Kimkim Trip Reviews for Albania

The whole trip was amazing, well planned by Ed. Our guide Nik was amazing, really friendly, accommodating, welcoming and really made the trip. Would recommend for sure.

Nick, our tour guide, did a fantastic job showing us his beautiful country. At our request, this was a personalized tour with some new destinations which sometimes presented challenges. Nick was always able to handle well any unexpected circumstances. The ride in the tour bus was at times a bit rough, but that is to be expected when traveling some not so good roads in a four wheel drive vehicle. The food was excellent, specially the salads and local ice cream. The pace of the trip was... read more

Nick, our tour guide, did a fantastic job showing us his beautiful country. At our request, this was a personalized tour with some new destinations which sometimes presented challenges. Nick was always able to handle well any unexpected circumstances. The ride in the tour bus was at times a bit rough, but that is to be expected when traveling some not so good roads in a four wheel drive vehicle. The food was excellent, specially the salads and local ice cream. The pace of the trip was perfect for two retired couples and Nick was ready to assist with any question or necessity. Great experience. Thank You.

Trip was great, well coordinated, Jared was always immediately available with help / guidance along the way, even when I was abroad. I would recommend Mostar for future guests in place of Travnik day trip, but all else was interesting to see. Jared is the best!

We have recently completed two amazing weeks is Albania. In planning the trip we were keen to really see the country, taking in many of the main sights. Ed put together a wonderful itinerary taking into account our specific wishes and really listening to what we wanted. Originally we had planned to self-drive but in the end opted for a driver and guide. This was the best decision. Ardi was fantastic and having him with us for most of the journey (Ed stepped in a for a few days) really made a... read more

We have recently completed two amazing weeks is Albania. In planning the trip we were keen to really see the country, taking in many of the main sights. Ed put together a wonderful itinerary taking into account our specific wishes and really listening to what we wanted. Originally we had planned to self-drive but in the end opted for a driver and guide. This was the best decision. Ardi was fantastic and having him with us for most of the journey (Ed stepped in a for a few days) really made a difference. Their knowledge of Albania meant that we were really able to enjoy the country and learn about its past, present and future. They were also great company. Their ability to adapt the itinerary as required meant we enjoyed unexpected experiences and were able to get closer to the local people. We came away having fallen in love with Albania and can’t thank Ed and Ardi enough for putting together such a fantastic trip. We would love to travel again with Drive Albania.

I have visited more than 40 different countries and this was easily one of my favorite vacations of all time! We visited Albania, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, and Montenegro through the company Drive Albania. These countries were wonderful and should be seen by all!

My friend and I were supposed to travel in 2020, but Covid canceled our flights so we postponed for 2021. Ed gave us constant updates through all the covid related issues and planed everything during a very turbulent time. He... read more

I have visited more than 40 different countries and this was easily one of my favorite vacations of all time! We visited Albania, Kosovo, Northern Macedonia, and Montenegro through the company Drive Albania. These countries were wonderful and should be seen by all!

My friend and I were supposed to travel in 2020, but Covid canceled our flights so we postponed for 2021. Ed gave us constant updates through all the covid related issues and planed everything during a very turbulent time. He answered all of my questions promptly (even if I asked multiple times). He adjusted the itinerary based on our new flights and even arrange for two additional friends to join half way through our tour making us a group of four. Ed personally picked everyone up from the airport (on three separate flights on three different days) and drove for hours to ensure the group was fully united! We had the pleasure of touring with Ed for a few days, and Ardi for the majority of our vacation. They were both knowledgeable, professional, made wonderful food suggestions and were delightful company! Our tour was so thoroughly planned and went so smoothly, that our group began to joke that Drive Albania was controlling everything including the weather! We had a unique tour group with two people who frequently vacation together; later joined by two less experienced travelers. Ardi was quick to assess everyone’s needs and resolved any potential issues (caused by us) so seamlessly, one would hardly know that anything was out of sorts.

Traveling with Ardi and Ed felt more like visiting with friends than traveling with a tour company. They ate with us, joked with us, and even joined our group selfie photos.

I am typically an anxious person, but on this trip, I was completely at ease! I can’t remember the last time I went on such a stress-free trip, and I know it was due to the thorough planning and good decisions of Ardi and Ed. I will definitely return to the Balkans, and travel with Drive Albania when I do!

