2 Day Adventurous Permet Itinerary (Albania)
Permet is located right next to Fir of Hotova National Park – an ideal place for hiking, river rafting, horseback riding, and hot springs. In this guide I’ll tell you everything there is to do in Permet, plus outline a 2 day Permet itinerary for adventurous travellers.
Permet is currently one of the quieter destinations in Albania, but this won’t last for long. Travellers are quickly discovering this little inland city packed with adventures and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes as popular as places like Gjirokaster and Himara.
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Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
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- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
Quick Albania Travel Guide:
**Find my recommended Albania itineraries linked in the section below**
Travel Insurance: ALWAYS purchase reliable travel insurance before your trip. This insurance is trusted by backpackers and adventure sport enthusiasts around the world. You can also use my link to receive 5% off SafetyWing policies. Here’s a blog post with more trustworthy travel insurance options you can compare.
Best Time to Visit: May to September.
Best Activities: Looking for the best tours and activities around Albania? See my Viator shop for my top recommendations.
Currency: Albanian LEK (aka ALL). This is a closed currency so you’ll need to wait until you’re in Albania to withdraw/exchange money. Make sure you exchange any leftover money before you leave the country too. Credins ATMs don’t have a service charge.
Transportation: to enter the country you’ll find 1 international airport in Tirana, 1 port in Saranda (daily ferry arrivals/departures to Corfu, Greece), and a bus line from Montenegro. Buses are very cheap here, but unreliable and taxis are pricey in comparison. Driving is chaotic and there are no trains within the country.
Phone: purchase a local SIM card from Vodafone – the plans are cheap and they include lots of data, however international minutes are typically not available. Vodafone storefronts can be found in bigger cities (Tirana, Saranda, Shkoder, etc).
Language: Albanian, however you can get by with English. Google translate is recommended for smaller cities/villages.
Safety: I found Albania to be very safe. I and my fellow travellers had no trouble with theft and I felt comfortable walking around as a solo female at night. People are generally very welcoming here, but always keep your wits about you – no matter where you travel.
Helpful Info: don’t drink the tap water or bring a purifying bottle like this one. Most hostels/guesthouses/hotels have laundry facilities.
Purchase my Albania map which is downloadable to google maps on your phone. It has 200+ pinned locations around the country – all available at your fingertips.
Packing Guide: here’s my ultimate packing guide/travel essentials.
Albania is one of the last “undiscovered” countries in Europe. Plan your trip while prices & tourism levels are low!
Helpful Albania Blog Posts
Albania Itineraries: 1 week south | 1 week north | 2 weeks whole country | 1 month for backpackers
- My Ultimate Albania Backpacker Guide
- 15+ Helpful Tips You Should Know BEFORE Travelling Albania
- 30+ Best Things to do in Albania: Excursions, Tours, and Destinations
- 17 Best Places in Albania
- Hiker’s Guide to the Albanian Alps
- Valbona to Theth Hiking Guide
- 10+ Albania hikes Worth Doing
- Lodging: best hostels for backpackers | luxury hotels
Things to do in Permet and a corresponding 2 day itinerary for Permet.
How to get to Permet
Permet is located further inland within the Gjirokaster region. If you have your own car it’s a 1hr and 10 minute drive from Gjirokaster, 2 hours from Saranda, and 3.5 hours from Tirana. There are also direct bus routes to Permet from Gjirokaster and Tirana’s regional bus station. If you’re taking the bus to Permet from elsewhere, the drive will likely involve one if not multiple connecting buses.
The “bus station” in Permet – not actually a bus station, just a sign on the road – is located here. This is where you’ll be dropped off initially and where you’ll catch your departure bus.
Be aware that the bus system in Albania can be unreliable. Bus schedules are just starting to appear online/on Google Maps (as of 2024), however I’d still recommend checking in with your lodging providers as they’ll have exact knowledge on bus routes and pickups times.
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Where to Stay in Permet
The best place to stay in Permet is definitely Funky Guesthouse & Adventures. The Funky Guesthouse is located in the centre of the city, they serve a delicious complimentary breakfast, and they curate local adventure tours like this horseback riding tour.
If you’re looking for a traditional hotel option, RAMIS Hotel is your best option. They have a garden, shared restaurant & lounge, bike rentals, and offer car hire.
I personally stayed at Eljo’s House in Permet and had a lovely experience. Eljo’s House is located further from the centre of town, but it’s run by the sweetest generational family. The guesthouse is named after the family’s young son and they stocked the fridge with the local dessert – gliko – and fresh fruit when I arrived. The grandmother brought me fresh fruit and fresh flowers each morning and to top it off the guesthouse is a total bang-for-your-buck. A whole apartment for less than less than 15 euros (when I visited in 2022).
Permet itinerary for adventurous travellers.
Things to do in Permet
Here are the best things to do in Permet from river rafting to eating delicious local dishes.
Popular Albania Tours
From Berat: 4×4 tour: Mount Tomorr & Sotira Waterfall | Bogove Waterfall & Osumi Canyon | Osumi Canyon Rafting
From Permet: Benja Hot Springs & Lengarica Canyon | Horseback Riding | River Rafting
From Tirana: Gamti Mountain & Bovilla Lake Hiking Tour | Bike Tour | Traditional Cooking Class | Zipline
From Tirana or Shkoder: Day trip to the Blue Eye of Theth & Grunas Waterfall | Shala River Day Trip
From Vlora: Boat tour to Haxhi Ali Cave & Sazan Island – Karaburun | Snorkelling
From Saranda/Ksamil: Paddle boarding the Islands | Butrint, Ksamil, Blue Eye, Lekuresi Castle – 1 Day | Day Trip to Gjirokaster | Catamaran to Korez & Kokomo Beach
UNIQUE: Multi-day hiking tour: Peaks of the Balkans
You can find more Albania tours I recommend here
Ascend Big Rock and Wander Along the Vjosa River
In the centre of Permet there’s a walkway along the Vjosa River – the last wild river in Europe – and a large rock you can walk up, literally named “Big Rock.” It’s 42m high and there’s a nice view from the top.
