Saranda: Permit Thermal Baths & Langarica Canyon Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (19 reviews)

Free cancellation

1/18

Duration5h–7h

GroupUp to 16

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

Thermal pools and a canyon walk in one morning—what Albania's inland valleys actually look like

You drive inland from Saranda through the Vjosa Valley to soak in the mineral-rich thermal pools at Benja, where an Ottoman bridge marks the start of the Langarica Canyon. From there, you walk through a 6-kilometer canyon filled with crystal-clear water and limestone cliffs, with time to swim and explore. Private transport and an English guide are included, so you only need to show up ready to walk and soak.

5h–7h

Step-by-step itinerary

Thermal baths and canyon exploration

Depart from Saranda in morning
Stop at Tepelene Cold Water springs
Visit Këlcyrë Gorge viewpoint
Relax at Benja Thermal Baths
Walk to Langarica Canyon
Explore and swim in canyon

The Experience

So you've got a free day in Saranda and you're tired of the coast. The drive inland pulls you away from the water fast—past villages where people are still hanging laundry the old way, along the Vjosa River, which is one of Europe's last wild ones and looks it. The road winds through proper mountain landscape, the kind that doesn't photograph well because it's too big. Your guide handles the driving, which means you can actually look instead of navigating.

The Permet thermal baths at Benja come first, and they're not what you'd expect if you've only seen resort pools. The water rises from underground through cracks in the rock—six different springs, each one feeding into stone basins that have been there for centuries. The Kadiut Bridge, an Ottoman structure, sits right at the entrance to the canyon, and that's where the biggest and busiest bath is. The water temperature runs between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius, warm enough to actually relax into, and the mineral content is supposed to be therapeutic, though mostly you just float and look up at the cliffs. There's free time here to soak, walk around, take photos of the bridge reflected in the water. If you want to avoid the crowds, smaller baths exist further up the canyon, but you have to ask your guide about access.

After that, the Langarica Canyon walk starts just a short distance away. The canyon is about 6 kilometers from the thermal baths, and the path follows the river through narrow rock formations with water so clear you can see the bottom. The cliffs rise up on both sides—towering, dramatic, the kind of geology that makes you understand why people write about limestone. There's swimming in the river if you want it, and the whole thing feels genuinely untouched, no vendors, no crowds, just the sound of water and your own footsteps on the rocks. The walk is light enough that most people manage it, though the path is uneven and wet in places, so proper shoes matter.

Your guide is English-speaking, the transport is private, and all entry fees are included in the price. You're back in Saranda by evening, which means you can still grab dinner somewhere if you're not too tired. The whole day is structured around not having to arrange anything yourself—no figuring out buses, no negotiating entry at the gate, no wondering if you're going the right way through the canyon.

What’s included

Your day includes private transportation from Saranda, an English-speaking guide, entry fees to the Benja thermal baths and Langarica Canyon, and free time to swim and relax in both locations. All taxes are covered in the price.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPets welcomeNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lici Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see inland Albania—thermal springs and a canyon—without arranging transport or figuring out which pools are worth the walk; the private guide and included fees mean you just show up and move between two places that most Saranda visitors never reach.