Robin and Louella Hanbury-Tenison are named by the Sunday Times in 1982 as "the greatest explorer of the past 20 years", and again in 1991 as one of the 1000 "Makers of the 20th Century" (between Dag Hammarskjold and Keir Hardy), he has been on over 30 expeditions.
During September 2007, the British author Robin Hanbury-Tenison and his wife, Louella, rode Albanian horses from Thethi in the Shala Valley south through Albania to the Greek border at Gline. They did this to gather material for a major book and film about Albania, which will help to promote a good image of the country and further tourism of the same kind.
With their backup vehicle, a Toyota Landcruiser, and Albanian support crew and they were self-sufficient, but they received an abundance of advice and help along the way. They found their maps to be outdated however, local information about tracks away from main roads was very useful to them, most of the time!
Mickey Grant, the American Director and Cameraman, who is making the film, travelled in the Landcruiser and recorded their journey, as well as local sights.
Robin and Louella have ridden horses long distances many times before and written books about riding across France, along the Great Wall of China and across New Zealand and Spain. Their route took them through the Valbona gorge, past Kukёs, the Lura National Park, Librazhd, Voskopojё, Tepelene, and Girokastёr.
They would like to thank all the Albanians from whom they have already received so much hospitality and kindness. They hope to repay it by telling the world what a wonderful place Albania is.