This is something quick and easy you can add to your Permet itinerary in between activities or do the morning before your departure.
Raft Down the Vjosa River
If you’d like to further explore the Vjosa River and add an adventurous activity to your Permet itinerary, there’s a unique white water rafting tour that departs Permet. Transportation, equipment, and a knowledgeable guide are included with this tour.
Rafters will get to experience class II and class III rapids, waves up to four feet, and narrow passages that send the boat shimmying and water gushing over the sides.
These are the best things to do in Permet.
Try Traditional Permet Cuisine
Something you must do in Permet is try the traditional cuisine. I’m not a huge foodie, but I had some of my favourite meals in Albania in Permet at Bar Restorant Sofra Permetare and Trifilia.
Gliko – candied fruit – is a region-specific dessert in Permet. I didn’t love it as I found it too sweet, but it’s interesting and worth a try.
Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
Get my 200+ recommendations all in one place for:
- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
Go Horseback Riding in Permet
My favourite thing I did in Permet was this horseback riding tour so I highly recommend adding it to your Permet itinerary.
4×4 transportation was provided to the ranch where the horses were kept. From here the guide led us up mountains and across rivers through Fir of Hotova National Park. The experience was epic and unique compared to any horseback riding experience I’d had before.
Visit the Benja Hot Springs
Something every traveller should do in Permet is visit the Benja Hot Springs.
The Benja hot springs are located 14kms outside the town of Permet in Fir of Hotova National Park. There’s currently no public bus to the Benja Hot Springs, so you’ll either have to hitchhike (what I did) to get there or sign up for a guided tour like this one.
The Hot Springs are said to have natural healing powers and as you can imagine they get pretty busy. Try to get to the Benja Hot Springs earlier in the day to beat the crowds.
ps – I’ve marked the Benja Hot Springs location + everything else mentioned in this post on my Albania Map.
Explore Lengarica Canyon
Also located in Fir of Hotova National Park is the Lengarica Canyon. Lengarica Canyon is situated right next to the Benja Hot Springs and also is accessed via hitchhiking or guided tour. This is my favourite thing to do in Permet for a blend of adventure, exercise, and uniqueness.
To enter the canyon walk under the Ottoman-style bridge and continue on. The canyon is 5kms in length, however you can stop at any point. Some areas of the canyon are deeper than others which means you’ll rotate between full body swimming and walking through ankle deep water.
I wore Crocs (my favourite model: Canada link | USA link) to hike through Lengarica Canyon which I found to be the perfect footwear choice as they can be worn in the water and they provide protection for your feet against the rocks.
2 Day Permet Itinerary
This 2 day Permet itinerary is packed with the best things to do in Permet.
Day 1 in Permet
On your first full day in Permet plan to explore the Benja Hot Springs and Lengarica Canyon. If you arrive midday via the bus you can try your luck hitchhiking, but otherwise I’d recommend signing up for a guided tour which you can book here.
Visiting the Benja Hot Springs and Lengarica Canyon will take up at least half a day, so when you return plan to grab lunch or dinner and wander the “downtown” region to see the Vjosa River and walk up the Big Rock. I recommend eating at Bar Restorant Sofra Permetare or Trifilia if you’re hoping to try traditional cuisine.
I recommend staying at Funky Guesthouse & Adventures (best option), RAMIS Hotel (traditional hotel), or Eljo’s House (where I stayed).
Things to do in Permet, Albania.
Day 2 in Permet
On day 2 of this Permet itinerary plan to go horseback riding through Fir of Hotova National Park on this tour. The tour should only last half a day and you should be back in Permet by early afternoon which gives you enough time to walk by the river again or take the evening to relax after your busy 2 days in Permet.
Most of the time the buses departing Permet leave in the morning, so it’s pretty much guaranteed you’ll need to stay overnight after the horseback riding tour.
Optional Day 3 in Permet
If you find yourself wanting to do more activities in Permet, you can opt to extend your stay an extra day to go rafting on the Vjosa River.
and that concludes the best things to do in Permet + my 2 day Permet itinerary. Enjoy!
Albania Google Map – 200+ pins
Don’t feel like scrolling through blog posts trying to find things to do in Albania?
Then my Albania map is for you!
Get my 200+ recommendations all in one place for:
- Outdoors: hiking trails, waterfalls, secret beaches & national parks
- Places: ancient cities, beach towns & historical sites
- Things to do: viewpoints, unique activities & tours
- Planning: lodging, restaurants, bus stops & tedious details
Permet Itinerary for Backpackers
Happy adventuring!
Taylor ♡
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About the Author
HI, I’m Taylor – the voice behind The Holistic Backpacker.
After moving to Banff National Park in 2020 I became an outdoor adventure enthusiast and vowed to never stop exploring.
I now spend my days travelling the world, climbing mountains, and spending nights under the stars in the Canadian Rockies backcountry.
I created The Holistic Backpacker so I could share my adventures and help connect people like you with the same amazing experiences.
