Vjosa (Albania) Part 2: Përmet to the plains

Inflatable kayak, August 2022. Part 2 of the video. Some advice on transportation: In the Albanian port town of Vlorë, which is not far from where the Vjosa meets the Adriatic Sea, you can hire a taxi to the Greek border. Once arrived, a good place to start your trip is at the confluence of Sarantaporos and Vjosa (also named Aoos), where the river is accessible by car just about 1 km before you reach the Albanian customs building. If you don't want to travel all the way back to the sea, you can finish your trip at a place called “Aragosta Music Parking” where the SH4 highway runs next to the Vjosa. Aragosta features a café, a campground, and even a beach for a quick swim in the river. They can order a taxi for the one hour drive back to Vlorë. Side trips to Osumi and Drino rivers: In the town of Përmet, you can charter a 4WD to switch rivers from the Vjosa to the Osumi with its amazing canyon. Just ask at one of the rafting agencies. We went with Vjosa Explorer, who are located high on the right bank before entering Përmet town (not visible from the river). If you want to continue on the Vjosa after exploring the Osumi canyon, you can call them to send the 4WD for the trip back to Përmet. Another interesting side trip is the Drino river, a left-bank tributary flowing into the Vjosa near the town of Tepelenë. You can hire a taxi from Tepelenë to the wonderful old town of Gjirokastër and spend a few relaxing days on the Drino heading back to the Vjosa. Note that in summer, the Drino might not carry enough water upstream of Gjirokastër. Downstream, there are a few sections where you might be forgiven for thinking that somehow you ended up on a jungle river in Borneo, not Albania. Whatever happens, Albanian people are extremely helpful and you won't be stranded for long, even if you didn't arrange any of your transportation beforehand.