Goat guesthouse
& goat hiking
We invite you to slow down in the tranquility of an Albanian rural village, spend some quality time with a bunch of happy goats, explore the majestic mountain scenery and discover your own shepherd skills.
Seven things to expect at
The Golden Goat
Nature
Nature is at the core of your stay at The Golden Goat. Our village Ploshtan is located in the Korab-Koritnik Nature Park in eastern Albania. The park forms a section of the European Green Belt, which serves as a retreat for endangered animal and plant species. It encompasses about 55 000 hectares of alpine mountainous terrain, with valleys, rivers, glacial lakes, caves, canyons and dense forest. In this protected area the last real shepherds live with their large flocks of sheep, next to wild animals such as wolves, bears, eagles and even the highly endangered Balkan lynx. But you don’t need to hike deep into the mountains to enjoy the beauty of our nature. You can also spot woodpeckers in our garden while having your morning coffee, get overwhelmed by all the blossoming fruit trees in the village or go find green lizards and fire salamanders at the nearby creek. Nature starts at our doorstep and is here at everyone’s needs.
Goats
Say hello to our goats Julia, Gigi, Pintxo, Hermine and Georgina! Oh, and Beyonce and Zeze of course, our two sheep. All our animals each have their own character, and they are all super friendly and curious. But most of all, goats are funny and playful and masters in entertaining. The goats and sheep are situated on the field next to the guesthouse, so you can greet them first thing in the morning. You can enter the field yourself to pet the goats anytime. On top of that you can help with the feeding of the animals and join them on their daily walk in the village. For those who really want to learn some farmer’s skills, we can even teach you how to milk the goats and make your own yoghurt or cheese. Not a chance to get bored with our goats around the house!
Hiking
The Korab-Koritnik Nature Park is the perfect place for people who love hiking. This huge, protected area has endless possibilities for all levels of hikers. Starting from our guesthouse, you can do smaller walks around traditional villages in the valley of Kala e Dodes, or more experienced hikers can even bring their camping gear and head out into the mountains for a couple of days and climb Albania’s highest mountain. Some of the surrounding villages have marked trails that will guide you through the mountains. But since Albania is often called the undiscovered gem of Europe, it also means that hiking infrastructure can sometimes be basic and marked trails are often non-existent in many areas. A true adventure for people who like the outdoors and can be more self-reliant.
Villages
Our village Ploshtan, lies in the valley of Kala e Dodes where several rural villages lie at the foot of Albania’s highest peak, Mount Korabi. In these old traditional villages, life is slow and on the rhythm of the seasons and the animals. Since many Albanians are exchanging the village life for a life in the capital, Ploshtan is dotted with ruins in between farms where people are still living a lifestyle that hasn’t changed a lot over the last decades. You will most likely meet your neighbors when they are taking their cow to the river to drink, bringing their sheep back to the farm or when they are working on the field. This region is the perfect place to enjoy a peaceful and quiet village life yourself.
Shepherd experience
If you are an animal lover and want to explore your own shepherd skills, The Golden Goat is the perfect place to offer you this unique experience. You can hike together with our goats in an astonishing scenery that is also home to many real Albanian shepherds. During the summer of 2025 we can offer you guided one-day hikes together with our goats. Starting from our village we will hike higher up the mountain, until we find the perfect picnic spot, and lay down in the grass surrounded by our grazing goats. For the more adventurous and outdoor-minded goat lovers we are planning multi-day hikes into the mountains starting in the summer of 2026 when our goats will be big and strong enough. All goat hikes can be booked upon request on top of your stay at our guesthouse.
Guesthouse
Our guesthouse can be found in the middle of Ploshtan overlooking the whole valley of Kala e Dodes from the garden. The house is cozy and simple, a combination of a traditional look integrated with modern infrastructure. It is a one-floor building with a central living room, a fully equipped kitchen, a bathroom with shower, two sleeping rooms (one double bed and two single beds per room) and a private garden. There is wood to make a fire, water, electricity, TV, WIFI and a washing machine. The guesthouse can be rented privately for those looking for a more personal stay, but we also have a sharing formula. We offer meals upon request, or you can decide to cook for yourself. All, so you can decide to make your stay at our guesthouse as comfortable as you like.
Hosts
The Golden Goat is run by local Albanian Jetmir and his Belgian friend Frederik. They met in the winter of 2010 when Frederik arrived by foot in Ploshtan and Jetmir offered him food and a warm bed in his house. Over the last 15 years they became really good friends. Frederik returned at least once a year to visit Jetmir and Ploshtan slowly became his second home. Jetmir grew up as the son of a shepherd and has been a farmer himself ever since. Jetmir will be your local host running the guesthouse and Frederik will be in charge of the multi-day goat hikes. So, for those who like nature, adventure and, well, goats of course, Jetmir and Frederik promise to make your stay at The Golden Goat an unforgettable experience and a unique way to discover a beautiful part of Albania.
Prices
GUESTHOUSE
Part of our philosophy at The Golden Goat is that we want our guests to slow down while staying at our guesthouse. Therefor we advise our guests to stay a minimum of 3 nights.
The guesthouse can be rented privately (rent full guesthouse) or shared (rent 1 private bedroom + share communal areas). Guesthouse prices don’t include meals.
Private Guesthouse per night (2 bedrooms, max 8 persons)
1 person: 100 euro
+ 25 euro per extra person
e.g. 4 persons = 175 euro per night
Shared Guesthouse per night (1 private bedroom, max 4 persons)
1 person: 65 euro
+ 25 euro per extra person
e.g. 2 persons = 90 euro per night
MEALS
We offer accommodation options without food, half-pension (breakfast + lunch) or full pension (breakfast + lunch + dinner). It is important to realize, when choosing one of these options, that shops or restaurants are often far away and very limited in their selection.
Half-pension: 15 euro per person per day
Full pension: 25 euro per person per day
If you are vegetarian or have other requests regarding your meals, please let us know so we can take this into account. Albanian kitchen has many dairy products, so for vegans or people with certain food intolerance, we might suggest bringing food and use the kitchen in the guesthouse to prepare your own meals.
TRANSPORT
The Golden Goat can be reached by car and we have a free parking spot available in the village if you come with your own car. Public transport is available, though very limited. We offer a shuttle service for our guests from main pick-up points in Albania.
From Tirana/Airport to The Golden Goat – 3 hours (one way)
1-3 persons + luggage: 100 euro
4 persons + luggage: 125 euro
From nearby cities Kukes or Peshkopi to The Golden Goat - 1 hour (one way)
1-3 persons + luggage: 40 euro
4 persons + luggage: 50 euro
GOAT HIKE - shepherd experience
Full day hike into the mountains with goats and guide (including lunch)
150 euro (2 persons)
+ 30euro per extra person
*Children under 12 years have 20% discount on their accommodation and meals.
**Return transport is possible at same rates.
***All meals, transport and hikes can be booked separately and upon request..
CONTACT & BOOKING
For all questions or inquiries for bookings:
Thegoldengoat.albania@gmail.com
Frederik: +32485022483 (whatsapp)
Jetmir: +355682060480 (whatsapp)
Summer 2025
The Golden Goat is still in the start-up phase during this first summer. Our guesthouse is fully up-and-running, but it is important to know that most of our goats are still young. This means maybe not all activities are possible yet. On the other side, young goats are extra fun to hang out with :) So, for any questions about your goat-stay in summer of 2025, please contact us to make sure we can meet all your expectations.
