Albania, Greece & North Macedonia in 12 Days
The Last Wild Jewel & Its Balkan, Ionian Gems
A 12-day self-drive loop from Tirana through the full length of Albania, into North Macedonia for Lake Ohrid, and across to Corfu and the Paxos islands. You drive an insured ecological car with a navigator while local guides meet you at the major stops, with light driving of about two hours a day. The Koman Lake and Saranda-Corfu ferries are included; the Paxos boat trip is an optional add-on. From €2,100 per person, self-drive; add an English driver-guide for €1,200 per group, or another language for €2,400.
This is a self-drive tour: you travel in your own fully insured ecological rental car with a navigator, and a local guide meets you at the major stops. The loop starts and ends in Tirana, so there is no one-way drop-off fee, and driving is light at about two hours a day. The Koman Lake and Saranda-Corfu ferries are included; for Corfu you cross as foot passengers while your car waits in Saranda, and the Paxos and Antipaxos boat trip is an optional add-on. Add a guide, extra nights or a full-time driver-guide; booking is instant.
This loop is built so the variety never lets up and the driving never tires you out. You leave Tirana north for Kruja’s castle and bazaar and a first night in lively Shkodra, then spend a morning on Koman Lake, the fjord-like reservoir people call the “Thailand of Europe”, reached by a passenger ferry that is part of the experience. From there the route turns east to Lin and Lake Ohrid, crossing briefly into North Macedonia, then drops through Korca’s bazaar, a beekeeper’s honey tasting and a farm night on the Vjosa before reaching the stone city of Gjirokastra.
The south is where the trip opens up. The Blue Eye spring, Butrint’s ruins in their lagoon, and a swim at Ksamil lead to the part most first-timers do not expect: a ferry to Corfu, then a free day on the island with an optional boat trip to Paxos and Antipaxos and the Blue Caves, then back across to drive the Albanian Riviera home through Borsh, Qeparo, Porto Palermo and Llogara before finishing in Vlora.
Because you drive, the pace is yours, and at roughly two hours a day the car never dominates. The hard logistics, the Koman and Corfu ferries, the border into North Macedonia and the route notes, are handled before you arrive, so the days themselves stay relaxed.
Why you'll love this trip
- Kruja's castle and bazaar and the cliff sanctuary of Sari Salltik, with a first night in Shkodra
- The Koman Lake passenger ferry and the clear water of the Shala River
- Prehistoric Lin and UNESCO Lake Ohrid across the North Macedonia border
- Korca's old bazaar, a beekeeper's honey tasting, and the frescoed churches of Voskopoja
- A farm stay at Farma Sotira on the Vjosa and the thermal pools at Benja near Permet
- UNESCO Gjirokastra, a traditional lunch at Grandpa's, and the Blue Eye spring
- Butrint's ruins and a swim at Ksamil, with an interactive Albanian Night
- The ferry to Corfu, its Venetian Old Town and the Liston promenade
- An optional full boat day to Paxos, Antipaxos and the Blue Caves
- The Albanian Riviera home: Borsh, Qeparo, Porto Palermo, Dhermi and Llogara's deer
Suitability
Is this trip right for you?
Physical level
Gentle walks through old towns and archaeological sites, easy beach walks and optional swimming. No demanding hikes. The most active optional element is Vjosa rafting on Day 5.
Driving
Light. About two hours a day on good, well-maintained roads, and all three countries drive on the right. The route is a loop from Tirana, so there is no one-way drop-off fee. Two passenger ferries (Koman Lake and Saranda-Corfu) and one North Macedonia border crossing are built in and arranged for you. No international permit is needed for EU, UK, US or Australian licences.
Accessibility
Can be adjusted for guests with physical limitations - tell us at booking and we arrange ground-floor rooms and gentler walking where possible.
✓ Who should book
Couples and families who want a real mix - mountains, lakes, UNESCO towns, a Greek-island day and Riviera beaches - without long driving days or hard hikes. It is one of our easier multi-country trips, with gentle walks, beach time and optional swimming. It suits travellers who know Greece but have never seen Albania, and works well for families thanks to the farm stay, boat trips and animal encounters.
✕ Who should not book
If you would rather not drive at all, you can still do this trip by adding a private driver or driver-guide. If you want only beaches or only mountains, this is a deliberately varied route covering both. The driving is light, but you cross two borders and take two ferries, so it suits travellers comfortable with a little cross-border logistics, all of which we prepare for you.
Day by day
Your 12-day itinerary
Tirana to Kruja to Shkodra
Tirana, Kruja, Sari Salltik, Shkodra
Airport pickup in Tirana, then north to Kruja for Skanderbeg’s fortress and the cobbled bazaar, with a stop at the cliff sanctuary of Sari Salltik. Evening in Shkodra, one of Albania’s most characterful cities, with cafe-lined boulevards.
