War Trail

After breakfast at the hotel we drive to the stables where we meet our horses and guides. Today’s ride will take us around 6 hours. The trail runs initially through a valley, along the Drino river, where we will test our horses during longer canters. Next we will ride into hilly area, with streams cutting through the valley surrounded by pine tress. Step by step the terrain will become a bit more steep until we reach the Cepo monastery where we will have lunch break. After a bit of rest we ride out along the Kardhiq river. We will encounter several natural monuments, 3-4 meter high rocky columents and pillars, called the God of Light. In the afternoon we will reach Fushbardha village where we have dinner and spend the night with a local family, at their house.

This will be a long day, riders should expect an 8-9 hours trail, including about 1,5 hours on foot, leading their horses. The trail follows the path taken by King Skerdilajd’s soldiers 2300 years ago. The views are breathtaking: green forests mix with rocky slopes while ancient ruins hide between them. We will pass a number of interesting spots and places, including Basha Stones, the Dhespina cave, the Rock of Kaze, The Valley of Cherries, the Crooked Brook and the Shameti Brook. Riders will stop for a break in a mountain valley, in the shade of a small grove. In the evening we will reach friendly shepherds, who will host us for the night.

We have a shorter, very pleasant day ahead of us. We will spend about 4 hours in the saddle. First we visit the stone castle of Borsh that dates back to the 4th – 3rd century BC, also known as Castle of Sopoti (alb. Kalaja e Sopotit). It’s interesting to note that the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I included it in the list of fortifications dating for 527-565, and the fortress bears traces of the influence of various civilisations, from the Byzantine Empire to the Venetian Republic. It was converted into a military camp in the Middle Ages, being fully fortified during the reign of Ali Pasha. After the tour, we get back on the horses and head along the coast. Olive, orange, lemon and grapefruit trees grow along the way. A bit later we visit a family of fishermen where lunch awaits us. There will be no shortage of fish and seafood on the table. After the meal we will have some spare time to spend by the sea, on the beach. Rested we wil continue our ride, follow the path through a small ‘jungle’, combining trees, rocks and bushes, encountering traces of a road that once connected coastal villages to the seaside. In the afternoon we visit the old village of Shen Vasil, which has existed since the Middle Ages. During the communist dictatorship it a labour camp for political prisoners, where hundreds of intellectuals suffered and died over 4 decades, was located here. In the evening, we will make ourselves comfortable in a house typical for coastal areas and have dinner, with and abundance of wine a raki on the table.

We will have breakfast on the terrace overlooking the Ionian Sea. Let’s enjoy a traditional seaside byrek (cheese cake), pastries, milk and honey will also be served. Next we saddle up and set off on horseback to Bunec, to a beach covered with sand and pebbles, where the sea breeze will accompany us along the way. Traversing the trail we will head again towards the village of Shen Vasil, which we visited the previous day. We may encounter shepherds leading their flocks of sheep and goats. The region has still retained its rural character and we will have the opportunity to observe the life of the local population. In the late afternoon, we will reach another family running a cosy seaside house, where we will make ourselves comfortable, rest after the day’s adventure and relax before the next day. In the evening, as usual, we will have dinner and a party.

After breakfast, we set off for the Kalasa river valley. We return to the war path of King Skerdylaidas, descending near the Foinike Hill, where the royal army faced the armies of Epirus in 229 BC. It’s a great spota for a long, fast canter. Heading to the village of Varfaj, we will ascend the gently rising hill of Mount Sopoti, which offers a lovely view of the countryside. There we will stop to rest a bit. Refreshed, we’ll head down to the Drino river valley. Along the way there may be places where we dismount the horses and lead them down along more narrow parts of the path. In the late afternoon we will reach the village of Lazarat. The area is known for its turbulent past, the dynamic changes of the present times and its rich cultural heritage. Once (in)famous for marijuana cultivation, Lazarat proudly displays its timeless cultural heritage. Upon arriving at a local guest house, we will head to… a cooking lesson, led by our hosts. We will dine among the olive trees, in an extraordinary,  atmosphere.

After breakfast, we set off on our return journey to Gjirokastra. We have a final, shorter day of riding ahead of us. We will start by crossing the village of Lazarat and descend towards the Drino river valley. We will follow the trail to a point where we can cross the river, with no shortage of places for fast, exhilarating canters along the way. As we approach the southern outskirts of the village of Asim Zeneli, our path will start ascending. We will ride up the hillss to reach the stables soon after. There we will unsaddle our brave horses, bid them farewell and take them to their pastures. We will spend the early afternoon having a picnic at the village café. In the evening a farewell dinner and party is planned. We spend the night at the hotel.

Riders leave Albania that day. Transfer to Tirana or Saranda available.