Albanian Alps Hiking 7-Days Tours is a walking tour for intrepid travellers who are eager to discover the beauty of the Albanian Accursed Mountains at their own pace. The Albanian Alps offer breathtaking natural scenery and the best hiking through some of the last untamed natural locations and wilderness available in Europe. From your starting point at historic Shkoder on Lake Skadar, you’ll have the chance to visit Rozafa Fortress. Your journey to the heart of the Accursed Mountains is an integral part of the Albanian Alps experience and includes a ride on the Koman Ferry (described as one of the world’s great boat journeys).
Tirana
As agreed
Difficulty Grade: Moderate
The Trails of Albanian Alps is suitable for active hikers with a moderate level of fitness. Moderate itineraries may include extended steep ascents and descents along routes. May also include high mountain (alpine) terrain which is rugged and rough underfoot and some sections of scrambling
A car will pick you up from Tirana International Airport. From the airport, it takes around 30 minutes to drive to the city centre of Tirana. The driver will drop you off at your hotel in the city centre of Tirana. Check-in and time to refresh at your hotel.
The best way to explore the city centre of Tirana is by walking. On our walking tour, you will see the highlights of Tirana, like the National History Museum, the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Clock Tower. We also pass by the government buildings, including the famous Pyramid of Tirana and the Presidential Palace. A welcome dinner in a traditional restaurant in the evening
The Albanian cuisine is a mixture between Turkish, Greek and Italian food. There are grilled meats, Greek-style salads and lovely pasta dishes. There are also plenty of Turkish influences like Baklava sweets and Turkish coffee. If you love Mediterranean cooking, then you will enjoy the Albanian food for sure. Overnight stay in Tirana
After breakfast, we drive to Shkoder city in the North of Albania. The city Shkoder is one of the most famous cities in the North of Albania. It takes around 2 hours to drive.
Before we drive to the city centre of Shkoder, we will first visit Rozafa castle. Rozafa castle is located on a mountain top, close to Shkoder city. Since Rozafa castle is on the top of a mountain, it has an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding areas. The castle is a famous touristic attraction in Albania, due to the legend about the construction of the castle. According to the legend, three brothers constructed the castle during the day time. However, overnight the castle walls would fall down. To prevent the walls from falling down, a human sacrifice was required. Therefore, the brothers decided that the wife, who would bring lunch the next day, was to be sacrificed. The two older brothers cheated and told their wives to stay away. Therefore, the wife of the youngest brother, Rozafa brought lunch the next day. Rozafa agreed to be sacrificed and built into the castle’s walls. But only under the condition that her right breast, right hand, right foot and right eye remained exposed. So that she could take car of her infant son.
After visiting Rozafa castle, we explore the city centre of Shkoder. Shkoder city is one of the oldest and most historical cities in Albania. We will walk through the city centre. One of the highlights is the traditional Venetian style boulevard with lovely restaurants and terraces. You also have the opportunity to buy some foods and drinks. We recommend to buy some snacks and drinks, which you can bring to the mountains. Since the mountains are remote, you will not be able to buy all the products in the mountain villages.
After our visit to Shkoder, we drive onwards to the Theth village in the Albanian Alps. It takes around 3 hours to drive from Shkodra to Theth. The road through the mountains offers you beautiful views of the peaks and valleys. The first two hours of the trip, we will drive on an asphalt road. However, the last hour of the drive is on a stony, dirt road. Therefore, we will be driving slowly for the last hour of the trip. You will be rewarded though, because the Theth village is a hidden treasure!
The Theth village is remote and very beautiful. The village is completely surrounded by mountains and peaks. In the evening, we will do a walking tour through the Theth village. We visit the Roman Catholic Church, which was build in 1892. Another touristic highlight is the traditional lock-in tower. In the past, the lock-in tower was used to protect families during a blood feud. Overnight stay in a traditional guest house in Theth
From the guest house, we will hike to the Grunas Waterfall. The Grunas Waterfall is a natural monument in Albania. The waterfall is over 30 metres high and it has a thin body. It is a beautiful natural sight and therefore popular amongst hikers and tourists. The water is ice cold, since it comes from melted snow in the mountains.
After our visit to the Grunas Waterfall, we hike onwards to the Nderlyse village. The Nderlyse village is a lovely little mountain village. You can hike through the village and see the locals in their day-to-day lives. Because Theth and Nderlyse are so remote, people still follow the age-old farming practices and traditions.
After hiking through Nderlyse, we will get on the mountain trail which leads to the Blue Eye of Theth. The Blue Eye of Theth is the most impressive attraction in Theth. The Blue Eye of Theth is a natural mountain pool. The natural pool is absolutely stunning and very picturesque. The pool is surrounded by cliffs and tropical plants. There is a little waterfall, that splashes fresh water into the Blue Eye. The pool itself is a magical blue-green colour and incredibly clear.
