Albania in Spring

For so long, many of us will have had no more than a tantalising glimpse of Albania — perhaps from Corfu or the Adriatic Sea — its distant and rugged hills full of allure, but not opportunity. Shackled for so much of the latter half of the 20th century by the isolationist and atheistic policies of the regime of the then People’s Republic of Albania, followed by economic difficulties in the 1990s (post communism), only in the 21st century has the new Republic of Albania emerged from the shadows to become a tourist destination of great potential. Indeed, with its unspoiled beaches, wild mountainous topography, delicious cuisine and an archaeological heritage fashioned over millennia through successive Greek, Roman and Ottoman occupations, the potential for tourism is rich and varied. So too is its natural history, which we will be excited to discover and enjoy on this holiday.

First, we must fly to Tirana, Albania’s capital. Then we will transfer to the historic city of Berat, our base for three nights. Berat lies on the River Osum, beneath the pine-clad Tomorr Mountains, and boasts a wealth of beautiful buildings of high architectural and historical interest. The old town of Berat is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we will find time to enjoy it, along with its white Ottoman houses, medieval hilltop castle and vibrant atmosphere. Our guesthouse lies on a quiet cobbled street and here we will sample our first Albanian cuisine, which marries classic Mediterranean tradition with flavours and spices from the East. On our first full day we will head to the coast to explore the superb and littleknown Divjaka-Karavasta National Park. The 4,000-hectare Karavasta lagoon is the largest in the country and, with 5% of the world’s breeding Dalmatian Pelicans, it is of international importance. Naturally, these special birds will be a highlight. However, the park’s marshes and shallow pools are teeming with other life. Garganey and Greater Flamingoes can be present in their hundreds, with Pygmy Cormorants, Marsh Sandpipers and Caspian Terns amongst the supporting cast. In the surrounding pine woods we will look for Collared Flycatchers, Subalpine Warblers and Nightingales.

The following day we will visit the Vjosë- Nartë protected area south of Karavasta, a huge complex of saltpans and coastal dunes around the Nartë lagoon. This magnet for migrating birds can offer some of the best wader-watching in Europe, with Black-winged Stilts, Avocets, Spotted Redshanks, Kentish Plovers, stints and sandpipers in abundance, and Slenderbilled Gulls, Collared Pratincoles and Stone Curlews amongst other highlights. Bee-eaters and Hoopoes will no doubt add a splash of Mediterranean colour!

The second phase of our holiday will be spent exploring the Valbonë Valley National Park, the gem within the Albanian Alps. Here we will enjoy daily walks with the aim of discovering the wealth of natural history in these wild and rugged mountains. They hold a healthy population of both Brown Bears and Wolves, though these are elusive and hard to see, as well as Chamois and such avian stars as Hazel Grouse, Rock Partridge and Black Woodpecker. One spectacular walk ascends through vast Beech woodlands to meadows above which may hold Ring Ouzels, Black Redstarts, Wheatears and Water Pipits. Nutcrackers are possible here too, whilst after rainfall there’s always the chance of a Fire Salamander! Botanically, this area is also wonderfully rich. Meadows are covered in Green-winged Orchid, while the fascinating Coralroot and Bird's-nest Orchid are common in the Beech woodlands, with an array of other alpine species possible. Both tours will appreciate and enjoy all forms of natural history; for the more bird focused, the earlier departure is recommended, while in late May there will be more botanical interest as well as butterflies on the wing. As the trail climbs higher the landscape opens out to reveal breathtaking views of snow-clad peaks, with Maja Jezercë the highest of these at over 2,600 metres. Our guesthouse is located in the valley, beside the River Valbonë, and we will be served traditional cuisine in a cosy lodge nearby.

The time will come to bid farewell to this wild region and wend our way southwards, back towards Tirana. However, one more treat lies in store. The ferry journey across Lake Komani has been dubbed by travellers and guidebooks alike ‘one of the great boat trips of the world’! A trip of two hours or so will see us cruising between towering peaks and sheer cliff faces across a region in which no roads or power lines connect its few hardy resident farming families to the outside world. This unforgettable experience provides a fitting and dramatic finale to our holiday in this wild and little-known land.