Planning your trip
How to get tickets
The next opportunity to purchase tickets to Explorations will be Tuesday, January 28, 2025 at 12pm GMT. Be sure to register for the sale, and keep an eye on email and our socials for updates. This will be our final sale, and all remaining packages will be available. Please note that there will be new accommodation options included.
Queue System and Entering the Booking Site
Entering the Queue
Once you access the booking site, it is likely you will need to wait in the queue. We have set up an opt-in feature to receive an email notification when you’re at the front of the queue. This feature allows you to navigate away from the site until it’s your turn to enter the booking portal. Please note once you receive your email notification, you will have 60 minutes to enter the site or you forfeit your place in the queue.
Here’s what that will look like:
- When you access the Explorations booking link, you’ll enter the queue where you will be automatically assigned a spot.
- A message will then appear on your screen telling you your place in the queue and estimated arrival time on to the site.
- At this point, you can choose to enter your email to be notified when you’re at the front of the queue. This is optional.
- Once you reach the front of the queue, you will be redirected automatically. If you have chosen to be notified by email, you will receive a message from Queue-it. Important note: You will have 60 minutes to return to the queue once you receive your email, otherwise you forfeit your place.
Getting ready to book
Make sure you plan ahead so you’re ready to book. At time of booking, you’ll be able to:
- Purchase your tickets and accommodations
- Reserve your transfers to and from Dhërmi
- Add shuttle tickets
Tickets for Gjipe, poolside sessions, wellness programmes and other activities will be available at a later date.
Note: All Explorations tickets are sold with accommodation. This helps to ensure everyone gets the best priced accommodation during the festival week in 2025 and the years ahead.
Please only book accommodation you plan to stay in. Mainstage Festivals reserve the right to cancel your booking if it is believed you have booked additional accommodation directly. Please refer to our terms for further information.
What to prepare in advance
If you’re booking with a group (or even preparing to go solo), we strongly recommend planning in advance so that you have everything you need to book tickets when they go on sale.
In order to book your package, you’ll need the below information from everyone in your group:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Phone number
You will also need to submit a £75 deposit per person when you book.
Deposit info
You can secure your spot with just a £75 deposit. Packages start from £340pp.
Presale payment dates:
- The initial 50% of your balance will be due on 3rd January, 2025
- The remaining 50% of your balance will be due on 28th February, 2025
If you book with a group, the deposit must be paid by the lead passenger. Once the booking has been created, each person will be able to pay their balance separately.
Full dates and amounts will be communicated to you with reminders once you have made your booking.
Choosing your Explorations package
Accommodation and transfer options depend on your group size as well as your arrival and departure dates.
Group Size
We offer a range of accommodations across group sizes of 1 - 6 guests, however most accommodation options are suitable for 3 - 4 people. As with previous sales, there are a limited number of solo rooms available, and those tend to sell out quickly.
Groups are able to book together through one reservation. This includes booking one room for a group staying together, or multiple rooms for one group. Please note you will need all of your group’s information to book.
Name changes
Once you have made your booking, you'll have the opportunity to change a name on the booking.This option will be free of charge till May 1, 2025. After this date you will be charged £55 per change for any further changes. Please also remember that 2 weeks before the show the name change feature will be closed and you will be unable to make changes.
When making a name change please consider the new name will be taking the full package, which includes accommodation and festival ticket. The name change is not possible to be separated for just a ticket or splitting accommodation up within one booking.
If the name change is crucial you can reach out to the customer service team up until 2 weeks before the show to request the change. But we remind you this is under their discretion and is not a guarantee that the change can be made. We reserve the right to turn away anyone from the festival if your name change has not been completed before you arrive in Dhermi.
If you’d like to meet others going to Explorations to form a group, you can head to our Facebook Group or Discord channel.
Arrival and Departure Dates
Your desired arrival and departure dates will impact your hotel and transfer options, so make sure to confirm your plans with your group ahead of time.
If you book a transfer with us, your arrival and departure options will be:
Arrival Dates: Thursday 12 June and Friday 13 June
Departure Dates: Monday 16 June, Tuesday 17 June, and Wednesday 18 June
Note: music programming runs from the evening of Thursday 12 June through the early hours of Wednesday 18 June.
Accommodation Options
All tickets include accommodation and a festival wristband. This is to avoid overinflated rates during the festival week, ensure sustainable prices, and provide a smoother festival experience for our guests. Please note per our terms that guests may not purchase additional accommodation outside of the official festival accommodation.
