From Tirana & Durrës: Divjaka-Karavasta National Park & Adriatic Coast Day Trip

★ 5.0  Our Berat & Karavasta tour, rated by 4 travellers on GetYourGuide  ↗

Albania beyond the guidebooks — a peaceful escape into pelicans, pine forests and lagoons. Discover Divjaka-Karavasta National Park, home to Albania’s largest lagoon and the rare Dalmatian pelican. Walk through fragrant pine forests, climb the observation tower for sweeping views, and breathe in the calm of the Adriatic coast.

Why you’ll love this tour

• 🦩 Karavasta Lagoon — Albania’s largest lagoon and a key habitat for the Dalmatian pelican
• 🌲 Divjaka Pine Forest — peaceful coastal woodland perfect for walks and birdwatching
• 🔭 Observation tower — panoramic views over lagoon, forest and coastline
• 🌊 Adriatic coast — a quiet, authentic stretch of seaside far from the crowds
• 🚐 Comfortable transport and an expert local guide throughout

Is this the right tour for you?

Worth being straight about: this is a quiet nature day, not a dramatic one. If you have a single day in Albania and want the jaw-dropping postcard view, book Bovilla or Komani instead — we’d tell you the same on the phone.

What Divjaka offers is different and, for the right person, better. It’s the only place in Albania you can see Dalmatian pelicans — the world’s largest freshwater bird, and one of the Mediterranean’s few breeding colonies. It’s flat, it’s shaded, it’s uncrowded, and at around 10 hours with an 08:00 start it’s a much gentler day than our 15–18 hour southern tours. That makes it the tour we recommend for families with young children, older travellers, and birdwatchers — the people for whom the mountain tours are simply too much.

Your day, step by step

Leaving the city behind, we travel through the fertile plains of central Albania to Divjaka-Karavasta National Park — one of the most important wetlands in the Mediterranean. At Karavasta Lagoon you’ll observe the landscape, learn about the wildlife, and hopefully spot the famous Dalmatian pelicans (an optional boat ride is available depending on conditions).

Next we walk through the tranquil Divjaka Pine Forest, then climb the observation tower for spectacular views across the park. After free time for a seafood lunch, we visit a peaceful stretch of the Adriatic coast for a relaxing seaside walk before the comfortable journey home.

Photos from this tour

Tour highlights

• ✔ Visit Karavasta Lagoon, Albania’s largest lagoon
• ✔ Explore Divjaka-Karavasta National Park
• ✔ Chance to observe rare Dalmatian pelicans
• ✔ Walk through the beautiful Divjaka Pine Forest
• ✔ Panoramic views from the observation tower
• ✔ Experience Albania’s peaceful Adriatic coastline

Estimated itinerary

(Times vary with traffic, weather, season and optional activities.)

• 08:00–08:30 — Pickup begins in Tirana
• 09:00–09:30 — Pickup in Durrës / Golem
• 10:30–11:45 — Karavasta Lagoon (optional boat activity)
• 12:00–13:00 — Divjaka Pine Forest walk
• 13:00–13:45 — Observation tower & birdwatching
• 14:00–15:00 — Free time for lunch
• 15:15–16:00 — Adriatic coast & seaside walk
• 17:30–18:30 — Arrival back at pickup locations

What’s included

• ✔ Pickup and drop-off from selected locations
• ✔ Air-conditioned transportation
• ✔ Professional English-speaking guide
• ✔ Visit to Divjaka-Karavasta National Park
• ✔ Karavasta Lagoon, pine forest & observation tower
• ✔ Coastal visit and local recommendations

What’s not included

• ✘ Food and drinks
• ✘ Optional lagoon boat ride (paid locally, weather dependent)
• ✘ Personal expenses
• ✘ Travel insurance
• ✘ Additional activities

Good to know

• Wildlife sightings can’t be guaranteed — the pelicans move freely and nest on islands in the lagoon, so they’re usually seen at distance.
• Bring binoculars if you have them. A phone camera won’t do the birds justice.
• Best months for pelicans: spring and autumn migration, and winter, when numbers peak. Midsummer is the least reliable and the hottest.
• The optional boat trip depends on weather and lagoon conditions.
• Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen and a hat.
• Flat terrain, level paths, and a shorter day — suitable for all ages with normal mobility. The observation tower involves stairs; everything else doesn’t.
• Best for: families, couples, photographers, nature lovers and birdwatchers.

At a glance

• Operator: Eagle’s Path Travel
• Destination: Divjaka-Karavasta National Park, Karavasta Lagoon, Adriatic coast
• Duration: Full day (~10 hours)
• Departure: 08:00 from Tirana, Durrës & Golem
• Price: From €35 per person
• Highlights: Dalmatian pelicans, pine forest, observation tower
• Best for: Families, birdwatchers, nature photographers

Frequently asked questions

Where can you see Dalmatian pelicans in Albania?
Karavasta Lagoon is Albania’s best and essentially only reliable location — one of the Mediterranean’s few breeding colonies of the world’s largest freshwater bird. They nest on lagoon islands, so bring binoculars.

What’s the best time of year to see them?
Spring and autumn migration, and winter, when numbers are highest. Midsummer is least reliable. Sightings are never guaranteed.

How far is Divjaka-Karavasta from Tirana?
Roughly 1.5–2 hours south on paved roads — around 10 hours door to door, a notably shorter day than our southern tours.

Is it suitable for children and older travellers?
Yes — it’s the gentlest tour we run. Flat terrain, level paths, optional walking, and an 08:00 start rather than a pre-dawn one.

Is Divjaka worth visiting?
If you’re a birdwatcher, photographer, or want a gentle day — yes, genuinely. If you have one day in Albania and want dramatic scenery, choose Bovilla or Komani instead.

Please note: the pickup time you select is an estimate. Your guide will confirm your exact pickup time and meeting point one day before the tour.