Albania is an up-and-coming travel destination for those who enjoy going off the beaten path and exploring rugged landscapes. It is an absolute haven of towering mountains, tumbling waterfalls and turquoise blue lakes. If you love the outdoors, hiking and immersing yourself in nature, then northern Albania is the place for you. Since tourism is still developing, especially in the north of the country, travelling takes a little extra effort but you are rewarded handsomely with incredible scenery, delicious food and welcoming locals.
The Practicalities
Getting There: The main airport in Albania is Tirana and there are typically one or two fairly affordable flights a day from the UK. From here you can rent a car if you want to do a road trip.
When To Visit: I recommend visiting during the summer season of mid-June to late-September, so all the trails will be open. There are less crowds and lower temperatures if you avoid July and August.
How Long To Stay: I would recommend spending around 7 days exploring the north of Albania. Having a little wiggle room allows time to travel between each region, as the roads can be a little long and windy.
Where To Stay: Guesthouses are the most commonly found form of accommodation in northern Albania and are an authentic way to not only experience the country but connect with the local community.
Price: Albania is fairly affordable, with accommodation and food prices typically lower than other nearby countries. I recommend carrying cash with you at all times, as many places don’t take card in the mountains.
Travel Tip: Do not drink the mountain water, no matter what the locals tell you. Myself and some friends drank it and ended up poorly, so I recommend opting for bottled or purified water if you can.
What To See & Do
Theth National Park
Theth is a small mountain village nestled deep in the Albanian Alps. It is the perfect spot to explore the surrounding peaks and valleys, and is still relatively underdeveloped when it comes to tourism – the main road isn’t paved and there aren’t any large hotels yet. It feels like a hidden gem!
There are plenty of small guest houses you can stay at who serve fresh and delicious local food, and you can jump on a whole host of nearby hiking trails. My top recommendations are:
- The Blue Eye Hike
- Theth Waterfall Hike
- Theth to Denellit abandoned villafe
- And of course, the famous Theth to Valbona hike.
Where to stay: Guesthouse Marashi
The Theth to Valbona Hike
This is perhaps the most famous hike and activity in all of northern Albania and for good reason, it is absolutely stunning! The trail is around 15km long and has over 1000m of elevation again but it’s totally worth the effort, as the scenery is breathtaking. There are even a couple of small mountain huts serving basic food and drinks along the trail, which was a nice bonus I wasn’t expecting!
Organising the logistics of doing this hike can be challenging as it is a point-to-point route, but there are organised tours and local shuttles to help you achieve this.
Valbona National Park
Once you complete the Theth to Valbona hike, make sure you take a day to relax and enjoy the beauty of Valbona National Park. It’s a little more built up than Theth, with paved roads and a couple of slightly larger hotels, but it still feels very much untouched. There are a handful of hiking trails you can explore, but the main one I would recommend is to Maja Rosit/Rosni Peak which is challenging but absolutely stunning.
Komani Lake
Komani Lake was perhaps my personal highlight of our time in Albania. I couldn’t quite believe that the landscapes I was seeing existed in Europe – lush green mountains descending dramatically into bright blue waters; it was completely surreal! Most people just do a day trip to Komani Lake, taking a short boat ride through its waters and continuing on with their travels, but I implore you to take more time here.
We spent one night at Neomalsore Agrotourism and could have easily added on a second. It was a 2 hour tranquil boat ride to get there, and once we arrived it was like stepping into a rural paradise. Nestled on the edge of the lake with stunning views, we were welcomed into a local farmhouse. The facilities were basic, but the surroundings were idyllic. There were goats, chickens, dogs and kittens. We were served homemade meals on a terrace with mountain views, and could hop into the refreshing water from a private dock and beach. It was the perfect place to explore the lake from, with nearby hikes to do (like one to the abandoned Molla village where the owners parents used to live) and quick access to the famous Shala River.
Where to stay: Neomalsore Agrotourism
Shala River
Gaining rapid fame on social media, the Shala River is totally worth the hype. It’s an absolutely stunning remote beach nestled deep in the mountains, in the Komani Lake region. The surroundings are magical and the water is crystal clear. It is the perfect place to spend a day kayaking, sunbathing or swimming.
Most visitors will do a day trip to the beach and I have to admit that between about 11-4 it gets a little hectic! There are boat loads of local tourists arriving and it can feel a little crowded. However, if you stay in a guesthouse nearby then you can time you visit before or after those hours to enjoy the beautiful peace and tranquillity of the valley.
Albania is a beautiful and raw country with phenomenal scenery and some of the most welcoming people I have had the pleasure to meet. It takes a little bit of hard work to explore this lesser travelled destination, but don’t let that put you off visiting. I have a feeling in a few years it will be much more well trodden, so add it to your bucket list now before everyone else hears about how stunning it is!
