Hiking in the mysterious Albanian Alps

ABOUT TRIP

7 days

While Albania may have gone from a virtually unknown land to a well-established stop on the Balkan traveller trail in barely a decade, its interior remains little known. This trip that combines history, culture, a spectacular ferry ride and some fantastic days of hike between two remote mountain hamlets has put northern Albania’s mysterious highlands on the map.

DAY 1

Airport – Tirana

Depending on time of arrival in Tirana, we may do a short city tour before or after check in at the hotel. In the evening, we’ll have dinner at a traditional restaurant and then explore the nightlife of Tirana, walking in the ex-block area known as “the forbidden town” where the villas of the communists’ leaders are still standing next to trendy boutiques, expensive jewelry shops and active local pubs. Overnight in Tirana.

DAY 2

Tirana – Kruja – Lezha – Shkoder

After breakfast we visit an old Traditional House of Tirana. We drive to Kruja through a side road depart for Kruja the centre of Albania during the resistance against the Ottoman Turks under Scanderbeg in the 1400s. He is our National Hero and was a great military leader that defeated the Ottoman armies in 25 battles impeding their progress into Western Europe. For this he was given the title Champion of Christ by the Pope while, Vivaldy dedicated an opera to him. We will visit the Scanderbeg Museum as well as the Ethnographic Museum and the Old Bazaar. There are several very nice traditional restaurants in Kruja castle where you can have lunch on your own accord. We drive northwest to Lezha to see mausoleum of Skanderbeg and the castel. Then you will head to Shkodra, one of the oldest cities in Balkans, the most important town of north Albania and the Illyrian capital, in the 3rd century BC. Dinner and overnight in Shkodra.

DAY 3

Shkoder – Thethi Valley

Our destination is Thethi valley, which will be reached by driving a furgon. Thethi valley rises at an altitude of 750 m above sea level. Considered by foreign tourists as “Europe’s last Paradise”, the village is located in the northern most part of Shala valley, amongst the Alps offering a fabulous landscape. The area’s natural resources are closely connected with the historic and cultural heritage of local residents, laying in this way the most important foundations for tourism promotion. Once arriving there you are about to be witched by the most breathtaking alpine landscapes.

We get off the vehicles at a place called Thore’s notch after a nearly 3-hour-drive, 1775 m above sea level, to hike downwards Thethi valley. It is a 1000m descent, at a T3 difficulty level hiking, which lasts approximately 4 hours in the wilderness. Thethi valley’s fantastic landscapes are beyond imagination.

Accomodation and Food in Thethi.

DAY 4

Visit to the “Blue Eye” and Thethi’s waterfall

Our adventure restarts the next morning with the following destination – Nderlyse, where we stop driving to continue with hiking towards the “Blue Eye”. The location of this beauty is down on Kaprre, one of the most beautiful villages in the Alps. On the way to the “Blue Eye” we will be stunned by one of Thethi’s natural beauty, Grunas canyon, one of the jewel canyons in the entire country.
The Blue Eye is formed by the erosion of rock by the water flowing down the mountain. This region is one of the rarest in Albania. It is composed of the Black river which is entirely formed from the melting snow in the Alps.
This is going to be a relatively easy 3-hour round trip, at a T1 difficulty level hiking. When in this region we are certainly going to be marveled by the fabulous scenery along the Kaprre river. On the way Beck we stop for lunch at Ded Nika Guesthouse in Nderlysa enjoying the traditional food.
(optional is the hiking towards Thethi waterfall, one of the most extraordinary natural beauties in the Albanian Alps. The waterfall snow water, which springs from a rock, makes this waterfall unique in its own kind.)

DAY 5

Theth – Valbona Pass, 1812 m

This day differs from the others as we are leaving from Thethi towards Valbona valley. We depart from Thethi at an altitude nearly 900m in the direction of Valbona pass, situated at an altitude 1812 m above sea level. At this point of our adventure we will be enjoying remarkable scenery of both valleys. This T3 difficulty level hiking lasts 5 – 6 hours. Accomodation and Food in Valbona.

DAY 6

Valbone – Tirana

After the breakfast we walk around the valey till around 11.30. A furgon is picking us up, we restart our adventure as it is necessary to drive for almost an hour towards Komani Lake. It is the point where we boat the ship and during the 3 hour-sailing we will be acquainted with Komani lake, which closely resembles with Norwegian fjords. The panorama here is considered as a gem of Albanian natural beauties. We will be having lunch at a restaurant along the way to Tirana tasting the delicious and fresh local cuisine. Around 6-7 p.m we will arrive in Tirana.

DAY 7

Tirana – Airport

After breakfast, free to explore until time of transfer to Airport. End of our services.

GET IN TOUCH!

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+355 692 049 836

info@albanian-treasures.com

zhujetacima@albanian-treasures.com (sales manager)

rozanacima@albanian-treasures.com (general manager)

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