D Crane Consultants is an independent tourism and leisure consultancy specialising in the promotion and arrangement of holidays to the new 'undiscovered' holiday destination of Albania. You can be one of the first of your family and friends to experience what will, without a doubt, become one of the favourite European destinations.

Our Managing Director, Derek Crane, is the only foreign member of the Albanian Tourist Club. ATC is a non-governmental, non-political and non-profit making organisation aimed at promoting tourism to this beautiful part of the Balkans. For more details please visit the ATC website,

All of our accompanied tours are on an informal basis and can be changed to suit each group should you so wish. You will have the services of an English representative throughout and interpreter/guide on scheduled day trips. These tours are not really suitable for children under the age of 10. The hotel accommodation is 3 & 4 star quality (UK standard) to ensure that you have comfort when relaxing.

Day 2 - Leave hotel at 10am. We will visit the Mosque of Etham Bey, the clock tower, the National Museum, the National Art Gallery, Skanderbeg Square, the Martyrs Cemetery, Grand Park and government buildings. Lunch can be taken at your lesiure. Later in the afternoon we can travel to Petrela to the medieval monument, Petrela Castle, before returning to the hotel in the evening.

Day 3 - Depart the hotel at 9am for a trip to Kruja (approximately 30kms away). Here is the historic citadel of the Albanian hero Skanderbeg. There is a museum and a fascinating bazaar in which to browse and buy authentic Albanian souvenirs. There are many historic building in the area.

We then travel to Durres , which is on the Adriatic coast and the main commercial port of Albania . There are many good restaurants on the seafront if you want lunch before wandering around the town. You can see ancient Roman remains including an amphitheatre. At the top of the hill is the Palace of the former King Zog. There are the ancient walls and the Great Mosque of Durres (origin 15c.). To the south are miles of sandy beaches. We return to our hotel early evening.

Day 4 - 9am check out of Hotel [please settle account for all meals etc. charged to room]. 9.30 Depart for Korea . The journey is approx. 180 kms. We will take a leisurely drive via Elbasan where you can visit the castle and various picturesque sites. The approach into Elbasan from Tirana offers spectacular views across the city. From Elbasan we travel to Lake Ohrid , which is one of The Great Lakes of Albania. We stop for lunch on the shore of the lake and in the distance you will see the mountains of Macedonia.

We go on to Pogradec and we will stop at Vila Art in the Driloni district, which is a park and former holiday home of the ex-dictator Enver Hoxha on the bank of the lake. After decades the park is open to ordinary citizens. Here you can hire a boat for a brief trip on Lake Ohrid.We eventually

Day 5 - At 10am we go for a part walking and part minibus tour of Korca and the surrounding area. We will visit the Cathedral of Christ Revived, the Museum of Medieval Art, the Museum of Oriental Art, The Mosque of Iljaz Bej Mirahori (built 1494 and the oldest surviving mosque in Albania), the bazaar, the site of the First Albanian School, plus many old and historic buildings of the Ottoman design.

After lunch we travel to Lake Prespa, the other Great Lake, and Prespa National Park. These are areas of outstanding natural beauty. The centre of the lake marks the border between Albania, Macedonia and Greece . In the Albanian water is the small island of Maligrad , with a 14c church built into the rock. It may be possible to hire a boat to visit but not always. You can wander through the villages surrounding the lake, inhabited by Roma people; and see centuries old farming methods. We return to the hotel at 7pm..

Day 6 - Depart hotel after breakfast for minibus tour of the Korea region. We will visit the villages of Voskopoja, Dardha with its health giving springs and Polena. You will see the traditional way of life and outstanding examples of Orthodox Christian Churches which, miraculously, escaped destruction by the communists. The 18c. Church in Voskapoja is particularly worth visiting to see the original murals and artefacts. Return to hotel late afternoon/early evening.

Day 7 - Morning free to wander around Korca , buy some gifts in the bazaar (but get up early because it closes before noon) or just take in the atmosphere of this typical Albanian modern town. At 12pm we check out of the Regency (please settle bill for meals etc.) and depart for Tirana. En route we will stop at your leisure for photographs, lunch, refreshments, etc. Arrive back at Tirana, the Chateau Linza Hotel, at approx 6pm.

Days 8 & 9 - Relax around the hotel, sunbathe by the pool, go for a swim or walk up to the Dajti Mountain (or get a taxi). Re-visit Tirana, go off the tourist trail and meet the people. Or, for the adventurous, take a return train journey from Tirana to Durres . You will never complain about Virgin trains again! During days 8 & 9 any transport costs incurred are not included in the holiday price. The English representative will be on hand to advise and escort you if required.

