Zbulo is owned and operated by a multi-national (mostly German) team of certified guides and expats who fell in love with Albania. Based in Tirana, Zbulo offers self-guided and guided hiking trips through Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo and Macedonia. Day hikes, self-driving tours and tailor-made tours are also offered. Their coverage of hiking routes is impressive, including the popular Peaks of the Balkans, Albanian Alps, High Scardus Trail, Albanian Coastal Trail and Zagoria’s Hidden Valley Trek. Zbulo is serious about sustainability and supporting local communities and they are one of our top picks for hiking the Balkans!
Review of Zbulo Website
Zbulo’s site is full of info but it is a bit glitchy and clunky to navigate, but that should not deter you from choosing this company (especially since the rumor is they’re working on a new site). They are highly respected and trusted by several international agencies. Visit their Facebook page and click “Mentions” to see what past clients have posted about them. You can quickly see a list of upcoming group tours and they provide a ton of details for each of their self-guided tours. We especially love their details about lodging which include notes about the hosts, showers, power, whether English is spoken, and private or shared rooms. Zbulo offers assistance obtaining border crossing permits for anyone wishing to plan their own hike on the Peak of the Balkans and their website makes it easy with good info and an online application.
Things to like about
- Owned and operated by certified guides who work closely with local guides and homestays to create an immersive experience that focuses on the culture and beauty of the Balkans
- Consistent 5-star reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and TourRadar
- Provides airport transfers
- Includes lunches and dinners, luggage transport and hiking permits and fees
- Member of Active Travel Trade Association, trusted by Explore Balkans, and a certified Travelife Partner
- Committed to offering a more authentic experience that provides economic support to rural communities
For all these reasons and more, Zbulo earns our Local Choice for self-guided walking holidays in Albania and supported DIY hiking on the Peaks of the Balkans through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Compare them with Outdoor Albania when trying to choose a tour operator, they’re both an excellent choice.
Route types
- Inn to inn hiking
- Trekking
Destinations include
- Albania
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
Great choice for
- Do-It-Yourselfers who want help with border permits to hike Peaks of the Balkans or any cross-border trails in this region.
- Anyone seeking hiking trips, guided or self-guided, in Albania and the Accursed Mountains.
Established in 2015
last reviewed August 7, 2023