We can't even say how wonderful this trip was! Both Ardi, and Ed were very good. Not only did they show us fabulous sights, nature and culture they introduced us to the locals and gave us fabulous service! The places they chose were great and the places we stayed were historical but very comfortable. I highly recommend Drive Albania. We have traveled to many places in Europe. This was probably one of the best. Don't wait until it gets expensive, go now! Because it is very inexpensive for what you get! But the country is changing fast! Go have a RAKI and a espresso!

Our guide Alban was amazing - a veritable font of Albanian history, knowledge and culture. He is very well educated and speaks fluent English and French. Our group of three spent 8 days with Alban traversing the length of Albania and definitely want to go back. As avid hikers and a vegan with a highly specific diet, Alban tailored the trip with our needs in mind and always made sure I was well catered for, The historic sites are interesting, the country side is beautiful, the... read more

Our guide Alban was amazing - a veritable font of Albanian history, knowledge and culture. He is very well educated and speaks fluent English and French. Our group of three spent 8 days with Alban traversing the length of Albania and definitely want to go back. As avid hikers and a vegan with a highly specific diet, Alban tailored the trip with our needs in mind and always made sure I was well catered for, The historic sites are interesting, the country side is beautiful, the people are warm and friendly and almost everyone speaks fluent English. This country should be much better known for Americans...

Our review is highly positive for Alban and Evasion Albanie but also for Albania as a whole.

We had an outstanding trip Ed designed a trip around our preferences and Ardie our tour guide was amazing making sure everything was organised correctly while remaining flexible enough to try extra things, his recommendations were always spot on. I would recommend Drive Albania to anyone wanting to visit this part of the world

Kimkim were great to deal with. Was a bit nervous to use them as hadn't heard about them in our part of the world but wouldn't hesitate to use them again.
Ed was also wonderful to deal with. Always quick with replies and happy to make changes and answer my endless questions. He certainly gave us an itinerary to suit us.
Our guide Ardi was brilliant. Can't praise him enough. He quickly assessed what we liked and didn't like and would make small changes to the itinerary, after consulting us... read more

Kimkim were great to deal with. Was a bit nervous to use them as hadn't heard about them in our part of the world but wouldn't hesitate to use them again.
Ed was also wonderful to deal with. Always quick with replies and happy to make changes and answer my endless questions. He certainly gave us an itinerary to suit us.
Our guide Ardi was brilliant. Can't praise him enough. He quickly assessed what we liked and didn't like and would make small changes to the itinerary, after consulting us and Ed. We loved the fact he was so generous with his time and we really enjoyed the fact that we ate most nights together and he shared his insights into the people and its history. One time we went off road and stayed almost on the edge of a cliff in a canyon. It was wonderful to be in such a beautiful part of the world and feel like we were the only people there.
Albania is a wonderful country and will always have great memories of it's people and places.

We had a fantastic time in Albania! The sights and beaches were terrific. Kakome bay was spectacular, Gjirokaster was extremely interesting and notably, getting an opportunity to drink Turkish coffee and Raki with the proprietor from the Zekate house was a real highlight for us.

A special mention for our guide Franko. He exceeded expectations. He provided expert knowledge of all of the places we visited and structured each day to meet our needs: sights, coffee stops, and dining. He was also... read more

We had a fantastic time in Albania! The sights and beaches were terrific. Kakome bay was spectacular, Gjirokaster was extremely interesting and notably, getting an opportunity to drink Turkish coffee and Raki with the proprietor from the Zekate house was a real highlight for us.

A special mention for our guide Franko. He exceeded expectations. He provided expert knowledge of all of the places we visited and structured each day to meet our needs: sights, coffee stops, and dining. He was also a wealth of knowledge about Albania, its interesting history, and answered all of our questions! He is also a funny guy and very easy to be around which was perfect for our adventure in Albania.

Also to note, Xheni was very accommodating when planning our adventure and did a great job including everything we were looking to experience!

On our last day in Albania, we were thinking about when we would be able to come back and see other parts of the country - with Franko, of course!

Thank you for all of your help with organizing a memorable and special holiday for us!

Take care,

David and Jim

We recently returned from a wonderful holiday with the kimkim team exploring by road from Dubrovnik to Tirana, traveling through Montenegro, Kosovo, and Albania.

