Albania Walking and Cultural Tour

Explore the beauty of northern Albania’s national parks on this scenic walking holiday. The highlights of the trip, Valbona, Thethi & Koman Lake, national parks, are in the little-visited, stunning, and Albanian Alps region. This will be a chance to see rural Albania at its best, encountering a traditional way of life in the villages that we visit and taking the opportunity to meet and eat with the local people who live there. Albania has some outstanding and breathtaking natural beauty much of which you will get the chance to explore on foot during this week’s walking. Also, you will explore the Historical towns as Kruja, Durres, Berat & explore the nightlife of Tirana.

Day 1: Tirana Airport – Kruja

Meet with our representative at Tirana Airport and drive to Kruja. The journey from the airport to the hotel is anything from 30 minutes depending on the traffic. You will arrive in Kruja to check in to the hotel and a meeting with the guide to discuss the program for the coming week. Depending on the time of arrival you can visit the Kruja Bazaar and the Kruja castle, the epicenter of the legendary Albanian resistance to the Ottomans led by Scanderbeg in the 14th century. Overnight at Hotel Panorama Kruja. Possibility for group tours to organize an Albanian Night with a live folk music show.

Day 2: Kruja-Mount of Sari Salltic-Shkodra

Today we will hike up the holy mountain of Sarisalltik and visit the Bectasci Teqe (Sufi Dervishes Sanctuary) located at 1900m. After the descent, we will start driving north (100km) and have lunch on the way to Shkodra. At the entrance of the largest city of the north, we will visit the Rozafa Castle and admire the superb view of the Shkodra Lake surrounded by mountains. In the evening, we will relax at the Shkodra Lake and walkabout in town, until dinner. Dinner: traditional restaurant. Accommodation: 4-star hotel in Tradita Shkodra.

Day 3: Shkodra-Koman-Fierze-B. Curri-Valbona

After breakfast transfer: Shkodër – Koman; Fierzë – Quku i Dunishës: 40km; Ferry 20km: Koman – Fierzë. In the early morning, we will drive to the ferry, which goes through the spectacular canyon of river Drin. The lake is created, after the construction of the dam of Koman, in the 80-ies. The transfer will continue along the beautiful valley of river Valbona, until the picturesque location of Valbona, where we will stay overnight. Dinner and accommodation: village of Valbona, the best location to start all kinds of hikes in the surrounding mountains. Overnight in Hotel Margjeka Valbona

Day 4: Valbona – Qafa e Rosit

The trekking will start from the house in direction of the village of Kukaj. From there, a shepherd’s path will bring us to remote landscapes of the eastern Alps of Albania until reaching Qafa e Rosit 2000m – approx. 6-7 hours of walk. The path climbs smoothly in the middle of green meadows, with gorgeous views of Jezerca Mountain and Rrethi I Bardhë – The White Circle. At the end of the day, arrive in the village Valbona, where we will overnight in a mountain hotel Margjeka

Day 5: Valbona-Thethi (no driving)

Today we will hike the classic pass of the Albanian Alps that for centuries linked the two most known valleys of the area, Valbona, and Thethi. We will use mules to carry the luggage to the next house. Highlanders from late spring use the path commonly, until the first snow of winter. Several springs of water will make the stops pleasant and refreshing, while admiring the steep and jagged surrounding peaks of Jezerca, Radohima, etc. From there the group will start the descent towards the village of Thethi (800m a.s.l), where we will stay overnight after up to 8 hrs of walking. Thethi is the best-preserved alpine village in Albania. It has typical houses still roofed with wooden tiles and its location is spectacular. We will stay overnight and have dinner in one of these houses and experience the unforgettable hospitality of the place. Overnight in Guest House Polia or Berisha Thethi

