Comfort
The first and last nights will be spent in a hotel in Gjirokastra.
The remaining nights will be spent at a guesthouse located in the village of Asim Zeneli. There are 5 rooms and 3 shared bathrooms. Guests are also welcome to enjoy the common areas like the living room and terrace. There is air conditioning available.
Wifi is available every night.
Meals
The local gastronomy is delicious and varied. During the holiday, you will enjoy freshly prepared meals that will give you a sample of the Albanian gastronomy.
Hearty country breakfast with local dairy products, honey, pancakes; pies and cakes, eggs, milk, tea and coffee.
Lunches are held in local restaurants.
Dinner is a hot meal prepared by your hosts (veal, pork, chicken, goat or fish), with local wines and raki.
Dietary requests can usually be accommodated if mentioned in advance - please inform your travel advisor upon booking.
Climate
The best months to visit Albania are April, May, June, and September.
There is very little rainfall in July and August, and temperatures can be very hot, ranging from 25 to 45°C.
October, November, and March are wetter, with average temperatures of 10 to 15°C, although April is warmer.
Between May and June, temperatures range from 18 to 32°C.
Tips
Tips are left to your discretion and are not mandatory. We recommend around €40/£35 per rider for the week, to be divided between the team.
The local currency is the Lek, but Euro is widely accepted. Don't bring too much money as this trip is fully inclusive.
Packing list
Please pack carefully and sensibly: the following guide is here to give you an idea of what to bring. This list must be adapted depending on the season and individual needs.
Head
- Helmet
- Sunglasses - with a cord attached so they don't fly off when riding
- Buff or bandana
Upper body
- Long sleeved shirts provide protection from the sun or branches and are an extra layer
- T-shirts
- Lightweight fleece or jumper
- Warm fleece or jumper (and a spare in case one gets wet)
- Warm and waterproof jacket - it can rain outside July and August and the evenings can be cooler.
Legs
- 2 Lightweight, comfortable riding trousers or jodhpurs
- Casual trousers for the evenings, such as jeans or tracksuit bottoms
- Bathing suit and towel
Hands and Feet
- Comfortable riding boots. We recommend good hiking boots with half chaps. There might be some walking over steep trails so we don't recommend taking your favourite long leather boots in case they get damaged, and normal riding boots with a smooth sole can be slippery when walking on foot.
- Trainers or equivalent light shoes for the evenings
- Several pairs of socks
- Gloves. Waterproof gloves can be particularly useful.
Other useful items
- Bumbag for carrying your camera and small items whilst riding
- Water bottle
- Ear plugs (for light sleepers)
Medical kit
- Any medication you regularly take
- Sunscreen and lip balm - should be high factor
- Insect repellent, preferably containing deet
- Blister plasters in case of any rubs
- Antiseptic cream, plasters, aspirin, anti-histamine, insect-bite salve etc...
- Spare prescription glasses/contact lenses
- Eye drops
- Imodium or similar anti-diarrhoea medication
- Antiseptic wipes
- Handwash gel
Our Recommendations
- Backpacks cannot be worn whilst riding. We recommend a small bumbag or a coat with pockets so that you can carry small items with you during the day ( camera, sunscreen, lipbalm etc)
- We recommend travelling in your riding boots and carrying your hat and some riding clothes in your hand luggage - then if your luggage goes astray you are still able to ride!
- We recommend taking a copy of your passport and insurance documents with you in case you lose your originals
- You can bring pictures of your family and small gifts for your host family if you like.
