Following Zagoria Pathways

€1,166.00

Travel back in time following the mediaeval Zagoria caravan pathways into a land of myths, tales and ballads. Your ride will pass through ancient ruins of the Ilirian civilization, medieval villages and many remote churches and monasteries. See the mountain bridges built during the period of Ali Pasha, they are a wonder to see with their rare and unique design. The culmination of this extraordinary trail will be the climb on Swallow’s Rock.

You will soak in rural Albanian traditions by staying with local people and riding through vibrant, unspoilt natural landscapes.
The horses used on this ride (Albanian horses) are local breed mix of Tarpan and Arab horses. They are small but perfectly suited to the rocky terrain being surefooted and accustomed to trekking long mountainous routes, allowing riders to feel confident, relaxed and free to enjoy the stunning views.

You will meet friendly locals and learn about their traditions while enjoying accommodation as guests in local homes. Your luggage will be transported by car with the most necessary things in saddle bags on your horse. The guides are professional and good company. The main objective of this ride is to celebrate the harmony between humankind, horses, nature and culture.

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Categories: Tours / Ekskursion, Tours / Ekskursion në Gjirokastër

Daily Itinerary

Day 1
Plan your flight to arrive at Tirana airport ideally in the morning, but no later than 14.30 – this leaves time for the transfer and to be able to visit the town of Gjirokstra. Driving to Gjirokastra will take round 3 hours. Settle into your hotel, 10 minutes walking from the centre of historical Gjirokastra .You can have a walk around the historical town and the old Bazaar before dinner. Riders can also visit Enver Hoxha’s house, Gjirokastra castle, the church of the Old Bazaar, the mosque of the Bazar and Skenduli house representing an ideal sample of Gjirokastra traditional life. Dinner will be served at a traditional restaurant. During dinner your guides will be able to speak to you about the trail: possible requests or needs, advice and things which are good to know. We recommend that you buy a map of the area before dinner in order to gain a good understanding of the itinerary.

Day 2
After breakfast at the hotel and allocation of horses, we will start to ride through the countryside towards the medieval village of Karjan. This village is traditional, a rural stop of the passing caravans with its small churches and old roman bridge. The road to reach this destination passes through a rural environment; small houses, gardens, traditional farming and cultivation of the land. The route combines hilly landscapes, valleys, small water streams and cliffs. This path also passes along the view of River Drino, “Tree of Life” river. It is the most important water basin in the area and part of ancient pagan beliefs. On your way you will meet the ruins of the castle of Santa Triada reconstructed during 1809-1810 by Ali Pasha, a strategic point to control all the caravan itineraries. The castle ruins were used later during the time of socialism for military issues. We will stop for lunch in Shen Toder village. After another 1,5 hours riding after lunch, we will reach Karjan village and accommodate by a local family. Dinner will take place in the local house. You will taste the local food grown in their garden, raki and wine.

Riding Hours: 4-5

Day 3
After breakfast we will continue further north to the villages of Small Labova and the valley of Cajupi. We will follow the ancient merchant’s coble stone road of Zhapa with its mountain panorama, wide view of the hills and valleys. The first break will be in Small Labova, a village well known all over the south for its wonderful Church and the big houses belonging to the merchants which are now mostly ruined. Labova is the birthplace of Vangjel Zhapa, the organizer of the first Modern Olympic Games. Zhapa was a well-known businessman and philanthropist who lived around 200 years ago. After visiting the church a very unique mediaeval building you will start riding up the mountain. You will be impressed by the mountain’s rare vegetation such as mountain tea, oregano, wild rose and other endemic plants like digitalis or ‘Dig–Dag’ as it’s known locally. We follow the mountain path to the valley of Cajupi where we stop by a cattle of 1000 sheep to visit shepherds and spent lunch with them. You will have the chance to taste the Brati famous spring water, a typical station of the old caravans with its small tower “karakoll”. After a nice gallop through Cajupi valley, the trail will follow the medieval Caravan pathway with its famous bandit hideout ‘Hija e Mallkuar’ or ‘The Cursed Shadow’. From here, medieval thieves could rob the caravans passing through Zagoria. The final destination of today will be the village of Nderan, placed in the heart of Zagoria region. We will stay with a Vllah linguistic minority family and this will be our destination for two nights. Dinner will be a delicious mixture of local products, raki and wine. You can join the local life and accompany the family during the milking process, dinner preparation or have a look at the families, farming animals and garden.
Riding hours: 6

