How to Enjoy 4 Perfect Days in Albania's Accursed Mountains

For decades, Albania was tantalizingly off-limits, but since opening to the world in the 1990s, this once-secretive nation has become one of Europe's most rewarding escapes. And nowhere is Albania's natural beauty more tangible than in the Accursed Mountains, whose ominous name belies scenery to rival the Italian Dolomites or the Slovenian Alps.

For most people, this small nation in the Western Balkans is an enigma – a place that’s in Europe, but not quite like the rest of Europe. Things here are less polished, a little wilder around the edges, and a little more eccentric. And that’s partly what makes travel here so appealing. With overtourism causing problems in nearby Montenegro and Croatia, Albania offers a chance to enjoy Balkan life away from the crowds.

Most people bound for the Accursed Mountains start in Tirana, Albania's fast-changing capital, before traveling north by bus or shuttle van to Shkodër (Shkodra), a scenic town near the shores of Lake Shkodër (Lake Skadar), which spills over the border into Montenegro.

Above Shkodër, mountain trails offer dizzying views over plunging valleys and sculpted peaks. Whether it's your first time in Albania, or you are looking to discover more of the country away from the beaches, follow this 4-day itinerary to get the best from the Accursed Mountains.

Advertisement

• When to arrive: The best time for hiking in the Accursed Mountains is from June to September, but the trails are at their most peaceful at the start and end of the hiking season, avoiding the summer peak. When you travel from Tirana to Shkodër, try to arrive as early in the day as you can so you visit its interesting museums and walk around the colorful center before you head for the hills.

• How to get from Tirana airport to Shkodër: From Tirana International Airport, you have several options. Hermes Aeroport runs direct shuttle vans from the airport directly to Shkodër (1.5–2 hours) every hour or so; the fare is 1000 lekë (L), or 1300L early in the morning or late at night. A more circuitous route is to travel into Tirana; Luna runs shuttle buses from the airport to Tirana's South & North Bus Terminal (300L), where you can take a public bus to Shkodër (tickets start at around 400L). Alternatively, rent a car at the airport and drive straight to Shkodër. If you want to explore Tirana before you head north, there are also shuttle buses from the airport to Skanderbeg Square (400L) in the heart of the city.

• Getting around: When you reach Shkodër, you can get around easily on foot or by bicycle – numerous operators rent bikes, including Shkodra Rent Bikes. Reaching the mountains from town involves taking a furgon (shared minibus) to the town of Koman, then traveling by ferry along Lake Koman before transferring to another minibus to Valbonë (Valbona), the starting point for trips into the Accursed Mountains. Accommodations in Shkodër can book your transport to Valbonë as a single package, or do it yourself on the website of the Berisha ferry company.

• Where to stay: In Shkodër, Mi Casa Es Tu Casa is Shkodër’s first hostel, and its owner is a wealth of local knowledge and stories, or try the boutique-style Hotel Tradita for rooms with a touch of history. For an overnight stop in Valbonë, the Alpine-style Villa Dini (no website) will leave you feeling rested, full from dinner and breakfast the next morning, and ready to take on the big hike the next day. In Theth, Bujtina Tinari has an excellent location in the center of the village, across from its landmark church.

• What to pack: Bring layers as the Albanian Alps can still have snow on the mountains in June, while still being super hot at lower elevations during the day. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and breathable clothing, with some warm fleece layers and a jacket for cool mornings and evenings.

Day 1: Explore Shkodër

Use your first day to settle into local life, roaming Shkodër's appealing center on foot or by bike. Try to arrive from Tirana as early in the day as possible so you have time to explore.

Morning: More than 4000 years old, Shkodër is one of the oldest cities in the Balkans, and it’s certainly one of the most attractive, with streets lined with pastel-colored houses. For an introduction to Albanian history, check out the Site of Witness & Memory Museum, which occupies a former prison and interrogation center for political detainees during Albania’s 47-year dictatorship. Exhibits explore how Shkodër was a particular target for the Enver Hoxha regime, as it had so many university-educated people and artists.

