Scenic Hiking in Northern Albania in Tirana, Albania

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This tour is for adventurous travellers with open minds, who do not mind staying in the traditional houses of the native Albanian highlanders, the "malesore". The tour covers some of the most scenic parts of Albania and includes a ferry trip on the spectacular Lake Koman, a trek through the beautiful Valbona Valley and a visit to the lesser known Theth Valley. Tour participants will visit the ancient Fortress of Kruja, set high in the Albanian hills and admire the spectacular view of one of the largest lakes in Europe from the ruins of the Rozafa Castle.

Location - Duration

Duration: 8 day(s)
Location: Northern Albania

Itinerary

Day 1 - 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 at 18.00 hours to discuss the program for the coming week. Depending on the time of arrival you can visit the Kruja Bazar and the Kruja castle, epicenter of the legendary Albanian resistance to the Ottomans led by Scanderbeg in the 14th century.

Dinner: traditional restaurant.

Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Kruja.

Day 2 - The holy mountain of Sarisalltik

Today we will hike up the holy mountain of Sarisalltik and visit the Bectasci Teqe (Sufi Dervishes Sanctuary) located at 1900m. After the decent, 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: 3 star hotel in Shkodra.

Day 3 - The lake of Koman and the canyon of Drin.

Car 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 Dunishë where we will stay overnight.

Dinner and accommodation: village house hosting in Dunishë - the best location to start all kinds of hikes in the surrounding mountains. The lovely little lake on the backyard of the house is the perfect spot to relax after a tiresome day.

Day 4 - Qafa e Rosit

The trekking will start from the house in direction of the village of Kukaj (900m a.s.l). From there, a shepherd's path will bring us to remote landscapes of the eastern Alps of Albania until reaching Qafa e Rosit (2000m a.s.l - approx. 7-8 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 Rrogam, where we will overnight in a mountain hotel made of wood.

Day 5 - The Pass of Valbona

Today we will hike the classic pass of the Albanian Alps that for centuries linked the two most known valleys of the area, Valbona (Valnona pass; 1966m a.s.l) 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.

Day 6 - Thethi's attractions

Today we will have a nice day going around in the surroundings of Thethi, one of the most known charming villages of northern Albania, because of its stunning nature and traditional wooden-tiled houses.

We will start walking downhill from the house, and visit the attractions near by the village, like: the Church, the Kulla e Ngujimit (a tower house used in the past by men as a shelter against on going vendetta), the Thethi Waterfall, Grunasi Canyon, and the 2007 revelation: cyclopean stone walled terraces dating from the late bronze era!

We will overnight at the same house as the night before.

Day 7 - 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 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 than Tirana (120km - 3hrs).

Dinner: traditional restaurant.

Accommodation: 3 star hotel in Tirana

Day 8 - Tirana

If you leave in the afternoon you will have some time to spend in Tirana where you can walk, passing the important buildings of the capital - the Italian buildings, The Mosque of Ethem Bej and/or the National Museum of History. Alternatively, you can enjoy your free time to visit the museum in Tirana or one of the many markets.

Our set departure dates are as follows:

11 June (This departure will have the first night in Tirana and not in Kruja. The rest of the program is the same as shown above.)
23 July
13 August

Price is 480 euro per person (with a minimum of 3 participants).
In case you wish to come with a private group, please contact us.

Cancellation policy

Booking and payment and cancellation procedure

Booking is possible by emailing the OA bookings form to the OA office and paying a deposit of 30% of the total fee (neither via our secure system nor per bank transfer).

2 weeks before departure date the total amount must be transferred to our bank account. A copy of the bank transfers should be faxed or emailed to us.

(This is also the time when you will receive the guide information and the accommodation information)

When you book an OA roundtrip, you are entering into a legally binding contract. If you cancel the booking unilaterally, you may have pay compensation for any loss resulting from the cancellation. A reservation can be cancelled at any time in written form by e-mail or fax.

Our cancellation policy will apply only once your booking is confirmed and is as follows:

a) If the reservation is cancelled 30 days or more, prior to the arrival date, then a full refund will be given minus the refund transaction charges.

b) If the reservation is cancelled 29 to 14 days, prior to the arrival date, then a 30% administration and banking charge will apply.

c) 14 to 7 days, prior to the arrival date, then a 50% charge will apply.

d) 7 to 3 days, prior to the arrival date, then a 75% charge will apply.

e) If the reservation is cancelled less than 3 days prior to the arrival date, no refund will be given.

f) With a no-show or early checkout, no refund will be given.

Children Policy

The minimum age to participate is 14, and all children under 15 should be accompanied by a relative or an adult.

Participant Guidelines

Please note:

Best period: May - September

Level: Challenging

Tours of this level demand that the participant is in excellent physical shape. The paths are not always in the best condition and the marking can be scarce. There are day treks with big ascents and descents. Changing weather conditions (even in mid-summer) can play an important role when trekking in remote areas, and may cause changes in the scheduled route. Normally, the treks are between six to eight hours a day. Previous trekking experience is an advantage, but not necessary if participants are in really good shape. During the hikes, participants should personally carry their own day rucksack, while the main luggage will be transported by mule, horse or vehicle.

In case of less than 3 participants we will inform you, in this case you can neither cancel and we will refund you the prepayment, or we will charge you a small group supplement.

Other Disclosures

Single room supplement

It is possible to pay a supplement and pre-book a single room. The Southern roundtrip can provide single accommodation in almost every hotel, while the Northern roundtrip only offers the single room option in big cities. The nights spent in the village houses in the mountain area are in shared rooms, with up to five people per room. If for whatever reason the tour operator is unable to provide a single room, the tour participant will be informed promptly and the portion of the monies paid for the single room option will be refunded.

Travel insurance

Valid travel insurance is mandatory for all foreign customers. Evidence of adequate insurance must be provided to the tour leader at the start of the tour. A valid insurance policy must be carried on the tour, which covers medical expenses and emergency repatriation. Pre-existing medical conditions must be declared in the booking form.

The tours start from the meeting on the first day of the trip and end after breakfast the last day of the trip. However, the tour leaders will be at the service of tour participants if they need help with arranging transport for their return. Transport to get to the starting point of the roundtrip which is around 30 minutes from Tirana Airport or from the harbour in Durres may be booked through the tour operator for 30 Euros.

Scenic Hiking in Northern Albania

Local time: 07:46:34 AM

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