Preferred Period: mid-April – mid-June
About Our Program
Local English Bird Guide meets us at the airport and we continue towards Tirana.
Overnights in Tirana.
Transfer early to Valbone via ferry boat and birding in lake Koman for Birds of prey, Goosander, Cormorants and Gulls. Lunch in the boat. Afternoon birding hike to see Larks, Swallows and Martins, Wagtails and Pipits, Dippers, Wrens, Accentors, Thrushes, Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers, Nuthatches, Treecreepers Shrikes, Crows, Starlings, Buntings, Siskins etc.
O/Night Accommodation: Valbone/Dragobi.
Full day birding hike in Valbona: Morning hike towards Maja e Gjarprit and afternoon hike towards Stanet e Milloshit with potentials for Capercaille, Hazel Grouse, Rock Partridge, Grey Partridge, Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, Goshawk, Pigeons, Cuckoo, Owls, Nightjar, Woodpeckers, Larks, Wagtails, Dipper, Accentors, Wheatears, Thrushes, Warblers, Tits, Nuthatches and potentially Wallcreepers.
O/Night Accommodation: Valbona
Hiking to see Northern Goshawk, Eurasian Sparrowhawk, Golden Eagle, Common Buzzard, Short-toed Snake-Eagle, Pallid Harrier, Bonelli's Eagle, Booted Eagle, Merlin, Common Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Eurasian Hobby etc. Picnic lunch stop in Valbona pass. Evening optional and cultural visits in Thethi.
O/Night Accommodation: Thethi
With a visit to the unique stone steppe habitat near Koplik. Very few areas in Europe can be compared with the steppe areas connected with Lake Skadar. The Albania lake landscape offers a uniquely wide view over the steppe plain called Fostopoja. Gravel originating from the mountains spreads out right to the shores of Lake Skadar between Koplik and Bajsha forming a stone steppe. The recent observation of a Little Bustard (Tetrax tetrax), is one of the key indicators for such steppe areas in Europe. The habitat inside the Lake Skadar Ramsar Site and along the road to Theth from the town of Koplik is an impressive example and perhaps the best preserved habitat of this kind in Europe. After a lunch stop close to Koplik we continue to Lake Skadar for a sunset birding visit. Lunch at the shore of lake Shkoder.
O/Night Accommodation: Lake Shkoder.
Picnic breakfast in the riparian forest of Velipoja for Finches, Black Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Syrian Woodpeckers, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, breeding waterbirds and shorebirds including Ferruginous Duck and Terns. Lunch at lake Shkoder and afternoon kayaking for Dalmatian Pelican, Whiskered Terns, Grebes and Pygmy Cormorants that use the entire Lake as breeding and feeding site.
O/Night Accommodation: Lake Shkoder.
Departure to Vermosh for birds of prey and passerines including the Golden Eagle, Goshawk, Peregerine Falcon, Hobby, Thrushes, Alpine Accentor, Stonechat, Whinchat, Thrushes, Coughes etc. Picnic lunch in Vermosh.
O/Night Accommodation: Vermosh.
Morning trip in Vermosh for songbirds, woodpeckers, birds of prey etc. Lunch in Vermosh. Afternoon trip to Tirana with short stop in Fostopoja plain and Shkoder lake.
O/Night Accommodation: Tirana
Day 9: Tirana transfer to Airport
Transfer according to your time.
Find the Perfect Fit for Your Budget
Choose from our range of flexible pricing options that cater to your specific needs.
1-3 Pax Plan
The option is dedicated to a group of maximum 3 People and accomodation not included
€ 2700/group
4 – 7 Pax Plan
The option is dedicated to a group of maximum 7 People and accomodation not included
€ 3600/group
Testimonials
What Our Customers Say
Hear from our satisfied customers who have experienced the quality and value of our products and services.
I had to go for a business trip to Albania and wanted to combine it with a two days birdwatching tour. I found AOS on the internet searching for guided birding tours in Albania.
Everything met my expectations.
Bernhard S
Erald is a phenomenal guide, we felt very comfortable and above all we were able to take very good photos in places we would never have found on our own. In addition to flamingos, cuckoos, hoopoe, etc., we were also able to observe various eagles (migration time), owls and stone owls and take pictures in very good quality. Through the tour with Erald we were able to learn a lot about nature, the existing problems (coastal development, destruction of near-natural habitats, etc.), but also about life in Albania itself.
Martin L
Fantastic 2 days birding with Kladji & Kato. Wonderful to see Black Headed Bunting & Dalmatian Pelican at Divake, Karavasta along with more usual birds. Kladji was also able to get us onto Roller (a much wanted lifer) & Turtle Dove before returning to Tirana on day 1. Day 2 took us to Natre and Calandra Lark, Golden Oriole and Great Spotted Cuckoo (38 years after my last sighting). An Ice Cream on the way back to Tirana made for a great end to the trip..
Saffia4
Other Tour Ideas
Explore our tours
Birding Albania / 8 Days
Ealy morning trip to the southern part of the National Park for Collared Pratincole, Calandra Lark (Melanocorypha calandra) and Short-toed Lark (Calandrella brachidactyla), Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola), Spanish Sparrow (Passer hispaniolensis) etc.
Birding the Dalmatian Pelican / 7 Days
Morning boat trip to the Dalmatian Pelicans colony where the group would engage in monitoring of the Dalmatian Pelican in accordance with the species monitoring protocol. The group will monitor the number of adult, juveniles and pullis (chicks) as well as their activity including brooding, feeding, resting, flying etc.
Birding the Albanian Alps / 8 Days
Transfer early to Valbone via ferry boat and birding in lake Koman for Birds of prey, Goosander, Cormorants and Gulls. Lunch in the boat. Afternoon birding hike to see Larks, Swallows and Martins, Wagtails and Pipits, Dippers, Wrens, Accentors, Thrushes, Old World warblers, Old World flycatchers, Nuthatches, Tree creepers Shrikes, Crows, Starlings, Buntings, Siskins etc.
Birding Lake Shkoder / 1 Day
Shkodra Lake is an Important Bird Area known to many for its evergreen colors. The water surface offers excellent ground for thousands of wintering waterbirds whose population is dominated by diving species, including Pygmy Cormorants, Tufted Duck, Pochards, Crested Grebes, Goldeneyes, and Coots. .
Tailor your very own tour
Follow three easy steps
Contact Us
You may use one if the forms on our website or just hit one of the buttons on the left of the screen and you will be connected with our Travel Specialist.
Design Your Tour
Talk to our Travel Designer about your wishes and important aspects of the tour. We will put all together and send a detailed itinerary back to you.
Book Your Dates
Once the tour agreement is made, you may book it according to our booking policies that you may find in the FAQ section.
Contact Us
Here\’s how you can contact us for any questions or concerns.
