Ben the Tour Guide Delivers Knowledge and Hospitality with Engaging Historical Insights Every Time Ben is a very knowledgeable, welcoming and hospitable tour guide. His ability to retain historical facts and knowledge is unmatched along with putting it all into context with today's current affairs. I've been on tour twice with him and both times I've returned learning something new and engaging. Highly recommend.
Unforgettable October 2025 Trip in Albania with the Most Knowledgeable and Friendly Tour Guide Ever Wow! What an amazing experience we had in October 2025 with the best tour guide ever. He was full of knowledge, friendly and helpful. Made our time in Albania very special! Can’t wait to come back and travel along the coast with him as our guide again 😃
Best guide ever! Best and most knowledgeable guide ever! We had amazing days in Albania that couldnt ve been possible without Arben. Thank you for your time and that great experience
Awesome 6-Day Northern Albania Trip with Arban Perfect Mix of Adventure and Culture We, a group of 6 friends that travel together for years, had a 6days trip to Albania with Arban. The trip was, as suggested by Arban, to the north of the country. It combined mountains trails, visit to an authentic family home in the mountains, stay at incredible surprise places in the rural area, but most of all: the guy is a walking encyclopaedia. There was nothing we threw at him that he didn’t know. The knowledge combined with perfection in planning to the last detail make Arban the best guid we had in our trips till now. Thank you Arban fir exploring a most beautiful country and for knowing how to surprise us all the time.
Amazing 10 Day Trip in Albania with Arben Our Knowledgeable and Friendly Private Guide Recently, my wife and I spent a 10-day holiday trip in Albania. During most of the trip, Arben was our private guide and driver. Arben did a fantastic job. Actually, he was much more than just a guide. Apart from showing us many of the touristic highlights and informing us of the historical and cultural background thereof, he gave us so much additional information on the current situation in Albania - both positive and very critical - that we really got to know the country. Arben is certainly not a dime a dozen guide, but a person who loves his country - although sometimes critically - and who understands very well how to pass this on to tourists (and many others) from abroad. Warmly recommended!
I feel like I became Albanian! A friend and I spent 7 days in Albania and Kosovo with Arben, and it was an unforgettable and wonderful experience! I can truly say that at the end of the trip I felt like I was Albanian. The amount of history, culture, geography, and religion Arben was able to communicate to us was so impressive. He also didn't overwhelm us, and did his best to tailor our experience to the things we were interested in seeing. In a matter of days, I went from knowing very little about this beautiful country to feeling like I could interact with an Albanian anywhere in the world and have a working understanding of who he or she is. Arben is a truly gifted guide, and I am sure you will love your time spent with him!
Excellent guide and tour. I recently spent 5 days in Albania with a group of 11 from UK. Arben was our guide for the entire tour from airport collection to drop off. We explored Tirana and Durres with lovely Berat in between. Arben was an absolute fountain of knowledge about his home country both historical and current. He was passionate and likeable and went over and above the initial itinerary to make sure we had a great introduction to Albania. I would highly recommend him as your guide to Albania.
An exceptional guide! Arben Kola is an exceptional guide and made our tour into an amazing experience. Our group of 11 from London found him excellent and he looked after us very well. His knowledge of Albanian history, culture, politics and society is phenomenal and he could answer every question we asked and remember the dates of every building or event we were interested in. He told us about the good and the not so good in Albania so we had a very rounded picture of the country. He was amusing and energetic and we all greatly enjoyed our holiday because of his expertise! Arben has made me want to return to the country one day.
Superb Guide Arben was a superb guide for our group of about 10 people spending 4 nights in Albania, starting in Tirana. He is so knowledgeable, so helpful and such a pleasant person. And our minibus driver, ‘Tim’, was also great.
Arben Kola is an upbeat, positive, personable , energetic tour guide Arben Kola is an upbeat, positive, personable , energetic tour guide who is fluent in English and guided 10 of us 45+ people from London U.K. on a tour of Tirana, Korce, Durres and BERAT in Albania in April 2025. He provided a varied itinerary for every day of our trip, taking into account individual mobility needs. Arben provided detailed historical, literary and political background to all the places we visited and was always willing to answer our questions. One evening, he took us to an ethnic Albanian restaurant in Tirana, which we would never have found ourselves, and which we all enjoyed. Arben Kola is a great guide who gave us loads of information and looked after us very well until we left Albania. I highly recommend him as a tour guide. Mary L
Exploring Albania: Impressive Private Guide, Historic Highlights, and Memorable Adventures We traveled with two persons for five days around in Albania, Tirana and we explored many highlights in the near and further surroundings, by car with Arben Kola as our private guide/driver. We were impressed by his great knowledge of historical and contemporary facts, on architecture, his commitment to his country, his eloquence, his energy and drive, his pleasant interaction with us and other people. A top guide and a nice person!
Uniquely Awesome Guide: Arben, the One-of-a-Kind! Arben is a unique guide, one of a kind. He is very knowledgeable, very active and resourceful and he seems to know everybody in Albania and, vice versa, everybody seems to know him. He is very outspoken, articulate, informative and engaging. Thanks to his support, service and initiative my trip to Albania has been pleasant and memorable.
