides and service providers are the best one in the business.

our selection of Walking tours which ranges from moderate to challenging will bring you to the most interesting parts of northern albania. We hike through alpine Pastures and sleep in shepherd’s huts. no other travel company is doing that in albania. our trails are not explored by others so that’s why our Walking tours will be the most memorable experience you will find in albania.

our cultural tours explore the most part of the Balkan. We travel through albania, Greece, macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia, croatia and montenegro. every tour is thought in minimal details so that we can help you get the most of every place through which we travel.

If we still haven’t created the perfect tour for you please send us an e-mail and we will come up with the best tai-lor-made solution.

I hope this brochure will be able to stir your desire to ex-plore our region.

Sadik malaj Sondor travel ceo & Founder


aBoUt USSondor travel has been providing travel services and products to a wide range of companies and individuals since 1991. Sondor was created by Sadik malaj after albania became a democratic country. during communism he worked as director for the national tourism organisation in northern albania and when albania became a free country he opened his own travel agency.

the name “Sondor” is a composition of 2 names Sonja and dorien, the children of Sadik. In time Sondor has focused itself as an Inbound tour operator providing services and managing destinations such as in albania, macedonia, Kosovo, montenegro and Bosnia Herzegovina.

We like to share with everyone what we know about the region, this is why we offer a diverse kind of tours not only in albania but in the neighbouring countries as well. Some of the most interesting tours we make are the Walking tours in northern albania and cultural tours in the Balkan region. We believe that this part of the Balkan has a lot to discover and Sondor travel always strives to bring the best of the region to those who are still looking for perfect holiday adventures.

Sondor eXPerIence

For us it is very important to have a safe and secure drive. We want our clients to have the best driving experience. thats why our drivers are chosen based on their driving experience around the Balkan, their ability to always impart a positive atmosphere in the group and their care for the vehicle. our drivers are well trained and have an extensive information about the region as well so you can always count on their advice.

local transportationWe always use for our groups the best restaurants in town which include traditional menus as well so that everyone can have a taste of the local cuisine. variety is a must, that’s why we keep on creating menus that reflect the local atmosphere and quality of food making the local experience a memorable one. our restaurants selection have a good reputation for reliability and good food and are known for their desire to do the best for our clients.

local cousine

our hotels offer the best balance between price, qual-ity and service. many of them are managed by families where the atmosphere is really intimate and full of character. For our Walking trips in albania we stay in shepherd huts situated in the alpine pastures. It is really an amazing experience. the location and freedom to move around is as well important for us, so we carefully have selected hotels from where you can easily access the main points of interest on foot.

accommodationthey have a great knowledge and insight about the region, so they show you how to get the most of your trip. they are very friendly and know how to relate to the group. our guides always bring their own stories and perspective when sharing their information about the region so you will not feel like you are skimming through the cultural surface of the country. they are able to understand the needs of the group and respond accordingly.

our tourguides


WHY cHooSe Sondor

We spend a lot of time personally knowing in depth and continually upgrading our selection of accom-modation facilities, restaurants, transportation and guides we work with. this has helped us know exactly what to offer to different requests we pro-cess every day. as an inbound tour operator we feel secure and appreciative on the network of partners knowing that we are providing the best solutions to the customers needs.

regional expertise

We like to focus on the value of our products and services and we do our best to ensure top quality in everything we provide. this has helped us stay ahead of the other regional travel companies and built a relationship based on trust with our clients. We are constantly committed to find the best hotel, restau-rant, transportation and tourguides within a certain price range so that our clients will always have the best possible solutions concerning their trips.

Better value

We like to have a lasting relationship with our new and old partners as well as with individual clients. this is why we continually improve the same product or ser-vice provided to a specific client in time. Be it a region-al tour or a specific service provided, we will always think how to make it better.

continual Improvement of Services

We want to achieve the maximum and satisfy every client who buys our services. We know that the expe-rience they had will be a lasting one if it is positive. We know as well that by providing the best experi-ence we can help our partner travel companies be more confident in our products in the future.

customer Satisfaction

Historical and archeological Sites amazing places to explore

the albanian culture and history as one of the oldest in the Balkan Peninsula deriving from the Illyrians and arberesh comes through generations full of authenticity and richness.