At the Blue Eye, you do have the opportunity to swim, if you dare to enter the ice-cold mountain water. We will also have a seat on the wooden plateau, to take a break and enjoy some refreshments. Transportation from the Blue Eye of Theth back to the guest house
Overnight stay in a traditional guest house in Theth
We will start the day early and travel to the beginning of the trail in Theth. On this day, we will hike across the Valbone Pass, which is 1800 metres high. The route across the Valbone Pass is absolutely stunning.
You will have impressive views of the Albanian Alps and its peaks and valleys. And there are beautiful waterfalls and rivers along the way. It will take us around 8 hours to hike from Theth to Valbone. You will be guided throughout the hiking trip. You do not have to be an experienced hiker to undertake the hike across the Valbona Pass. However, you do need to be in an average physical shape. Because the trails are rough in some places. Moreover, the trail can be tiring in some places, because the trail leads upwards to the Valbone Pass (up to 1800 meters).
Similarly, once you have climbed the Valbone Pass, you will need to descend, which can be heavy on your knees. Moreover, you have already hiked on the previous day in Theth, so you legs might feel a little tired already.
Of course, we will make plenty of stops along the way to eat, to refresh and to take pictures. And we will remain together as a group throughout the day.
Overnight stay in a traditional guest house in Valbone
After the breakfast, we will drive to Fierza for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Fierza is the place, where the Lake Koman Ferry departs.
In Fierze, we will board the Lake Koman Ferry. The boat trip on Lake Koman is one of the most impressive attractions in Albania. Bradt Guide even ranked it as “one of the world’s greatest boat trips”. The boat trip on Lake Koman is a beautiful journey. And the scenery surrounding the lake is spectacular.
The lake is surrounded by beautiful mountains, cliffs and peaks. It is very relaxing to simply sit quietly on board and stare at the stunning views. The lake itself is a bright turqoise colour and the water is very clear. The boat trip on Lake Koman lasts for about 2 hours. Drive from Koman to Kruje
From Koman, we drive for around 2,5 hours to reach the city Kruje. Kruje is a popular touristic place in Albania.
The town of Kruje is famous within Albania, because it played an important role in the history of Albania. Albania was ruled by the Ottoman Turks from 1414 to 1912. At the time, Albania was not an independent country, but instead it was a small part of the gigantic Ottoman Empire.
One of Albania’s National Hero’s, called Skanderbeg fought against the Ottomans to defend Albania. Since he brought the different tribes together and united the Albanian people. He became an important symbol for the Albanian population. In Kruje, we will visit the castle of the National Hero Skanderbeg. The castle has an amazing view of the surrounding hills, the town and the Adriatic Sea.
You will have some free time for sightseeing in Kruje. During this time, you can choose to visit the Skanderbeg Museum or the Etnographic Museum, which are located within the castle’s walls.
You can also spend your free time at the Bazaar Market, which is located on the hillside road below the castle. At the market, you can buy a variety of souvenirs and local crafts. Popular items at the market include antiques, handmade wooden items, traditional Albanian clothing, classic rugs, knitted items and souvenirs.
Diner and Overnight stay in a hotel in Kruje.
After breakfast, we will drive to Berat city. The city of Berat is located in the centre of Albania. It takes around 2 hours to drive from Kruje to Berat.
Berat is the most beautiful historical town in Albania. The old town of Berat is very well preserved, therefore, the city is a UNESCO heritage site. Berat is famous for the traditional Ottoman houses, that were built on the side of the hill. The houses are white coloured and they all have windows which overlook the river and the valley below. Therefore, Berat is also called “the city of a thousand windows”.
Walking through Berat is like walking through a museum. The streets are all layed with traditional cobble stones. And many of the traditional houses, have been turned into hotels, cafes and restaurants.
There is a lovely promenade with coffee houses, at the bottom of the hill. If you sit on one of the terraces, you can see the river, the white houses on the hillside and the Berat castle on the top of the hill. Berat is a great place to simply sit on the terrace and enjoy the moment.
From the centre of Berat, you can walk uphill for about 15 minutes, to reach the Castle of Berat on the top of the hill. The castle is a large fortress with many churches and mosques inside the castle’s walls. From the castle, you have an amazing panoramic view of the surrounding areas. You can see the Old town below. And you also see the bright blue Osum river in the valley. Although, the castle existed in 200 B.C. The majority of the castle dates back to the 13th century. In the evening, we have dinner in a local restaurant
Overnight stay in a hotel in Berat
In the morning, we will eat breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Tirana International Airport
After breakfast, we will drive for around 2 hours to reach Tirana International Airport. So that you can get there in time for your return flight home.