Day 4
This morning you will wake up feeling the effect of the mountain air. Breakfast will be traditional mountain food; fresh homemade bread, cookies, butter, jam, eggs, cheese, honey and milk. A cup of mountain tea is very typical for this region. On your way to Lliar, Hoshteva, Koncka and Nivan villages you will encounter various terrain combining hard cliffs, rivers, woods and rolling hills. The beautiful scent of flowers, mountain fresh air, wild landscapes, shepherds and animals will also be part of your day. You will continue riding to the most important horse pathway of the XVII and XVIII century which used to connect the biggest commercial centres in Southern Albania. A very beautiful natural monument is the Rock of Zhej that can be seen along the way. We will stop for a short break at the water spring of Lliar, reconstructed by Ali Pasha in the early XIX century. We will take a challenging downhill route to the ruins of a mediaeval stone bridge (the bridge collapsed on February 2018) where it is possible to take a refreshing swim during summer months. Hoshteva, a unique church which was initially built in 999AC and last restored in 1866 has a very particular style with lots of pagan elements in the wall paintings. We will also pass by the byzantine church of Lliar and the monastery of Nivan Saint Mehilli, built in 1702. We will ride over the mediaeval bridge built in the same period to connect the monastery with Nderan village, one of the famous centres of medieval livestock fairs and which again will be your overnight residence. You will spend the night at the same family house.
Riding hours: 5-6

Day 5
This morning will be a really exciting equestrian experience. After a fresh country breakfast we will ride through a mountain valley, perfectly suited for gallops, passing small remote farms, wild cliffs and many historical small routs off the tourist trail. The route through Pogoni region is a true travel in time. We will be passing by ancient ruins and mythical natural wonders. Our picnic lunch will be near the most famous stone bridge of Hllomo or Kacarello’s, which is the most isolated construction of the merchant’s period and can only reached by horse. In the afternoon, after 5 hours of riding we will reach the centre of the Pogon region. The mountain village of Polican is populated by a Greek minority. You will spent the night with a Greek minority family. In their accompany you have the chance to explore some very particular cult monuments of the medieval period. Later in the evening you will enjoy local gastronomic delights. This village is one of the most important territories of mountain honey in South Albania and it offers nearly 10 different tastes of honey as per season and bee pasture.
Riding hours 4-5

Day 6
This morning you will leave the Greek minority behind to reach the town of Libohova. The route will pass through demanding but beautiful mountain landscapes with a vast finish at the Swallow Rock, 500m over the river of Suha. Our picnic lunch point will be either Suha river depending on the weather for swimming or the Church of Labova of the Cross. In both cases we will visit this rare monument representing the oldest church in Albania, built by Justinian the Great in 554. Justinian married Teodora his wife at the small chapel of this village and the villagers inherited her wedding dress for centuries. This church is decorated with an old wooden iconostas full of floral and symbolic animal scenes. We will stop for lunch by a small restaurant cooking very good local food.
Later in the afternoon we will ride to Libohova, a small town nestled at the foot of the Bureto Mountain. The archaeological evidence indicates a very ancient settlement which reached its zenith in the 17th-century when it became an important commercial centre. During the afternoon it is possible to take a long walk (about 1 hour) and visit Libohova’s castle, a Bektashi cult object and to the tomb of Ali Pasha’s sister, Shanisha. You will overnight in a local family house and will taste delicious local food. You can participate in the farm life by helping, cooking, feeding the horses, enjoying local music etc.
Riding hours: 5

Day 7
This will be a short riding day. This morning you will ride through rolling hills, Drino’s valley and few water streams before climbing a steep hill to reach Antigonea National Park where we will stop for a visit. Antigonea was built by King Pyrrhus in 295 BC and named after his first wife Antigona, daughter of King Ptolemeus of Egypt. After the break we will ride 1 more hour to the stable where you can enjoy the experience of letting free your horses. A picnic lunch prepared by your last host family will follow in the village “Asim Zeneli”,5 minutes driving from the stable. You will be accommodated at the same hotel in Gjirokastra. All the afternoon is free in order to prepare your leave, visit museums or buy souvenirs. Your farewell dinner will take place in a small restaurant in the old Bazaar. Later in the evening we can have a drink in a popular bar.
Riding hours: 3-4

Day 8
After breakfast at the hotel you will be transferred back to the airport of Tirana or the port of Saranda.

Departure Dates

25.02 – 04.03 Zagoria Trail
04.03- 11.03 Zagoria Trail
11.03 – 18.03 Zagoria Trail
18.03 – 25.03 Zagoria Trail
25.03 – 01.04 Zagoria Trail
01.04 – 08.04 Zagoria Trail
08.04 – 15.04 Zagoria Trail
15.04 – 22.04 Zagoria Trail
22.04 – 29.04 Zagoria Trail
06.05 – 13.05 Zagoria Trail
20.05 – 27.05 Zagoria Trail
03.06 – 10.06 Zagoria Trail
17.06 – 24.06 Zagoria Trail
22.07 – 29.07 Zagoria Trail
05.08 – 12.08 Zagoria Trail
19.08 – 26.08 Zagoria Trail
02.09 – 09.09 Zagoria Trail
16.09 – 23.09 Zagoria Trail
14.10 – 21.10 Zagoria Trail
21.10 – 28.10 Zagoria Trail
28.10 – 04.11 Zagoria Trail
04.11 – 11.11 Zagoria Trail
11.11 – 18.11 Zagoria Trail
18.11 – 25.11 Zagoria Trail
25.11 – 02.12 Zagoria Trail

Price & Conditions

Pricing

1166 Euro / Full board

Included: All accommodations and meals from dinner of day 1 till breakfast of day 8, English speaking guide, second guide (if more than 4 riders), water and drinks during the meals, luggage transport by car from destination to destination.
Note: First meal is dinner of the arriving day and last meal is breakfast of the last morning.