A Tour to Remember! I went on a 10 day tour with Arben in October 2024, starting in Tirana and covering a lot of southern Albania and can only recommend him wholeheartedly. Arben is such a smart, interesting guy, great sense of fun, brilliant company and a genuinely good guy. His knowledge of every aspect of his country, its history, culture is second to none. Wouldn't hesitate to book Arben - he'll make your trip!
A Passionate and Knowledgeable Guide: Exploring Northern Albania with Arben's Expertise and Local Connections I joined a group tour in the north of Albania and then hired Arben to take me on a further tour of other northern sights. Above all Arben is passionate and very knowledgeable about Albania politics and history and I thoroughly enjoyed being guided by him. He managed the group well especially given the different levels of mobility in the group and was attentive to the differing group needs. I asked Arben to take me on a day trip to see other sights. We went up to the border with Montenegro and then to a fabulous restaurant; Arben seemed to know half of the Albanian population and we could not have got into the restaurant without his connections. I can whole heartedly recommend Arben.
7 day walking and cultural tour of Tirana and Southern Albania Arben was our guide for a 7 day walking tour mainly of southern Albania in September this year. There were 10 in the group and most of us had come alone. His excellent knowledge of so many different aspects of Albania gave us a unique insight into this fascinating country. He speaks excellent English and is a very good communicator. He organised all aspects of the trip extremely well and was not fazed by any unexpected changes to the schedule or requests from the people on the tour. He has exceptional organisational skills and was always anticipating and planning the next part of the tour whilst managing whatever we were doing at the time. He is a good reader of people and made sure that everyone felt at ease. He also made the trip really memorable with his réflexions on Albanian life past and present woven in with some of his own and his family’s stories. The trip was great fun, very informative and memorable thanks to him. I would recommend him very highly.
Hiking the Accursed Mountains with Arben Arben led a Group of 11 walkers in the Accursed Mountains, taking us on a variety of hikes, including the Valbone-Theth Pass. He was an excellent Guide and companion, with a wealth of information about the mountains and his beautiful Country. He is clearly passionate about Albania, its history, culture and politics: we could not have wished for a better Leader. There's no doubt, the best way of seeing and finding out about Albania is with Arben!
Walking Albania Arben guided us on a 7 day hiking tour through the Albanian Alps. He is very passionate about showing you his beautiful Country and wants to ensure you have the very best experiences. An amazing guide and person, thank you Arben for a truly memorable trip!
Albania walking tour We went on a tour with Arben to northern albania, to go hiking. Arben is a wealth of knowledge! We learnt so much from him and always felt comfortable and safe with him. We gave us an authentic experience and was always good fun to be around! Would thoroughly recommend Arben as a guide. Thank you so much for making our experience in Albania!
Arben: Best Guide Possible Albania is the most beautiful and interesting country. The scenery and flowers are truly spectacular. However having Arben as our guide for the week was truly the 'icing on the cake'. His in depth knowledge about the history and the politics of the country (as well as the best places to go) made it come alive and enabled us to understand Albania so much more. I am now more inspired than ever to come back to Albania - but only if Arben is available. Thank you Arben. Laura
Albin: The Ultimate Guide to a Smooth and Memorable Experience! Albin is one of a kind. He traveled three days with our group of 33 Dutch entrepreneurs, experiencing totally different things; City culture, history (recent and ancient), adventure, social venues and so on. They all had one thing in common; Arben made sure everything went smooth and had control without putting himself in the spotlight. He is not only a very good and well experienced tour guide, he is also a very good and pleasant young man. Reliable, responsible and with humour. Recommended !
Zagoria Valley trek in southern Albania I brought a group of experienced but aging friends from the U.K. to trek in southern Albania. A truly wonderful and memorable adventure that was made even more special by our guide, Arben ‘Benny’ Kola. He looked after us, educated us and entertained us to a level that I have rarely if ever encountered in some forty years of working in the travel industry. He’s a gem and huge fun with it!
45+ Not Grumpy Travel Group Arben really deserves to be ranked No 1 of the guides to Tirana - and Albania. He was knowledgeable and patient with our group, accepting and dealing with all our needs on our short trip to Albania. I loved the way he shared with us the challenges of life in a country that is going through many changes, as well as giving us a detailed history of the past. If you need someone to guide you into special places that are not easily found in the guidebooks, then Arben will be a delightful companion. Just watch how he is greeted enthusiastically by friends as he travels about. You'll recognise him as he wears a white felted wool hat called a plis and you may even get to visit the place where it is made.
Fantastic guide Arben was a fantastic guide. His itinerary was a great over view of Albania and his amazing wealth of knowledge is imparted with enthusiasm and a great sense of humor. If I return to Albania I will definitely look him up. In addition Arben has the patience of a saint and a great singing voice.
+45 Not Grumpy Travellers An excellent introduction to Albania, with Arben as our very knowledgeable and patient guide.A really good mix of things to see in a short space of time, but we never felt rushed.
