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Albania + minivan – could this be the perfect combo? Yes: discover the beach clubs of Dhërmi, the Pirate’s Cave, and Gjipe Beach. Sail to Krorezë and Kakome, hidden Caribbean-like gems, and experience the nightlife of Saranda.

Is this trip for me?

Party and nightlife
Relax
Nature and adventure
City and cultures
Monuments and history
Physical effort
Trip type
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Itinerary

Six days of beach life in Albania, travelling by private minivan with a specialised local guide, starting and ending in Tirana. From the capital we drop down to Dhërmi, where a private boat runs out to the Pirate's Cave and Gjipe Beach. Porto Palermo brings a castle on a tiny peninsula, then Saranda gives us two nights on the Albanian Riviera plus a second boat trip to Krorez and Kakome, two bays reachable only by water, with snorkelling and white sand. The way back stops for lunch in Gjirokaster, a UNESCO World Heritage site of grey stone and Ottoman architecture. The balance leans hard towards sea and downtime, with nightlife most evenings and one proper day of culture.

An Albanian flag waves over a large, bustling city square filled with people, with a city skyline in the background.

Check-in: our adventure kicks off in Tirana!

Round-trip flights aren't included in the package, so you can decide where to fly from, at what time, and with the airline you prefer... This is to give you maximum freedom of choice. Check-in at the hotel in Tirana and we gather for welcome meeting: click here to see how it works!

Flights land when they land, so the trip properly starts at the welcome meeting, once everyone is finally in the same room.

  • We walk the streets of Tirana, a capital that in summer never really settles down, with restaurants, bars and pubs open on more or less every corner.

  • First dinner together is at a typical restaurant, straight into local cuisine, and after that it is cool cocktails and a toast with people we have only just met.

 

Top-down aerial view of a sandy beach with several boats on the sand and a red boat floating in turquoise water by a dock.

Boat tour and total beach life in Dhermi

The minivan comes out for the first time and heads for the coast. From here on the sea does most of the work.

  • A private boat takes us off dry land to the Pirate's Cave and then Gjipe Beach, one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in the country.

  • Lunch is local produce, and the only real decision left is where to lay a towel before diving into the crystal-clear water off the beach.

 

Sunset between the beach bars of the Albanian nightlife

  •  Back in Dhërmi there is more beach time, then aperitivo at Zoe Hora, the mountain club where even Dua Lipa turns up, with the sunset straight ahead.

  • After a fresh seafood dinner the beach bars take over, right there on the sand, and the dancing and singing carry on more or less until sunrise.

 

A view through a stone window overlooking a bay with turquoise water, small boats, and a green, hilly shoreline.

Porto Palermo: a fairytale beach and castle

Last night ran long, but the driver is already waiting outside, and the coast road carries on rolling south from here.

  • Porto Palermo is a tiny peninsula with a castle on it, the one built by Ali Pasha of Tepelena, the Albanian vizier who founded the autonomous kingdom between Albania and Greece.

  • Legend says it was a gift for his lover. We swim underneath it, which is exactly the sort of recovery a very late night calls for.

 

Rolling south: Saranda

  • With salt still on our skin we roll into Saranda, one of the most beloved spots on the Albanian Riviera, turquoise water on tap at any hour of the day.

  • When the sun drops the promenade fills up, bars and clubs one after another, cocktails and dancing late with the sound of the waves still audible behind it all.

 

A boat carrying a WeRoad group trip is anchored in clear turquoise water near a hilly coastline with a small beach.

Krorez and Kakome: boat tour between two heavenly gems

Back on the water today, and this time to two bays that have no road running to them at all.

  • Krorez is white sand and turquoise water with a very quiet atmosphere, and we snorkel in the clear shallows and then lie in the sun listening to the waves.

  • Kakome is wilder and more secluded, a large bay closed in by nature, and both feel like hidden corners of the Albanian Riviera, well away from the crowds.

  • This is the mix of adventure and total relaxation we came for, and it leaves plenty of energy for another Saranda night of toasting and dancing.

 

A cobblestone alley lined with red chairs from an outdoor cafe ascends a hill with stone houses and string lights.

Saranda: chill out on the beach!

A slow start after another night out, then the trip finally turns inland for its only proper dose of history.

  • The morning belongs to Saranda's beach: dips in the crystal-clear sea, white sand underneath, and the warm Albanian sun doing the rest of the work.

  • Between swims there is nothing much to do beyond soaking up the relaxed atmosphere, which is precisely the point before we head off inland.

 

Gjirokaster: a UNESCO World Heritage site

  • Gjirokaster is the city of stone, grey stone houses stacked up, a UNESCO World Heritage site for its perfectly preserved Ottoman architecture, and we get lost in its alleys.

  • Lunch is typical, local and panoramic, then it is back to Tirana for the final toast and the best spots in the capital, dancing till dawn.

 

An aerial view of a white sailboat anchored in a turquoise sea bay next to a secluded beach surrounded by steep cliffs.

Check-out and goodbyes

The trip finishes here: more tanned, more relaxed, a thousand amazing memories and new friends to show for it.

What's included

What's not included

Roundtrip flight to/from destination
  • Food and beverages when not specified
  • Expert local guide throughout the entire itinerary - approx. USD107

  • Gas/petrol, parking, toll fees 

  • Tips

  • All the extras you'll be able to fit in your backpack :)
  • Everything not mentioned in the "What's included" section

Optional activities

Please see below extra optional activities that you can experience during your trip. Your Group Leader will be happy to assist with organizing these activities for the group. Availability may vary depending on location and group preferences.

Please note these activities are provided by third party suppliers and liability rests exclusively with these third party suppliers.

  • Walking tour Tirana - approx. USD12

  • Boat tour Krorez and Kakome - approx. USD59

Additional info

Learn more about accommodation, transport, and other useful travel information.
  • Accommodation
    The private room option is not available for this trip.
  • Transports

    We'll get around in a private minivan with a driver.

  • Info on private roomsShow all details

Why WeRoad

  • Small groups, on average 11 people

  • Move or change your trip for free up to 31 days before departure

  • Book with $ 0. Pay the $ 100 deposit only once the trip is confirmed

The Group Leaders

Our Group Leaders are chosen because they’re people just like you: passionate travelers who share the experience authentically, while having the skills to take care of the organisation, and help you get the most out of every moment of the trip.

Find your flight

For this trip, we recommend arriving and departing from these airports.

ArrivalTirana (TIA)
ReturnTirana (TIA)
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WeRoadX

This is a WeRoadX

A trip designed and created entirely by an experienced WeRoad Travel Group Leader.

This is a trip designed and created entirely by an experienced WeRoad Travel Group Leader. They organise the whole trip: from defining the itinerary to selecting accommodation and on-site experiences. On the WeRoad website you can book the trip and manage it in MyWeRoad, just like any other WeRoad.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions

About this trip

About WeRoad

About Albania

From
$ 868
Book with $ 0
Free trip change
Interest-free installments