Itinerary: day 01 tirana. the tourist group arrives in the mother theresa airport. transfer to tirana by bus. Guided visits in: Scanderbeg Square, ethem-Beu mosque, ex-residential area “the Block”, Pyramid, Historical parts of tirana, tabak’s Bridge, Historic museum etc. overnight in tiranaday 2 Berat. departure to Berat- on the way to Berat we make a stop in durres to visit the roman amphitheatre - In Berat we visit the castle Berat, onufri museum and the etnographic museum. overnight in Berat. day 3 vlora. departure to the city of vlora. en route visit ardenica monastery the archeo-logical center of apolloni and the monastery. visit the Flag Square in vlora and free time to swim. overnight in vlora. day 04 Saranda. drive to Saranda through llogara, Himara, Borsh-time to swim and lunch in Himara. visit Porto Palermo castle. Guided tour in the archeological site of Butrinti. overnight in Saranda. day 5 Gjirokastër. travel to Gjirokaster and visit. Shen Koll monastery-mesopotam and Syri i Kalter. visit of old center Gjirokastra, time-off– overnight in Gjirokastra. day 06 Korça. travel to Korça - visit the ali Pasha castle in tepelene. Picnic in the green near erseka (on group expenses). Walk through the old city. dinner at the hotel -overnight in Korcaday 7 Kruja. departure from Korça to Kruja - visit the lin village and lin’s mosaic. Scenic route along Shkumbin-valley - visit Petrela castle- visit the Historical center of tirana.- dinner at the hotel. overnight in Kruja. day 8 Shkodër. departure to Shkoder and visit rozafa castle in Shkoder. Free time in the center of Shkoder - lunch in Shkoder on group expences. visit Shengjin beach for swimming (time permitting). overnight in Krujaday 9 Krujë. visit the old bazaar and castle of Kruje as well as the ethnographic museum. transfer to mother theresa airport.

details

• experience the new face of tirana• admire the architecture of Berat and Gjirokastra• dive in the crystal clear waters of the Ionian Sea • Soak up the atmosphere of Korca, the city of serenata

and carnival • live up thousand of years of Butrint and Shkodra history.

dUratIon: 9 days GroUP SIZe: min 12 pax accommodatIon: 3-4 stars hotel for 8 nights BB in dbl room and in sngl room mealS: 8 nights. tranSPort: for 9 days aSSIStance: by the travel agen-cy for all days of stay in albania.


round trip albania meet the most hospitable people

albania is rich in history and art. We will tour the whole country to visit several castles important to the albanian history especially because they helped the independence of albania in different periods of time. visits in the archeological sites will deepen your understanding of the historical and cultural past of the country. the art of frescos will give you another insight into the develop-ment of christianity in these regions.full of au-thenticity and richness.

Itinerary: day 1 tirana: arrival at rinas airport – transfer to tirana to visit the center and national Historic museum. dinner. overnight in tirana. day 2 vlora. Breakfast in tirana – excursion to vlora, stop on midway and visit monastery ar-denica near lushnja. arrival in vlora (accommodation). dinner (tirana- vlora city 140 km). overnight in vlora. day 03 Saran-da. Breakfast in vlora, excursion to Saranda through llogara pass, Himara – Porto Palermo. arrival and accommodation in Saranda. visit the ancient city of Butrint. (vlora – Saranda 124 km). overnight in Saranda. day 4 Gjirokastra to Berat. Break-fast in Saranda, excursion to Berat through Gjirokastra (Unesco Heritage site). arrival in Berat (museum city), accommodation. after lunch a visit to the castle,churches and “onufri” museum in the castle,(Saranda – Berat 200 km). overnight in Berat. day 5 apolonia - durrës. Breakfast in Berat.travel to apolonia ancient city through Fieri town. the excursion goes further to durres city where we will be accommodated. visit the ancient amphitheater. (Berat – Fier – durres 100 km). overnight in dur-res.day 6 Shkodra: Breakfast in durres - excursion to Shkodra. Stop and visit to lezha- Skanderbeg grave ,arrival to Shkodra. First a visit to “rosafat” castle and accommodation. during dinner a concert with folk music in Shkodra restaurant. (durres – Shkodra 115 km). overnight in Shkodra. day 7 Kruja - tirana. Breakfast in Shkodra - after a sightseeing in the town around the lake of Shkodra the grup goes for excursion to Kruja and tirana. In Kruja visit the street and Skanderbeg-museum in the castle with the same name. lunch in the castle and back to tirana. accomoda-tion in the hotel (dinner, overnight) (Shkodra -Kruja -tirana 100 km). overnight in tirana. day 8 airport. Breakfast in tirana – transfer to mother theresa airport. departure.