Best tour guide of my life I am extremely well traveled and I have never come across a guide like Ben. I recently spent 7 days with Ben on a solo trip to Albania, hiking Zagoria valley and stopping in PERMET and Gijrokaste and ending in Tirana. He has an insane amount of knowledge and passion for his country but also is the most thoughtful person I have met. He bought me hiking boots because my shoes were not good for the weather, packed extra jackets, packed snacks, translated for me, taught me so many things, and made sure I always felt safe and comfortable. He went out of his way to make sure I had a memorable and special experience. We hiked through the mountains into villages and stayed in local homes where they cooked us traditional meals. The families opened up their homes and their hearts with open arms. On our last day in Tirana Ben took me to playoff soccer match and a pre-celebration to really put me in touch with every aspect of the Albanian culture. He knows people everywhere so we had above and beyond special experiences. On the trail it was just the two of us and the only people we ran into were shepherds and sheep. In each persons home and across every person who we met, they only spoke very highly of Ben - all telling me he is the best tour guide in Albania and I would have to agree. I am incredibly grateful for this special and magical experience and I would recommend Ben to anyone and everyone. I will for sure be back to do another tour with him and cannot say it enough that a trip with him is a MUST do!
Incredible experience and amazing guide What an experience we had with Ben in the Zagori valley! Ben's knowledge is truly encyclopaedic, he has such rich understanding of his country (and so much else), and what an amazing trip he has lead us on. The experience on the trip was truly authentic, Ben took such care to introduce us to as many local people as he could, and we felt we got a real understanding of the people of Albania. Ben was flexible and accommodating to our personal wishes on the trip too, and went out of his way to make it happen. Couldn't recommend highly enough! Thank you Ben
Zagori Valley Hike We booked a week's hiking and culture tour with BN Adventures and had the huge good fortune to be guided by Ben. His knowledge of Albania and its history was astounding as was his passion for his country. He was always willing to divert from the set itinerary so we could meet local people and really get a feel for the culture. He introduced us to his family in Tirana and made sure our last day there had a full itinerary of things to see despite our tour having been officially ended. We would strongly recommend you reach out directly to Ben to make sure he is available if you plan a trip to this fascinating country.Hugh & Anna
Arben the Great Have you heard of Arben the Great? If you need a tour guide with tremendous local knowledge of Albania and an adaptful attitude .. look no further Abren Kola is your man. From the mountains of Theth to the sea at Vlore this Qeleshe hat wearing man has superb contacts to satisfy all of your trabel and hopsitality desires
Incredible Visit to Albania Arben is one of the best guides we've ever had. Legendary trip, will absolutely reach out when I go back. Incredibly knowledgable about culture, history, hiking routes, and everything else we could imagine asking. He also found innumerable ways to make the trip more convinient and more affordable. For those interested - I'd recommend reaching out directly as it was much easier to coordinate via WhatsApp than TourHQ.
Unforgetable experience with Benni in Albania It has been almost a year since our unforgettable 10-day vacation in Albania with Benni. After numerous trips to different countries, we made the decision to travel with a personal guide for the first time. Previously, we had relied solely on the internet and various printed guides.When we approached Benni for a suggested itinerary, he took the time to inquire about our interests, whether we preferred sports, hiking, or swimming, and our desired room classification, among other details. He then presented us with a perfect suggestion for a comprehensive round trip from North to South.Not only did Benni promise to arrange a taxi for us to ensure a smooth start, but he ultimately decided to personally greet us at the airport, providing a wonderfully warm welcome. The following day, in Tirana, we had the pleasure of meeting his family before embarking on our adventure.Initially, only the first few hotels were booked, as Benni wanted to gauge our preferences and get a better understanding of what we truly wanted to see and experience. As a result, he tailored the itinerary accordingly, ensuring we visited the most captivating places in Albania.Why would I wholeheartedly recommend Benni to all my friends? Well, traveling with him means:- He possesses an extensive network of connections across Albania, allowing us to interact with friendly locals everywhere we went.- People throughout the country recognize him and express their gratitude for his assistance.- Benni is an environmental activist who passionately fights against pollution and advocates for the preservation of nature. He goes beyond social media activism by actively participating in clean-up initiatives, often with a garbage bag in hand, alongside his friends and, of course, us.- He possesses an astonishing breadth of knowledge spanning history, culture, politics, and even philosophy. Engaging in discussions about Spinoza's concept of the "Good" became a fascinating part of our journey.- We had the freedom to shape our vacation according to our preferences, always having personal time whenever we needed it.- Listening to Benni's life stories was an absolute delight, and we were certain they would make for a captivating bestseller.In summary, our vacation with Benni in Albania was an exceptional experience that left a lasting impression. His expertise, genuine care, and commitment to both his clients and the environment make him an outstanding guide.Claus & Steffi
Thr Best guide in tAlbanis Arben, the Albanian encyclopaedia Very highly recommend, friendly fun and very well organised, great hike/tour leader,Looking forward to hiring him again
Albania hike June 2023 My perception of Albania was radically altered this month. After a week's hiking with (the font of all knowledge) Arben I am convinced I will be back again sooner rather than later. Arben is a leader dedicated to those in his charge, and his environmental passions. Both qualities are highly commendable. As a hike leader you cannot do better in Albania. The hikes were geared to ability but offered challenges and pleasures such as wild swimming, and cuktural awareness. At every stage of the hike our welfare and comfort was his paramount concern. I have no reservation in recommending Arben for anyone interested in visiting Albania.
