albanian alps where to stay

At Butrint youll find ancient ruins, a museum full of old artifacts, and beautiful natural views into the National Park. From Valbona, you will have to travel to Fierze to take the ferry across the Komani Lake. The stretch of Komani Lake that leads to the Shala River somehow has even bigger and more scenic mountains and greener water. It would be easy to stay at a guest house on the lake for a week, spending your mornings on bicycle and comparing Albanian and Montenegrin cuisine, afternoons identifying the 39 snail species tootling the sandy shallows, and evenings on your terrace with a pair of birdwatching binoculars, a block of feta, fresh bread, and a bottle of wine . So, if youre short for time you may want to consider exploring a particular region of Albania rather than trying to cram a bunch of places into a short trip. Once you arrive in Theth, you can ask your driver to drop you off at your accommodation so you do not have to walk. Theth to Valbona amazing road view The best way to reach Theth from the city of Shkoder is by mini-bus or jeep. There are two hikes you must do while visiting Theth. Day 6 will conclude your time in the Albanian Alps. I am happy Theres a beautiful trail called Maja Rosit and I highly recommend completing this trek. I They will prepare around 5 - 6 local dishes where you can eat as much as you want. This is time consuming and costly. Hey! Heres 10 reasons why you need to visit the Shala River + travel tips & activity recommendations. fantastic work! Trekking in unknown territory, planning multiple days in the alps, and spending extended time in nature can be intimating. You ave endd my four day long hunt! I'd recommend doing it this way because this is the one that I can give you the details for, and the route that can be organized entirely by The Wanderer's Hostel in Shkoder. ), you can check out my post 10 Reasons You Need to Visit the Shala River.. Before you leave Shkodr, explore stunning Rozafa Castle, nearby . Thethi is a small village in the northern Albanian Alps. A hike I would recommend you do is the Denelle Trail which will take you up a mountain allowing you to see the other side of the valley. Difficulty: Hard - Steep and Long Trail For more detail and tips from our experts read on in our Albanian Alps guide. Day 3: Hike to the Blue Eye and back and spend another night in Theth. Jezerca Guesthouse that I recommended is located right at the end of Valbona so you will have to walk for another 45 minutes to get there. Youre ONLY visiting Theth. Keep up the good writing. Sandals like, Something to carry water in I always bring my. Marking the northernmost tip of the Albanian Riviera is Vlora. Cool, right? You wont be able to buy much along the way. Best Places to Stay. Your tour operators will often take you on a historic walk through the military base on Sazan Island, however even if you dont get off the boat, the ride there is fantastic. They will drop you off at Sheshi Demonkracia roundabout located in the city center so you should have no trouble walking to your hostel/hotel. The route - an old mule trail - winds through the Accursed Mountains (Albanian Alps) and over the Valbona Pass, a landscape of rocky peaks and deep ravines shared between Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. If you want to go really in depth and see everything in Albania, Id recommend spending 1-1.5 months exploring the country. Situated on the north-eastern Alps of Albania, these highlands are between 1600 and 2400 meters above sea level, making up the upper part of the Tropoja river valley. Explore the historical towns of Berat, Shkodra & Kruje. Valbona has fabulous hiking trails as well as quick walks from town thatll take you to mesmerizing spots. For only 2 euros, you can get yourself a glass of their delicious ice coffee, a beer or raki if you need a shot of that to wake you up . Albania offers you a rare opportunity to travel off the beaten path in Europe and shape your own adventure without the heavy influence of social media. Accommodation: 2 nights in Shkodra is 18 USD, 2 nights in Theth is 34 USD, and 1 night in Valbona is 15 USD, so in total, you will pay 67 USD (7,429 LEK) for accommodation. As promised, heres a map of all the best places in Albania! The viewpoint is about halfway into the 3-hours hike so you are still a long way until you arrive in Denelle. If you want to learn more about the Shala River, Ive written about my experience at the Shala River here. Romantic 30 & up 174 Amenities Free Wifi 147 Breakfast included95 Pool 65 Free parking 123 Show all Distance from 25+ mi Theth National Park Tower of Nikoll Koceku Blue Eye of Theth Ethnographic Musuem There are no ATMs once you reach the mountains and no one accepts card payment. After spending significant time in Albania (1.5 months) I can confidently say that there is SO much more the country offers than just mountains (although the mountains are a huge selling point). The hiking season peaks in August (there is a chance there will be a Jazz Festival in Theth during August as well), and so if you want to avoid the crowds, go for May - June or September instead. The best time to hike the Albanian Alps is from May - October where the hiking trails are open and you are more likely to get clear days which will make your hike much more enjoyable. Most people bypass the Shala River which, in my opinion, is a huge mistake! This post contains affiliate links; see my full disclosure. 