details

• explore the art of frescos, • discover the ottoman cities, visit the biggest archeologi-

cal site being excavated in europe - Butrinti, • taste the albanian cuisine.

dUratIon: 8 days GroUP SIZe: min 12 pax accom-modatIon: tirane (2),vlore(1),Sarande(1),Berat(1),dur-res(1),Shkodra(1)-7 nights HB toUr GUIde: for 8 days tranSPort: for 8 days. aSSIStance: by the travel agency for all days of stay in albania.

albania to macedonia

explore the beauties of this two countries

From the curative sands of velipoja to the lively streets of ohrid, albania and macedonia offer an interesting mixture of culture, history tradition and delicious cuisine. We have the chance to tour most of albania and eastern part of macedonia. We will swim in the adriatic coast, enjoy the pan-orama of the albanian Highlands, get immersed in the history and culture of ohrid, Berat, Gjiro-

Itinerary: day 1 durrës. arrival in mother theresa airport. trav-el to durrës where we can visit one of the biggest roman am-phitheaters in the Balkan dating back to 2nd century ad and holding about 15 000 spectators. day 2 Berat - vlora. Guided visit in the archeological center of apollonia renowned for its school of philosophy during the 1st century. today there are is still a larger part of the site to be excavated. our next visit is Berat enlisted in UneSco World Heritage sites for its interesting architecture and religious tolerance. day 3 vlora - Sarandë. Guided visit in vlora, the city where the albanian In-dependence was proclaimed in 1912. We reach Sarandë in the afternoon. day 4 Sarandë. travel to the archeological center of Butrint, one of the most visited sites of albania.Butrinti is one of the most preserved and restored archeological sites in al-bania. day 5 Gjirokastër - Korçë. visit Gjirokastër known for its impressive architecture and cobbled streets. our next stop is Korça the city of serenades. day 6 ohrid. our visits continue in Saint naum monastery and the Byzantine churches of ohrid, Unesco World Heritage Site. day 7 elbasan - tirana. travel to elbasan to see the castle built by Sultan mehmet II and King mosque on of the oldest in albania. In tirana we visit the na-tional Historic museum where we can have a comprehensive look on the albanian History. day 8 Kruja - airport. Kruja was the chief town of our national Hero Scanderbeg, an important albanian leader of the 15 century. We can learn more about his history in Kruja museum. after the museum we can have free time for shopping in the Bazaar a beautiful cobbled street with lots of souvenirs to buy. travel to mother theresa airport and departure.

details

• visit the colorful churches of Berat and ohrid• learn more on the art of Iconography in Korca and

ardenica• enjoy the panorama from St. Jovan caneo church in ohrid• learn about the greek and roman culture in apollonia

dUratIon: 8 days, GroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 7 nights in 3 stars hotels HB. durrës 1 night, vlorë 1 night, Sarandë 2 nights, Korçë 1 night, ohrid 1 night,tiranë 1 night, mealS: 7 dinners, 1 lunchtranSPort: 8 days by minibus, toUr GUIde: 8 days


communist albania a different view of albania

albania was one of the most closed countries in europe and communism regime was cruel to the people. learn about how albanians used to live during this time . See how the albanian army protected itself from supposed invaders and what type of technology they used. Hear the stories about “Sigurimi” , the albanian secret service for the time.

