Join our Equitours team member Biggi Hayes on a horseback riding vacation through the historical and beautiful Albanian landscape.

Albania had not been a destination on my radar for horseback riding, but Equitours received a lovely invitation to come and see for ourselves what this small country has to offer and I found myself planning a trip to learn more about this fascinating country, the outfitter and the trails they share with their guests.

I arrived in Tirana, the capital of Albania, late on a Saturday night after flying via Munich with Lufthansa, and made my way by foot to the Airport Garden Hotel which was a short distance from the arrivals hall. I had a pleasant night at the hotel and awaited my transfer to Gjirokaster to arrive in the early afternoon. I can honestly say I wasn’t quite sure what to expect in terms of fauna and flora. Knowing that Albania is north of Greece and I was visiting the country in mid May, I was expecting everything to be beige brown and more desert-like. To my surprise, however, as we drove south to Gjirokaster I was mesmerized by the green landscape which was in full bloom in high spring time. I couldn’t get enough of the emerald landscape surrounded by towering mountains.

Gjirokaster is an enchanting city with steep alleys, where each building has its history written in stone. Located in southern Albania, Gjirokastra lies on the slopes of the Drino River valley, in a dominant position and a landscape rich in history. This is the “city of a thousand staircases,” which includes hundreds of houses: Ottoman-type towers with stone roofs, wooden balconies and stone walls. With a magnificent castle on a steep hill, Gjirokastra is a magical city with a long history, and since 2005, it is part of UNESCO’s world heritage. Upon arrival in the city I was taken to the Hotel Kastro where everyone stays at the beginning and end of the ride. It is a quaint family owned hotel in the heart of town, minutes away from the old part. After dinner at a local restaurant I was ready to call it a night, yet excited about what lay ahead.

For the next couple of days I explored the Drino Valley on 2 two hour long rides from the stable which gave me an introduction to the horses, which came in handy a few days later as I joined a group of riders who were out on one of the weeklong mountain trails organized by the outfitter. The outfitter has been welcoming riding guests for over a decade. As founders, the owners and guides have succeeded in creating a great environment for their 42 horses and a harmonious and eco-friendly environment for their guests as well. The stable is situated amidst scenic hills, green valleys, surrounded by high mountains and rural life a few kilometers away from the city.

My first horse was the fun gelding Aoos who I got to ride on the two hour trails from the stables to get my footing, as I had not been in the saddle regularly for a couple of years. Aoos turned out to be fun and surefooted, and we enjoyed the first longer canters and gallops together. I was wondering if I would be able to ride him for the two days I was supposed to join the ride out, as it didn’t take me long to connect with Aoos, he had taken such good care of me and I felt my riding spirit returning.

The horses used are a local breed mix of Tarpan and Arab. They are small but perfectly suited to the rocky terrain being sure footed and accustomed to the long mountainous routes, allowing the riders to feel confident, relaxed and free to enjoy the stunning views.

In the time not spent riding I joined a cooking class, which was a super fun experience that is also offered during the week’s riding, and learned how to churn buttermilk and to make some local delicacies, all in the lovely home of the teacher and her family. Another interesting experience was creating a special kind of rolled up ice cream in one of the local shops. Earlier in the day we had also made a quick trip over the mountain to one of the seaside towns where riders stay on a separate itinerary, and I even had a chance to dip my toes in the Ionian Sea and view the Island of Corfu, which is not that many kilometers across the water from Albania.

The next morning I joined two days of riding out on the standard itinerary and experienced the overnight in a Greek minority village close to the border. Since the other riders had been out together for the last several days I was curious what it would be like to now join a cohesive group who had bonded out on the trail. To my delight I was welcomed with open arms and soon made new friends with the other riders. It was an eclectic group with riders from Germany, Poland, France, Belgium and the Netherlands as well as 3 riders from the US. We soon got the ‘how do you dos’ out of the way and were chatting amiably about everything under the sun. Thank goodness we were all like minded in many different ways.

The horse I was riding for the next couple of days was a mare named Nova who I came to trust and love over the kilometers we covered together. A sassy mare who loved a good canter and gallop, she reminded me of my late Arabian mare, Sunshine, and after about 30 min I knew we would have a blast. After the first long gallop across the open mountain meadows which were abloom with wildflowers I was in love. We were riding with the rest of the group all spread out and the sheer delight that comes from riding with the wind was bubbling up, and having a trustworthy and surefooted steed beneath me gave me a sense of freedom I hadn’t felt in a time now that my own horses have passed on.

After several hours of riding we came to the lunch stop along a refreshing creek winding through the wildflower covered meadow which was intoxicating. We enjoyed cool beers as lunch was dished out which included anything from salad to lamb and wonderful desserts to fortify us for the afternoon ahead. After riding for another 3 hours we arrived in the village of Polican where we stayed with a wonderful Greek family and enjoyed a feast for dinner.

The next morning we headed up to a high mountain trail crossing back over into the Drino Valley. At lunch time we stopped in the town of Labova for another big spread of wonderful local foods, everything from fresh salad and soup to balaclava desert, no effort was spared and Raki (a fruit brandy that is the national drink), wine and beer were also available. But first we explored the Church of Labova of the cross, the oldest church in Albania, constructed by Justinian the Great in 554. What a magnificent place. And for it still to be standing is an impressive architectural feat. Our guide shared with us the history of the church and it was a humbling experience to walk on the sacred ground.

As we headed down into the valley I didn’t want my time on the ride to end, but I was scheduled to depart from Tirana the following day. Being part of this ride and this group had been very special; even though we only rode together for 2 days I hope to ride with them again. And as for Albania, I know I will return as time allows, as it now has a special place in my heart.