Kimkim Trip Reviews for Albania

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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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.