Our time with Ed and Ardi was very special. We came on board late in the piece after Ed and our traveling companion Lynette had created a well thought out itinerary having John and myself feeling like privileged children free of all responsibility. Together they chose excellent hotels and the way Ed and Ardi pampered us with... read more

We recently returned from a wonderful holiday with the kimkim team exploring by road from Dubrovnik to Tirana, traveling through Montenegro, Kosovo, and Albania.

Our time with Ed and Ardi was very special. We came on board late in the piece after Ed and our traveling companion Lynette had created a well thought out itinerary having John and myself feeling like privileged children free of all responsibility. Together they chose excellent hotels and the way Ed and Ardi pampered us with special stopovers, luggage handling, smooth check-ins, finding the right roads and car parks, getting us "there" on time had us feeling absolutely secure and safe. How could we ever have managed such a relaxing holiday without such tailored service? At no time did we worry about anything at all even though we were in countries that we knew little about and with language barriers. With Ardi's charm and language skills, we were free of worries at border crossings or barriers between ourselves and the lovely people we encountered.
If we were to try to describe the stunning landscapes of Montenegro and Albania we would run dry of superlatives. The topography of these countries is simply breathtaking. The thrill of discovering real medieval history in towns like Dubrovnik, Cetinje, Kotor, Gjakova, and Prizren was an exceptional experience. The tragic political history of the Balkans although so recently experienced feels by now to be part of history, what we did appreciate was to have local guides arranged for us who were able to deliver information on important matters, bringing a gravity to our experience of a real lived environment that appears on the surface to be a postcard photographer's dream but has by contrast layers of history both recent and ancient that should never be forgotten. In Tirana, they managed to find us delicious food experiences and despite drama on the streets, we felt very happy and privileged to be there among such charming people. Altogether we could not have asked for a more relaxing travel experience while enjoying all the benefits and stimulation of countries more commonly known as intrepid travel destinations.

Ed and his team - Henry, Megi and Ardie were friendly, accessible, knowledgeable and professional at all times. Our trip was well organised and tailor made perfectly as Ed listened and responded to all of our requests - his recommendations for restaurants and ‘tourist’ attractions were great. Communication was prompt at all times. We never felt alone. Accommodation was perfect as were all the staff. It’s difficult to name anybody in particular but Rosa and her family in Lin were extremely... read more

Ed and his team - Henry, Megi and Ardie were friendly, accessible, knowledgeable and professional at all times. Our trip was well organised and tailor made perfectly as Ed listened and responded to all of our requests - his recommendations for restaurants and ‘tourist’ attractions were great. Communication was prompt at all times. We never felt alone. Accommodation was perfect as were all the staff. It’s difficult to name anybody in particular but Rosa and her family in Lin were extremely hospitable - we felt very much at home. Henry, our guide was fun and ‘sociable’. The hike through the mountains was amazing, highlighting the beauty of the Albanian alps. We have travelled extensively throughout the world and without a doubt the Albanian people were consistently friendly, happy and willing to help at all times. We would highly recommend Ed and his team for anybody travelling through Albania.

I really don’t know where to start. My trip to Albania so exceeded my expectations and I think a lot of that is owed to Ed Reeves who listened to me about what I was looking for in my trip and planned it for me perfectly! Also, he was always very quick to respond to my emails with all my many questions. Then there were our two guides/drivers, Henri Manushi and Elton (I forget his last name )who were absolutely incredible. The 10-day trip that Ed planned was in Southern Albania and it... read more

I really don’t know where to start. My trip to Albania so exceeded my expectations and I think a lot of that is owed to Ed Reeves who listened to me about what I was looking for in my trip and planned it for me perfectly! Also, he was always very quick to respond to my emails with all my many questions. Then there were our two guides/drivers, Henri Manushi and Elton (I forget his last name )who were absolutely incredible. The 10-day trip that Ed planned was in Southern Albania and it was for myself and my 26 year old daughter. Much of the travel took place on rocky dirt roads that often ran along or through mountains. We always felt totally safe in the hands of Henri (and Elton) . Their skill on this type of terrain was impressive (as well as a lot of fun) . There are so many memorable places and experiences that I have. One of my favorite was when we set off on a picnic lunch. Henri had heard about an area and set off to find it. We followed dirt roads and then left the roadway for a path that he made his way through which eventually opened up to the most beautiful spot. We set out a blanket and had a wonderful lunch and then afterwards we all just lied on our backs and enjoyed the beautiful clouds. It was just perfect!