Much more as a tour guide! We spent several days exploring Kukës and the surrounding area with Ben. He was the perfect guide for this trip:We didn't have a set itinerary and Ben was very flexible in terms of day-to-day planning.He cleverly asked us what we liked best and was able to make suggestions for the upcoming days to suit our interests.We visited his home region where he knew everyone and was able to make several valuable contacts.We have all been to Albania several times. Ben did not bore us with information we already knew, but constantly offered new interesting facts.He was always willing to go the extra mile, even accompanying individual members of the group to fulfil their special wishes.Last but not least: his humour, his extensive knowledge, his patience, his commitment to the environment, his incredible ability to imitate bird whistles and his mountain experience – safety first!
A Great Time with Ben Arben (Ben) was our guide for seven days in Albania. He made a great trip a life time experience. The benefit of going with Ben is he knows everybody. An example we had a day tour set for Shkodra. Two things that had not been planned.1) This was going to be a walking tour. Prior to getting to Shkodra we mentioned we enjoyed biking. Guess what, when we arrived in Shkodra Ben had arranged for us to borrow a few bikes from a good friend and off we went. This allowed us to cover more ground than if we were walking.2) My wife works with fabrics and design, duing our bike tour we stopped to visit a textile factory. This was not planned, but Ben a few days prior has asked Peggy (my wife) what she did for a living. He stored this in the back of his head and made the factory tour happen.Everyday there were experiences like this. From seeing eco-farms, to stopping and visiting with families that lived along the hiking trail from Valbona to Theth.Not only was Ben a great guide he arrange all our accommodations and places to eat. All top notch and great experiences.We highly recommend Ben if you want to see the real Albania.
Knowledgable, enthusiastic, principled and excellent in either the mountains or cities of Albania We were a party of 5 and Arben was our guide for 9 days - divided between walking in the mountains, Tirana, Gjirokaster and Berat - plus a few extra places inbetween. Arben is an environmental activist with deep conviction for sustainability and is hugely knowledgable about all things Albania. He was good at reacting to our wants/likes and nothing was too much trouble. Safe and considerate in the mountains and keen to always show us something more in the cities. Seems to know people on every street corner or mountain pass too!
Our First Visit to Albania Arben was our tour guide for 10 days for different parts of Albania. He was knowledgeable, sociable and flexible with our needs. Everyone knows him which made us lucky to get whatever we asked for. The whole experience exceeded our expectations. Thank you Arben for being a ture sample of excellent tour guide and for making our trip unforgettable.
Biketour Tirana Arben has alot knowlegde and is social and make good jokes. He showed us around and was flexible with our needs. Arben like to share and I could trust him very well in places to go
Our first visit to Albania We had the pleasure of having Arben guide us around southern Albania the last week of October. While we were enamored with the natural beauty of the country, its locally-grown fruits and vegetables, friendly people, and complicated history; what really stuck with us were the unplanned moments. Arben has a gift for making personal connections with the people he meets. Thanks to him we we were able to tour an olive-oil processing facility, sample some homemade Raki brandy, roast our own coffee, and memorably while in the village of Rehove, churn butter the old fashioned way, by hand. We intend to return to Albania so Arben can show us more of the country.
Review by Anneke Did several tours with a guid before. This was the best. Arben is very passionate about his country and about Albenians, with so much knowledge. Arben want the best for Albania, the environment and for the tourist and he dares tot speak out. He knows what a tourist wants to see even before you know it yourself. He is a true storyteller, and before you know your are carried away by his enthousiasme. I have seen a lot of high light in a short time but also short impressions of the sometimes less beautiful sides of the country. That makes a tour real and complete for me. Loved this tour, highly recommended.
Best Tour Guide! Fantastic tour in the South of Albania! We were a group of seven over 65 year olds and Al Ben was the most amazing guide who showed us a variety of fascinating and beautiful places from beaches and mountains to archaeological sites. Al Ben was patient, thoughtful and flexible. He soon got to grips with our needs and reacted accordingly. Al Ben was knowledgable, fun, multi talented and a bit of a celebrity in Albania. He knew everyone! The whole experience exceeded all our expectations!
Ben brings out the best in Albania It's been a few weeks since our trip to Albania and we are still talking about it and our guide Ben. Ben was a phenomenal. We learned so much about Albania and earned a great friend in return. From museums, shops, historic sites, to hiking in the mountains, Ben had it covered. He provided us so much insight into Albania. We had so much fun with Ben. Overall we could not have asked for a better guide. Ben is an awesome person and we highly recommend him!
Incredible guide, really the best! We have had guides all over the world and Ben is truly one of the best. He is incredibly knowledgable, fun, and adventurous. He truly made our trip. We highly recommend him to everyone and will definitely use him as a guide if we are back in Albania or anywhere in the Balkans. We can't wait to come back to Albania and will absolutely hire him as a guide again!
BEST GUIDE IN THE WORLD Beni was the most amazing tour guide! He far exceeds 5 stars. He guided our school trip for 10 days throughout the Balkans region and just having him alone made the experience that much better. Not only was he beyond knowledgable about literally everything, but he was also hilarious, outgoing, kind, and so so fun! I do not get attached easily to people but I will admit I did shed a few tears having to say bye to Beni on our final day. When I came back to the US and talked about my trip to friends and family, just about all my stories involved Beni and all the amazing experiences we had with him. I know I will always have a friend in Albania!
