WILD BALKANS – ALBANIA, KOSOVO & MONTENEGRO

Arrive in Tirana Airport (Albania) Upon arrival at Tirana Airport (depending on your arrival time), meet and transfer to the Hotel for check-in and overnight. If time is available: 1. Tour of Kruja Old Town. 2. Free time to explore Kruja ottoman bazaar Welcome dinner – Panorama Restaurant in Kruja Overnight in KRUJA

Following breakfast Transfer to Prizren and visit of Prizren with its splendid old town. Highlights: • VISIT Sinan Pasha Mosque • Visit Orthodox Church Our Lady of Ljeviš UNESCO 14TH century • Free time to explore Prizren old town with its medieval fortress • Lunch break – Transfer to Peja and visit Patriarchal Monastery of Peć (UNESCO) 1. Visit Patriarchal Monastery of Peć; 2. Free time to explore Pec ottoman bazaar Dinner – KULLA e Zenel Beut in PEJA, (typical traditional food of Kosovo) Overnight in Peja

MNE – Biogradska Jezero, Tara Canyon and Tara Bridge Today we will explore the wild beauty of Montenegro – a perfect introduction for the first-time visitors and sure we will enjoy fantastic aerial views. The locals are proud at repeating “Montenegro has the biggest of everything, the biggest lake, the bigge st mountains, the biggest canyons”. And in this mountainous country lives the second tallest population in the world. After a short bus transfer (20km, 30min) we reach the border of MNE. We head later towards Tara Valley – UNESCO. Short after Mojkovac the route goes along Tara valley – a spectacular panoramic drive which will bring us to Durdevica Tara Bridge, the highest in Europe when built in 1939. The bridge is 365m long and 172m above the canyon floor. Here a great chance to try the longest zip -line in MNE and in a matter of minutes you are at the other side of the bridge! Optional: 35 Euro Pp Tara is the longest river in the country. En-route stop to enjoy the deepest canyon in Europe (1300m depth). The canyon is protected as part of Tara national park. Later we head to Biogradska Jezero (lake), our next stop for today. Biogradska Jezero is a beautiful glacier lake, at an elevation of 1094 meter above sea level. This is the biggest and most attractive lake of 7 glacial lakes scattered across the Biogradska Gora National Park, one of the oldest national parks in the world. We will have a walk around the Biogradska Jezero in one of the last three primeval forests in Europe. Many of the trees in the forest are over half a millennium old, with some soaring to 60m high. Enjoy the peace and unique nature around you.

Train Ride , Boat Tour in Virpazar, Budva Old Town Walking Tour An early start today –we will take the train – a great experience not only for train fans. We take the train from Kolasin to Podgorica. Steep rock, deep valleys, and numerous tunnels and bridges alternate on this spectacular route – the highest railway bridge in Europe lays here. This mountain railway line which connects Bar with Belgrade overcomes in total 254 tunnels and 435 bridges on its way through beautiful landscapes. Have your camera ready, because after almost every curve or tunnel you will find a unique photo motif of the Montenegrin mountains. After this unique train trip we head to Virpazar to experience there the magnificient Lake of Shkodra. The surface elevation is 6m above the sea level, and it is the largest lake in the Balkans. Lake Skadar is one of the largest bird reserves in Europe, having 270 bird species, among which are some of the last pelicans in Europe, and thus popular with birders. The lake also contains habitats of seagulls and herons. After an hour drive we reach the small harbour of Virpazar lying in the north-eastern corner of Skadar Lake. Here we start our boat tour on the national park of Skadar Lake. The lake is national park and a Ramsar site. During our boat tour we will see the famous island of Grmožur, (the island of snakes, known also as the Montenegrin Alcatraz) and we will experience a fantastic nature. On board the boat we will taste local specialties. We head to Budva with its tiny but very beautiful old town. Activities of the day: 1. Train ride Kolasin – Podgorica (1hr & 25min) 2. Boat Tour at Skadar Lake, National Park (1hr); 3. Optional: Local specialties and soft drinks on board the boat; 4. Budva Old Town.

Krstac Pass – Kotor – Budva (115km, 3hrs) MNE – Lovcen National Park, Njegos’s Mausoleum, Kotor serpentine and Kotor Old Town Begin your day with a bus ride to Lovcen National Park (via Cetinje) – it is a mountain and national park at the same time. It is believed that Montenegro got its name after the dense forests that covered Mount Lovcen and the surrounding area. The forests were so dark that the viewers got the impression of a “black” mountain. Lovćen stands on the border between two completely different natural areas, the sea and the mainland, and so it is under the influence of both climates. At the entrance of the natural park, we will step out of the bus and continue with the hike over the slope of Mount Lovcen. Mausoleum of Njegoš lies on the top of Mount Lovcen . Guests will walk 461 stairs to reach the main entrance of Mausoleum building, a secular design which replaced the former Byzantine chapel of Njegoš. There is a fantastic panorama on the top of Lovcen peak of Jezerski (1,657 m). We walk down back and at a meadow not far from the main road we will have our lunch picknick. After a short transfer on board our bus we arrive at Krstac Pass (940meters above the sea level) – the starting point of historic road of Kotor Serpentine. Activities of the day: 1. Walk in the Lovcen Natural Park 2. Visit of Njegos Mausoleum – 461 stairs to climb 3. Njegos village 4. Kotor serpentine 5. Visit Kotor Old Town Transfer back to Budva followed by a dinner at a restaurant in the waterfront area Overnight in Budva

ALB – Rozafa Castle, Shkodra Old Town and TIRANA Today we travel through northern Montenegro into Albania. Our first stop is Shkodra, which, until end of 15th century, was the capital of Venetian Albania. Walking tour of Tirana: – Olive Oil Tasting at a special store located in Tirana Fortress area – an unforgettable experience where we will get to know details on Extra Virgin Olive Oil; – Tirana Old Town (Fortress and Toptani Street), Skandeberg Square and the Piramid and; Activities of the day: 1. Walk uphill and visit Rozafa Castle 2. Visit Shkodra Old Town; 3. Optional: Olive Oil Tasting at a special store located in Tirana Fortress area; 4. Tirana walking tour; Dinner at a local restaurant in Tirana Overnight in TIRANA

ALB – explore Berat OLD Town, the City of 1000 Windows – UNESCO Site Visit Berat Old Town – UNESCO Site, known as ‘the town of a thousand windows’, famous for its preserved white Ottoman houses and steep cobblestone pathway that leads to a 13th-century castle. The Osumi River flowing below hosts a gorgeous afternoon stroll for every visitor. – Walk in the castle and in the alleys of Mangalemi quarter); – Visit Onufri Museum of Icons; – Visit King’s Mosque and Halveti Tekke (Suffi Order) followed by a meeting with the Imam of King’s Mosque (religion in change in the post communist Albania). Wine tasting at Cobo Winery, Ura Vajgurore – discover the history and winemaking traditions of Berat. Transfer back to Tirana (90km, 1h20min – via Dumreja region) Free time to explore Tirana Farewell Dinner in Tirana, at e typical restaurant in town; Overnight in Tirana

ALB – Departure Day Breakfast and check out of the hotel Free time until your departure Transfer to the Airport (20km / 40min) End of our service!