Semi-Private Trip, Struga Included

Overview

This day trip from Tirana packs two North Macedonian towns into one long outing. A Choose Balkans vehicle leaves the operator's office in the Albanian capital at 07:00 and heads for the border, with the drive to the crossing taking roughly two hours according to one traveller. Struga comes first, then Ohrid and Lake Ohrid, before the return to Tirana. The group is capped at fifteen people, and one reviewer found the small group size made the trip friendlier and easier.

Guides drive as well as lead, and reviewers repeatedly praised both the driving and the depth of commentary on Albanian and Macedonian history. Hotel pickup and drop off in Tirana, entry tickets for the visited sites, fuel, taxes and insurance are all covered. Lunch, drinks and snacks are not, so plan on buying a meal during the day.

The day suits first time visitors to the Balkans who want to reach North Macedonia without renting a car or piecing together buses, as one reviewer put it. It is a full day with uphill walking in Ohrid, which one reviewer found unexpected, so reasonable mobility helps. Bring a passport, since the route crosses an international border.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Pickup in TiranaThe tour departs at 07:00 from the Choose Balkans office at the Twin Towers, Tower 2, 3rd Floor, Bulevardi Dëshmorët e Kombit. Hotel pickup in Tirana is included.
2. Drive to the borderThe transfer from Tirana toward the North Macedonian border takes approximately 2 hours, according to a reviewer. Passports are required.
3. StrugaA stop of 1 hour, free admission. Reviewers mention a walkable lakeside town where some travellers picked up ice cream.
4. OhridA stop of 1 hour, free admission, covering the town's sites.
5. Lake OhridA stop of 1 hour, free admission, at the lake itself.
6. Ohrid, extendedA further 2 hours in Ohrid, free admission. This is the longest stop of the day.
7. Return to TiranaThe trip ends back at the meeting point, with the final leg listed at 30 minutes.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points come up again and again in traveller feedback and in the listing itself.

• Bring your passport. The route crosses an international border into North Macedonia. One reviewer was blunt about it: do not forget your passport.
• Prepare to walk. One review flags uphill hiking that some participants had not expected, assuming flat town walking instead. Decent shoes and steady legs matter.
• It is a long day. Multiple reviewers call it a long day, starting at 07:00, but most said it was worth it.
• Small group feel. The cap is fifteen travellers, and one reviewer found the small group made the trip friendlier and easier. Others praise guides who answered questions with great insight throughout the day.
• Food is on you. Lunch, drinks and snacks are excluded, so budget for a meal during the day. One reviewer simply found the food on the trip good.
• Tipping customs. The listing notes tips are not required in Albania or the Balkans but recommends tipping the tour leader and driver for good service, as an international practice.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible, and the amount of walking, including uphill parts of Ohrid, caught at least one group off guard. One reviewer also reported an impatient guide who did not wait for slower walkers, so the experience can vary with the day and guide. This is a long day on the road, and no lunch is included.

Common Questions