Birding in Albania: 12 Days Tom Cook’s Birding Tour to Albania

Arrivals and Departures to Vlora

If coming before mid-day: Pick up at “Tirana International Airport” and go for lunch in a restaurant on the way to Vlora. After Lunch we will visit the archeological site of Apollonia that is on the way to Vlora. We will spend around 2 hours there visiting the site and looking at biodiversity. Here is a great place to see Black-headed Bunting, Golden Oriol, European Bee-eater, European Hoopoe, Little Owl etc. After Apollonia, we will head to Vlora, where we will check-in in Zverneci Hotel, that it is just next by the sea (and has a very nice beach), within the borders of the Protected Area Vjose-Narte. Just next to the hotel there is a colony of Bee-eaters. Here as well, Hoopoes and Golden Orioles often appear close to the hotel. In the late afternoon we may make a walk and start to explore the area.
If coming late in the afternoon, we will drive straight to Vlora.

Divjake-Karavasta National Park

This day we will explore Divjake Karavasta National Park, which is the most important bird area in Albania and one of the most important in the whole Mediterranean Basin. This area is distinguished for the presence of the unique colony of the Dalmatian Pelican in Albania that is nesting in the same site since at least one century ago. In addition, Divjake-Karavasta holds the largest mixed colony of herons in Albania with around 4000 breeding pairs of 6 different species of herons. The area is well-known as a breeding site for many water birds and is the main wintering site for waterfowl in Albania. The herpetofauna is also rich and similar to almost the all coastal parts of Albania

If the lagoon waters are not too low we will take a boat trip in the lagoon in the morning and see the nesting birds and chicks of the Dalmatian Pelican in the nesting Island. Observations will be carried out in a good distance in order to avoid any disturbance of the birds.
We will have the opportunity to see here: Dalmatian Pelican, Pigmy Cormorant, Glossy Ibis, Squacco Heron, Cattle Egret, Little Tern, Common Tern, Slender-billed Gull, Yellow-legged Gull and many other species.
After the boat trip we will take lunch at a local restaurant within the National Park.

The entire afternoon will be dedicated to the southern part of Divjake-Karavasta, where will have the opportunity to see very nice species such as: European Bee-Eater, Collared Pratincole, Black-winged Stilt, Calandra Lark, Short-toed Lark etc.

We will get back to Vlora in the late afternoon and pass the night at the same hotel.

Butrint National Park and Ancient Archeological Park

Today we will drive towards the very southern border of Albania in order to visit the famous Butrint National Park. Butrint is the most visited site in Albania, due to the presence of one of the most interesting archaeological parks in Europe. However, the area of Butrint represents one of the richest environments in Albania in terms of biodiversity. In a small surface of land is scattered a high number of different natural habitats and landscapes, holding a wide diversity of species, making the area highly attractive not only for cultural tourism but also for eco-tourism.
Birds are one of the most interesting and diverse groups of fauna in this area. In Butrint are registered around 250 bird species. The site is both interesting for water birds and passerines.
Species to be highlighted are White Stork (Ciconia ciconia), Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia), Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis), Golden Oriol (Oriolus oriolus), Black Headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala), Olive-tree Warbler (Hippolais olivetorum) etc.

Butrint National Park, it is recognized as the richest site in Albania as regards to the diversity of reptiles where in a relatively small surface are found over half of the reptile species that occur in the whole country. Here it is easy to see the pond terrapins such as the European Pond Terrapin (Emys orbicularis) and Neck-striped Terrapin (Mauremis rivulata). In addition, it is the almost the only area in Albania where we can see the Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginata). Moreover, the area offers great opportunities for seeing a good number of lizards including here the Balkan Wall Lizard (Podarcis tauricus), the Erhard’s Wall Lizard (Podarcis erhardi), the European Glass Lizard (Pseudopus apodus) etc. Furthermore, the area offers excellent opportunities for seeing a high number of snakes including here: the Sand Boa (Eryx jaculus), Leopard Snake (Zamenis situla), Four-lined Snake (Elaphe quatrolineata) etc. As regards to amphibians, apart from other species in the area is found the rare Greek Water Frog (Pelophylac epiroticus).
We will spend the whole day in Butrint, visiting the archaeological park and also some parts of the wetland. In the afternoon we will turn back to the hotel in Gjirokaster. We will rest sometime in the hotel and go for dinner later another different restaurant.

European Roller Site – Durresi Wetland - Tirana

This day we will check out from our hotel in Gjirokastra and start driving north to Tirana, the capital of Albania. Along most of the day we will visit an area that offers spectacular landscapes and high diversity of wildlife. In terms of birds, we have the opportunity to see here: European Roller, Black-headed Bunting, Hoopoe, Woodchat Shrike, Red-backed Shrike, Lesser Kestrel, Montagu’s Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Short-toed Eagle, Little Owl and many other species. Here there are excellent opportunities to see butterflies and flowers.

Lunch will be taken as a picnic, in order to maximize the time to be in the field and explore for birds and other wildlife.

After the European Roller site we will continue to drive a bit further north, towards the Durresi Wetland. We will spend around 2 hours birding there and in the afternoon we will reach Tirana. We will check-in at a very nice hotel at the city Center and spend the evening in Tirana. Dinner in a nice restaurant close to the city center.

Snake Meadows in Alps National Park

We will start the day early and drive towards the Snake Meadows, where we usually see Ringed Ouzel, Nutcracker, Rock-bunting, Black Redstart, Crossbill, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Black Woodpecker, Treecreeper, Short-toed Tree Creeper etc and sometimes the Bullfinch and also the Hazel Grouse when we are luckiest. Spend the whole first part of the day there. Get a very nice lunch at a shepherd place on the site and get down for our afternoon trail, which will be dedicated mostly to the White-backed Woodpecker. I know a place where they are nesting. It is not easy to photograph them though but we will try.
Dinner will be at a nice restaurant few min walk from the hotel.

Return to Tirana through Ferry in the Komani Lake, Visit Shkodra Lake on the way

We will start the day early and drive towards Fierza where we will take the ferry towards Komani. The Ferry trip lasts for around 3 hours and passes through some really spectacular landscapes. We will reach the Komani Lake (where we get out from the ferry) at around mid-day and start driving towards the Largest Lake in the Balkans, Shkodra Lake, where we will see the colonies of the Whiskered Tern. Lunch will be in restaurant on the way.
After Shkodra, we will drive to Tirana and check-in at the same hotel where we previously were. Dinner will be in a very nice restaurant at the lake park.