Not included: Flights, entrance tickets in monuments or parks, lunch on day 1, extra drinks, other services or expenses during free time.

Single Supplement
It may be possible to pay for a single supplement on the first and last night of the trail, but riders must be prepared to share accommodation on the other nights. Single supplement if we provide a single room is 20 Euro per night paid here.

Small Group Supplement
This is applicable if only 2 riders are booked onto the ride. If, at the time of departure, more than 2 riders are booked, the small group supplement will be refunded. Small group supplement is 148 Euros/person

Please note: All itineraries are given for your guidance only and it may be altered on the ground and in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

Programmes
This ride takes place from March to December.

Climate Summary
The best months to visit Albania are from April to October. Although precipitation is quite high in Albania there is less rain during these months and because of the continental air mass, most precipitation is over the central highlands. Albania has a high number of climatic regions relative to its landmass – the coastal lowlands have a typically Mediterranean climate; the highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. This ride takes place in southern Albania which is around 5 degrees warmer than the rest of the country. You will experience different types of weather on the trail; from cooler mountainous air to a warmer climate down on the coast.

Climate Chart

Health

We strongly advise you to consult with your General Practitioner before travelling. The best medical advice regarding suitable immunisations and prophylaxis to enable you to travel safely requires knowledge of your medical history and therefore cannot be covered in this advice sheet. Recommendations are also subject to change and it is important to obtain the most up to date information available.

Corona Virus Note:

Please consult your doctor few days before the trip and make sure you are healthy before deciding to travel.

All policies regarding Covid 19 situation are subject to change and we will keep you updated about them in Albania in progress during 2023.

Health (ride specific)

Please take along sun cream and anti-allergy medicine for possible insect bites.

Film and Camera Equipment

Internet access will be difficult during the ride. Riders can buy an Albanian sim card/phone number for round €13 and have free internet access and around 30 minutes of free calls with most European countries.
Access to electricity is possible every evening and the whole area is covered very well with signal.

Packing List

Normal riding clothes: riding hat, long sleeved shirts (please avoid packing your favourite or expensive clothing due to risk of damage) , riding trousers and chaps, gloves.

Good mountain shoes – with a grip for walking but not too thick as you will need to ride in them too. Normal riding boots with a smooth sole are not recommended as they can be slippery when walking on foot.
Waterproof raincoat
Casual clothes for the evening
Sun cream, sunglasses, hat, swimming clothes, shoes to walk on rocky beach, towels for the beach.
Anti-allergy medicine for possible insects bites
Camera – please bring small cameras as large professional ones are very difficult to transport on horseback.
Copy of passport

Personal saddlebags are welcome if riders would like to bring their own. Small saddlebags are provided by the ride but just for food and water.

Travel Summary

Meeting-points:

Tirana airport (TIA) or Saranda Port – fly to Corfu and take the boat to Saranda (CFU).

Transfer:

Tirana airport to Gjirokastra (round trip) : €90 per person, (45 Euro one way) 225 km, 3 hours

We organise two transfers from the airport every Saturday, the first one at 12.30 and the second at 14.30 Flights that fit our normal transfer’s schedule should be planned to arrive no later than 14.30 pm and departures not earlier than 12 o’clock (midday)

Riders that arrive in Tirana one day in advance will be advised to arrive at the airport for the transfer of 12 o’clock or 14.30. We can’t organise transfers from Tirana. It is very easy and cheap to reach Tirana airport by bus. There is a bus every hour starting from the center of Tirana (behind the opera palace)

Private transfer from or to Tirana: 1 person 140 Euro (one way)

2 Persons 70 Euro each (one way )

3 persons or more 55 Euro each one way.

Note: (Riders can book a private transfer if it is impossible to book flights that fit our normal transfers schedule)

Saranda port to Gjirokastra (round trip) : €50 return per person, 64km, 1 hour 15 minutes

Note: We can organise transfers based to the ferries’ timetable for 2023. Normally 1 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon.

Help the riding center: Albania doesn’t have any equestrian shops, so it is very difficult for us to reach the tack market. If possible, please bring with you an old pad, or halter, rope, girth, bridles or other equipment that you don’t need. We would be very thankful.