Essential Southern Balkans
Essential Southern Balkans
Essential Southern Balkans
9 Days Starting in Dubrovnik and ending in Corfu
Visiting: Dubrovnik, Dubrovnik / Kotor / Stari Bar, Tirana, Tirana / Dhermi Beach, Dhermi Beach, Blue Eye Spring / Gjirokaster, Corfu
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ZMYA
Specialist Group:
18-30 Somethings
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 16
Physical rating:
Low, Low
Age range:
18-35 years
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$1275
$1178 (USD)
Operator discount: -$64
The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$33
Tour Overview
On this nine-day journey, say hello to the Southern Balkans. Steeped in medieval history, overflowing with colourful towns and blessed with a spectacular, glistening coastline, this area of the world has so much to see and so much to do. From Dubrovnik, you’ll head to bucket list location Corfu – a Greek island where battle zones, beaches, bunkers and bars are all rolled together. Discover Stari Bar and its epicurean delights, explore the political history of Albania’s capital Tirana, lay beachside on the Albanian Riviera and try the local coffee in Gjirokaster. Is this a whirlwind adventure or a slice of paradise?
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Dubrovnik
Location: Dubrovnik
Accommodation: Hostel
Bok! Welcome to Dubrovnik. Your adventure begins in sun-kissed Croatia with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. If you arrive early, maybe head to the walled Old City through the Pile Gate drawbridge and explore the confines of this beautiful medieval-like town. The best way to explore Dubrovnik is on foot, so walk the walls of the Old City and take your time. There’s a bar on the wall to grab a drink and admire the view too. In town, there are plenty of cool eateries to grab a quick lunch of fresh seafood or take a leisurely afternoon to people-watch. If a swim is on the cards, maybe head outside the walls to a cove and dive into the azure waters of the Adriatic Sea that surround you – Suluci or Banje Beach are great for a dip.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Dubrovnik / Kotor / Stari Bar
Location: Dubrovnik / Kotor / Stari Bar
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning, hit the road to Kotor in Montenegro. Spend some free time exploring this terracotta-lined medieval town, maybe walking up Kampana Tower to see the surrounding turquoise waters and limestone cliffs or finding one of the many churches dotted around this relatively small town. Continue to Stari Bar – the old town of Bar. Stepping inside the walls, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time. Spend the night like a medieval ruler and maybe try the area's typical drink – beer or wine with pomegranate juice – before exploring the surroundings.
Optional Activities:
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Day 3: Tirana
Location: Tirana
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
This morning after breakfast, you’ll drive across the border into Albania to your next stop in Tirana. When you arrive, take a leader-led orientation walk around the city to get your bearings. Visit Bunk’Art – a history and contemporary art museum. Head through a long, dark tunnel in the hillside that leads you to the entrance, on the side of an active Albanian military base. From here, you’ll descend into 3000 square metres of underground space, originally meant as a bunker in the 1970s for Albania’s political elite. Now, it houses different exhibitions of Albanian modern history and contemporary art pieces. This afternoon, you’ll have time to explore this eclectic city at your own pace – maybe head out to the Block for drinks and swap stories with your fellow travellers.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Tirana
Location: Tirana
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Wake up without an alarm today – you’ve got the day free to explore however you wish. Maybe go where the locals go and explore the colourful street markets, spend some time wandering the city discovering its traditional cuisine or even jump on public transport to Kruja. A town with medieval charm, the ancient Albanian city is just 32 km out of Tirana. Tonight, you might like to gather your newfound travel buds and head to the Blloku neighbourhood – a hotspot for pre-dinner drinks. Then, why not treat yourself to dinner at Tirana Castle – a Byzantine time castle transformed into a trendy outdoor shopping area with plenty of restaurant options to take your fancy.
Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Tirana / Dhermi Beach
Location: Tirana / Dhermi Beach
Accommodation: Hostel
Meals Included: breaksfast
After breakfast today, set your sights on the coast and head for Dhermi Beach – a stunning stretch of Albania’s coastline. You’ll have time to laze on the golden beaches and swim in the shimmering waters of the Adriatic. Spend some time at one of the beachside bars with your group – a night of good food and good company is definitely on the cards.
Day 6: Dhermi Beach
Location: Dhermi Beach
Accommodation: Hostel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Wake up on the calming shores of Dhermi Beach. After breakfast, your day is as clear as the blue waters of the surrounding seas. There’s a range of optional activities that might take your fancy – from hiking, sea kayaking and a boat excursion to the Karaburun Peninsula, you’ve got loads to choose from!
