After decades of being closed off to foreign visitors up until the 90s, Albania is increasingly becoming a coveted travel destination, right up there with the likes of Greece and Croatia, but for a fraction of the cost. People rave about the Albanian riviera which is still relatively free of the crowds you might face on the Italian beaches just across the Adriatic. The crystal blue water of the Adriatic is tempting enough, but what drew me to visit Albania were the Albanian Alps.
70% of Albania is mountainous, with mountains soaring above 2000 metres. The Albanian Alps situated in the north of the country could give the Alps in Western Europe a run for its money. Literally. And you don’t need to take out a second mortgage to spend a week or two.
When Should I Go Hike in the Albanian Alps?
Despite the southerly location, the Albanian Alps get quite a bit of snow. In fact, there are four glaciers in the Albanian Alps.
That said, the trails are inaccessible due to snow for a good part of the year. Trails tend to only reopen in May and close again by late October or early November. Peak season is July and August.
We went in June when it wasn’t too crowded (though there were plenty of tourists about) and even then we had to take an alternative route on the Theth to Valbonë hike due to snow on the summer route. The high peaks still had a lot of snow on them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if hiking to the summits was still relatively inaccessible without winter climbing experience.
As for rain, you get some sunny days, you get some rainy ones. The good news is it probably won’t pour the whole day. That said, due to the weather patterns in the area, the Albanian Alps getting a fair amount of rainfall across the year.
Stunning Hike Options in the Albanian Alps
There are literally dozens of hikes to choose from around any one place in the Albanian Alps. However, if this is your first time visiting, for the sake of uncomplicating matters, base yourself at either Theth or Valbonë, or both. The two are very popular hiking towns along the Peak of the Balkans trail, from which many scenic hikes are in walking reach.
Hike to Blue Eye (from Theth)
18km there and back, 590m+, view route here
The Blue Eye is a natural phenomenon created by the ice cold snow melt that materialises as a crystal blue pool of water. It’s known as the Blue Eye since the increasingly deep gradients of blue resemble the iris of the eye.
Getting to the Blue Eye from Theth is fairly straightforward since it’s very well signaged. It’s a point to point trail, meaning you following the same path there as you do to come back. The total hike is 18km with light elevation gain only as you come towards the Blue Eye. We did the full hike since even the paths along the river were photo-worthy, but if you don’t have the day to devote, you can shorten the hike by about 10km or so by getting a ride to the trail start.
The water is ice cold so it might not be that appetising for a swim, but it is definitely amazing to look at.
There’s a cafe overlooking the pool where you can get light refreshments, otherwise you can drink water from the rivers.
Hike to Grunas Waterfall (from Theth)
6km there and back, 190m+, view route here
If you didn’t already stop at this waterfall on your way to the Blue Eye, this is a very easy 3km or 45 minute walk from Theth. The trail is fairly flat until the final brief ascent up to the waterfall.
The waterfall itself is quite cold to swim in, but there are plenty of rocks to sit around it where you can have a picnic and enjoy the view. It’s best to come in the afternoon when the sun hits the waterfall.
Hike Theth to Valbonë
20km point-to-point, 1080m+, view route here
The hike between Theth and Valbonë is probably the most popular hike in all of Albania. The route brings you up to one of the most stunning viewpoints in the Albanian Alps – the Valbonë valley.
The hike is about 18km from the centre of Theth to the centre of Valbonë, though you can catch a ride on the Valbonë side to chop off about 2 hours of walking if you prefer. We ended up walking the whole route which was fine since the last two hours were along a flat road and river bed.
You’ll need to bring enough snacks with you on this hike, however a single litre water bottle should suffice. There are multiple springs and refill points along the way. There are even two cafes – one coming from Theth just before you get to the highest point on the route, and another smaller one on the Valbonë side about an hour from the highest viewpoint.
That said, if you are not interested in going all the way to Valbonë, you can hike up to the viewpoint from Theth in about 2 to 3 hours and then head back the way you came. The advantage is you don’t need to carry a heavy pack and you don’t need to spend a full day getting back to Shkodër from Valbonë.
Which way to hike the between Theth and Valbonë
You can hike the route in either direction. Or, if you’re staying in Theth you can just hike to the valley viewpoint and back down again (about 4 to 6 hours). If you’re visiting during a time of year where rain can be a problem, it might be better to plan to do the hike as a return trip from Theth so you can choose the best day to do the hike. The valley view is amazing, so I wouldn’t risk going when it’s completely obscured by clouds.
