Hiking Guide in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro

Zbulo invites you to join our team of hiking guides to lead small groups of foreign guests on multi-day tours of 7-15 days across Albania and the neighboring countries.

Imagine this: You’re walking down a trail in the Albanian Alps surrounded by stunning mountain views and nature as far as the eye can see. You're leading a small group on a week-long trekking tour. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? But do you know what the most amazing part of this trip is? You’re getting paid to be there.

Welcome to the world of an outdoor adventure guide, where you leave the office behind and turn the mountains into your workplace. Instead of sitting in front of a computer screen from 9 to 5 every day, you will get to travel and hike to earn a living.

That being said, there are a lot of misconceptions about what it actually means to be an adventure guide and to work in the travel industry. While many think that guides just take people out on a hiking trip, there’s actually a lot more that goes into the job. Let’s start with what the actual tasks of a guide are.

What does a guide do?

• Customer Service: If you think guiding is all about you having fun, think again. Sure, you’re probably going to have a great time out there, but your job is to facilitate an amazing experience for your guests, not the other way around. You’ll get to work with many different people, all with different needs and expectations. Knowing how to communicate well, solve problems, work through difficult interpersonal dynamics, and create experiences that meet your clients’ expectations is all part of the job.
• Education: As an outdoor adventure guide, you’ll be expected to educate your clients on something. Whether it’s outdoor skills, the local flora and fauna, the geology of the region, the human history of an area, or just a bunch of fun jokes, your guests will almost certainly expect to learn something about the places they’re visiting while you’re out and about. Although a few guests will prefer to just hike in silence for the day, the vast majority will want to have some sort of conversation and are keen to learn as much as you can teach them during your trip. The more the better, that makes the difference between a junior and an experienced guide.
• Leadership and decision-making: Guides usually work either alone or in pairs, regardless of that, your guests will look to you as the ultimate source of leadership and decision-making. Sure, some won’t want you to tell them what to do, but if things go south for whatever reason, you’re the responsible person who needs to take a stance and make important decisions when they matter most.

What are the next steps?

After we have learned about your current qualification, experience level and availability, you will be assigned tours and it’s of utmost importance to honor these dates. While most tours are settled months ahead of time, sometimes you’ll find that you get a last minute call asking you to fill in for another staff member that’s been injured or had a family emergency and can no longer work. So, while one minute you might be looking forward to a week of watching Netflix, the next, you might be packing your bags for a last minute work opportunity on the Peaks of the Balkans Trail. Cancellations and new bookings may also result in changes to your schedule.

What is required to be a hiking/adventure guide?

Being a hiking guide entails a wide range of skills and competencies. Given that you are spending multiple days with paying clients and often serving as the sole or one of the two representatives of the organization, there are many expectations placed upon you. In this role, you will fulfill the following duties:

• Leadership: You're not just a decision maker, but hold the ultimate responsibility for the quality of the trip and the safety and satisfaction of the guests.
• Teacher: A significant part of your job involves imparting knowledge to your guests about the local history, geology, ecology, and unique features of the area you are hiking through.
• First aid: Guides are responsible for providing first-aid in case of an emergency. Zbulo trains its guides every year on outdoor first aid and rescue techniques. This is very different from the Red Cross first aid course you completed for your drivers license.
• Counselor: Guests may experience anxiety or other mood changes while being exposed to a new environment or challenging situation. As a guide, it is your duty to help them feel safe, confident, and encouraged.
• Service: Being a guide requires a humble attitude. Simple acts such as picking up the trash from the van, carrying others luggage or helping in the guesthouse when they are overwhelmed are all part of the job.
• Language skills: Our tours are guided in German or English. Good command of a foreign language is required to communicate and enhances the tour experience for visitors. It helps handle misunderstandings and ensures a smooth tour. Albanian language is mandatory, as the most common language among our suppliers, as this ensures smooth communication between our guides and local suppliers.

We are building a small community of passionate and ambitious people and invite you to be part of it.

• The gross payment for this position is €60-100/day. Performance-based salary tiers are shared every year.
• Annual training on soft skills and first aid, following international standards with instructors from abroad.
• Occasional trainings with partners abroad.
• Post season team meet-ups.
• Co-financing of your licencing process.
• Postseason team meet-ups.

Good to know

• Season: The majority of tours take place between May and October. Please don't apply if you are looking for less than 40 guiding days a year.
• Zbulo’s annual in-house training last four days and takes place at the end of March.
• A good command of English or German is mandatory for this position.
• A good command of Albanian is mandatory to ensure smooth communication with local suppliers.
• To qualify for the position, you need to take a 25-minute test after expressing interest, which will be sent to you. Submitting only a CV is insufficient.