A festival ticket and hotel stay starts at only £340pp.
There are options for everyone, from cosy 3-star hotels to premium 5-star hotels just steps away from our festival stages, all at excellent prices. The majority of rooms on offer are in 3 and 4-star hotels, with a select few 5-star hotels available. Premium hotels are likely to sell out so we encourage you to create a wishlist of options so you’re prepared when you enter the booking site.
Accommodation Areas
There are three areas where you can stay: Dhërmi, Perivolos and Drymades. The festival takes place in Dhërmi which means you can simply walk to and from the festival area.
We operate a shuttle bus service between Dhërmi, Perivolos and Drymades so even if your accommodation is not within walking distance, it’s still easy to get to and from the festival site.
- Dhërmi: All the accommodation around Dhërmi beach is within walking distance from the stages, with some hotels located inside the festival area. Hotels here are in high demand and usually sell out quite quickly.
- Drymades: The neighbouring beach to Dhërmi is a short drive away from the festival and offers a great selection of shops, restaurants and beach bars during the day.
- Perivolos: The area in between both beaches, is only a 5-minute drive away from the festival site.
Minimum Stays
Below are the minimum stays for the majority of hotel, depending on where your accommodation is located. We recommend committing to a longer stay in Dhërmi if you can - it’s worth it!
- Festival site: 5-night minimum stay
- Dhërmi Beach (outside of festival site): 4-night minimum stay
- Perivolos / Drymades Beach: 3-night minimum stay
Explorations Hotel Database
To help you plan for booking, we’ve put together a hotel database with available hotels for the upcoming sale. Please note hotels and availability are subject to change, and this document is for educational purposes only.
Explorations 2025 | Hotel Guide
Shuttle Bus Info
We operate a shuttle bus service between Dhërmi and Drymades. The weekly pass costs only £32 per person and provides unlimited shuttles. You can get this in advance via manage booking (up to 48h before the festival) or at the Customer Info point for €45.
If you are unsure whether you need a shuttle pass, please check the accommodation map to see where your accommodation is located. Anything in Dhërmi is walking distance to the festival. Perivolos and Drymades areas will require a shuttle pass.
Shuttle times
The shuttles will be looping continuously between the stops roughly every 20 – 30 mins. Shuttles will run from Thursday the 12th at 16:00 through until 12:00 on Wednesday the 18th.
There are 4 shuttle stops between Dhërmi and Drymades, plus 3 on request stops where you will be able to get off the shuttle if you request so to the driver when you get on the bus. Note the shuttle won't be able to pick you up at those on request stops and you will have to walk to the nearest stop.
Transfer Options
From Corfu, Greece
The first option is via boat from Corfu, Greece to Albania, then a final leg to Dhërmi by bus.
New for 2025, we are partnering with the public ferry to provide transportation from Corfu to Albania. If you choose to travel from Corfu, your transfer package will include a ticket on a public ferry from Corfu to Saranda, Albania. Once you arrive in Saranda, you will board our festival coach buses to take you the final leg to Dhërmi. The bus trip from the ferry terminal to the festival is around 50 minutes.
Corfu is just a 3 hour flight from London, with many other direct flights from across Europe. The ferry terminal is a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport. When booking, please refer to the timetable for latest flight landing times to ensure you make your ferry on time.
Pricing: £45 one-way.
Below is the most up-to-date ferry timetable with availability.
From Tirana, Albania
Flight times to Tirana are under 3 hours from many European cities. Transit options include a minibus or a private taxi transfer.
Via coach
Enjoy a direct but slightly slower transfer from Tirana airport straight to the festival site. Take in the stunning mountain views on a 3.5 hour drive. Relax in our comfy coaches with plenty of room for you and your luggage.
Tickets cost £34 one-way.
Via minibus
Enjoy a quicker direct transfer from Tirana airport straight to the festival site. Take in the stunning mountain views on a 2hr 45min drive. Relax in our comfy minibuses with plenty of room for you and your luggage.
Tickets cost £50 one-way.
Via private taxi
You can book a private taxi for up to 3 people and luggage, which will bring you from the Tirana airport directly to your hotel based on your flight arrival time. If you book a private taxi for departure, the taxi will pick you up at your hotel.
Price is £165 one-way.