All activities / Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting / Permet
Whitewater Kayaking / Rafting in Permet
The Vjosa valley town inside Europe's first Wild River National Park, rafting the gorges of the continent's last free-flowing river.
Why here
The Vjosa is widely called Europe's last wild river, 270 kilometers without a single dam, and in March 2023 it became the continent's first Wild River National Park, a conservation landmark rafters get to float through: Class II-III gorges out of Permet with the Lengarica canyon and the Benja thermal pools on the same stretch. The local operators predate the park by a decade, run certified guides, and price a half day on Europe's most argued-over river at the cost of a city lunch. It is whitewater as a statement: this is what every river here looked like before concrete.
Best months
April to June is high water; the season runs to October with summer mellow enough for families. Class II-III wants only swimmers. The thermal pools are the mandatory warm-down.
Getting there & around
Permet is three and a half hours from Tirana or ninety minutes from Gjirokaster. Half-day trips with gear are the standard format.
Skill levels: beginner, intermediate
Schools & guides (2)
Go Raft Vjosa
OutfitterCertified local guides running nine-kilometer Vjosa rafting plus tubing and kayak trips from Permet.
Rafting Vjosa Albania
OutfitterPermet operator running Vjosa Class II-III descents since 2012, inside the Wild River National Park.