With my childhood friend, Romain Foucher — with whom I had already shared the Tour du Mont-Blanc and a three-week trek in Iceland — we embarked on an adventure in Albania that would mark a true turning point.

We paddled down the Vjosa, one of the last great wild rivers of Europe, from the Greek-Albanian border all the way to the Adriatic Sea. Along the way, we also descended the Shala River — its crystal-clear waters often nicknamed the “Albanian Thailand” — and crossed Lake Koman, whose turquoise fjord-like scenery felt otherworldly. Raw, untouched landscapes accompanied us at every stage of the journey.

More than just an adventure, this expedition was a revelation. Packrafting offered us a newfound sense of freedom: the ability to move from a mountain trail to a wild river, to glide downstream with all our gear on board, and to rediscover adventure from an entirely new perspective. This first experience opened a vast door: into a world where hiking and paddling merge to offer total freedom.