Unique experience We had fantastic time with my 15-year old son visiting Albania and especially hiking the Albanian Alps with Ben. He is a great guide and can offer you a unique experience with authentic encounters with local people and beatiful corners of Albania. If you ever plan to visit Albania and especially mountains, I highly recommend to have Ben as your guide.
Great Guide in Albania Ben was a great guide on a two-day hike in Albania. He is very friendly and outgoing. He speaks English very well and is very knowledgable of Albanian history, cuture, current events, and the region as a whole. We learned a lot from Ben and really enjoyed our time hiking and exploring with him. I recommend him as a tour guide.
The Best Guide in Albania and the Balkans Region! Ben guided our college of business study abroad group for 10 days through the Balkans. He is by far the most knowledgeable about the area especially Albania. Never once was there a time we were bored with him. He is energetic and has an amazing passion for what he does. Ben goes above and beyond what a typical tour guide does. He is not just a tour guide but a wonderful friend. I wouldn’t recommend anyone but Ben!
Ben- the best tour guide in the Balkans Ben is one of those rare people that changes the whole vibe of your journey. He made me feel as though I was not a tourist, but an insider to Balkan culture. He consistently went out of his way to go above and beyond for me and my group. You will walk away truly understanding Balkan culture as the locals do. He is a joy to be around, and I was proud to call him my friend by the end of our 10 day journey. Can not emphasize enough how much I recommend him!
Classic car trip In the summer of 2018 we planned a trip with 6 classic cars in Albania, a destination not often thought of.Our guide Ben welcomed us at the border and was of great help with the paper work: almost no delay what so ever. The first day we toured in the northern mountain part and it was immediately clear that this country displays an exceptionally beautiful landscape. The local communities offered us a very warm welcome and we felt almost at home right away. The following days we travelled from north to south along very scenic roads. The Albanian riviera is absolutely stunning. On some roads you have the sea at one side and snow capped mountains (in summertime!) at the ohter side which is quite remarkable. On our way we visited the two cities Gjirokaster and Berat who are of an exceptional beauty and are rightfully classified as World Heritage Site. It is not possible to visit a country without knowing anything about history, politics and social life of the Albanian people. Thanks to our ever present and active guide Ben we were teached about all this aspects and this made the trip even moren unforgettable.This European country is a hidden pearl, our guide Ben helped us a lot to discover it!
Oldtimers in Albania From Belgium we send our oldtimer-cars to the Albanian border to have a scenic tour there, we flew in. In Belgium, Albania is still a bit a "strange" destination. After picking up the cars, we met Ben who was waiting us at the bordre and directly we felt safe and confident. He took care of all the custom-administration, we had no delay. Not obvious seems to me. Ben showed us the most magnificent scenic roads trough the country. At any time he knows all about history, politics and what ever you want to know about the country even culture and etnology. We especialy care about good food and were never disapointed about the restuarants Ben selected. The country is worth seeing and absoloutly safe, certainly if Ben takes care of you. We will be back! Thanks Ben for the very special experience!
Albania, Valbone, Maja Jezerce Excellent knowledge of nature and culture, very accessible ... Respect...
Beautiful Albania and wonderful people If you decide to hike in Albania, look for Arben. An excellent guide, ecologist, nature fighter.... interesting and communicative person. Heavy climb to the Maja Jezerce, thanks to Arben, was a great adventure. Wonderful memories!!! Thnx Arben!!!
Great Albania trip If you visit Albania, you should definetely get Arben. He knows a great deal about the Balkans, is really passionate about showing Albania to visitors and is just a really cool & fun person to be around . It was an amazing trip travelling around Albania & Kosovo, Arben makes the places and history come alive with a nice touch of humor. Going with Arben was definetely a big difference in the visit to Albania, would not have been the same without him.
Impressive tour, perfectly organised We did a 2-day-tour from Valbona to Theth.Ben knows (nearly) everything about the history, the present situation and all of albania.We were impressed by the beautiful nature and had a very funny time together. We also had a great stay at Jezcerca guest house in Valbona and with Eastern in Theth. Thanks to Ben for the great time.
Ben brings Albania to live Ben is a marvelous guide. He brings Albania to live. We have almost evereday an unexpected encounter with Albanian people: a singing guardian of an Venetian castle; a woman who invite us early in the morning for a cup of coffee with a raki; a meeting with environmental activist (like Ben), etc.We are already planning an holiday for next year in Albania…. with Ben, of course.
The places tourists don't see Arben is not a simple guide. He is a true patriot, who takes extreme pride to show Albania to his guests. But he doesn't only show the tourist sights, he can show you the real life of the country with the pluses and minuses.As we didn't want to see the standard sighseeing places and had very specific goals and interests, Arben was the only guide out of 6 I've contacted who could organize the events we were interested in. He also added some features into our program which fitted ideally, but which we couldn't research earlier.The organized tour was mesmerizing and hit 10/10 on all scales. I truly believe Arben should become a teacher for young guides.Can't reccomend high enough!