Itinerary: day 1 Shëngjin. arrival of the group in the mother theresa International airport – transfer from the airport – accommodation at the hotel in lezha – free time in Shengjin beach – dinner. overnight: Shengjin. day 2 durrës. visit the fortification in lezha and the burial place of Scanderbeg – visit the ex-military Gjader airport near lezha –visit Kruja castle- ar-rival in durres – accommodation in hotel – dinner. overnight: durres. day 3 durrës - vlora. Breakfast in durrës – visit the mili-tary base – improvise a military exercise using weapons – con-tinue in the direction of vlora – visit the archaeological centre of apollonia – arrival in vlora – accommodation in hotel – dinner. overnight: vlora. day 4 vlora to Butrint. Breakfast in vlora – visit the Pashaliman naval base (the submarines base) – continue through the coastline visiting llogara, Himara,and the other villages. In borsh we will have a short break for lunch. We resume traveling to Saranda and accommodate in the hotel. overnight: Saranda. day 5 Saranda - Butrint. Break-fast in Saranda - visit the archaeological centre of Butrint and lekures castle – dinner. overnight: Saranda. day 6 Saranda to Berat. Breakfast in Saranda – begin the journey to Berat – visit the castle in Gjirokastra – visit tepelena castle – arrival in Berat – accommodation in hotel – dinner. overnight: Berat. day 7 Berat to tirana Breakfast in Berat – visit the castle of Berat and the fortified military bases – arrival in tirana – accommoda-tion in hotel – visit tirana – dinner. overnight: tirana day 8 tirana – airport. Breakfast in tirana – visit the city – free time – transfer to the mother theresa International airport.end of the trip

details

• dive into communist past of albania• visit old military bases • experience the leadership paranoia in one of the 700 000

bunkers built in albania.

dUratIon: 8 days, GroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 3 stars hotels HB for 7 nights, Shengjin (1), durres(1), vlora (1), Saranda (2), Berati (1), tirana (1)tranSPort: 8 days by minibus, toUr GUde: 8 days. aSSIStance: by our agency during all days of stay in albania.

albania to Kosovo unique places, unique people

many don’t know that albania and Kosovo have many similarities like the same language, belong to the same ethnic group and have similar cul-tures. We explore the vibrant cities of tirana and Prishtina, experience the local hospitality, visit the well preserved monasteries and churches of decan and Peja, learn about the history of alba-nians in Kruja and Prizren, admire the ottoman architecture and atmosphere of Gjirokastra and Gjakova

Itinerary: day 1 tirana. transfer from mother theresa airport – visit the Historic museum. day 02 tirana. city tour in tirana – visit the ex- communist residential area – house of enver Hoxha (former dictator ) – underground tunnels. day 03 tirana - dur-rës - Berat.visit the city of Krujë and castle of Scanderbeg, dur-rës and the roman amphitheatre, visit the castle of Berat. day 04 Berat – Fier – vlorë. visit Berat and the ex - textile mill “mao ce dun”. continue to the archeological center of apollonia in Fier. day 05 vlora – orikum – Porto Palermo – Sarandë. We start in vlorë to visit the square where the Independence of albania was proclaimed in 1912. another interesting archeological site is the old city of orik dating back to 4th century Bc. day 06 Saranda – Butrint – Gjirokastër. visit the archeological center of Butrint one of the most visited sites in albania. In Gjirokastër we visit the house of enver Hoxha. day 07 Gjirokastër. visit the castle of Gjirokastra and Weapons museum, visit the house of the renowned writer Ismail Kadare. day 08 Gjirokastër to Shkodër. visit the castle of ali Pasha in tepelena and rozafa cas-tle in Shkodër. day 09 Shkodër to Kosovë. drive to Kosovo and visit the infamous prison of Spac. Pass the border with Kosovo and accommodate in Prizren. day 10 Prizren to Pejë. visit the albanian league of Prizren and ottoman bazaar in Gjakovë. travel to deçan to visit the Serbian monastery. day 11 Pejë to Prishtina. visit the historic center of Peja, excursion in rugova canyon, visit the memorial of resistance in Prekaz. day 12 Prishtina – mitrovica. take a walk in the center of Prishtina then continue to mitrovica and visit the dividing bridge between the albanians and Serbian communities. day 13 Prishtina to Ferizaj. visit the Gadima cave in Janjevëa nd continue the journey to Ferizaj to visit the american military camp “Bondstill”. day 14 Prishtina. Free time – tranfer to Prishtina airport. departure