Day 2 - We leave the hotel at 10am by minibus to Tirana. We then visit the Mosque of Ethem Bey, the clock tower, the National Museum, the National Art Gallery, Skanderbeg Square, the Martyrs Cemetery, government buildings and Grand Park. Lunch can be taken at your leisure. We then go on to Petrela, to the medieval monument of Petrela Castle.

Day 6 - Depart hotel 10am for trip to the Mali i Robit Golem beach resort. The resort is 10 kms south of Durres, enjoy the facilities of the hotel and grounds including tennis, sauna, horse riding or just laze about on the nearby beach. Return to Hotel in the evening.

Flights depart from London and are scheduled services on Malev Hungary Airline via Budapest or Alitalia via Milan . Total journey time approx. 6 hours. Flights can be arranged from other UK airports (price and times on application). Albanian Airlines plan to commence direct flights from London during summer 2004. This will reduce the journey to approx. 3 hours.

Transfers to and from Tirana airport plus organised trips around the country are by modern minibus. Due to traffic congestion in Tirana and poor quality roads everywhere, journey times are long. To average between 20 and 30 mph is doing well. However, this does provide the opportunity to see the country and it's people at a reasonable pace.

Other large towns include Durres on the coast, Shkodra and Kukes in the north, Peshkopi in the east, Elbasan in the central region which was until recently the home to heavy industry, Korca, the second largest town. after Tirana, and Berat in the south and Saranda on the coast of the 'Albanian Riviera'.

The climate is variable from region to region due to the terrain. The coast, lowlands, south and central regions enjoy Mediterranean type weather. The southern hills are more temperate, not too dissimilar to the south of England , whilst in the north it can vary enormously from season to season with winter often extremely cold. The Tirana and Korca regions are hot in summer with temps averaging 31c day and 16c night. For the rest of the year the max. and min is Jan - 12c / 2c, Apr - 19c/8c, Oct - 21c/9c.

The wet season is from end of September through until March, with thunderstorms often occurring in October. On the mountains snow falls regularly from November to March. The peaks are often still covered until May and look spectacular in sunshine.

As with the climate, vegetation varies a great deal from region to region. Generally speaking it is lush and green. In the lowlands you will see neatly cultivated fields and livestock grazing. As with any Mediterranean climate you may notice the citrus trees. As you move into the hills and lower slopes of the mountains, pine and broad-leafed forests are evident, together with wild flowers. In between the rugged hills any patch of fertile land, no matter how small, is carefully cultivated. In uninhabited areas the forests can be extremely dense and walking without a guide should be avoided as, with no visible landmarks, it is very easy to get lost.

The animal life is as varied as the terrain and the climate. In the dense forests bears, jackals, wolves, boar, lynx and deer still thrive as they have done for centuries. On the lowland hills there are deer, rabbits, squirrels, snakes and rodents. A rich variety of bird life [about 300 native species] can be seen, especially in the migration season. Albania has 14 species of bat, 5 snakes, including the poisonous Balkan adder, non-poisonous scorpions, 2 species of tortoise and many varieties of frogs, toads and lizards.

In the areas of the great lakes, Ohrid and Prespa, there are many rare bird sightings plus the more common cormorant, grebe and wading birds. The area is also the last stronghold of the Dalmatian pelican. The lakes are very rich in fish including the Koran [a member of the trout family] which is unique to only these lakes and one other in Siberia . Efforts by scientists to establish this species elsewhere in the world have always failed. Lake Ohrid is the deepest lake in the Balkans with a maximum depth of 300 metres. Both lakes, although 30km apart, are joined by natural underground channels and due to some quirk of nature the water level in Ohrid is rising but Prespa is falling. The waters are a paradise for frogs; water snakes; insects and birds. The waters are clear, clean and safe to bathe or swim in. Throughout Albania the rivers and streams have plentiful stocks of wild brown trout.

Prices Include: Return flights from London Heathrow to Tirana. Transfers to and from airport to hotel. Accommodation in 4* or 3* hotels on a bed and breakfast basis, transport on all accompanied trips as detailed in the itinerary, services of English speaking representative, and interpreter/guide whilst on scheduled trips.

Prices Exclude: Cost of airport entry and departure taxes. All meals except breakfast. Entrance charges to museums, etc. Any private transport arranged out of scheduled itinerary. Insurance (it is advised that you arrange this at time of booking). We can provide quotation upon request.

Prices Include: Return flights from London to Tirana. Transfers to and from airport to resort. Accommodation in apartment/villa on a half board basis (breakfast and table d'hote dinner menu). Services of English speaking representative, and interpreter/guide whilst on scheduled trips.