Europe's First Wild River National Park Free-Flows Through Diverse Ecosystems Offering Endless Water Fun

If you're looking for a breathtaking experience in nature and to see a side of Europe that is long gone on most of the continent, you will love Albania's Vjosa Wild River National Park. The Vjosa River is nearly 250 miles long, running from the mountains in a picturesque and under the radar region of Greece, through Albania to meet the Adriatic Sea. This national park, which was established in 2023, is the perfect start to a vacation in Albania, with little villages nearby, opportunities to take a raft out on the water, and staggering views of the mountains rising up on either side of the river.

So much of the natural world has been modified and adapted to suit the needs of humans that the opportunity to see raw, unaltered places can be a rare and awe-inspiring time. While we may think of rivers as natural occurrences, their shores are often developed and the course of their flow may be interrupted and altered. Wild rivers are something else. There are very few in Europe anymore, where the majority of powerful rivers have been dammed. This makes Vjosa a unique destination for travelers, providing them not only with the opportunity to see a kind of landscape that they may have never seen before, but gives them a chance to appreciate the vital lifeblood of entire ecosystems that thrive along its shores and under the free-flowing water.

For a truly unique trip, consider backpacking through the park. The verdant forests surrounding the river make for an incredible adventure in nature, unlike any other you can experience in Europe. Along the way, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. This is one of the best national parks for bird lovers, and birds are probably the most abundant creatures here — but wolves, bears, butterflies, otters, and even Balkan lynxes live within the park's borders.

You can absolutely spend all of your time in Albania exploring the shoreline, but if you want to truly take on the flow of the wild river, consider contacting a local guide and having them teach you how to take a kayak or a raft out on the water. These guides often know the landscape better than anyone else and can show you some of the most beautiful places along the river.

Albania is one of Europe's cheapest and most underrated countries to visit, partly thanks to its eclectic and gorgeous capital city of Tirana. But just a three-hour drive from the capital, the little city of Përmet is waiting. While it's still very much an under the radar destination, more and more travelers come to the "city of flowers" to enjoy the hot springs and sign up for tours from local guides who can take you on trips into Vjosa Wild River National Park. If you want to explore the river by yourself without a guide, Përmet is still a good home base. There is a particularly breathtaking riverbend just a short drive away. Your best bet is to fly into Mother Teresa International Airport in Tirana and then hop on a bus. You might have to transfer, but within five hours you should be in Përmet.

If you're looking to add another stop to your trip through Albania, you should also consider visiting the Gjirokaster Valley, which is only about an hour and 20 minutes away by bus. This area gives you a more diverse view of the Vjosa by letting you follow one of its tributaries, known as the Drinos River. Rather than viewing the river from wild woods, here you can explore a medieval stone city and the surrounding villages along its banks.