From Iceland to Albandi In August 2017 I went to the Albanian Alps with 17 others. We spent a week there hiking and exploring and then a day in the capital - Tirana.We were so lucky to get Arben (Ben) as our guide! Ben has a lot of knowledge about his country and is eager to share it. He is easy going and always smiling and very helpful in every situation. What makes him such a great guide is that he really wants you to enjoy Albania and your holiday.You can trust that with Arben you will have a great holiday in Albania!
Spirit of Albania In September 2017 Arben (Ben) was our guide in southern Albania hiking tour. In addition to the outdoor exercise, he offered us cutural, historical, culinaristic and esthetic experiences. He is an expert in every scene. The tour could’t have been better thanks to Arben!
Experience of a lifetime In February 2018 my boyfriend an I were on week in Albania. It was our first time in this country and we were blown away by all the beautiful nature, amazing history and espacially the people! The scenery was beautiful and it was a relieve to walk in such a quiet and peaceful environment.Arben was and excellent guide, very flexible and therefore he deserves a special thanks. He made us feel at home and he is a true sample of a genuine tour guide!Faleminderit Arben!
Adventure and Fun Albania In October 2017 my girlfriend and I were on a 6 day tour of Albania booked through Adventure and Fun Albania. We were expecting it to be a tour group (6+ people) but turned out to be just the two of us who had signed up! Ben was our guide, we found him to be friendly, knowledgable and accommodating. There was a bit of a personality clash as we are fairly quiet and like to keep to ourselves, whereas Ben is very communicative and out going. This would have been great in a big group as we'd been expecting when we'd booked the tour. This isn't a criticism of Ben, more that it wasn't our ideal situation and he would have been perfect leading a large group or a private tour for more outgoing travellers.On one day my girlfriend was feeling very unwell and Ben was extremely helpful, taking her to hospital, getting medicine and adapting the tour - making sure she was okay and we still had a good time. We were really grateful for his help on that day in particular, he went above and beyond what was expected.One important thing of note is he was a very good driver. We felt safe and comfortable irrespective of whether we were on a motorway, on one of the older, poorly maintained roads or in the crazy Tirana traffic! We would definitely recommend Ben, especially if you are looking for a tour guide with energy and enthusiasm, who definitely loves Albania and is a great conversationalist.
Mandala group from Finland We were group from Finland - Mandala Travel agency , having 10 days hiking tour in Albania. We were very lucky to have Alben with us for these 10 days. He is excellent hiking guide and excellent knowledge of nature and Albania. He is always ready to help and always in a good mood! 10 days in Albania were great and we did love Albania and our guide Alben! I truely can recommend him !!
Arben, our wonderful guide in Albania My boyfriend and I were lucky to have Ben as our guide on our trip in July/August 2016 throughout Albania. It was a jam-packed itinerary but we wanted to see as much as possible during our short time. Ben was able to fulfil all our requests and took us on a fascinating and fun tour of his beautiful country. We really enjoyed talking to him about all things Albania as well as just his life in general; he was extremely knowleagable, friendly and very funny!! I think we've made a lifelong friend in Ben and look forward to seeing him again in the future!
Lovely encounter! Me & my girlfriend were visiting Albania, Teth. When we drove back with the minibus to Shkodër, Ben was in it to. (We didn"t know him by then). Since it was a 3 hour drive we started talking and he explaind/told us a lot about Albania. We normally had a taxi from Shkodër to Tirana but Ben invited us to join him in his ride (his friend was taking him from Shkodër to Tirana). We stopped at some very cool places, ate ice cream, dronk coffee & ate watermelon...He makes you feel really comfortable and is so hospitable. You can really feel the passion when he starts talking about his country. Such a lovely and friendly man. We even met that night in Tirana and had some drinks in a bar. In short, if you are looking for a very helpfull & pasionate guide ...this is deffinitly your man! Great guy!
Hard to think we could have dene better On a week’s trip that, starting in Shkoder and taking in a spectacular three-hour ferry ride along a reservoir in the midst of soaring mountains, included hiking in the Valbona Valley and around Teth and Razem and finally a day in Tirana, Arben Kola was our guide. Hard to think we could have done better. Arben was as good at planning our itinerary and organizing every detail - including the horses that took our heavier luggage over the stupendous Valbona pass and highlights such as a wonderful lunch served by two young women at a table under the trees by a remote lone cottage it took us a 400 metre ascent up a gorge to reach - as he was at leading us on the walks, and passing on all the detail about the places we saw and about Albania’s long history and current politics from his astonishing store-house of knowledge. Keeping up was quite a job, but worth it. Committed as much to our safety as to our enjoyment of the trip, he was absolutely tireless, and with all that a lot of fun as company. Meeting his lovely wife and toddler son when we got to Tirana, was something we won’t forget. When after we’d got back home Arben sent us all a WhatsApp group message with a long and detailed day-by-day report on our trip, what one of us wrote back was “You’re one in a million!” That’s about the measure of how we ended up feeling about Arben.
Arben is a great guide I visited the Albanian Alps and Tirana for a week as part of a group. Arben not only changed our original hiking itinerary (so that we saw much more interesting parts of the country) but added in history, scenery and extraordinary places to eat. He sorted out transport at short notice, looked after all our individual needs, was lovely to chat to and perpetually cheerful. No hesitation in recommending Arben!