If you want to do the full hike, then it depends on where you want to go after your visit to the Albanian Alps. We enjoyed going in the direction of Theth to Valbonë, since we prefer steeper ascents to descents, and also you get the hardest part of the hike done first. Others like to go from Valbonë to Theth because they can catch the minibus back to Shkodër the next morning. Whereas from Valbonë back to Tirana or Shkodër it’s a full day affair.
Valbonë Half-Day Scenic Loop
7km roundtrip, 590m+, view route here
If you’ve got a spare day in Valbonë and would like to go for another hike, but you don’t want to commit to a full day hike or the weather isn’t in your favour, this is a great scenic half-day option. This route goes quite steeply up the rocky mountain slope following the Peak of the Balkans trail to a view of the craggy Maja e Thatë peak before you get to a level forest filled with boulders that opens out to a meadow with some stunning views of the valley. There are no water refill points along the way, so have enough with you to get through the trip.
Maja e Rosit hike (from Valbonë)
17km there and back, 1550m+, view route here
While we did not end up doing this hike due to poor weather conditions and also snow near the summit that would have prevented us from completing the hike, we have heard only good things about it. Apparently the view is out of this world. You can either hike all the way to the summit or you can hike up to the crest of the valley at the border of Albania and Montenegro. Permits are not required if you intend to come back to Albania the same day.
Should I Stay in Theth or Valbonë?
It depends on what you want to do. Theth is quite compact and great for a few days to stay, hike and relax. There are plenty of restaurant options around and there’s a convenience store that’s decently stocked (given it’s a mountain town). The restaurants in Theth also prepare better food, in our opinion, as compared to those in Valbonë. Theth also has a number of scenic but short hikes which are great if you don’t want to always commit a full day to being on the trails.
That said, compared to Theth, Valbonë has more long hiking options to the various peaks and numerous valley viewpoints. The hike starts are quite spread apart so it doesn’t hurt to have a car to get around especially if you’re staying for a few more days.
If you aren’t planning to do the full hike to Valbonë and only have a few days in Albania, I’d recommend Theth. It had a nice vibe and was very navigable by foot.
Where to Stay in Theth
There are many guesthouses, but only a few are at the bottom of The Valley, off the tarred road and in east walking distances from other restaurants and hike start points.
We stayed at Gurra Family Guesthouse. It was on the pricier end (€70 per night for two people with breakfast) but it was very nice. The rooms were quite modern, with balconies. And the beds were super comfortable. The breakfast was great too – massive portions which was perfect for starting the day before a long hike.
Where to Stay in Valbonë
We stayed at Guesthouse Mehmeti. At €40 per night, it was fine for a short stay, but it was about a 3km walk from the main part of Valbonë and it didn’t have a restaurant. They did cook us dinner for a set price of €12 per person, however we would have preferred to be near the centre where the various hikes were.
What Should I Pack?
Before you head to Theth or Valbonë, stock up on non-perishable snacks. There’s not much you can buy in either village, so having those salty crackers, chocolates and other tidbits will be much appreciated. If you don’t already have granola bars with you for the hikes, you’ll also want to make sure you have plenty of food for the day. Sometimes packed lunches are offered, but not always.
Otherwise, some key items are:
- a hiking backpack (35-45L)
- Raincover that fits your backpack
- A reusable water bottle
- sturdy hiking shoes (with or without ankle support – there isn’t much scrambling)
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- A light rain jacket or poncho
- Hiking clothes (merino socks, shirt, underwear and shorts)
You can read more about packing light here.
Getting from the Airport to Tirana City Centre
You can either get a public bus to between the airport and the city centre during the day or you can take a taxi. While a taxi is €20, it may be your only option if you need to travel late at night or early in the morning. Be sure to agree on the fixed price before you get in the taxi, otherwise you’ll pay by the meter which can run up much higher. You can often prearrange a taxi pickup with the help of your hotel.
If you choose to take the bus, it’s 400ALL per person and runs everyday, on the hour from 7am to 2am from the airport. The bus goes to the Palace of OPERA and BALLET. Information can be found here. Services from the city centre to the airport run every hour from 6:00am to midnight.