details

• Wander in the beautiful bazaars • Be enchanted by the well preserved monasteries• admire the medieval mosques• learn about the independence of Kosovo

dUratIon: 14 days, GroUP SIZe: min 15 paxaccommodatIon: 3 star hotel HB, 2 nights in tirana, 1 night in Berat, 1 night in vlora, 1 night in Saranda, 2 nights in Gjirokastra, 1 night in Shkodra, 1 night in Prizren, 1 night in Peja, 3 nights in Prishtina, so in total 13 nights HB. , tranSPort: 14 days by minibus. aSSIS-tance: by our agency for 14 days


10 days in Balkans 5 countries to see

Southwest Balkan has been relatively unknown for many travelers before 20 years. Beside emerging problems after the dissolving of ex -Yugoslavia and fall of communism there are a lot of good thing to know and explore in this part of the Balkan.

Itinerary: day 1 tirana, albania. learn about the albanian cap-ital, tirana and visit Scanderbeg Square - et’hem Bey mosque and the Block.day 2 tirana - Kruja. visit the national Historic museum to know better the albanian historic past. lunch in marikaj village agritourist center. We meet with Hajdar and learn about the his initiatives in agritourism. travel to Kruja and visit Scanderbeg’s museum dedicated to the medieval albanian leader. In the afternoon travel to rubik village for a fantastic evening. day 3 rubik - Kosovo. visit the Prizren known for its rich cultural diversity and Sinan Pasha mosque. In Gjakova walk through its old bazaar, the biggest in Kosovo. arrival in Prishtinë the capital of Kosovo. day 4 Prishtinë -Pejë. visit the Serbian orthodox Patriarchate and rugova Gorge. lunch and dinner in Pejë. day 5 Pejë - Sarajevo. (Bosnia).meet the locals. dinner and accom-modation in Sarajevo (Bosnia). day 6 Sarajevo.visit the center, Bashcarshija, mosque, bezistani. continue to visoko and visit the pyramids of visoko. lunch in Fojnica. arrive in Sarajevo. dinner with live music. accommodation in Sarajevo (Bosnia). day 7 Sarajevo - mostar. visit Jablanica, a symbol of World War II. visit mostar - old Bridge. lunch in the resort center of Blagaj (a bektashi tekkie). visit mexhugorje and the church of St. mary. dinner and accommodation in mostar (Bosnia). day 8 mostar - dubrovnik (croatia). visit the old town. dinner and accommo-dation in Budva, montengero. day 9 Budva. visit the old town and learn more about this coastal city, then travel to Kotor. on the way visit Sv. Stefan. In Kotor we visit the old town part of Unesco Heritage sites.dinner and accommodation in Budva (montengero). day 10. Budva - cetinje - Fly back from Podgori-ca, montenegro.

details

• learn about the past of these countries• visit Unesco heritage sites• discover a rich culture • enjoy impressive landscapes

dUratIon: 10 days, GroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 3 star hotel HB, 2 nights in albania, 2 nights in Kosovo, 2 nights in Bosnia Herzegovina, 2 nights in montenegro. mealS: Included 6 lunches and 5 dinners. tranSPort: 10 days toUr GUIde: 10 daysaSSIStance: agency assistance for all days of stay in the region.

albania - Kosovo - macedoniaalbania boast of its wonderful nature, local hos-pitality, and Unesco heritage sites. macedonia is well known for the great people that lived there such as alexander the Great and mother theresa. Kosovo as the newest independent country in europe hides in itself a rich cultural and religious diversity. Be ready to be enchanted by these im-pressive cultures