Optional Activities:
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Day 7: Blue Eye Spring / Gjirokaster
Location: Blue Eye Spring / Gjirokaster
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Leave the sparkling Adriatic shores behind and take private transport to Gjirokaster today, stopping at Blue Eye Spring. This feat of nature has to be seen to be believed – a kaleidoscope of blues and greens, a natural river spring sits at a depth of more than 50 m. Take the time to explore the surrounding parks and take in the different vantage points of the spring – this is a gorgeous spot for a photo op! Head to Gjirokaster – a well-preserved Ottoman town in Albania’s south. Visit one of the traditional tower houses with a local guide who has all the insights and taste the traditional coffee 'on the stone', roasted on the fire right in front of you! If you’re lucky, you might even get your fortune read! You’ll spend the night here, so explore the quaint cobblestoned streets and maybe find some speca me glize (stuffed peppers) for dinner.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 8: Corfu
Location: Corfu
Accommodation: Hotel
Today you’ll head south to Saranda – a coastal resort town near the Albania and Greece border. From here, take a hydrofoil ferry to Corfu – an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea. Corfu is known for its mountainous landscapes that extend to the shores and its cultural heritage, spent under rule from Venetian, French and British influences. Your group leader will take you on an orientation walk near where you’re staying, so you can find all the best spots and get your bearings for later. Tonight is all yours – maybe round up your group and head out for sunset drinks at one of the local restaurants.
Optional Activities:
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Day 9: Corfu
Location: Corfu
Meals Included: breaksfast
With no planned activities and no accommodation for tonight, you’re free to leave anytime. If shorelines and souvlakis are still on the cards, you don’t have to leave just yet! If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent.
What's Included
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Zekate Tower House
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Pellumbas & Black Cave Day Trip
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Bunk'Art Bunker Exhibition Visit
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Blue Eye Spring
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Gjirokaster Local Guide
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Turkish Coffee 'on the Stone'
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Meals
7 breakfasts
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Accommodation
Hotel (5 nights), Hostel (3 nights)
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Transport
Public bus, Private vehicle, Ferry
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Tirana - Bunk'Art Bunker Exhibition Visit
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
Transport
- TRANSPORT IN EUROPE
- Half the fun of travel is the travelling itself, that's why we like to travel the local way – whether that means mingling with commuters on a local train, watching the scenery roll by from the window of a long distance bus, arriving on a high speed train in the city centre of your next destination, or navigating each city's public transport system. In Europe, you are guaranteed to travel by genuine local public transport wherever possible, which puts you right in the centre of the action.
- LONG TRAVEL DAYS
- As we cover lots of ground on this trip, expect some long travel days on local trains and buses. This is an opportunity to mix with the locals and enjoy the scenery out the window. Travel schedules are known to change with little notice. Not all transport may have air conditioning.
Included Activities
- Bunk'Art Bunker Exhibition Visit
- Pellumbas & Black Cave Day Trip
- Zekate Tower House
- Gjirokaster Local Guide
- Blue Eye Spring
- Turkish Coffee 'on the Stone'
Accommodation
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
- Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
- We've sourced our accommodation very carefully and picked the best possible hotels in line with the Intrepid 18-35 style of travel. Our first accommodation choice is always as close to the main attraction of the destination as possible, however, sometimes we are not in the right centre of action, which means you may need to hop on a public transport to get to the city centre. Please note that service and accommodation in Europe may be different to the standards you are used to. Your accommodation will not always have private en suite facilities or air-conditioning. European hotels generally don't provide kettles or fridges and in particular destinations, rooms may be rather small.
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
- ROOMING ALLOCATION
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis. We pair up solo travellers with other travellers of the same gender as per the gender marker on each of their passports. Please note there may be times where facilities will be shared rather than ensuite and rare occasions when you share a room with passengers travelling on different Intrepid trips than your own.
- SINGLE ROOM SUPPLEMENT
- Please note that on our 18-35 trips in Europe we do not provide a single room supplement option.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout the trip we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination.
- PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
- If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (if available), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is not available on this trip.
Check out our Q&As
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
Yes
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
No
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No, this trip is catered for those aged 18-29 years
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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Is this trip right for you
Summer temperatures can be extreme in many regions visited (over 40°C), which can be uncomfortable. It’s essential to use sun protection, wear layers to combat the heat and drink plenty of water. Please carefully consider the time of the year you wish to travel and your suitability for that season. Please note that only some of your hotels will have air conditioning, and it’s virtually non-existent on public transport.
Hotels in this region often don't have double beds. Rooms can be rather small, especially compared to American or Australian standards, and in most cases bathroom facilities will be shared rather than ensuite.
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Are flights included in this tour?
No
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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COVID Protection
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19.
However, we continue to strongly recommend that all travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and other Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
This policy excludes all Polar trips and select adventure cruises, where testing and vaccination remains a requirement. Please refer to the Essential Trip Information of your chosen tour for more details. -
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