Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle
Overview
Mobile ticket
The fascinating old centre of Gjirokaster is on UNESCO’s World Heritage list. Largely medieval, with some lovely architecture to admire, reflecting the town’s wealthy past, it is built on a hill overlooking a valley and mountains. This interesting museum will give a good impression of the way of living in Albania during the Ottoman period.
On our way back to Saranda, we will pass from the national park Syri I Kalter. In this peaceful forest, we will walk (15 min) to the crystal clear spring called Blue Eye, where 900 m3 water per minute is coming from deep down the earth. If time permits, there will be a short coffee break at the restaurant next to the fast streaming river in the park, before heading back to the port of Saranda.
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Booster seat
Air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance- Blue Eye
Gjirokaster Castel entry (optional)
Train ticket in Blue Eye
What To Expect
Gjirokaster
First stop is in Gjirokaster (Old Town) Defined by its castle, roads paved with chunky limestone and shale, imposing slate-roofed houses and views out to the Drina Valley, Gjirokastra is a magical hillside town described beautifully by Albania's most famous author, Ismail Kadare (b 1936), in Chronicle in Stone. There has been a settlement here for 2500 years, though these days it's the 600 'monumental' Ottoman-era houses in town that attract visitors. For Albanians, the town is also synonymous with former dictator Enver Hoxha, who was born here and ensured the town was relatively well preserved under his rule, though he is not memorialised in any way here today.
The Blue Eye
Second Stop: Blue Eye. Albania’s famous Blue Eye (Syri i kaltër) is a water spring and natural phenomenon that each visitor should witness. A popular tourist attraction, the beautiful light turquoise river stuns with its beauty. Located near Muzinë in Albania’s Vlorë County, you’ll want to rent a car to get to the famous Blue Eye. After following the signs and crossing the bridge (where you’ll pay a small fee), you’ll come across a parking spot and a footpath that leads to the Blue Eye. You’ll first be enchanted by the surrounding dense forest and the beautiful light blue river that flows through this natural paradise. The Blue Eye is located beneath a small metal balcony that was built so you can get a closer look. Even though swimming has been prohibited via signs, it doesn’t really prevent people from jumping right into the ice-cold water.
Options
Tour Gjirokaster,Blue Eye & Lekursi Castle
Pickup included
Reviews
39 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
100% recommendation
N4010HCdanas,
Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had to change our original plans for the day and were very spontaneous about the tour - actually too late. Nevertheless, we passed the office to see if the tour had already begun. There we arrived a quarter of an hour late. Immediately, the employee called his colleagues. To make the tour possible, the tour group came by again and took us with them. We had a wonderful tour, saw a lot and were happy to get an insight into the country and its history in this way. We didn’t have to worry about transport and organisation, but we were able to discuss details individually time and again. We are impressed by the hospitality and warmth we have experienced!
Lots of driving!
Marci P,
Oct 19, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a day with Jona! She is just precious! The drive from the port was quite long but we enjoyed the castle. Then the drive to the Blue Eye was insane! Take your Dramamine before this tour! The Blue Eye was pretty but be sure to take the train for €5 if you cannot walk a couple of miles. Then we drove another 20 minutes to Lukersi (spelling??) for a quick overlook and back to the ship. Total time was 9:00 am to 3:15 on the ship. Long day but overall we saw and learned a lot. Just take your Dramamine!
Must do
Tricia E,
Sep 18, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00From the minute I booked this tour I had communication with the tour guide and company they were very professional and helpful trying to ensure our meeting point was not too far away and convenient for us. We were picked up on time and then proceeded to a meeting point where all the small collection vehicles to get on a bigger bus but based on numbers the tour guide made a wise decision to utilise the smaller buses and a car which was very comfortable and clever based on some of the roads. Jona our guide was informative and considerate each person input which was great. I didn’t know what to expect but I so loved the day the sites the places we visited the time we had at each location. I would have loved to have been able to have more time for a cocktail at the last stop but was very happy with the experience
Sarande bus trip
GrandTour405731,
Sep 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wonderful experience. Fantastic tour guide. Jona was her name. So friendly and informative. Only 12 people so perfect size. Sites were amazing.
Full day tour visiting the necessary highlights
Krystia K,
Sep 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00We really enjoyed our tour with Jona. We were picked up in a private van with a max of 6 passengers so it was very comfortable. While we were not in the van with Jona she did a good job of sharing info with us at Gjirokaster castle. I'm not one for a full day of listening to someone drone on and on about things so I appreciated the history highlights and then allowing us to wander to get our pictures. It was nice that she also asked the group about how much time we wanted in the village so the tour felt less rigid. We enjoyed having time to wander around the Blue Eye as we pleased. You finish the tour at Lekuresi Castle. We highly recommend staying there to get a table and drinks to watch the sunset. It gets very busy so getting there early is crucial. One thing to note, this is a FULL DAY tour (ending around 5:30pm). We were surprised to learn that but luckily we didn't have anything book so we were able to be flexible.
Perfect tour
M928VRsarat,
Sep 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00From start to finish, our tour with Leka Tours was simply excellent. Everything was perfectly organized – comfortable transport, a friendly guide, and plenty of time to enjoy each stop.
It was a tiring day. It...
Violeta L,
Sep 8, 2025
- Review from Viator
3.00It was a tiring day. It was supposed to last 5-6 hours, but it lasted for 8 hours. The three destinations were too far apart, we were mostly in the car. We were split in four cars and received no information during the whole roadtrip, it was just our family and a repeating 10 song playlist for the whole day, we ended up knowing them by heart. Pay attention to the fact that the entrance to the Gjirokaster castle must be paid on the spot, as well as the transportation to the Blue Eye (train or moto, free on foot… 5km) Even though the guide was very nice, it was not enough to compensate for the long day. Sadly, it felt like we lost the day. We were supposed to be 15 people, but there were about 40 people and only one guide… poor organisation.
Fun and informative tour
meganrann2023,
Sep 7, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great day out for our family of 5 (couple and 3 adult children). We appreciated the good communication prior and Leka Tours facilitating our pick up in Ksamil for a very reasonable extra cost. Our guide, Jona, and driver were both excellent. The three sights we visited were all great, although we all felt we spent way too long at the Blue Eye. There is quite a lot of walking involved and we would highly recommend wearing sensible shoes! Also, whilst our tour was advertised as being 6 hours long, it wound up being just over 8, so be aware if you have time constraints.
Great trip
LadyCDerby,
Sep 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We went over to Saranda from Corfu for a couple of nights and booked this trip. We were so happy that we did. It was well organised with good WhatsApp communication and our guide was incredibly helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. We packed so much in to our day and had plenty of time at each stop. We would highly recommend booking and taking in these fabulous sites in beautiful Albania
Wonderful
Stefan F,
Sep 2, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very nice trip! Well planned and organized! With enough time to see the sights. Very nice guide. 4 wonderful places to get to know Albania better.
From €35.00
Want a private experience? Upgrade to a private tour
Chat with us on social
Related Experiences
Operated by Leka Tours & Car Rentals