Tirana to Saranda, Ksamil & Blue Eye Day Trip with Pickup

4.81

(221 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“You guys ready for a long drive?” That’s what Erion, our guide, asked as we piled into the van just after sunrise in Tirana. I was still half-asleep, clutching my coffee, but everyone seemed excited — especially when he promised we’d see the “real blue” at the Blue Eye spring. The road south was bumpy in places (I kept thinking my seat would rattle loose), but watching the countryside wake up — olive trees, small villages, that early morning haze — made it feel like time stretched out differently here.

The first real stop was Syri i Kaltër — the Blue Eye. It’s kind of wild how clear and deep that water is; you can see right down into this electric blue center that looks almost unreal. There was this cool dampness in the air under all those trees, and you could hear birds and people laughing as they tried to pronounce “Syri i Kaltër.” Erion told us about some legends — apparently people used to think it was bottomless. I dipped my fingers in (freezing!) and just stood there for a minute, not really talking to anyone.

After that we headed to Ksamil. I’d heard people call it the “Albanian Maldives,” which honestly made me roll my eyes at first — but yeah, those beaches are something else. The sand is soft and pale, water so clear you can spot tiny fish darting around your ankles. We had free time for lunch (I tried grilled octopus; salty and smoky) and Erion gave us tips on which seaside place wouldn’t overcharge tourists. Some folks swam even though it wasn’t super hot yet. I mostly watched old men play cards by the shore.

Saranda felt busier — more music from cafés along the promenade, families strolling with ice cream, teenagers posing for photos with the sea behind them. The city has this mix of old concrete blocks and new glassy hotels; you get both sides of Albania at once. Before heading back toward Tirana, we stopped by Vjosa River for a short walk — honestly I didn’t expect much after everything else, but standing by that river with barely anyone around felt peaceful in a way I can’t really explain. Sometimes you don’t realize what’ll stick with you until later.