Albania · GJIROKASTRA DAY TRIPS
Slate roofs, tower houses and a fortress with a view down the whole Drino valley. The 15 below reach it from Saranda in under two hours or from Tirana in a long one, and most pair it with the Blue Eye. Priced, timed and honest about the walking.
9-hour Saranda tour to Lekursi Castle, Blue Eye, and Gjirokaster, plus Mesopotam Monastery and Ottoman Bridge. Small group, comfy transport.
“It was very informative and Ilir gave us chance to take photos as much as we can. He’s very accommodating and funny tooo.”
Full-day tour from Sarandë or Ksamil featuring the Blue Eye, Saint Nicholas Monastery, UNESCO Gjirokastër, and Lëkurësi Castle.
“Illmi was our guide and he was great. Each location was more beautiful than the one before. I would highly recommend this tour”
Full-day Albania south trip from Tirana and Durres to UNESCO Gjirokaster and beach time in Saranda and Ksamil.
“The excursion was highly enjoyable. Although Gjirokastra is quite distant, the destination's enchanting atmosphere made the journey worthwhile. The local populace was exceptionally welcoming and amiable. Bledi proved to be both engaging and knowledgeable, demonstrating a clear passion for his work. The trip's cost was justified, particularly given the considerable distance from Tirana, and the journey itself was remarkably serene and stress-free. I highly recommend this trip.”
UNESCO Gjirokastër, the Blue Eye spring, and Lekursi Castle in one day from Sarandë. Pickup, guide, transport, and key fees.
“A great experience indeed. Highly recommendable to everyone. The tour guide, Jona, is really amazing. She got all the energy in the world, so lively to be with and very clever. She explains everything and give you time while you explore the scenic.”
Half-day rafting on the Vjosa near Langarica Canyon from Gjirokaster, with wetsuit gear and English guides. Swim, jump, and enjoy wild scenery.
“Could have been more swimming spots because of the hot weather but overall a good rafting experience.”
See Gjirokastër Castle, the Ottoman bazaar, Skenduli House, Cold War tunnels, and the Blue Eye on a guided day trip from Sarandë.
“This is a full day but an excellent way to get to know Southern Albania. Our guide Marisa was absolutely amazing, giving us loads of information on Albania and available to answer all our questions. Both Blue Eye and Gjirokaskra are great places to visit. Gjirokaskra was the highlight of our visit to Albania, fabulous town with plenty of time to explore and have a great lunch in one of the local restaurants. Clean, comfortable mini van and we were dropped off at our hotel on the way back to Saranda. Highly recommended.”
From Saranda or Ksamil, ride to Lekuresi Castle, the Blue Eye, and Gjirokastër. Add bunkers and bazaar time in one 8-hour day.
“Super super super! The guide, Ledjon, is a 5 star person!!!! Places are wonderful, time is very we’ll managed. Strongly recommended :))(”
Saranda day trip: Gjirokastra Castle, Old Bazaar, Cold War Tunnel, Skenduli House, then Blue Eye’s 1.2 km walk.
“The guide Marsia was amazing and speak so good english and was very interesting to listen to . The whole tour was so fun and good . I can really recommend this tour”
Day trip from Tirana to UNESCO Gjirokastër Stone City and Ksamil beach with English guides, hotel pickup, and seasonal swim time.
“A great trip. Antonio guided us throughout the trip and explained very eloquently. We visited Gjirokastra + Bazaar, and Monastery of Ardenica, and a stop at Vjosa River. He also briefed us on history and other noted places we saw along the way. We had also sometime on our own to explore. On his recommendation, I visited Skenduli House and Museum of Ethnography, and tried local cuisine, oshaf (fig dessert) is so good. Weather was great too!”
Small-group day trip from Saranda combining Byzantine monastery, Blue Eye springs, UNESCO Gjirokaster, and a panoramic Lekursi Castle viewpoint.
“A huge thanks to our guide ilmi hasani for a great experience. He is very friendly and knowledgeable, and ensured that we had enough time at all of the tour destinations. Thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Blue Eye, Gjirokaster town & castle. Also stopped at the monastery, Lekursi castle and to view one of the infamous war bunkers. Managed to see & learn so much in one day! Would definitely recommend this tour. Excellent value for money too. Thanks again”
See Gjirokaster, the Blue Eye, Ksamil, and Saranda in one long day from Tirana, with guided time at Ottoman sights and coastal views.
“It is a long way to Blue Eye but the views are definitely worth the drive. You got the chance to visit different parts of southern Albania. We also got one hour of lunch break at a very nice restaurant which offered traditional Albanian food. Highly recommend.”
Private day trip from Saranda to Gjirokastër, Lekuresi Castle, and Blue Eye spring, with local guide, pickup, and entrance fees.
“We went on this beautiful day trip on July 12 with our wonderful guide Ari! It was exactly as it was described. Moreover, Ari was very accommodating as he picked us up from Gjirokaster and dropped us back there instead of Sarande! We visited both enchanted castles of Sarande and Gjirokaster, we also were amazed with the wonderful Blue Eye, and spend amazing time by the magical Ksamil beach! We had a nice sea food lunch in one of the nice Ksamil beach restaurants!! Our guide Ari was very knowledgeable and we had a good time with him, he is also an excellent driver. He took very good care of…”
A small-group day trip from Sarandë to Gjirokastër, the Blue Eye, and Lekuresi Castle, with Blue Eye entry included and paid optional add-ons.
“The driver was very nice and drove safely! Spoke good english and told us about Albania and the places we drove by. Would recommend this tour if you want to visit Blue eye and Gjirokaster. We were very happy with the tour :)”
Private day trip from Tirana to Gjirokaster, Saranda, and Butrint, with fortress views, ancient ruins, and Riviera sea breaks.
“This private tour offered a range of different sites and demonstrated the wealth of history and scenery in Albania. We began with a visit to the castle and souvenir shops in Gjirokaster and a traditional meal followed by a fascinating tour of the archaeological ruins in Butrint and finally a tasty fish and seafood meal on the waterfront in Saranda, located on the Albanian Riviera. The scenery during the many hours en route was amazing and our guide Xhuljano provided a lot of information and was very pleasant and accompanied us at all times.”
A full day from Tirana to Bylis and UNESCO Gjirokastër, with hilltop views, Ottoman streets, and a fortress climb for serious atmosphere.
“Easily my favorite day trip during my stay in Albania. Really beautiful scenery throughout the south. And Xhuljano was an extremely knowledgeable and friendly guide. Grateful for the experience!”
Pick a coast, a canyon, a castle or a kitchen.