This was a fantastic experience and tour … absolutely gorgeous scenery … and very few tourists to compete with. Ed's Drive Albania put together a custom itinerary through 4 countries. Our guide - Ardi - was absolutely fantastic … at the end of the trip we consider him our friend and have invited him to visit us in Florida. Ardi was always making sure we were being taken care of and even modified the itinerary at our request. A very high service level.

We agree with the write-ups that... read more

This was a fantastic experience and tour … absolutely gorgeous scenery … and very few tourists to compete with. Ed's Drive Albania put together a custom itinerary through 4 countries. Our guide - Ardi - was absolutely fantastic … at the end of the trip we consider him our friend and have invited him to visit us in Florida. Ardi was always making sure we were being taken care of and even modified the itinerary at our request. A very high service level.

We agree with the write-ups that traveling in the Balkan region is safe - we never felt uncomfortable or unsafe … although it did help to have Ardi who spoke all the languages needed and knew the roads very well. We stayed at 2 guest houses which really personalized the experience … and off-roaded for a couple of days in the mountains which was one of the highlights of the adventure. We have a ton of pictures and very fond memories of our Balkan experience.

I would absolutely use Drive Albania again.

Ed and Ardi were unfailingly polite and available to help us with every request.

We had a superior experience with Drive Albania! Thanks to the Drive Albania team -- host Ed Reeves, our guide Ardi Zhugjeli, and their supporting staff -- our trip to Albania was fabulous and beyond expectations. Ed planned our activities meticulously, accommodating our wishes for backcountry hiking, bird-watching, and botany. Ardi obviously loves his country and has an outstanding knowledge of everything Albanian. His fun-loving personality made our two weeks an unforgettable experience. He... read more

We had a superior experience with Drive Albania! Thanks to the Drive Albania team -- host Ed Reeves, our guide Ardi Zhugjeli, and their supporting staff -- our trip to Albania was fabulous and beyond expectations. Ed planned our activities meticulously, accommodating our wishes for backcountry hiking, bird-watching, and botany. Ardi obviously loves his country and has an outstanding knowledge of everything Albanian. His fun-loving personality made our two weeks an unforgettable experience. He showed utmost concern for our well-being and drove expertly on some exciting mountainous roads. We enjoyed a great variety of local dishes prepared by our hosts at guest houses in remote villages, as well as locally grown, organic five-star cuisine in lively urban settings. We highly recommend Drive Albania without reservation if you wish to experience the stunning scenery and friendly people of Albania.
Vera Markgraf, Kathy Hilton, Mindy Bell (May 2019)

The goal of our trip was to visit the area of Albania where my grandparents lived before emigrating to the US and become acquainted with Albanian culture and history. Alban,our guide , was extremely knowledgeable and we accomplished everything we set out to do and more.
Hopefully we will return to Albania someday -it is a beautiful country and the people are wonderful!

My partner and I spent 14 wonderful days touring Kosovo and Albania.

This was booked through KimKim Travel. The reason we chose KimKim was that they used a local company to organise the itinerary and the travel details.

Where possible we choose locals, as they have a better understanding of their own territory and hopefully some of our money stays in the country.

Our contact at KimKim was Xheni from Evasion Albanie.

She was fabulous.

We hired a car for the two weeks and that was also... read more

My partner and I spent 14 wonderful days touring Kosovo and Albania.

This was booked through KimKim Travel. The reason we chose KimKim was that they used a local company to organise the itinerary and the travel details.

Where possible we choose locals, as they have a better understanding of their own territory and hopefully some of our money stays in the country.

Our contact at KimKim was Xheni from Evasion Albanie.

She was fabulous.

We hired a car for the two weeks and that was also arranged by Xheni.

Unfortunately we had an accident in Prizren and under most circumstances this would have been a disaster. However Xheni and the team at Evasion Albanie helped us through and then very quickly arranged for us to get a replacement vehicle in Tirana, our next stop.

As part of the travel arrangements we were given a Sat Nav, local mobile, an extensive touring itinerary and full size country maps.

We had a great adventure and I would recommend KimKim and Evasion Albanie if you are going to tour the Balkans.

I had a great experience with Drive Albania on my whirlwind three-day car tour. Ed responded promptly to my inquiry about a custom tour for a single traveler in the off-season. The company built an excellent and ambitious itinerary which they fulfilled. My guide Ardi was enthusiastic, patient, and ever attentive. I highly recommend this company!

