About us
Hello and welcome (or should we say dobrodošli!) to Undiscovered Montenegro, your go to adventure travel specialist in the Balkans.
We’re Ben and Emma Heywood, the adventure-loving husband and wife behind this operation, and we’re thrilled to have you here with us in Europe’s most unexplored corner.
When we landed in Montenegro in 2008 as frivolous travellers without kids, this beautiful country stopped us in our tracks. Its jagged mountains footed by blue and green lakes could easily be mistaken for the Canadian Rockies while miles of unspoiled wilderness resemble an African game reserve.
Having visited more than 50 countries worldwide we’re not easy to impress, so you can trust we’ve selected only the most breathtaking locations for our holiday activities, with the help of our expert local guides.
You won’t find big, brash resorts and double decker tour buses on our trips. We do small group travel, community tourism and family-run establishments – including our very own Villa Miela, where it all began. Sitting at the heart of Lake Skadar National Park, it’s the base for several of our holidays, from yoga retreats to kayak safaris.
Like our family, our holiday offering has expanded. We now run tours in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo and Serbia through our sister site Undiscovered Balkans.
We pride ourselves on being a small business and we personally handle all bookings, so rest assured you will never be on hold to an operator when you get in touch.
When you travel with us, you’re officially part of our ever expanding Balkan family and as a family, we take care of one another. That’s why a percentage of our takings go back to the communities we work with. You can learn more about that here.
We look forward to seeing you in the Balkans soon!
Ben and Emma
Meet the team
Emma, co-founder
A seasoned backpacker, Emma’s itchy feet have taken her across Africa, America, Asia and Australia in search of adventure and new experiences. She worked as a conservationist in Zambia, a press officer for the British Government, and for the US oil industry before deciding her future lay in sustainable tourism in the Balkans. Inspired by this region’s incredible, ever-changing scenery, Emma is able to indulge her love of travel, yoga, art and photography to the full organising adventures in Montenegro. In her spare time, Emma volunteers her publicity skills to local conservation projects and initiatives and enjoys strong Turkish coffee. She speaks English, Serbian/Montenegrin and French.
Ben, co-founder
Born in Scotland and raised in Venezuela, Germany, the UAE and the UK, Ben speaks English, German, French and Serbian/Montenegrin, and is a BCU qualified kayak coach. Prior to setting up Undiscovered Montenegro and Undiscovered Balkans with Emma, he spent 15 years in international publishing, Following a round-the-world backpacking trip with Emma., Ben ditched his desk job for Lake Skadar’s incredible backdrop where he can indulge in his passions for snowboarding, kayaking, occasional carpentry, and organic home-cooking (in between organising adventures for others).
Milija – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Milija comes from a family of adventure enthusiasts who live and breathe the outdoors. Whether biking, hiking, kayaking or skiiing, you’re in good hands. Milija speaks fluent English and Montenegrin/Serbian.
Aldo – Tour Leader, Albania
Arben – Tour Leader, Albania
Arben‘s enthusiasm for his country and outdoor pursuits is infectious! As one of Albania’s most renowned licenced guides, there’s nothing he doesn’t know about Albania. Arben has travelled all over Albania, but Tirana, the capital, is his hometown. Arben speaks superb English.
Robi – Tour Leader, Croatia
Skender – Tour Leader, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Skender has been guiding groups around Bosnia for over a decade – and has built a reputation as one of the funniest and most quotable tour guides there. He speaks near-native English as well as Bosnian.
Vera – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Nenad – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Ana – Tour Leader, Montenegro
Ana has over a decade guiding tour groups under her belt – and most would agree she is very witty. She speaks near-native English as well as Montenegrin/Serbian.
Semir – Tour Leader, Montenegro & Albania
Semir is a qualified mountain guide and is probably the most knowledgeable tour leader in the entire Balkans. We dare you to find something he doesn’t know about the region. He speaks superb English and Albanian as well as his native language Montenegrin.