5 Days Itinerary for Hiking Theth and Valbona Trail. A: The best time of year to visit the Albanian Alps is in September. youll trek through alpine meadows, fields of wildflowers, and end up crossing the Montenegro border to a pass where youll find absolutely wild views. In fact, something unique about the beaches in and around Vlora is that theyre sand based. This. Travel Insurance: ALWAYS purchase reliable insurance prior to your trip. There are a few awesome viewpoints along the way so be sure to keep an eye out for one. Depending on where you are coming from, the trip from Tirana to Shkodra should not take longer than 2 hours and so you should have some time on your arrival day to prepare yourself for the hikes and see some of the cool sights in Shkodra. Youll have to experience it for yourself! Outdoor adventure enthusiast and environmental devotee. Thankfully, you can book the accommodation on Booking.com now as they recently got a reliable internet connection in both places. Cheers! The beaches here arent relaxing theyre packed with people, theres party music playing, and there are beachside bars everywhere. The mountain peaks here are absolutely WILD and the valley the little village sits in Absolutely stunning. Personally, I preferred doing small hikes first before doing larger ones and going fast in the morning when I have the most energy, and so going from Theth to Valbona is the perfect fit for me. Budget an extra night on your Albanian Alps itinerary to visit the. We are linking to this particularly great contnt on or A rain jacket you honestly probably wont need this, but its always good to have an extra layer in the mountains! This means youll either have to do the hike between parks twice to retrieve your car OR return to either Theth or Valbona again via public transit. Hello! Get Your Guide has the most extensive list of options for trips to the Albanian alps, so if youre interested in finding a tour, If youre looking for something a little more wild and extreme, check out this. Valbona Valley National Park was by far my favourite spot in all of Albania. As youre walking in the forested section youll want to take a left to reach Xhema Lake. Its easy to plan a trip to the Albanian Alps without a car trust me, I did it myself! However, there is much more to this small country than its urban center. Ill be posting a complete trail guide for Maja Rosit (soon) however for now you can refer to this Alltrails map. . Gjirokaster is known as the stone city and the entire place is made of stone dating back as early as the 6th century. **previously you had to take a 44 vehicle into Theth recently the road has been paved and you can now drive a regular vehicle to the park.**. You can get on one of them, give the driver your ticket, and they will take you back to Shkodra in 2 hours. Booking a tour takes away the stress and the unknown aspects of visiting the Alps. Valbona and Theth aren't new or undiscovered but still stunningly beautiful destinations. You can actually hike from one National Park to the next. Saranda is a big city hub in Southern Albania and if you are coming from Greece by ferry, you will likely end up here. This is a closed currency so youll need to wait until youre in Albania to exchange $. Looking for a way to support The Holistic Backpacker? The hike to Denelle is moderate to hard but tomorrow, we will be doing an easier hike to the Blue Eye that consisted of 90% flat trails and only 10% steep climbs. Try to get a window seat so you can admire the views along the way! This is a great photo-op for all the photographers out there and it makes for an easy walk if youre looking for something to do in the village of Valbona. hidden gem. The water is extremely clear and the fact that it is tucked away in a lush green forest, the Blue Eye is one hell of a photogenic place. for. I created The Holistic Backpacker so I could share my adventures and help connect people like you with the same amazing experiences. It can get quite confusing wrapping your head around all the transportation required to bring you to the Albanian Alps and back but do not sweat, I'm here to break the entire trip down into an easy-to-understand step-by-step guide: Tips: You will be traveling on one bus from Shkodra to Theth and one ferry and 2 buses from Valbona back to Shkodra. Where to Stay: The Wanderers Hostel (Budget) - 9 USD/Night (Dorm) | Amberyellowbnb (Mid-Range) - 44 USD/Night (Superior Double Room). If you continue on the path past the waterfall the trail continues to the Blue Eye . Hike across the Valbona Pass (1800 m) Stay in the remote, mountain villages of Theth and Valbona. If you are traveling in Albania for only 2 weeks or less, I would recommend you get the 14-days validity Vodafone Tourist sim that gives you 10 GB of data and 500 mins of calls for 1300 LEK. Like obviously dont just camp on the side of the road or on someones property be discreet. All in all, you will be spending 1200 LEK for your Theth to Valbona journey, 2,200 LEK for your Valbona back to Shkodra journey and you arrive back in Shkodra by 6 PM. If you want to keep with the Hostel vibe, but Wanderers is full, check out Shkodra Backpackers. Theth has soaring mountain peaks, waterfalls, cold springs, canyons, and incredible valley-scapes. One day is spent hiking to the Blue Eye of Theth and the other is spent hiking to the neighbouring Valbona Valley National Park yup, thats right! Tirana is the capital city and its the best place in Albania for travel purposes; Tirana is home to the countrys only international airport and the regional bus station here will take you anywhere you need to go within the country. The