Ed with Driving Albania put together a great 12 day Albania trip for us., filled with superb biking opportunities. Although occasionally we would have enjoyed road bikes, the mountain bikes Ed provided were perfect for the lesser roads with some broken pavement, and we appreciated the low gears for the mountain climbs. After a couple nights in Tirana to see the city and recover from jet lag, we hit the road , enjoying 25 kms of downhill riding to kick off our trip. After that our biking... read more

Ed with Driving Albania put together a great 12 day Albania trip for us., filled with superb biking opportunities. Although occasionally we would have enjoyed road bikes, the mountain bikes Ed provided were perfect for the lesser roads with some broken pavement, and we appreciated the low gears for the mountain climbs. After a couple nights in Tirana to see the city and recover from jet lag, we hit the road , enjoying 25 kms of downhill riding to kick off our trip. After that our biking days ranged from 30 to 70kms on paved rolling roads through the mountain countryside and villages. Vehicular traffic was light. Our guide Nick, a former Olympian and Albanian road bike champion was always near by in the 4wd vehicle with water and snacks while we were on the bikes. Nick proved a conscientious driver when the bikes were loaded and we were in the vehicle and a competent guide to the many historical and nature spots we toured. We appreciated the dash cam videos Nick took for us showing the scenic landscapes and us on the bikes. Ed set us up in great hotels every night; food was plentiful, tasty and inexpensive. We would definitely recommend Albania as a destination and Ed to set up your Albania tour.

Our trip to the Balkans, beginning in Tirana, Albania and terminating in Zagreb has been a wonderful trip for us. Ed helped me plan the trip and our Driver guide was Ardi. We cannot thank Ardi enough for taking us on this journey. We got to go high into the mountains of Albania and do some hiking, and visit many places throughout the Balkans... Ardi is a remarkable young man. He is prompt, responsible, kind and patient. Very good company and an excellent driver. Ardi speaks several languages which and was a great asset and he speaks excellent English.

I’m not much into planning ahead but knew that we were heading to Albania and Montenegro for a week. Stumbled upon KimKim on line and wouldn’t usually use a service like this because I like to deal directly with people I will interact with during a trip but I have to say this worked out brilliantly this time around. Ed whipped up an itinerary on short notice and we accepted. We got ourselves to Tirana in Albania to spend some days on our own, after that the plan was to do some hiking in... read more

I’m not much into planning ahead but knew that we were heading to Albania and Montenegro for a week. Stumbled upon KimKim on line and wouldn’t usually use a service like this because I like to deal directly with people I will interact with during a trip but I have to say this worked out brilliantly this time around. Ed whipped up an itinerary on short notice and we accepted. We got ourselves to Tirana in Albania to spend some days on our own, after that the plan was to do some hiking in the mountains which is when we met our guide Ardi who helped us out the entire way. We had a car ride to the lake Komani ferry which is a spectacular 3 hour journey through the mountains to Valbona. We stayed at an awe inspiring home stay in the valley. The views and lifestyle of the locals are what dreams are made of. We stayed at Kol Gjoni’s homestay which is a must. The food and hospitality was terrific as well of course as the room. In the morning we started our hike to Thethi, which took all morning and well into the afternoon. One of the most spectacular hikes I’ve ever been on. Once in Thethi, we had another remarkable homestay location beside the river. Two nights here with another day trip to visit a waterfall and swimming hole called “Blue Eye”. This ended our trip in the mountains, so we then headed to Shkodër for a quick night and finished our package with KimKim in Ulcinj. Every step of the way, our guide Ardi was terrific in helping us understand the local cultures and experiences. Terrific service and looking forward to heading back to Albania again.