Itinerary: day 1 Krujë - rubik. arrival in mother theresa airport, albania and transfer to rubik to visit the 13 century church. day 2 Kosovo. We visit the towns of Prizren and Gjakova known for the diverse cultural, historical and religious past. day 3 macedonia. Before travelling to macedonia we make a visit in Pejë to visit the Serbian orthodox Patriarchate. In macedonia we visit the its capital Skopje, the birthplace of mother there-sa. day 4 Skopje - ohrid. In the morning we visit the centre of Skopje, the old ottoman bazaar, macedonia Square and mother theresa memorial House. travel to ohrid the Slavic Jerusalem known for its many Byzantine churches part of Unesco Heritage Sites. day 5 ohrid - Sv. naum. learn about Saint naum and his missionary work to during the 9th century and relax in ohrid. day 6 ohrid - elbasan, albania. travel to albania to visit elbasan and the medieval castle built by Sultan mehmet II during the 15 century. continue to Berat to learn about the city of one upon another windows part of Unesco World Heritage list. visit the castle dating back 4 century Bc and onufri museum. day 7 apolonia - vlorë. visit apollonia founded in the 6 century Bc known for it school of philosophy. In vlorë we visit the Flag Square to know more about the independence of albania in 1912. day 8 durrës - tirana. visit the roman amphitheatre built in the 2nd century a.d which could hold about 15 000 specta-tors. travel to tirana, the capital of albania. Founded in 1614 ti-rana’s architecture is influenced by its ottoman past and Italian style of the 30’s. day 9 Krujë. visit the chief town of Scanderbeg and museum dedicated to this medieval albanian leader. day 10 tiranë. Free time for shopping. depart to the airport.

details

• experience local hospitality• taste the delicious cuisine• visit Unesco heritage sites• See the birthplace of mother theresa

dUratIon: 10 days, GroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 3 or 4 star hotel HB , 1 night in rubik, 1 night in Gjakovë, 1 night in Skopje, 2 nights in ohrid, 1 night in Berat, 1 night in vlorë, 2 nights in tiranëmealS InclUded: 9 dinners and 1 lunch. tranSPort: 10 days by minibus.toUr GUIde: 10 days. aSSIStance: by our agency during all days of stay in the region


albanian coast relax & enjoy the summer

albania boast of its stunning beaches. Whether you like sandy beaches or rocky beaches you can find it all in albania. the seafood is fresh, delicious and priced very well. You will love the atmosphere especially in the beginning and end of the summer season.

Itinerary: day 1 Shkodër. enter albania through muriqan border checkpoint. visit Shkodër and apollonia archeological site. In the afternoon arrival in vlorë a city dating back to 6th century Bc. day 2 vlorë - radhimë. We visit narta lagoon and Zvërnec island. the rest of the day we relax and swim in the turquoise waters of Ionian sea. day 3 vlorë - Saranda. Breakfast:vlorë - We depart to the city of Saranda passing through llogara, Himara, Borsh and finally to Saranda where will be accommodated. overnight: Saranda. day 4 Saranda – Butrint. Breakfast Sarande today we will visit the archeological and cultural centers of Butrint, Ksamil, lekures and Syri i Kalter. overnight: Saranda. day 5 Saranda. visit the city of Saranda – the rest of the day is at leisure in Saranda beach. overnight: Saranda. day 6 Saranda to durrës Breakfast: Saranda. return to the city of durres – on our way back will visit the city of Gjirokaster and Berat as well as castles and the museums of the cities. In the afternoon we arrive in durres. the remainder of the day is at leisure overnight: durres. day 7 durrës. visit the city of durrës, the rest of the day is at leisure in the beach of durres. overnight: durres. day 08 tirana - Kruja. We will be visiting today the cities of tirana and Kruja where will see different historic and archeologic sites as well as other attractions of these cities. overnight: durres. day 09 durrës. the tourist group travels to the airport.departure.

details

• enjoy the sunset in Zvernec• Swim in crystal clear waters of Ionian sea,• Soak up the quiet atmosphere of the beach in southern

albania • experience the amazing view of the coast from llogara

national park

dUratIon: 9 days, GroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 3 stars hotels HB for 8 nights. 2 nights in vlorë, 2 nights in Saranda, 3 nights in durrës.toUr GUIde: 8 days , tranSPort: 8 daysaSSIStance: by our agency during all days of stay in albania.

