Montenegro and Albania
The unknown Adriatic in Spring

Saturday 14 - Sunday 22 April 2012 (9 days)

An imaginative itinerary visiting Europe's newest nation, Montenegro, and one of its most mysterious: Albania. We'll birdwatch amongst the area's rich wetlands, its conifer-clad mountains, the fjords of the Adriatic coast and islands, starting and ending the tour in the wonderful old walled city of Dubrovnik.

Montenegro is the youngest country in Europe that became independent from Serbia in 2006. Despite its tiny size it contains a wealth of different habitats all within easy reach. The Mediterranean Sea Coast has the most striking scenery in Europe, but besides the beaches it also offers saltpans, sand dunes and the delta of River Bojana, all important migration stopovers. Further inland lies Lake Skadar sandwiched between mountains and fed by scenic Rijeka Crnojevica. The lake is home to thousands of Pygmy Cormorants and is the westernmost nesting place of the endangered Dalmatian Pelican. Durmitor National Park offers unspoilt mountains with huge coniferous forests home to Three-toed Woodpecker, Nutcracker and Eastern Bonelli's Warbler amongst others.

Albania still remains one of the least known countries in Europe. Although it is characterised by dramatic mountains, sandy beaches, historic cities and Roman ruins, only a few people visit this far corner of our continent.

Roads in Albania are still in a bad state (and you'll think Montenegro roads are bad enough!), so we've opted to stay just across the border in Montenegro and travel for a day-trip into Albania.

This original and innovative itinerary was developed by our good friends at Ecotours Hungary.

Accommodation: Hotels and guest houses with all rooms en suite

Leader: Attila Steiner

Numbers: Max. 14 clients



Price: £ 1,745
Single supp.: £ 165
Deposit: £ 300 per person

The price is per person and includes return flights London - Dubrovnik, airport taxes, ground transportation, accommodation on a full-board basis, local taxes, incidental tips, and the services of the leaders.

The price excludes holiday insurance, optional tips to the driver and local guides, drinks, and other personal expenses.

Montenegro and Albania map

Outline Itinerary
Day 1We fly from London to Dubrovnik Airport in Croatia, arriving late afternoon. We'll have some time in the evening to explore the historic city of Dubrovnik and have dinner in a seaside restaurant. Overnight near Dubrovnik
Day 2Starting from Dubrovnik we cross the border into Montenegro and soon reach the scenic Bay of Kotor, the southernmost fjord in Europe. We spend four nights in Virpazar, a sleepy town on the lakeside, in a guest-house overlooking the lake where Scops Owls call during the evenings. Overnight Virpazar
Day 3We take a boat ride on Lake Skadar, one of the largest freshwater lakes of Europe, to search for the last surviving Dalmatian Pelicans of the lake. Overnight Virpazar
Day 4We visit the Ulcinj saltpans along the coast, where we walk along a dyke to view the pools. This is the best place for waders in Montenegro, especially during migration. Levant Sparrowhawk and Roller also occur in the area. Overnight Virpazar
Day 5We cross into Albania for a day and explore Karavasta Lagoon, an important coastal wetland home to a nice population of Dalmatian Pelicans. Leaving the lagoons we drive further south through hilly countryside and visit the Greco-Roman ruins of Apollonia established in 558 BC in a lush valley dotted with olive trees, and then return to Virpazar. Overnight Virpazar
Day 6We leave Virpazar and drive further northwest into the mountains, where we spend two nights in a hotel located on the edge of town looking onto the surrounding forests and mountains. Overnight Zabljak
Day 7We spend the day in Durmitor National Park exploring its pristine forests. Overnight Zabljak
Day 8We drive back to Dubrovnik birdwatching on the way, stopping at the Tivat saltpans among other places. In the afternoon we arrive at our accommodation near Dubrovnik. Overnight near Dubrovnik
Day 9After a final morning birding around our accommodation we drive to Dubrovnik Airport to take our flight back to the UK.

Click here for a full, printable itinerary