Ten Days in Albania with Ben My wife and I spent 10 days and nights in May 2016 driving throughout Albania on a private tour; we were just reliving the trip when we realized we had never shared with others the most critical component of our travels - Arben Kola! We'd arranged our tour through Albania2Go and were told "he is an excellent guide," which hardly begins to do him justice! Our tour covered Tirana, Berat, Vlore, Butrint, Gjirokaster, Korce and Ohird (crossed over into Macedonia), so we spent a lot of time both on sites and in the car with Ben. There isn't a more knowledgeable and passionate person with whom to experience this wonderful country. He has a great sense of the history and current state of affairs in Albania and how they intersect, seemingly deep personal connections everywhere we travelled (even small, side-of-the-road, impromtu stops) and a deep desire to leave no request or question unattended or unaddressed. While our journey was reasonably scripted for our timetable, Ben suggested off-the-path detours that got us views or experiences we would have missed with anyone else. In the span of a day or two, he began to know us - what we'd like, what we might find of less interest, where and when we'd like to stop to eat - and tailored his suggestions and our daily schedule accordingly. That is the difference between 'just a guide' and 'a travel guru.' We highly recommend Ben and look forward to our future return to have him show us Northern Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo.
Explore balkan and valbona valley Arben was our guide on spring 2017. Very appreciated and we are very happy with him very friendly and understand our requirement and needs, very enjoyble .every place we go he knows everything from the history , culture and lifestyle. he is very professional i think he was the best guide i have ever metreview by Ismail (Malaysia)
Beautiful journey Arben was our guide in the mountains in the North of Albania on summer 2016. We travelled from Tirana to Lepushe and spent there 3 days. We had the chance to visit even Plave and Gucija. We had a great time thanks to Arben. He knows very well the history of Albania and he tells you all the time some curious facts making you forget how hard the hiking can get some times :D. He speaks fluent english so I didnt have to translate anything to my boyfriend who is not albanian. Arben led us to the top of mountain Vejusha which was amazing. I can strongly reccomend Arben as a guide, he is a real professional and you will never get bored with him 🙂
Vermosh, Lepushe, etc. with Al - Ben We've seen several places during the few days together last summer. I appreciated the most, that he took us to places, where was no one at all. Albanian mountains are not crowdy anyway, but there was actualy no one. I mean if you like a little bit of adventure, then you definitely must climb for two hours and then see this waterfall or climb vejusha mountain in order to see the ultimate view (and if youre lucky, also some huge shrooms). Benny seems to know everything about the places and their history, so you get to know a lot of stuff on the way. Go before they build the damn roads!! Thx, Benny, it was fantastic.
Great guide! So, l didn't have time at all to preper for my short visit to Albania. Lucky me, I was recomended to get in touch with Ben! Wrote him a messege on Facebook and he took care of all the rest
No doubt...Ben is the best We went from France to Albania last summer with 3 friends We have a 4X4 drive and we meet Ben at our arrival in Durres He drove us during 4 days to SarandaDuring the road and our stop he show us and explain us plenty things about the history of Albania and its landscapeArben during his life used to travel a lot around the world. He has to integrate cultures and meaning diferents from his native one. He's very open mindeed. Now he's returning home and he will give you the love of his land.If you want to visit Albania...ask Ben. Mirupafshim së shpejti im mik !!!Benjamin
Benny the Google just fantastic We spent a week being guided by Arben (Ben) through Albania. He is a great guide and we would recommend him for a cultural, hiking or city style trip. Extremely generous with his time, knowledgable, a story teller and the guide that knows everyone you will enjoy to the fullest all Albania has to offer with Ben by your side. Ben's passion for Albania is key to everything he does and the highlights of our trip included explanation of cultural nuances, drinking wild honey from a milk bottle in the hills, picnics in the Valbone valley, eating wild black berries and experiencing the kindest of Albanian people. Get in touch with Ben as he has a pretty full book and you won't regret it. Finally no need for the internet as Benny knows everything about Albania and the region in general. He is "Benny the google" and he made us The Happy Couple. Peter (Melbourne)
Great guide Because of Ben we know so much more about Albanian history
Best guide for albania As my Son is the owner of Blloku Hotel in Tirana, I know Albania pretty good! So I went to Albania several times with friends and I always propose Ben as a guide. I did already some tours together with him myself. He is very good in history and also for nature tours he is the best choice you can make in Albania. Everyone whom I recommended him was very enthusiastic about Ben. With Ben you will enjoy Albania even more!
Ben: A great guide! My husband and I were fortunate to have Ben as our private guide/driver for eleven days, primarily in Albania, but also touching on Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro. His services were arranged through Albania2Go, with whom we had previously agreed on a relatively fast-paced itinerary, which we felt would “cover most of the bases.” But Ben still found many ways throughout his time with us to thoroughly enhance an already-great itinerary with additional visits to wonderful sites and interactions with locals. He seemed to know everybody, and we feel that we were much more exposed to “local color” than on most of our trips in decades of travel. We also agree with other reviewers that Ben has a wealth of knowledge about the geography, history, and culture of the places visited, which he readily shared with us in fluent English, and that he is a careful driver -- often on challenging roads! We recommend Ben’s services without hesitation!
Relaxed, knowledgeable and over all a great guide Arben was my guide on a company trip to Albania October 2016. His knowledge about his country is exceptional and it was very hard to find a questions he couldn't answer. As a guide he was relaxed and kept everything under control.
