Independent Travel to Balkans
Young Pioneer Tours have been pioneering adventure travel to the seven countries that make up the lands of the former Yugoslavia for around eight years. Whether as part of our Eurasian Adventure or with our specialist Balkan Badlands tour. The incredible natural scenery, hospitable locals, blends of cultures and languages from various empires, fascinating ancient history and harrowing modern history as a result of the Yugoslavia war provide a unique travel destination unlike any other.
We have a wide range of incredible locations featured on our tours, from the war torn, Ottoman style city of Sarajevo which was the site of the longest siege in history during the Balkans war to the divided city of Mitrovica ethnically split between Albanians and Serbs and from the Communist Bloc style city of Sarajevo with the mausoleum of Tito to the vibrant capital of Tirana in Albania where Mercedes Benz park next to crumbling military bunkers in the street, designed by the paranoid Communist regime for a Western invasion that never came. Our local contacts and years of experiences and relations gained on the ground ensure we can visit many sites not visited by other tourists.
Tour guides in the Balkans
The Balkans is unique for many reasons, but since the bloody wars that raged through here in the 1990’s, you can find vastly different, sometimes fiercely nationalistic viewpoints simply by crossing into another town or village. As a result, on our Balkan tours we use a vast range of guides to provide you with an insight into this troubled land and it’s viewpoints. We always aim to hire guides with a background in the conflict, from former soldiers and relief workers to political activists.
Hotels in the Balkans
Unlike the USSR, Yugoslavia was rather open to tourists in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and as a result they are generally used to foreign visitors. Hotels are comfortable or luxury depending on your budget.
Specialist Private Tours to Balkans
For those aiming for a private tour we can provide bespoke, low cost itineraries for any amount of time in the region and can supply an experienced YPT guide to coordinate with our local contacts on the ground. Simply contact us with your plan and we will supply a quote.
Join a Group Tour to Balkans
Each year, Young Pioneer Tours operate two group tours to the Balkans. Firstly as a longer specialized tour called ‘Balkan Badlands’ which takes you across the former Yugoslavia and spends a set amount of time in each country allowing you to get a better insight into this part of the world, its politics and its future. Notable highlights of the tour include the abandoned Zeljava airbase, the site of the Srebrenica genocide, the bizarre capital of Mitrovica with its many pro-US monuments, the abandoned bobsleigh track in Sarajevo and the infamous city of Mostar attempting to return to normality after being brutally affected during the war.
Secondly, as part of our Eurasian adventure we begin in Albania, a country that was once tougher to enter than North Korea and spend around a day in each country of the Balkans in a faster paced manner taking in some of the sights mentioned.
Further Reading
Read more here about our experiences of travel in the Balkans
What are you waiting for?
Get in contact with us today to begin planning your dream trip to Balkans.
For film projects inside Balkans, check out Pioneer Media, who can assist you with a variety on-set services and who have already made a number of films utilizing the unique landscape and Communist relics of Albania.