mountain view already makes you excited to leave. . Yup, the only way to get from one park to the next is via hiking! Top attractions Shkodr Shkoder city, Albania This is the largest city in the region, an ideal place to start the trip. At only 11,100 square miles (28,748 square kilometres) and with a total population of just under three million people, Albania might be small, but it's certainly not lacking in things to do and see. The views here are (obviously) immaculate and if you hike in July youll find loads of wildflowers. After 2 hours on the ferry, you should arrive at the port in Koman around 4 PM. On the ferry, you can buy water, soft drinks, and some light snacks in case you run out during the hike. I got so confused when I was in Shkodra planning the trip as there was a lot of mixed information out there. The best time of year for hiking in the Albanian Alps is September cooler temps, less crowds, and colourful vegetation. You can summit Maja Rosit, however I opted not to because the daytime temperatures were absolutely brutal. The dramatic canyon walls + the milky blue water of the canyon makes for the perfect swimming location on a scorching Albanian summer day. 2 Weeks Backpacking Itinerary For Albania, The Albanian Alps Hiking Trails and Itinerary Map. Albanian alps hiking holiday. The bus journey from Valbona to Fierze is about an hour and you should arrive in time for the 1 PM ferry to Koman. For a complete itinerary to the Balkans, check out: Albania, a country once isolated, now opened up to travelers to uncover the beauty that has been hidden for a century. Depending on where you are coming from, most likely, you will have to fly into Tirana, the capital city of Albania first. Gashi River is known as one of the most beautiful and virgin areas of Albania. W can hve a link change contract btween us. Here are: Gjirokaster, the stone city of a thousand steps is another excellent UNESCO heritage site waiting for you to explore. Now, tours for the Albanian Alps! It is part of the Tropoja municipality. With a bike, you can also go further and check out the old Mesi Ottoman Bridge to the north of the city or ride along the Lake Skadar to Zogaj and back. Day 4: Do the Theth-Valbona hike and spend the night in Valbona. The Alps were the thing that *caught my eye* about Albania. If you are looking for a good place to buy some supplies before the hike, SPAR Supermarket located at the end of G'juhadol Street is a great place to start. The buses connecting these 2 cities run from 5 AM to 10 PM. There are actually 2 Blue Eyes in Albania: one in Saranda and one in Theth. There is also plenty to do in and around the city. I didnt know much about Albania when I spontaneously booked my flight to go there, however the beautiful mountains in the north of the country were enough to make me swoon. In the Albanian Alps, you will be hiking on several steep trails and it can be challenging and slippery especially when it rains. Right around the same area as Kole Idromeno street, be sure to check out St Stephen's Catholic Cathedral, Ebu Bekr Mosque, and Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity as well while you are there. Seriously, Id never want to drive on the road leading to the ferry (poor road) or at the loading station. Himara offers great kayaking opportunities along the coast as well as direct access to the beautiful, and hidden, Gjiri Filikuri Beach. After the bus picks you up youll have around a 3 hour drive up and down a beautiful, windy mountain road until you reach the tiny village of Theth. "I can not believe I am in Albania" is a sentence I can't stop saying as I hiked along the popular Theth-Valbone hiking trail in the middle of the Albanian Alps. Why? I left my backpack at my hostel and I paid 5 EUR for 5 days of storage. I hiked from Valbone (or Valbona) to Theth. Driving is chaotic, Id recommend sticking to buses. To the south of the city, you have the dramatic Rozafa Castle, which sits on a rocky hill, 130 metres up overlooking the lake. Theres a quick day hike from the city to the Ali Pasha Bridge which is definitely worth checking out! Cold water deep within the Earths rises to the surface through a small opening. The trailhead doesn't begin until you are in Theth which is still quite far away from Shkodra. Here is. Me and my friend Lindsay got lost quite a few times before we found ourselves on the right track. There are also quite a few traditional dishes, like gliko, that come specifically from Permet. This is easily one of the best places in Albania for both hiking and scenery. Also, do not forget to look back once you are about to approach Valbona Pass. You can leave your luggage at your accommodation in Shkodra for a fee and you can come and pick it later when you have completed the hike. I cant wait to share my adventures with you! If you hike in summer, start early! Since Shkoder is the start and end point for your Albanian Alps adventures youll need at least one day in the city before and after leaving the Alps. Highlights of the Albanian Alps Tour. Not too much to worry about here! If you want snacks or a little extra security food, buy and bring groceries from Shkoder. The full nine yards. There are some hikes in the alps I wouldnt do without a guide (or at least a local), but you wont have to worry about those trails because you wont find any information about them online. I will point out that when I say this ^ Im referring to more of the popular, touristy hikes; like Valbona to Theth and the Blue Eye.

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