We partner with Rewilding Britain to help protect our natural spaces for future adventures.
All centres are vetted for safety and quality. Your adventure is in good hands with adventuro.
Leave Gjirokaster's stone streets for a full-day 4x4 journey into the Kurvelesh Mountains, where remote villages, forest trails and the impressive Peshtura Waterfall reveal a wilder side of southern Albania. Taste local cheese, honey and fruit along the route, hike to the cascade with your guide and sit down to a traditional lunch in Gusmar before returning through historic landscapes. It is the kind of deep-country day that shows how food, farming and mountain heritage still shape life in hills that most Riviera visitors never reach.
Morning meet-up at Cerciz Topulli Square launches a scenic off-road drive into the Kurvelesh Mountains, where your driver-guide introduces the day's plan as stone houses and valley views replace UNESCO lanes behind you. The convoy passes traditional settlements such as Picar, Kolonje and Golem, with short stops to taste farmhouse cheese, honey and seasonal fruit and photograph valleys that few tourists reach on their own.
The route continues through Progonat and deeper into the range before you lace up boots for a guided hike through forest and rocky paths to Peshtura Waterfall. Rest near the falling water, take photos and cool off when conditions allow, with your guide setting a steady pace suited to the group on uneven mountain terrain.
After the cascade, a home-style lunch in Gusmar village refuels the party with dishes cooked from fresh local ingredients at a welcoming table in the hills. A historical pause near the Tepelena Internment Camp adds twentieth-century context before scenic tracks carry you back to Gjirokaster, usually completing around eleven hours from morning meet-up to evening return.
The Kurvelesh region rises behind the Drino Valley south of Gjirokaster, linking UNESCO heritage streets with rugged mountain culture in a single long but rewarding day. Villages along the route maintain traditions of farming, cheese-making and hospitality that feel far removed from coastal resort towns and busy castle viewpoints.
Peshtura Waterfall sits in a forested gorge that rewards the hike with falling water and cool shade, while Gusmar offers a welcoming table in a setting that underlines how food and landscape shape daily life in these hills. Together they paint a fuller picture of southern Albania than a castle visit alone can provide.
You should be comfortable with several hours in a 4x4 on mountain tracks and able to walk uphill on uneven paths for the waterfall hike through forest and rocky sections. No off-road driving is required because you travel as a passenger with an experienced guide who knows seasonal road conditions across the Kurvelesh range.
Minimum age is twelve years and mention food allergies when arranging lunch so the team can plan the village meal appropriately. Bring proper hiking shoes, layers, sun protection and a swimsuit if you hope to paddle near the waterfall when weather and water levels allow.
Combining driving, hiking, food tastings and history in one itinerary saves you navigating remote roads and finding village hosts independently on a precious holiday day. A local guide explains both natural sites and twentieth-century stories linked to stops such as the Tepelena camp, which adds depth beyond scenery alone.
It is an efficient deep dive into southern Albania for photographers, culture seekers and walkers who want more than castle ramparts and coastal beaches. The included village lunch and produce tastings turn the journey into a social experience rather than a series of quick photo stops through mountain scenery.
Meet your driver-guide at Cerciz Topulli Square and board the 4x4 for the climb into the Kurvelesh Mountains. The route passes traditional villages where brief stops introduce local life and regional produce.
Visit settlements including Picar, Kolonje and Golem with time to taste cheese, honey and seasonal fruit from local families. Photo stops capture wide valley views along the mountain crossing towards Progonat.
Leave the vehicles for a guided walk through forest and rocky paths to Peshtura Waterfall, one of the region's most impressive cascades. Rest near the water, take photos and cool off when conditions allow.
Sit down to a traditional lunch in Gusmar village with home-cooked dishes using fresh local ingredients. The meal is a central part of the cultural experience after the morning drive and hike.
Pause at the Tepelena Internment Camp site for historical context from Albania's communist era, then follow scenic tracks back to Gjirokaster. The full day typically lasts around eleven hours from morning meet-up to evening return.
The tour is planned as a full day of roughly eleven hours from morning meet-up in Gjirokaster to evening return. That includes 4x4 driving through mountain villages, tasting stops, the hike to Peshtura Waterfall and a traditional lunch in Gusmar village.
Exact timings shift with road conditions and how long the group spends at the waterfall, but the day is structured as one continuous outing rather than a rushed circuit.
Guests gather at Cerciz Topulli Square in central Gjirokaster, postcode 6000. This is the main square in the UNESCO stone city and the agreed departure point for the 4x4 convoy.
Arrive a few minutes early so the guide can confirm the plan and board the vehicle on time.
Participants must be at least twelve years old. The day includes off-road driving, village walks and a guided hike to the waterfall on uneven paths, so it suits older children and adults who enjoy active sightseeing.
Younger travellers may prefer shorter experiences we offer when based in the south.
Wear proper hiking shoes, comfortable outdoor clothing, sunglasses and sun cream. Bring a swimsuit if you hope to paddle near the waterfall, extra water and a small day pack for personal items.
Get in touch through Adventuro Chat before you travel if you have food allergies so the village lunch can be planned accordingly.
A traditional lunch in Gusmar village with home-cooked Albanian dishes is included as part of the standard itinerary. Tastings of local cheese, honey and fruit at village stops are also part of the cultural experience along the route.
Extra snacks, drinks beyond what is offered and personal purchases in villages are not covered.
The hike to Peshtura Waterfall follows a guided trail through forest and rocky sections to one of southern Albania's less-visited cascades. Your guide sets a steady pace and allows time for photos and rest near the water.
Swimming may be possible when weather and conditions allow, so a swimsuit and towel are worth packing.
Air-conditioned 4x4 transport with a driver-guide, village stops including Picar, Kolonje and Golem, tastings of local produce, the guided waterfall hike and lunch in Gusmar are covered in the tour price.
A brief stop at the Tepelena Internment Camp historical site is also part of the planned route.
Transport to and from Cerciz Topulli Square in Gjirokaster is not included if you are staying outside the city. Guests based in Gjirokaster can walk or take a short taxi to the square.
Travel insurance, personal shopping and gratuities are also not covered.
Mountain weather can change quickly in the Kurvelesh region. Heavy rain may make waterfall paths unsafe and could lead to route adjustments or postponement for safety.
Your guide monitors conditions throughout the day and will communicate any changes as early as possible.
Arrive at Cerciz Topulli Square a few minutes before the scheduled morning departure. We'll confirm the meet-up time and practical reminders about hiking footwear and village lunch preferences.
If you are running late, get in touch through Adventuro Chat as soon as possible.
About the centre
Gjirokaster
Operated by Kalemi Travel, a partner of adventuro.
