From

NZ $248 per person

Private Day Tour of Gjirokastra & Blue Eye from Tirana or Durres

1 day

•

Start and end in Tirana

5.0

83 traveler reviews

From

NZ $248 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

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Plan your adventure:

Operator: Go as Local
In-depth Cultural: Immerse yourself in rich history and local traditions
Private Tour: Travel exclusively with your friends and family
Fully Guided: An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Low Intensity: Travelers can expect some light physical activities
Guided in English
Ages 16+

Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

Day 1
Tirana to Gjirokastra
You'll leave Tirana at 8:00 AM and head south for the 230 km drive to Gjirokastra, a well-preserved Ottoman town. Once there, walk through the 17th-century Bazaar to get a feel for the old market layout, then make your way up to Gjirokastra Fortress where you can see out across the surrounding area. The Palorto District is next on your list, and you'll notice the UNESCO-listed architecture throughout the narrow streets. After touring one of the fortress-style houses to see how people actually lived in these buildings, you'll drive to the Blue Eye natural spring near Finiq for some time there before heading back to Tirana for the evening.
Included Activities
- Walking tour of Traditional Bazaar of Gjirokastra
- Visit to Gjirokastra Fortress
- Exploration of Palorto District
- Visit to typical Gjirokastra house
- Visit to Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër) water spring
Optional Activities
- Swimming at Blue Eye spring
- Photography at Blue Eye spring
- Refreshments at cafe near Blue Eye spring
- Optional visits to Enver Hoxha family house
- Optional visits to Ismail Kadare residence
Landmarks
Gjirokastra Fortress
Traditional Bazaar of Gjirokastra
Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër)
Palorto District
Cerciz Topulli Square

Landmarks
Gjirokastra Fortress
Traditional Bazaar of Gjirokastra
Blue Eye (Syri i Kaltër)
Palorto District
Cerciz Topulli Square

What's Included

Expand All

Guide
Additional Services
Transport
Free eSIM
TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

Accommodation
Flights
Insurance
Meals
Optional
Additional Services

Operated by

Go as Local

5.0

(83 reviews)

Number of tours

Age Range

16 to 77 years old

Response time

within 2 days

Response rate

92%

Go as Local bloomed from the best of our wishes and thoughts to promote...

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

Tour Operator
Go as Local
5.0

Valerie
· September 10th, 2025
Koman Lake, Valbona and Theth pickup in tirana right on time. met all timetables, like ferry, and up into the mountains early before the sun and crowds. amazingly knowledgeable guide Endri taught me so much about every aspect of Albanian history and culture and people...comfy accomodations and great meals, perfect pace up and over the Valbona pass making allowance for my short height and age (74). mountains so beautiful, blue eye pool so clear and refreshing. really enjoyed company of others playing uno and drinking homemade raki with one of our restaurant hosts in Thieth.. plenty of time to enjoy walking around Thieth. authentic lunch in old inn at Shkroder a highlight, well chosen..i wish the ferry had not been so crowded, standing room only with my bag fastened to the rail to save space. returned safely and in a timely manner to Tirana. would recommend this tour to everyone (who have mountain hiking experience, not for just flatland walkers).
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Wim
· September 5th, 2025
I had a great time. On this type of trips, everything stands or falls with the guide. I can only speak highly of Xhulio, who did not only perform an excellent job, but his erudition about the Balkan history, it’s political, socio-economical, cultural situation and all sort of issues was simply overwhelming. The result was that we did chat and laugh and shared opinions, points of view and emotions the whole trip, thus killing time on long distances in a very enjoyable way. Grazie mille! Wim
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Jennifer
· August 3rd, 2025
Great tour and well organized. All of the hikes were picturesque and worthwhile. The accommodations were love. Our tour guide, Redon, was very knowledgeable about the area and the trails, he couldn't have been better. The only thing that could have been better was a take away lunch provided on the last day. With hiking, the 8am breakfast didn't last until 4:30 when we finally had a chance for food in Shkoder (I brought snacks, but I didn't want those, I wanted a meal, and I don't have a large appetite).
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Dates & Availability

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1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Upcoming departures

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18 Dec, 2025
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18 Dec, 2025
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From

NZ $248 per person

Price based on Cheapest Room

Price based on Shared Room

Price based on Private Single Room

Price based on Private Double Room

Select Date

1 Adult2 Adults, 1 Child2 Children

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

Good to Know

Tour ID: 292478

Currency
L
Lek
Albania
Plugs & Adapters
As a traveler from New Zealand you will need an adaptor for types C, E, F.
Type C
Albania
Type E
Albania
Type F
Albania
Vaccines
- These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
- Typhoid - Recommended for Albania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Hepatitis A - Recommended for Albania. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
- Hepatitis B - Recommended for Albania. Ideally 2 months before travel.
- Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an infected area for Albania. Ideally 10 days before travel.
- Tick-borne encephalitis - Recommended for Albania. Ideally 6 months before travel.
Visa
- Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
- Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
Payment information
- For any tour departing before February 13th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after February 13th, 2026, a minimum payment of 35% is required to confirm your booking with Go as Local . The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 60 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
- Some departure dates and prices may vary and Go as Local will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
- The following cards are accepted for "Go as Local " tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
Cancellation Policy
- Your money is safe with TourRadar, as we only pay the tour operator after your tour has departed.
- TourRadar is an authorized Agent of Go as Local . Please familiarize yourself with the Go as Local payment, cancellation and refund conditions.
Accessibility
Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.
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