Tirana Hostel
Hostel
Days 1, 6
Albania — light - 6 Days (Tirana, Kruje, Berat, Gjirokaster & Butrint)
Six days from the Ionian to the Alps. The same route on furgon minibuses, which is how Albanians travel and costs a fraction, with more time and less certainty.
Old Mule Routes
Runs this trip
Walking / cultural tour
Six days from the Ionian to the Alps
Group Tour
Join a fixed-date departure with other travellers
Top Highlights
Skanderbeg SquareAlbania built around a hundred and seventy thousand concrete bunkers under Hoxha. Berat castleBerat's castle has families living inside the walls, which is unusual for a UNESCO site and the reason it feels like a town rather than… Gjirokaster castleGjirokaster's houses are fortified Ottoman towers with slate roofs, and several are open with the families still in them.
Itinerary
Albania built around a hundred and seventy thousand concrete bunkers under Hoxha. Two of the largest are now museums of the period.
Tirana, KrujeHow the day runs
- 1 hrsTransfer into the centre
- 1 hrs3:00 PM — up to the castle town and its bazaar
- MealsDinner
- AccommodationTirana Hostel
Included Activities
- Airport transfer
- Hotel night
- Bunk'Art entry
LANDMARKS Skanderbeg Square Bunk'Art Kruje bazaar Start point Tirana, Tirana International Airport (TIA), Albania 00:00 - 23:59Berat's castle has families living inside the walls, which is unusual for a UNESCO site and the reason it feels like a town rather than a monument.
Tirana, BeratHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — south through the hills
- 3 hrs1:00 PM — up to the castle, which is still lived in
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationBerat Hostel
Included Activities
- Castle and museum entries
- Guesthouse night in the old quarter
LANDMARKS Berat castle Mangalem quarter Onufri museum Gjirokaster's houses are fortified Ottoman towers with slate roofs, and several are open with the families still in them.
Berat, GjirokasterHow the day runs
- 3 hrs9:00 AM — further south towards Greece
- 1:30 PM — the castle, the bazaar and a Zekate house
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationGjirokaster Hostel
Included Activities
- Castle and Ottoman house entries
- Guesthouse night
LANDMARKS Gjirokaster castle Skenduli house Old bazaar Butrint was Greek, then Roman, then Byzantine, then Venetian, and Corfu is two kilometres across the water.
Gjirokaster, Butrint, KsamilHow the day runs
- 2 hrs8:30 AM — down to the coast
- 0 hrs1:00 PM — up to the islands and the beaches
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationKsamil Hostel
Included Activities
- Butrint entry with a guide
- Guesthouse night at Ksamil
LANDMARKS Butrint Roman theatre Ksamil islands Corfu across the strait Theth has a lock-in tower where men under blood feud could shelter, which the Kanun — customary law — provided for into the twentieth century.
Ksamil, Tirana, ThethHow the day runs
- 5 hrs7:00 AM — the long run back up the country
- 3 hrs2:00 PM — north into the Albanian Alps
- MealsBreakfast, Dinner
- AccommodationTheth Hostel
Included Activities
- Transport
- Guesthouse night at Theth
LANDMARKS Theth Albanian Alps Lock-in tower The Theth Blue Eye is a spring pool at the head of the valley, and it is about eight degrees all year.
Theth, TiranaHow the day runs
- 3 hrs7:30 AM — the walk to the Theth Blue Eye
- 3 hrs1:00 PM — back down for the flight
- MealsBreakfast
- AccommodationTirana Hostel
Included Activities
- Guided walk
- Transfer to Tirana airport
LANDMARKS Blue Eye of Theth Grunas waterfall
- Day 1Airport transfer
- Day 1Hotel night
- Day 1Bunk'Art entry
- Day 2Castle and museum entries
- Day 2Guesthouse night in the old quarter
- Day 3Castle and Ottoman house entries
- Day 3Guesthouse night
- Day 4Butrint entry with a guide
- Day 4Guesthouse night at Ksamil
- Day 5Transport
- Day 5Guesthouse night at Theth
- Day 6Guided walk
- Day 6Transfer to Tirana airport
- Day 1 · 1 nightTirana Hostel
- Day 2 · 1 nightBerat Hostel
- Day 3 · 1 nightGjirokaster Hostel
- Day 4 · 1 nightKsamil Hostel
- Day 5 · 1 nightTheth Hostel
- Day 6 · 1 nightTirana Hostel
- Day 1Tirana to TiranaTransfer into the centre
- Day 1Tirana to Kruje3:00 PM — up to the castle town and its bazaar
- Day 2Tirana to Berat9:00 AM — south through the hills
- Day 3Berat to Gjirokaster9:00 AM — further south towards Greece
- Day 4Gjirokaster to Butrint8:30 AM — down to the coast
- Day 4Butrint to Ksamil1:00 PM — up to the islands and the beaches
- Day 5Ksamil to Tirana7:00 AM — the long run back up the country
- Day 5Tirana to Theth2:00 PM — north into the Albanian Alps
- Day 6Theth to Tirana1:00 PM — back down for the flight
Where you'll stay
All accommodations are subject to change
Berat Hostel
Hostel
Day 2
Gjirokaster Hostel
Hostel
Day 3
Ksamil Hostel
Hostel
Day 4
Theth Hostel
Hostel
Day 5
What you'll eat
5 breakfasts and 5 dinners across 6 days, at camp. It opens with dinner on day 1 and closes with breakfast on day 6.
- DinnerServed on days 1–5
- BreakfastServed on days 2–6
10 meal services named in the itinerary. Vegetarian and vegan covered; Jain, gluten-free and allergies on notice at booking
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Customer reviews
Overall rating
4.1/5
Based on 15 reviews
Review summary
Food4.0/5
Guide3.9/5
Itinerary3.8/5
Transport3.9/5
Accommodation4.1/5
Tour operator4.3/5
Sort by:Recommended
5
S
Sneha Kulkarni – Nagpur2026-05-11 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Nothing fancy about the beds, and nothing wrong with them either. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Good value for what's included.
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5
J
James Whelan – Lisbon2026-05-11 · Verified booking
Albania done well. The itinerary had room to breathe. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. The cooking was a genuine surprise — better than most places we'd have picked ourselves. Would book with them again.
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5
R
Rohit Verma – Hyderabad2026-05-11 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Dorms were tidy and the common areas were where the group actually gelled. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Would send friends their way.
Reply from Old Mule Routes
Thank you. We've taken the point about the transfer and are reviewing it.
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5
S
Sameer Khan – Indore2026-05-11 · Verified booking
Well paced over 6 days with enough free time to not feel herded. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. The team read the group well and adjusted without making a thing of it. Recommended.
Reply from Old Mule Routes
Glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another trip.
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4
T
Tom Bergman – Zurich2026-05-11 · Verified booking
Well paced over 6 days with enough free time to not feel herded. Would book with them again.
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5
Y
Yuki Tanaka – Dublin2026-01-11 · Verified booking
Everything was arranged properly — transfers, entries, all of it. Hostel nights are basic but clean, and that's what the price says. Food was plentiful and hot, which counts for a lot at altitude. Would send friends their way.
Reply from Old Mule Routes
Thank you for travelling with us — glad the route worked out.
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2
H
Hannah Lindqvist – Toronto2026-01-11 · Verified booking
Too much time on the coach and not enough at the places we'd come for.
Reply from Old Mule Routes
Thanks for writing this up. We've passed your note to the team.
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4
R
Rahul Menon – Bengaluru2026-01-11 · Verified booking
Well paced over 6 days with enough free time to not feel herded.
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Questions people ask
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