Day 6: Thethi

After breakfast -we will take a familiarization tour of the village lasting between 3-5 hours, starting with the church of Thethi originally built in 1892, rebuilt, and reroofed in 2005. Roughly opposite the church across a field is the “Kulla e ngujimit” or “Lock-in Tower” which can be seen only from outside, testimony to a system of rigid and cruel codes to the modern visitors, but which has regulated an isolated lifestyle in these faraway mountains, for centuries. Another inaccessible monument inside, the old water-mill, situated just below the tower was used by the locals to grind corn. Then we walk up the mill, following a footpath leading to the bridge of Gerla which hangs more than 30 meters above Thethi canyon which wide only 2 meters is providing a spectacular sight. At the wonderful Grunasi waterfall the waters plunge tens of meters into a deep pool, and its crystal clear water is so cold that any thoughts of a swim will be quickly dispelled, the moment it reaches your ankles. Overnight at a local guesthouse in Theth village.

Day 7: Thethi–Tirana

We will leave Thethi (800m a.s.l) to start another day of spectacular trekking in direction of the village of Boga. During this day we will walk along Shtegu I Dheneve – the Path of the Sheep, which is another classic way of the Albanian Alps that connects the villages of Thethi and Boga. After Pass (1830m a.s.l) and the stunning views it offers of Bjeshket e Namuna – The Accursed Mountains, the walk will continue downhill along with the side Radohima mountain range until we reach the village of Boga (900m a.s.l). We will have lunch in this picturesque village surrounded by vertical slopes with peaks above 2000m high, and then leave through the Boga valley towards Shkodra and then Tirana (120km – 3hrs).  In the evening 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. Overnight in hotel 4*

Day 8: – Tirana – Kepi Rodonit – Lalzi Bay.

After breakfast, we begin with a sightseeing tour of Albania’s lively capital Tirana. We visit the National Historical Museum, the early 19th-century Ethem Bey Mosque, and the National Gallery. Continue with the new opened Atonic bunker, the Bunk’art2 museum in Tirana opened to the public describing it as a museum throwing light on political persecution during the Albanian communist era. The museum – called Bunk’Art 2 – is also intended as a memorial to the tens of thousands of people who were imprisoned and executed by the communist regime,” Continue to  “Kepi i Rodonit” a wonderful Cape only 55 km from the Capital. Here we take a walk in the beautiful natural small peninsula that has much to offer. As we walk we explore the history of Albania from the 15th century at the Church of St Anthony, one of the oldest in Albania thought to have healing powers, to its communist recent past with anti-aircraft huge bunkers built by the regime thinking of a possible “enemy” Invasion. We walk through lush vegetation for about 2 hours and explore the place called Scanderbeg castle at the edge of the cape overlooking the sea. Overnight at Rezidenca Primavera. (Gjiri Lalzit Lalzi Bay)

Day 9: Lalzi Bay  – Durres-  Berat (UNESCO)

After breakfast, we drive to Durres stop to visit the center of Durres with its ancient amphitheater considered the biggest in the Balkans, City walls & Archeological museum. Continue to  Berat known as the museum town of a “one over one windows” due to the fact that its characteristic houses are built on a slope and have many windows which to observe seem as if the windows stand on top of each other. It has been listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and it is a must-visit place in Albania. Berat castle is of particular interest as people still live within its walls in their traditional houses, as have their ancestors for centuries. The castle used to have over 40 churches of which 7 still remain including St. Mary’s church turned into Onufri Museum. Onufri was a famous Albanian Icon master painter of the 16th century who painted many orthodox churches in Albania and Greece, using a special red color. We suggest lunch in the castle at the little place of a family which serves homemade specialties. Overnight in Berat Hotel Mangalemi or similar

Day 10: Berat – Airport

After breakfast, you are left free to explore on your own until the time of transfer to the Airport for the flight back.

Including Hotels & guest houses 3,4* BB, Transportation with comfortable a/c vehicle, English (French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, etc.)  speaking tour guide, Transfer of luggage with horses from Theth to Valbona. Transfers with alternative vehicles from Shkodra to Theth. Dinners at Local restaurants, museum entry fees, all taxes.