UneSco heritage sites discover what is special

travel through albania, macedonia, Kosovo and montenegro and learn what makes these sites spe-cial and important to UneSco. See how the history and culture has given shape to the development of distinctive styles of architecture

day 1 tirana. Upon arrival in albania we explore tirana and the inter-esting architecture of the center. day 2 Kruja. Know more about it’s rich history and enjoy to local culinary of marikaj village agritourist center. day 3 Berat. Guided visit in durrës founded in 6 century Bc and the roman amphitheatre as one of the biggest in Balkans. day 4 visit Berat, the city of one upon another windows part of UneSco Heritage list. day 5 Guided visit in vlora the city of Independence. lunch in llogara n.P where we can enjoy albanian traditional music as well. day 6 Guided visit in Butrint archeological center and free time to relax on the beach. day 7 Half day visit to Gjirokastra enlisted as World Heritage site by UneSco. In the afternoon we travel to Përmet where we taste albanian traditional dishes.day 8 today we travel to ohrid via Greece where we will have lunch as well. day 9 ohrid is one of the oldest cities of the Balkans, an important center of the episcopal church of rome and Byzantium. lunch in Saint naum where we visit the monastery and the church as well. day 10 drive to the city of Skopje. on our way will visit tetovo, an important center of the Bektashi Sect “arabati teke”. In the afternoon we tour the city of Skopje, the old bazaar, memorial of mother theresa, aleksander the Great square. day 11 travel to Kosovo and visit Prizren a beautiful preservation of religious and cultural sites. then travel to Gjakova and visit ottoman bazaar. lunch in a traditional restaurant in Gjako-va. arrive in deçan and visit the Serbian orthodox monastery part of UneSco.accommodation in Peja. day 12 travel to montenegro and visit Kotor enlisted in UneSco. visit Podgorica the capital of monte-negro and cetinje the royal capital. accommodation in the coastal city of Budva. day 13 : visit the castle of Budva and old town. travel to albania and visit the city of Shkodra on of the most important albanian cities. day 14: Breakfast in Shkodra. visit the castle of rozafa 4 century Bc. transfer to mother theresa airport. departure.

details

• Walk through the city of “thousand steps”• admire the city of one thousand and one windows• visit the largest site being excavated in europe • Be enchanted by the Slavic Jerusalem

dUratIon: 14 days, GroUP: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: 3 or 4 star hotel HB , 2 night in tirana, 2 nights in Berat, 2 nights in Saranda, 1 night in Gjirokastra, 1 night in Pëmet, 2 nights in ohrid, 1 night in Skopje,1 night in Peja, 1 night in Budva, 1 night in Shkodër, so in total 13 nights HB . mealS InclUded: 8 lunches, 5 dinners tranSPort: 14 days by minibus. toUr GUIde: 14 days. aSSIStance: by our agency during all days of stay in the


trekking through alpine Pastures

feel the beauty and the peace of the nature

the alps of albania offer magnificent views and unexplored paths. Get in touch with the local culture and cuisine as we visit the picturesque villages. experience the adventure and have fun camping in the albanian alpine pastures.

