Pogradec, Korcha & Pustec tour from Ohrid: Cross into Albania

Three Albanian towns in one day: lakeside Pogradec, historic Korcha, and the untouched Prespa shore

A full-day tour from Ohrid crosses the border into Albania to visit three towns (Pogradec on Lake Ohrid, Korcha with its old architecture and Orthodox cathedral, and Pustec on Lake Prespa) with an English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, and return through Galichica National Park viewpoints. You must confirm your visa requirements before booking, as border crossing is your responsibility.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit towns around Ohrid Lake and Prespa Lake

• Visit prehistoric village museum
• See Pogradec town by Ohrid Lake
• Visit small town on Lake Ohrid shore
• View pink, blue, and brown cathedral
• Explore Korcha old and modern city
• Visit Central Orthodox Church in Korcha
• Travel to Pustec rural area
• Lunch in Zrnosko village
• Return via Galichica National Park viewpoints

The experience

You start from your hotel in Ohrid and travel across the border into Albania with a guide and driver. The tour visits Pogradec first, a town on the shores of Lake Ohrid just across the water from where you began. From there you move inland to Korcha, once the center of Albanian high society, where you walk through the old city architecture and the modern quarters, stopping at the Central Orthodox Church: a pink, blue and brown building constructed in 1995 on the foundations of a destroyed church of St. George.

The day's most remote stop is Pustec, a rural area along Lake Prespa that remains largely undeveloped. You visit the village of Zrnosko, where lunch happens (you arrange and pay for it separately). This stretch of the itinerary takes you through terrain most visitors to the region never see: the natural, untouched shoreline and the everyday life of a small Albanian community away from the main routes.

On the return to Ohrid, the route passes through Galichica National Park with stops at viewpoints overlooking both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa. The full day runs nine to ten hours from pickup to drop-off. Before you book, you need to confirm your own visa requirements for Albania and handle any paperwork yourself: border crossing is your responsibility as the traveler.

What’s included

• An experienced English-speaking guide and driver.
• all transfers in a comfortable air-conditioned car or minivan.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Ohrid or at any location you prefer in the city.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Senior (91 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (3 to 12 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 20 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Experience Balkan

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary and the stops without translation. The full day, nine to ten hours, suits travelers with reasonable fitness who are comfortable with a longer drive and want to see rural Albania beyond the main tourist circuit.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (3 to 12 years); Infant (under 3).

What will I see inside the museum at the start of the tour?

The museum holds original artifacts from a pre-historic settlement, including 24 reconstructed houses that show what the village looked like. Inside each house are everyday items the villagers used at that time.

Do I need to arrange my own visa to cross into Albania?

Yes. You must confirm and obtain any visa requirements before the tour starts: border crossing is entirely your responsibility as the traveler, and the operator cannot handle this for you.

Where do we stop for lunch on this tour?

Lunch happens in the village of Zrnosko in the Pustec area along Lake Prespa. You choose where to eat and pay for your meal separately. It is not included in the tour price.

What happens on the drive back to Ohrid?

The return route goes through Galichica National Park with stops at viewpoints where you can see both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa from above.