Ed Reeves provides a very unique, custom service. We enjoyed 3 private day trips from Tirana with Ed or Nesti, one of his excellent Albanian guides. Ed’s 4 wheel drive vehicles allow you to access the “real” Albania. Day 1 we visited Durres and then on to a little known beach and a fabulous seafood lunch right overlooking the sea. Day 2 took us to the historic Greek / Roman site of Apolonia, but then on to the lesser known, and less accessible Bylis (which we had to ourselves) and also the... read more

Ed Reeves provides a very unique, custom service. We enjoyed 3 private day trips from Tirana with Ed or Nesti, one of his excellent Albanian guides. Ed’s 4 wheel drive vehicles allow you to access the “real” Albania. Day 1 we visited Durres and then on to a little known beach and a fabulous seafood lunch right overlooking the sea. Day 2 took us to the historic Greek / Roman site of Apolonia, but then on to the lesser known, and less accessible Bylis (which we had to ourselves) and also the magical Ottoman city of Berat where we had a fabulous tasting meal of local Albanian dishes. Day 3 took us to stunning mountain scenery and we had the chance to hike through pristine landscapes. Our meal of lamb at a local hostelry was mouthwatering! Ed provides adventure, exceptional local experiences and the chance to reach remote and unspoiled parts of Albania. Highly recommend if you are looking to discover the lesser travelled places in this fascinating country that is only just opening up to tourism.

Drive Albania (Ed Reeves and Company) planned this two week trip faboulously. Our personal guide, Ernest Markeci, was top notch professional and knowledgeable as well as personalable. He became our family for the two weeks. I would highly recommend Drive Albania to anyone who wants to see this wonderful country in the manner in which we did. A true treasure.

We are a family of 3 adults that with the help of Ed from the Kim Kim team created a 2 week trip through Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. I let him know that we liked hiking, culture and time to relax.
Ed put together a trip working with Outdoor Kosovo and Drive Albania to nicely cover everything. We hiked for 3 days in the Accursed Mountains then switched to culture and relaxation. Hiking and lake Ohrid were highlights. Our guides Mentor and Fatos were excellent for hiking. Ardie our... read more

We are a family of 3 adults that with the help of Ed from the Kim Kim team created a 2 week trip through Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia. I let him know that we liked hiking, culture and time to relax.
Ed put together a trip working with Outdoor Kosovo and Drive Albania to nicely cover everything. We hiked for 3 days in the Accursed Mountains then switched to culture and relaxation. Hiking and lake Ohrid were highlights. Our guides Mentor and Fatos were excellent for hiking. Ardie our guide/driver through Macedonia and Albania was great and highly entertaining 😉.
Overall we rate our quality of service as excellent.
We had previously used Kim Kim for a trip to Colombia last year with similar results.
Ralph

AMAZING is the word I have been using. I didn’t feel at all like I was on one of your typical tourist Trips. Ed was great and determined to make it an adventure which he did. Our guide Nesti was as some of us Americans say “The Cats Meow “. Just wonderful. So caring, so knowledgeable, on time, a complete joy to be with and like Ed out to give us adventurous . Good ones at that. We met Ardi another one of their guides. Great guide. Guess I can’t say enough about the team (including... read more

AMAZING is the word I have been using. I didn’t feel at all like I was on one of your typical tourist Trips. Ed was great and determined to make it an adventure which he did. Our guide Nesti was as some of us Americans say “The Cats Meow “. Just wonderful. So caring, so knowledgeable, on time, a complete joy to be with and like Ed out to give us adventurous . Good ones at that. We met Ardi another one of their guides. Great guide. Guess I can’t say enough about the team (including Boobie, Ed’s dog) and the trip. Would recommend them to anyone. The lodges and all the people running them were so nice as were ALL the people I came across in Albania. I have my Albanian bracelet that I wear all the time because it has now become a special place to me.

Okay, assuming you want a blunt assessment. The planning was great as was the booking and with a few exceptions which you will see when I rate the hotels.

Not to sound like a broken record but the problem was with the execution and I am not referring to the choice of vehicle exclusively but rather as I voiced to Henri on my last day it was how the send off from Tirana was handled. My agreement with your company included an English speaking GPS similar to the one I used when I drove in... read more

Okay, assuming you want a blunt assessment. The planning was great as was the booking and with a few exceptions which you will see when I rate the hotels.

Not to sound like a broken record but the problem was with the execution and I am not referring to the choice of vehicle exclusively but rather as I voiced to Henri on my last day it was how the send off from Tirana was handled. My agreement with your company included an English speaking GPS similar to the one I used when I drove in Iceland. Instead I was sent off with a Vodaphone mobile Wifi and my own phone. My google maps turned out to be unreliable off and on during the entire trip. My issue is/was, if the GPS had been supplied on Day 1 we would have discovered the issues with the car and with the Tom Tom immediately (except for the air conditioning of course) and I assume gone to Kia for repair of the vehicle issues and also presumable repaired or purchased a new Wifi. Ed certainly tried but the issue should never have arisen in the first place.