Itinerary: day 1 rubik. travel to rubik and visit the church situated on the hilltop. Walk for 2 hours from the hotel to the nearby village. day 2 tropojë. We start driving through the scenic route of Has. Before reaching tropojë village we get off the minibus and start walking for about 4 hours. day 3 Sylbicë. today we hike toward Sylbicë alpine pasture for about 7 hours. We first get the horses loaded with our luggages which will be transported like this for 3 days. We walk thor-ough beautiful mountains and accommodate in primitive alpine huts. local hospitality will be everywhere present. day 4 Çerem. today’s walk guides us through the border between albania and montenegro passing through beautiful valleys and lakes.our destination is Çerem a remote village situated in the middle of the alps. day 5 valbonë. We start walking from Çerem village to valbona valley. our trail follows a path through rich vegetation and forests.We have a short break in rilindja guesthouse for lunch and then relax in the hotel situated in the middle of valbona valley. day 6 theth. We start driving until a certain point and then walk uphill from 900 m to about 1950 m above sea level. the most beautiful view is in valbona Pass from where we can see both valleys of valbona and theth. the view is truly magnificent. day 7 tirana. We walk mostly in gravel road and then take the minibus to tirana. the road takes us through some isolated villages and shepherd houses. Guided visit of tirana and main point of interest such as et’hem Bey mosque, Scanderberg square, ministerial build-ings and the Boulevard. day 8 airport. after enjoying some time on our own we travel to mother theresa International

details

• learn about the Illyrian culture • enjoy the scenic route Fierza-Koman by boat• experience the local culture camping in the alpine pas-

tures • taste the special dishes of northen albania.

dUratIon: 8 daysGroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: In hotels 3 nights, Guesthouses 3 nights, alpine huts 1 night. mealS InclUded: 4 lunches and 7 dinners. tranSPort: local minibus 2 days, tourist minibus 4 daystoUr GUIde: 8 days aSSIStance: by our agency during


albania active Perfect place to walk

albanian landscape although unknown to many travelers hides in itself amazing places to explore. 70 percent of the country is mountainous so there is plenty of sites and mountains to see and experi-ence.

Itinerary: day 1 tirana. arrival to “mother theresa” airport in tirana and accommodate in the hotel. day 2 Shkodër. In Shkodër we visit the renovated centre. From Shkodra to theth we travel by local minibuses. Upon arrival, we walk for about 6 hours through t’thore Pass - Sheep’s Path - theth. accommodation in the village guesthouse. day 3 valbonë. the group walks for 6 hours to valbona through valbona pass. on the way we see valbona water sources, waterfall and village of rragam. day 4 valbonë. We take on another pass today ‘White circle’, below rosi Peak for about 6 hours. return to valbonë. organised dinner with folkloric group. day 5 Kosovë. Walk along the workers trail in Quku i dunishës and visit Xhema lake for 2 hours. the journey continues as we transit albania through Kosovo. visit Gjakova, the Bazaar and in Prizren, Sinan Pasha mosque. day 6 Krujë. visit the castle and his-toric museum of Scanderbeg an important leader in the albanian history. travel to vlorë the city of the albanian Independence and visit the Flag Square. Walk in llogara n.P 1100 m above sea level for about 3 hours. day 7 radhimë - Berat. Free time on the beach of radhimë. visit apollonia archaeological center and ardenica monastery. In the afternoon we arrive in Berat and can take some time to make photos of Berat by night. day 8 Berat - tiranë. visit the castle of Berat and Byzantine museum of icons “onufri”. travel to tirana. Walk to Pellumbas cave for 2 hours. the cave is among the largest in the country. visit the historical centre of tirana and former communist block. day 9 tiranë. visit the historic museum (optional) et’hem Bey mosque. Free time. departure

details

• Stay in local guesthouses• experience the local hospitality• learn about the dinamic past of albania • explore Berat, Unesco Heritage Site. • Walk in the marvelous peaks of theth and valbona. • relax in the turquoise waters of Ionian Sea.

dUratIon: 9 daysGroUP SIZe: min 12 paxaccommodatIon: In hotels and guesthouses, HB. 2 nights in tiranë, 1 night in Krujë, 1 night in radhimë, 1 night in Berat, 1 night in theth and 2 nights in valbonë. mealS: Included 3 lunches and 3 dinners. toUr GUIde: 9 days. tranSPort: 8 days. aSSIStance: agency assis-tance for 9 daysdays of stay in the region. tranSPort: by minibus for 8 days. aSSIStance: by the travel agency during all days of stay in albania.

Travel

Sondor travel in Albania 2014 brochure