Aug 20, 2024
Far better than expected - Although we read some devastating reviews before booking, the combination of nature and culture was tempting and we took the risk. The tour was about 8 hours in total and this needs to be considered on the advert. However, we had breathtaking views of Bovilla lake. It is far more beautiful than the pictures show. In Kruje, a stroll in the old town beyond the bazar was as interesting as the museum. It would have been good to have time for the Ethnographic Museum as well. The guide Andrew spoke fluent English and was polite and knowledgeable.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 27, 2024
Great experience - Great trip. The guide had a lot of passion and was dedicated to giving us an amazing time.
When booking the trip, one needs to prepare for rocky roads (so car sickness) and a slight communication barrier (English skills could be improved).
Review provided by Viator
Jun 15, 2024
Very nice! - The views was so amazing, we took a lot of pictures, and our guide was so very cool. It was very nice trip, we will not forget about this trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jul 23, 2024
Exhausting, stressful, yet beautiful - The ride in our case from Durres was annoying and stressful, in total that day 4 h sat in the car, the air conditioning was I think also very busy, there were 6 of us in the minibus, also very bad I think was the constant roar with loud music. The ascent to the restaurant is steep and dusty then it goes on up the mountain, great mega view, this “small” hike is very nice but basically alpine, the restaurant is also very nice, the last visit to the Kruja was top, the lunch at the hotel restaurant was also very good, on the small walk through Kruja gives cappucino for little money and super good 👍
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 17, 2024
Trip cancelled at the very last minute due to not enough people. - The trip was cancelled at the very last minute (just past midnight on the morning we were due to be picked up). We were offered a full refund, but it would have been better to know at least the day before the trip. I had also contacted the tour company through Viator and had no response.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 16, 2024
Nope, just nope. - Utterly chaotic and unprofessional throughout the tour. 5 1/2 hours on a very poorly air conditioned mini bus. Did not stop for anything to eat until 16:00 after pick up at 08:30.
Driver got lost at times.
Ridiculous climb up a mountain in 30 degree heat. Older people were told they wouldn't make the climb.
No info on the way to the lake, in fact, the only info we got all day was the 'fact' that George W Bush and the people of Ireland and Scotland were originally Albanian ! Ridiculous in the extreme.
Avoid like the plague.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 15, 2024
Not a good 'tour'! Save your money. - What a bad trip! Yes they did pick us up from the hotel but were late and tried to blame us for being at the wrong destination when they sent a location photo that was 600m down the road, not near our specified hotel. The tour was organised to pick others up on route from Durres and stupidly from Tirana, city centre. This tour should know for a start what the city is like and run separate trips from there! Because it was heavily congested this added hours to our journey. What is described as a 1 hour journey turned into five and a half hours - to the first destination!!
For this five hours, the tour guide Klodi did not speak to us at all! the bus had no air-con and made a detour to drop someone off in the city centre!
When we got to the first destination - Bovilla Lake - the bus driver refused to drive to the top where there is a restaurant and facilities so meant that we had to walk a strenuous hike 2km up to the top. 50% of the paid customers were told they were not able to make this journey and were made to stay by the bus with nothing to do for around an hour and a half while a few of us went to the top view point. This incuded 2/4 paid customers under this review. This booking also stated that payment into mountain was included. when me and my partner got to the top we were made to pay 100Lek each to access the viewpoint.
We were then told that the journey to the castle would take 50 minutes. This took almost 2 hours. The driver got lost twice and asked a local for directions, causing us to backtrack for some time. Again no communication on what was happening from the guide.
Once at Kruja, we were shown the castle and entrance to the 'museum' . Nothing was translated into any language, not even english so had no clue what I was looking at. At this time it had been 7 hours and we had not been given an opportunity to get a drink or food! We abandoned this museum and went for a quick drink - no longer than 10 minutes - and met as instructed at the restaurant for food. we ordered promptly as Klod told us and as soon as the food came we were told that the bus was leaving in 10 minutes. THis caused neighbouring tables on this tour to leave half their food as they could not eat it in time. There was no time to look at Kruja Old town at all and gave most of us a completely wasted day.
Overall a waste of money and a dreadful day.
I tried to request a refund but it submitted without allowing me to enter such reasons and unable to resend request with details. This refund was refused.