With Arben in Albania Arben was a wealth of knowledge that he shared in a professional manner. Dealing with our big group may not have been easy but Arben all the time kept his great smile and good humor, always ready to help, inform or share a laugh during our long traverse from Dhermi to Dubrovnik. Definetly a guide I can recommend!
We had a wonderful time with Ben We discovered the impressive landscape in the nord and met nice and interesting people. Albania was a big surprise for us! And best of all: Our guide Arben! He is: friendly, competent (he knows everything about Albanian history) and humorous. Actually he fulfilled all our wishes and made our tour unique - we had a wunderful time with Ben!
Awesome guide and awesome guy I had the best time. I would recommend Ben as he is a versitile guide. We did hiking in the mountains, we did sightseeing and everything was perfect, without any complication and in friendly manner. When I go to Albania again I sure will contant Ben again.
Discovering Albania with Arben Kola was a wonderful experience Arben Kola (or for short: Ben) was selected to be my English speaking guide and driver for three weeks in September 2015 (by Albania2go). What a great choice. I valued Ben’s versatility and hospitality. He was enthusiastic (loving to share with his guests what his Albania is), he knows the history in detail (taking me to museums, churches, archaeological sites or historical towns), he has an excellent sense of orientation (with an incredible memory of places, when hiking off the beaten tracks to discover hidden treasures), he loves the salubrious Albanian food (so do I – and how much I love to be in comfy family restaurants), he is good at networking (which allowed me to link up with Albanian people) and – he always drove carefully. Ben fulfilled all my wishes, sometimes even sensed, what I felt like without me having to say it. In addition, he solved all the problems such as “needed a non-standard charger for my camera battery” or “forgot my optical glasses in the Panorama hotel in Kruja”. It was great to travel with a guide that also enjoys hiking, scenery, culture, history and food and that loves his country.I recommend Ben without hesitating – and I have already done so to my friends back home.
A great guy Me and my good friend, both 25 year old guys from sweden, came to Albania with the idea to rent a car, explore and experience the country. We had no plans of utilizing a guide while travelling. We met Ben beneath the Theth waterfall and he suggested we tag along with his friends to a remote location of beauty. We took him up on the offer and experienced a good contender for the best day of our lives. We spent some more days with him travelling through the country after that. His vast wealth of knowledge educated us in Albanian history and culture. For the rest of our two weeks in Albania we always had interesting things to experience because of his recommendations. His demeanor was always friendly and his personality very likeable. He made or trip to Albania something I will forever remember as incredible. I'm very happy to consider him my friend.
Best guide we've dealt with among hunderds! Arben was with us for 2 weeks in Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Macedonia. He was always friendly, willing to help in every possible way and very knowlegeable about the history, cultures, geography and interesting places to see. We saw many things and went to places not even mentioned in the itinerary. He added local color with visits to ethnic restaurants and meeting locals. He was also funny and we had a great joy spending time with him. He arranged for personal needs well beyond his duties as a guide. And above all else, he pushed my wife in her wheelchair everywhere we went, and drove to places where it was not possible. He has a way with people, and obtained access to places where others would not be able to go. He also arranged for private guides, for example an archeologist for an ancient town ruins, for very unique insights. He encouraged me in doing more walking on this trip, so that even with all of the delicious food, I actually lost weight! My doctor was amazed.
Benny is the BEST! Super Personable, Professional and extremely knowledgeable of the areas! Cant wait to go on another Adventure with Benny again soon!
Good job! Clients satisfied! Arben is godsend for our agency! Proffesional, educated, experianced and responsible guide. He can find bedt solution for every request of our clients. He loves and knows history, culture and traditions of Albania. Knows how to make good service for foreign tourists. We will continue to cooperate with Arben with pleasure. --- Go To Albania agency
Excellent guide Ben is a fantastic and entusiastic guide. He helped out my family even we were not booked on his tour! Many thanks for the 4 wheel ride with the girls from Valbona to Theti. Fantastic driver Ben have! Ben is good company. He speaks english very well and is very helpfull! I can only recommend him.
A born guide It doesn't take long to be in Ben's presence, especially in a spectacular mountain setting, to realize you're with a born guide. This shows in many ways: His wonderful way with people, taking great care of everyone and their individual needs; sharing his passion for the places he's guiding in and knowledge about them and his embrace of the history and cultural significance of these places. He will often launch into a wonderful song representing the traditions of the area. He brings humor and great fun to the overall experience. It is a pleasure to recommend Ben as a first rate guide.
Arben Ben was simply great. He was passionate, enthusiastic, attentive, good company and at all times had the best interests of we passengers at heart. Our small group was rather difficult in that we all had very different physical abilities and subjects of interests. Ben handled this with aplomb doing his utmost to please everyone, which must have been extremely testing at times.
Enthusiastic Person to show Albania Arben was my tour leader when I joined a group to travel Albania, Kosovo, and Macedonia for two weeks in April 2015. Ben is a pleasant young man in his thirties, for whom I predict a great future in tourism. With his knowledge of cross-cultural communication and understanding, I found him a delight to be around and converse. I hope to have him show me more of Albania off the beaten path in future.
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