Albania, a short flight from home, driven by someone else.
Day trips from Tirana and multi-day tours: Bovilla Lake, Berat, the Alps and the Riviera. A private car, never a coach, and a driver who waits wherever you decide to stop.
New · iPhone betaTour Alb Pocket GuideAsk anything about Albania, even offline.Get it free40 min from Tirana
Bovilla Lake
- No stressDriven to the viewpoint
- No licence neededYou're the passenger
- Private carNever a shared group
- 10% off in cashRetainer holds your date
- No stressDriven to the viewpoint
- No licence neededYou're the passenger
- Private carNever a shared group
- 10% off in cashRetainer holds your date
For guests from the UK
Albania without driving on the other side of the road
Albania has become a popular city-and-coast break for UK visitors, and many start with a few nights in Tirana. A rental car works on the main roads, but Albania drives on the right, mountain roads are steep and often unpaved, and rental contracts usually forbid the best tracks.
A private driver removes all of that. You sit in the passenger seat, he knows the hairpins, and you stop where you like. The day trips below all start and end in Tirana, so you can add them to a city break without changing hotel.
Trips run in English.
Popular with UK visitors
Bovilla, Bunk'Art 1 & Mount Dajti
9.5 hours · from €254 · 22,847 ALL for the car · up to 4
A city-break day: the Bunk'Art cold-war bunker museum, Mount Dajti and Bovilla Lake, all from Tirana.
Apollonia, Vlorë, Llogara & Porto Palermo
3 days · from €529 · 47,597 ALL for the car · up to 4
Three days down the coast: Apollonia, Vlorë, the Llogara Pass and Porto Palermo castle.
Shkodra: Rozafa, Marubi & the Lead Mosque
11 hours · from €88 · 7,920 ALL per person
A one-day northern city: Rozafa castle, the Marubi photography museum and the Lead Mosque.
Practical notes for UK visitors
- Getting here
- Several UK airports have flights to Tirana (schedules vary by season, so check current routes). The airport is roughly 17 km from the city.
- Time
- Albania is one hour ahead of the UK all year (CET/CEST).
- Entry
- UK passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist stays. Check the UK government's foreign travel advice for Albania for current rules and passport validity.
- Driving side
- Albania drives on the right, the opposite of the UK. Another reason many guests prefer a driver on mountain roads.
- Money & plugs
- Albania uses the lek (ALL). Euros and cards are widely accepted in tourist places; with us you can pay the driver in cash for 10% off. Albanian sockets are type C/F at 230 V, so bring a UK adaptor.
From Google
Reviews from all our guests
No guest has written a Google review in English yet. These are from guests of every nationality; every one is real and linked to Google.
★★★★★
“Great experience with this company! We took two trips with two different drivers, and both of them were fantastic. I highly recommend this company to everyone!”
★★★★★
“Had a private tour with Rejdi, who drove me from the start of the bumpy dirt roads until the Bovilla restaurant at the very top. He was an experienced and comfortable driver. And I really enjoyed our talks on the way, discussing the country, nature, political situation, and even tips for my further travel. My warmest recommendation.”
Erland JacobsenGoogle · Aug 2026★★★★★
“Nice people and well taken care of by them.”
★★★★★
“Nice people!”
★★★★★
“Very nice roadtrip to Bovilla lake and Kruje. Our guides were very helpful during the day. Nice guys!”
★★★★★
“We arrived without a reservation. Which wasn't a problem; we waited 5 minutes and off we went. Friendly driver who dropped us off at the restaurant at the top. We made two stops where we could take photos or where the driver took photos of us. He waited for us in the restaurant until we were ready to go back. Highly recommended!”
★★★★★
“Excellent experience!!! The driver is very kind and smiling 😊 the drive itself is an activity in itself 😆 and the view of the lake is magnificent!! Thank you so much”
★★★★★
“Great trip, driver was very patient with us and waited for us when we went exploring, we feel no pressure that we need to rush. Highly recommend! Don't try to get there in your own car.”