Save your money and do NOT go on this trip.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sep 11, 2024
Be warned, it was a disaster - Awful tour
Badly planned
Waste of a day
We spent 7 hours in a hot un-airconditioned bus and 3 hours at attractions.
Firstly it took 4 hours to pick everyone up as this included a pick up in Tirana. The capital is very congested.
Our first attraction, the lake. We were dropped off 2km down the track at yhe bus was struggling. Then when is a VERY steep hike up to the restrooms and restaurant. If your can't make it, and 50% of the people could not, you are made to wait with the bus. There are no routes around the lake so you just sit there and wait for the others.
We then gor to the castle at 4pm. We were given one hour to see the castle, museum, bazaar and have lunch in one hour. Before getting back on the bus to drive home.
Our "guide" did not give us updates of what was going on.
Everyone on the bus looked either fed up or angry.
Complete waste of a day.
Oh, and the driver was constantly getting lost and had to ask for directions and backtrack.
It was a disaster.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Aug 8, 2024
CURSED! Most horrible tour ever! - Coach broke down over 10 times due to overheating! Had to walk uphill with 3 children!!! No air con! No communication!!!
Promised another coach that never came!
Sprained my ankle / deep cut legs walking uphill!! No bandages in first aid box when finally found it!
Missed half the tour and it ran over by 8 hours leaving this mum with no dinner for her exhausted kids!!
Driver missed & forgot our hotel!
Utter sham and chaos!!!
Asked for half of my money back as didn’t see half of the tour and given back only £40 out of £250!! Stay away! Find another tour as this one is CURSED!!!!
Review provided by Viator
Aug 3, 2024
En horrible tur - A terrible trip
We booked a trip to Lake Boville, Kurja Old town. It was set to 6-7 hours, but we only got home after 14 long hours, without seeing everything on the program.
The tour should start at 8:00, with pick-up from our hotel. The guide Anri forgot us and came back and picked us up 1 1/2 hour later. 9:30
We drove in a minibus, with poor comfort and minimum of air conditioning.
After picking up several participants we first drove to Lake Boville at about 11:20.
After a long drive on hollow roads and a bus, which could not drive up and stopped, we were ordered out of the bus and asked to go towards the lake in 36 degrees heat.
We received no status, status update or information from the guide. However, he said there would come a new bus for us, which could take us further.
After a warm and hard walk up the roads to the mountain, the guide told us to have lunch here due to the time. It was 15 o'clock.
Again no time frame for how long and where our bus stopped and waited for us. No new bus. The bus still had no air conditioning and the door could not be closed. It was a problem all the way. Things fell off the shelves while we were driving, due to the way the bus jumped and danced, all the way.
On the way to Kurja town, the bus stopped and the guide Anri provided only himself with cold drinks. We were not offered anything, or even to buy anything. A very long warm ride without the possibility of drinking.
Towards Kurts town the bus burned down and smoke came from the engine. Up the mountain was driven in the first gear and the bus could not pull us up. We were once again asked to get off the bus. It was now 18 and we had only seen Lake Boville.
The guide still told nothing and we were left to ourselves. Nobody we were put in the bus and got promise on new bus soon.
We came in snake speed closer to the castle. The bus burned together again and we were asked to go out again. Again we were promised a new bus. Two actually, one would drive to Durres and the other to Tirana. It was now 18.40.
The castle museum was closed and everyone wanted to go home.
The guide again ignored us and began to walk the last 1.2 km to the castle.
Still no information and possibility of drinking. We were to meet at the castle where the guide Anri insisted on a walk around.
No new bus was waiting for us, it was still the same. Air conditioning still worked ik and the door could not close. At 20.00 we drove towards Durres in the same bus we started with. First in Durres awaited a new bus ready to drive guests to Tirana. The driver knew where in Durres we were going and we even asked to get off so we could walk the last piece to the hotel. We had enough. When we were leaving the door could not be opened and the driver had to pull the emergency handle to open the door.
The trip we booked was set to 6-7 hours. It lasted 14 hours.
We paid for air-conditioned buses, we didn't get that. Entrance to Kruja Castle, we did not get it, as it was closed when we finally arrived.
The whole trip matched the description and the expected.
We felt outraged due to the unsafe transport, lack of comfort and guide who did not inform us on a regular basis and listened to our concerns.
We didn't get what we paid for and feel cheated.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
