Albania in Autumn

We begin our holiday with a flight to the Albanian capital of Tirana, where we spend our first night before driving south for two nights in the historic city of Vlorë. From here we can gaze out along the endless sandy beaches of the ‘Albanian Riviera’, edged by the clear blue waters of the Adriatic and the Ionian Seas. The Durresi wetlands, vast Divjaka-Karavasta National Park and the Nartë and Orikumi Lagoons will be the focus of our time here. Many thousands of birds pause to rest and feed along the Albanian coast at this time of year, mingling with resident species to create an exciting avian spectacle. Camouflaged parties of Stone-curlews lurk in the shadows, whilst flocks of Greater Flamingoes, Dalmatian Pelicans and Slender-billed Gulls feed in the reed-fringed lagoons. We will be on the lookout for Caspian Tern and a host of migrant and resident waders, whilst in the drier areas and open grasslands Calandra Lark, Tawny Pipit and Montagu’s Harrier are likely. We also hope to see Golden Jackal here too!

For our final four nights we will drive south to the wonderfully preserved Ottoman town of Gjirokastër. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Gjirokastër is particularly notable for its hundreds of Ottoman-style tower houses with distinctive stone roofs. En route we will stop along the Vjosa River in search of Western Rock Nuthatch, Egyptian Vulture and possibly Short-toed Eagle. We will also head south to explore the world-famous archaeological site at Butrint – an ancient Greek and later Roman city – and its surrounding Mediterranean maquis and wetlands which are home to Golden Oriole, Turtle Dove and Osprey, amongst others. Europe’s largest Lesser Kestrel roost lies nearby too and can hold up to 6,000 birds! Finally, we will climb into the rugged Nemërçka Mountains to look for Black Stork, Common Rock Thrush and Rock Partridge. This exciting holiday really has something for everyone with wonderful wildlife, dramatic landscapes and a rich culture and history.