★★★★★
“Our driver was very friendly, always smiling, and provided us with explanations about the tour throughout the entire route. Thank you, Hammed, for this wonderful experience! And the view, wow! Breathtaking!!”
Show all 30 reviews ↓Show 21 more reviews ↓Show fewer ↑
★★★★★
“Easily reachable via WhatsApp. A nice driver who drives very carefully, waits for you while you walk around, and tells you about the history and emerging tourism in Albania along the way.”
★★★★★
“Absolutely fantastic! They took us on at the last minute. 30 minutes up, 2 hours at the top, and 30 minutes down, perfect timing! Highly recommended!”
★★★★★
“This is the best service I ever had in Albania so far. The staff is so professional and friendly.”
★★★★★
“Very kind, attentive and well-trained driver. Which is essential here 😀. Don't ruin your own car, the RAV 4 is the perfect choice for this terrain. Beautiful view, absolutely worth it, I highly recommend it.”
★★★★★
“Amazing service! We reached out after we saw the condition of the road. Driver replied super fast and picked us up immediately.”
★★★★★
“What a nice but above all skilled driver. To take us up like that in his comfortable car over such a terrible road. Don't drive this yourself!!! Hire him and he will take you safely up and back. Beautiful view at the restaurant where he drops you off, and then you can do a short but exciting climb to the viewpoint. He takes his time!”
★★★★★
“Fantastic trip to Lake Bovilla. Beautiful view and a lovely swim! Highly recommended over the big tours.”
★★★★★
“The driver was very friendly, smiling, and professional. Everything went very well! Thank you for the tour.”
★★★★★
“Good experience. I suggest not to take your rental car to these roads (it is usually forbidden). Location is precise in maps, stop there and ask in the shop if necessary.”
★★★★★
“Great experience! The road was bad but the view was so worth it, he got us to the lake and back safely, I recommend this tour as he was friendly very knowledgeable of the area.”
★★★★★
“If you want to visit Lake Bovilla, I highly recommend taking a taxi! The road to get there is winding, and you wouldn't be able to get there with a regular car; you'll need a 4x4! Furthermore, rental companies prohibit driving on dirt roads.”
★★★★★
“Very skilled and friendly driver! Good price and responds quickly, definitely recommended!”
★★★★★
“Excelent service, very nice guy, the road was unpaved and very bad but the views are insane, definitely recommend this tour as he was a very good driver.”
★★★★★
“Very friendly, reasonable price, and speaks good English. Highly recommended, don't drive up yourself!”
★★★★★
“Had a great time during the drive. Very friendly, professional, and affordable. Everything went smoothly and the experience was comfortable and enjoyable. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a good and reliable service.”
Mr GhostGoogle · May 2026★★★★★
“We hired this taxi service to take us from Zall-Herr to Bovilla Lake because the road conditions were quite challenging, and it was definitely the right decision since our rental company prohibited driving off-road.”
★★★★★
“The driver who took us was very nice and courteous, showed us places to go swimming in the water and answered our requests.”
★★★★★
“A good driver, great experience. Would recommend”
★★★★★
“Great and professional service.”
★★★★★
“Super good driver and nice man.”
★★★★★
“A real adrenaline rush ⛰️🔥”
Is it safe to hire a car and drive in Albania?
The main roads are fine, but mountain and gravel roads are steep and often unsigned, driving is on the right, and many rental contracts forbid the best tracks. Many visitors use a private driver for those days.
Which day trips from Tirana are best?
Bovilla Lake and Krujë, Berat with the Osum canyon, Durrës and its Roman amphitheatre, and Shkodër with Rozafa castle. Times and prices are on our day trips from Tirana page.
Do I need a visa as a UK citizen?
UK citizens do not need a visa for short tourist stays, but rules and passport requirements can change. Check the UK government's travel advice for Albania before you go.