Koman Lake, Shala River, Tirana
Koman Lake, Shala River, Tirana
A morning passenger-ferry ride across Koman Lake between towering cliffs, then up the Shala River to swim in water clear enough to see the pebbles. Drive back to Tirana for a relaxed evening.
Lin, Lake Ohrid, Korca
Lin, Pogradec, Ohrid (North Macedonia), Korca
East to Lake Ohrid, one of the world’s oldest and deepest. Visit prehistoric Lin and Pogradec, cross into North Macedonia for Ohrid’s UNESCO old town and churches, then on to Korca, the city of serenades, and its old bazaar.
Beekeeping, Voskopoja, Dardha, Farma Sotira
Voskopoja, Dardha, Leskovik
A hands-on beekeeping and honey tasting, the frescoed churches of historic Voskopoja, and the alpine village of Dardha. Continue to Leskovik and an agritourism night at Farma Sotira by the Vjosa River.
Farm morning, Benja thermal pools, Gjirokastra
Permet, Benja, Gjirokastra
A slow morning with the farm animals, then one of the Balkans’ most scenic drives to Permet and the Benja thermal pools beneath a medieval bridge. Optional rafting on the wild Vjosa, then on to UNESCO Gjirokastra.
Gjirokastra and the Blue Eye to Saranda
Gjirokastra, Blue Eye, Saranda
Explore Gjirokastra’s castle, bazaar and slate-roofed lanes, with a traditional lunch at Grandpa’s. In the afternoon descend toward the coast, pausing at the deep, vivid Blue Eye spring, and reach Saranda.
Butrint, Ksamil, Albanian Night
Butrint, Ksamil, Saranda
Morning at UNESCO Butrint, where Greek, Roman and Venetian remains sit in a lagoon. Afternoon on the turquoise water and white sand of Ksamil. In the evening, an interactive Albanian Night of music and dance.
Ferry to Corfu
Corfu (Greece)
A short ferry to Corfu (as foot passengers; your car stays in Saranda). Wander the Venetian Old Town, Spianada Square and the elegant Liston promenade, with the evening free for Greek-island hospitality.
Corfu at leisure (optional Paxos & Antipaxos boat trip)
Corfu, Paxos, Antipaxos
A free day on Corfu. Add the optional full-day boat trip to swim in the Caribbean-blue water of Antipaxos and visit the Blue Caves of Paxos (see add-ons), or spend the day at your own pace exploring the island.
Ferry back, Borsh, Qeparo, Porto Palermo, Himara
Saranda, Borsh, Qeparo, Porto Palermo, Himara
Ferry back to Saranda and pick up the car to drive the Riviera: the long beach at Borsh, the stone village of Qeparo and the seaside fortress of Porto Palermo, arriving in Himara.
Himara, Dhermi, Llogara, Vlora
Himara, Dhermi, Llogara, Vlora
A morning swim in Himara, then Dhermi village and the climb into Llogara National Park for coastline views and the park’s tame deer. Descend to Vlora, where the Adriatic meets the Ionian.
Vlora and departure
Vlora, Tirana
A last morning on Vlora’s Lungomare, the Independence Monument or a final beach walk, then your transfer to Tirana airport.
Route & places
Tirana › Kruja › Sari Salltik › Shkodra › Koman Lake › Shala River › Lin › Pogradec › Ohrid › Voskopoja › Dardha › Leskovik › Farma Sotira › Permet › Benja › Gjirokastra › Blue Eye › Butrint › Ksamil › Paxos › Antipaxos › Borsh › Qeparo › Porto Palermo › Dhermi › Llogara › Vlora › Korce
What's included
✓ Included
- 🏨11 nights in selected boutique hotels and guesthouses, plus the Farma Sotira agritourism stay
- 🍳Daily breakfast, plus the selected traditional lunches and dinners listed in the itinerary
- 🚗New ecological rental car with built-in navigator, fully insured (car + liability), no deposit required
- 🧭Local licensed guides at the destinations visited, in your preferred language where available
- ✓The Koman Lake ferry and the Saranda-Corfu ferry both ways
- 🎟️Entrance fees to the museums, castles, monasteries and national parks listed in the itinerary
- 🏨The experiences listed in the itinerary, including the beekeeping and honey tasting and the Albanian Night
- 🛬Private airport pickup on Day 1 and transfer to Tirana airport on Day 12
- 📞24/7 local support across all three countries, with route notes, maps and meeting points
- ✓All local taxes and service charges
Not included
- ✕International flights (into and out of Tirana)
- ✕Fuel, parking, tolls and traffic fines (not included in the self-drive version unless you add a driver or driver-guide)
- ✕Personal travel insurance (not included, strongly recommended)
- ✕Personal expenses, drinks not in the listed meals, and tips
- ✕Optional activities and add-ons not in the base price (for example the Vjosa rafting and the Paxos & Antipaxos boat trip)
- ✕Visa fees, if any (not required for EU/UK/US/AU passport holders)
- ✕Single supplement for solo travellers wanting a private room throughout (amount confirming)
Trip details
Where you'll stay
Good to know
What to bring
- 👟Comfortable walking shoes for cobbled old towns and site visits
- 🩱Swimwear - you will use it almost every day from Day 7 onwards
- 🧥A light layer for farm evenings in Leskovik and mountain sections
- 👕Smart-casual clothing for evenings in Corfu Town
- 🧴Sun protection - essential from the Riviera section onwards
- 🎒A small daypack for daily excursions
- 🚗Cash in Euros and a credit card
- 🔌Power adapter - Type C/F (220V), used across all three countries
Visa & entry
Travellers from the EU, USA, UK and Australia do not need a visa for Albania, North Macedonia or Greece. On other passports, contact us before booking and we will check the requirements for your nationality.