I had very limited time in Albania and I felt that I got a true exposure to genuine Albanian life and the Albanian people. Henri was great. Nothing but amazing kudos for the experience. I definitely would use them again if I choose to go back to Albania, which I hope to do in the future. Thank you.

Jeremy

Road trip with Ernesto. Had Ed put together a 10 day road trip through Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, had the great fortune of being paired up with Nesti. Here is the kind of guide who makes a journey. While sticking to the basic itinerary, he was always flexible, with grace and humor at all times. Had a great time, travelled many miles, had great dining experiences (none of the stupid crap with pre-arranged, tour approved restaurants) and many opportunities to travel the road less... read more

Road trip with Ernesto. Had Ed put together a 10 day road trip through Albania, Macedonia and Kosovo, had the great fortune of being paired up with Nesti. Here is the kind of guide who makes a journey. While sticking to the basic itinerary, he was always flexible, with grace and humor at all times. Had a great time, travelled many miles, had great dining experiences (none of the stupid crap with pre-arranged, tour approved restaurants) and many opportunities to travel the road less traveled. I've been to over 70 countries and this has been one of my favorite trips, I cannot say enough about the beauty of Albania, its unspoiled vibe, friendliness of her people, and of course the superb services of Nesti and Drive Albania. Go before it all changes!
-Dave Spaeth March 2018

We are over the moon with getting such a taste of Albania in such a short time. We were visiting family in Europe and had limited time to visit Albania. Five days and four nights to fit in with flights into the capital Tirana. The four wheel-drive was able to get us to some places off the beaten track in just the short time. We had given just a brief outline to the team about our interests and basically left it up to them. We think we’ve got a pretty fair idea now of what Albania and its... read more

We are over the moon with getting such a taste of Albania in such a short time. We were visiting family in Europe and had limited time to visit Albania. Five days and four nights to fit in with flights into the capital Tirana. The four wheel-drive was able to get us to some places off the beaten track in just the short time. We had given just a brief outline to the team about our interests and basically left it up to them. We think we’ve got a pretty fair idea now of what Albania and its people are all about.

Being met at the airport was great when arriving in a strange place. We didn’t get dropped into the city hotel but took off straight away for the old castle city of Kruja where we liked the hotel right above the bazaar. Time to wander through it with help and lovely not to be hassled. A few purchases. Time to walk up to the old castle and also see some of the museum where we started to understand some of the history that goes way back for this land.

Of course the secret was to have such a good driver as Nesti, Albanian born and very knowledgeable of the country and its history. While it was strange to meet this tall fit young mean, it didn’t take long to relax in his care and he was fantastic in answering all out questions and explaining things as we went.

After dinner and the night there we were off next day to a great beach on the Adriatic: a colorful spot with the bright umbrellas, crystal clear water and a wonderful seafood lunch to finish. Then we went chasing a look at some of the gun placements.

Back to Tirana and the same hotel for two nights. We were able to walk around and experience how the city and its people work and live. Even did some shopping, though both items turned out to be Italian leather.

Driving around next day showed another side to the city with the civic buildings and public places. A guide met us to take us through the mosque and also the museum though it was very hot and too much to see everything so we were happy with viewing some. The history of Albania is very different from our own.

Albania is a land of mountains, or so it seemed, and we took a good road …. at least two or three, then to the off road bit to meet a special couple who provided a typical country meal. This was the time we met Ed, who joined for the drive and meal. The weather was extremely hot but sitting under the shade of the vine made for a pleasant time.

The Ottoman old city of Berat was another experience and Nesti sure knows the places to eat as well as the short way up to the castle. Joining the evening stroll down the main street made us feel part of the local scene. The last day took us back from Berat to Tirana but have to share a secret: Nesti and his mates know the best seafood restaurant ever, duly booked of course. Safely back at the airpot to catch the plane it was a sad goodbye to our guide Nesti whom we had come to regard as a good friend. So…hot weather, short trip, one off-colour day for one of us BUT it was left to Kim Kim and they organised around the weather and our interests, our photos, our interest in the history and culture even if we didn’t drive all of the roads that they know about but that’s for longer trips. We think we covered a fair bit in the short time, made possible by kimkim.
Jim and Genevieve