Getting Around by Public Transport
You do not need a car to get to the Albanian Alps. In fact, having a car can be a massive limitation in that if you want to do any point-to-point hikes, now somehow you need to get back to where your car is. And in Albania, that can easily take a day or more, even using the roads. So rather stick to public transport.
Tirana to Shkodër
The bus to Shkodër from the bus terminal in Tirana is 400ALL (cash only). It’s very easy to find – just walk along the row of buses until you see “Shkodër” written on a plaque on the front of the bus. There’s a bus from Tirana centre city to the bus terminal that costs 40ALL. You pay after you’ve boarded the bus – someone will come through to collect the cash. They do have change but try to to pay with larger than a 1000 or 2000 note if you can.
The bus route in Shkodër ends near the traffic circle close to the pedestrian street. The Google Maps location is accurate.
You can view bus times here (the timetables are fairly accurate).
Shkodër to Theth
You can drive to Theth along the tarred road although be warned that it’s narrow at points and goes very high up the mountain.
Alternatively, for about 1200ALL you can catch a furgon (minibus taxi) to Theth. From what we gathered, these furgons only depart from Shkodër towards Theth in the mornings at around 7am. So make sure you are already in Shkodër the night before as afternoon transfers by public transport are not possible.
Speak to your guesthouse or Airbnb host to arrange the transport – it’s not always easy to find. Alternatively, you can arrange this trip with the tourist agency located on the pedestrian road. There are also a few contact details listed here you could try getting in touch with if you want to arrange the trip yourself. The drive takes about 2.5 hours all things considered. It took us even longer since our driver was also delivery food supplies to Theth.
You can either take the furgon all the way to Theth, or you can hop off early at Buni i Bajraktarit to hike down to the Blue Eye and then through to Theth. Just be warned, it’s about 1500m of descent which kills the knees.
Valbonë to Shkodër
To get from Valbonë to Shkodër, you will need to take a minibus for about 1.5 hours, then a ferry for 2.5 hours, and then another minibus for 2 hours.
You can book this trip on the fly, or you can prebook. In high season, I’d recommend prebooking the minibus taxis and the ferry on the official website at www.Komanilakeferry.com. The total trip for one person is €22.
The minibus leaves Valbonë at about 10:30 and gets to the ferry by 11:30. Then the ferry leaves at 13:00. There’s a cafe at the ferry point with drinks and light food like fries and ice cream. There’s a restroom here and there are also toilets on the ferry.
The ferry took a little over two hours to get to the ferry terminal in Koman. The scenery along the way is insane and was one of the highlights of the trip. Sadly there is quite a bit of trash in the water. It does get windy at points, so some sort of windbreaker can be useful.
From there, you’ll immediately find all the minibus taxis waiting to take passengers onwards to Shkodër and Tiranë. You can prebook this bus as well or buy tickets from the driver if there are still spare seats. You can save significantly by pre-purchasing tickets. The bus left the ferry terminal at 15:45 and got into Shkodër at about 17:30.
Paying in Albania
The currency in Albania is the Albanian Lek, or written as ‘ALL’. At the time of writing, 1 Euro equals approximately 105ALL. (Or 1 USD = about 100ALL.)
To pick up cash, you should withdraw at Credins banks. Their ATMs do not charge any transaction fees unlike the other banks, which can charge upwards of €7.
Euro notes are widely accepted, however if you pay in Euros you will get the short end of the stick. Though the exchange rate is around €0.90 to 100ALL, they tend to convert 1€ to 100ALL.
There are no ATMs in Theth or Valbonë so be sure to pick up cash in the bigger cities before heading there.
If you’re heading to Theth or Valbonë, aim to have about 1500 LEK per day per person to cover dinner costs on top of whatever your accommodation costs. That will cover a vegetarian dinner. Meat dishes tend to be upwards of 1200LEK alone.
Most hotels prefer, or only accept, cash payments. Have cash for your accommodation – almost no one accepts card.
Entry, Exit and Visa Requirements
Good news is that you likely don’t need a visa. EU passport holders can visit visa-free for up to 90 days. US passport holders can stay for up to a year. For everyone else, if you have a valid multi-entry Schengen visa, UK, or US visitor’s visa or residence permit (it already needs to have been validated with an entry stamp into the EU, UK, or US), you can also visit Albania without needing to apply for another visa.