Travel insurance
Not included and strongly recommended.
Health
Albania, North Macedonia and Greece are all safe destinations; standard European travel precautions apply. No special vaccinations are required. Tap water in Albania is not recommended for drinking - bottled water is cheap and widely available; in Greece and North Macedonia tap water is generally safe.
Money & tipping
Euros and a credit card work across all three countries - you can travel the whole 12 days without exchanging currency. Albania uses the Lek and North Macedonia the Denar, but Euros are widely accepted. Tips are at your discretion.
Climate & weather
The tour runs April to October. The best months are May, June and September - warm enough to swim, with quieter beaches and full ferry schedules. July and August are hottest and busiest on the coast and islands, when we steer you to quieter beaches.
Frequently asked questions
Is this really a self-drive tour if it crosses three countries?
Yes. You drive your own insured ecological rental car with a navigator, and the driving is light, about two hours a day on good roads. All three countries drive on the right and no international permit is needed for EU, UK, US or Australian licences. Local guides meet you at the major stops, and we prepare every border crossing, route note and ferry time before you arrive.
Do I take the car to Corfu?
No. You cross to Corfu as a foot passenger on the ferry, and your car stays safely in Saranda while you are on the island. On Corfu and during any Paxos boat day you get around on foot and by local transport, then pick the car back up in Saranda on Day 10.
Are the ferries included?
Yes. The Koman Lake passenger ferry and the Saranda-Corfu ferry both ways are included and coordinated around your itinerary. The Corfu crossing takes about 35 to 40 minutes and is usually calm. In the rare case of weather cancellations we adjust the plan.
Is fuel included?
No. In the self-drive version you pay for fuel, parking and tolls directly. If you add a private driver or driver-guide, fuel, tolls and parking are covered in that add-on.
Will a guide travel with me the whole time?
In the self-drive version, local guides meet you in the destinations you visit; they do not travel between cities with you unless you add a driver-guide. If you want a host for the whole journey, add an English or other-language driver-guide.
What is the difficulty level?
Easy, lighter than our other Balkan trips. There are no demanding hikes, just gentle walks through old towns and sites, beach walks and optional swimming. The most active optional element is the Day 5 Vjosa rafting. It suits most fitness levels and can be adjusted for guests with physical limitations.
Do I need visas or local currency?
EU, USA, UK and Australian passport holders need no visa for Albania, North Macedonia or Greece. Euros and a credit card work across all three, so you can do the whole trip without exchanging currency.
Is the Paxos and Antipaxos boat trip included?
It is an optional add-on rather than part of the base price. Day 9 is a free day on Corfu, and you can add the full-day excursion to Antipaxos and the Blue Caves of Paxos on a shared boat, or a smaller private boat for a higher fee.
When is the best time to go?
April to October, with May, June and September the sweet spot - warm enough to swim, quieter beaches and full ferry schedules. July and August are great for the coast and islands but busy at Ksamil, Saranda and Corfu Old Town.
Is there a single supplement?
The price is for two people sharing. Solo travellers wanting a private room throughout pay a single supplement, which we will confirm for the 12-day route.
How much does the 12-day self-drive tour cost?
The tour costs from €2,100 per person, two sharing, with a 30% deposit to book and the balance due 30 days before the trip. That covers the fully insured rental car, accommodation, the Koman Lake and Saranda to Corfu ferries, and local guides at the major stops. Prefer not to drive? Add an English driver-guide for €1,200 per group, or one in Spanish, French, German or another language for €2,400 per group.
Cancellation policy
A 30% deposit secures your booking. The remaining balance is due 1 month (30 days) before departure. Cancellations more than 30 days before departure lose the deposit; within 30 days the booking is non-refundable. We strongly recommend travel insurance.
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