Don’t miss Shkodër’s Marubi National Photography Museum, which celebrates the work of photographer Pietro Marubi (1832–1903), who documented Albanian life in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A highlight is a sepia-toned gem taken in 1858 – the very first photo ever taken in this photogenic country. It depicts the Italian consul dressed to impress (and, judging by the number of swords he is carrying, dressed to kill as well).

How to spend the day: To sample the scenery, rent a bike and pedal 4km south to the Rozafa Fortress, a former Illyrian stronghold (you might have to walk your bike on the uphill stages). The fortress is ruined and wild, but the views from its remaining ramparts – across farmland, the city itself and the estuary on which Shkodër is located – are wonderful. Bike downhill to cross the Buna Bridge and find a spot to watch the sunset over Lake Shkodër, the largest lake in the Balkans.

Dinner: Not far from the Buna Bridge is Aleksi, a beloved seafood restaurant perched on a hilltop that overlooks Lake Shkodër. The speciality here is carp, freshly fished from the lake, served as a fillet or, if you reserve ahead, in a casserole. Try the cornbread in yogurt sauce, best eaten with a Greek-style salad.

After dark: Cycle back to the center of Shkodër and drop off your bike. One of the most popular bars in town is Kultura, a loud club-pub – it’s much quieter to sit at the tables on the pedestrianized street outside if you just like people watching.

Day 2: Take the Koman Lake ferry

This is a day of two halves; in the morning you'll take the ferry along Lake Koman, and in the afternoon and evening, you can soak up the relaxed mood in Valbonë, gateway to the Accursed Mountains.

Morning: We know you’re on vacation, but you’re going to have to get up early. At 6:30am, a minibus will collect you from your hotel (the entire Shkodër-to-Valbonë trip is sold as a package by all hotels in Shkodër) for the weaving 1.5-hour drive to the small lakeside town of Koman, where you’ll catch the ferry along much of the length of sinuous Lake Koman, a reservoir created as a part of a hydroelectric project in the 1970s.

Advertisement

The ride takes at least 3 hours, gliding in the shadow of looming mountain peaks, and sliding past unfeasibly remote villages and farming cottages. Its simple pleasures are made even more enjoyable by chatty locals offering to share their snacks (bring some to share as well).

The boat putters to a halt in tiny Fierzë, where you’ll board another minibus for an hour-long journey up a road that bends and turns like a demented serpent, before arriving in the village of Valbonë. Here, you'll find a spread-out collection of homestays and guesthouses, with a backdrop of stark mountain peaks and plunging conifer forests that will have your eyes bulging.

How to spend the day: You’ll arrive in Valbonë by around 1pm, with nothing pressing to do for the rest of the day. Either relax at your guesthouse, bathing in the tranquility and cool mountain air, or get your legs warmed up with a short afternoon hike. An easy trail leads up to the tiny stone village of Kukaj, where there’s a small cafe open during high season.

Dinner: Every accommodation we’re aware of in Valbonë serves traditional Albanian food for dinner. Expect treats such as tavë e kosit, a kind of lamb, egg and yogurt stew. After dinner, rest up – you’re in for a big hike tomorrow. If you need help getting to sleep, a shot of local raki (fruit brandy) always helps.

Day 3: Hike from Valbonë to Theth

It's time to embark for the Accursed Mountains on foot, but despite the stunning scenery, the day's hiking is not too demanding for anyone reasonably fit.

Morning: Day three is the high point – in every sense of the word – of your trip. Wake up early, wolf down a bit of breakfast and then get those hiking boots laced up. Ahead of you stretches a beautiful hike of 5–7 hours; the total time depends on your fitness and the location of your accommodation. You'll climb up and over the Valbonë Pass (1800m), then down to the village of Theth.

It’s not an especially challenging hike – plenty of first-time mountain hikers tackle it – but the route is quite long, and certain sections in summer can be very hot and sun-exposed (especially the first leg out of Valbonë, which takes you along the edge of a stony, semi-dry riverbed). Ask your accommodation to drive you to the trailhead if you’d like to skip the flat riverbed section.

How to spend the day: The hiking route is easy to follow, with frequent red-and-white trail markers along the way. It takes about 3 hours of upward slog through wrinkled old-growth conifer forest to reach the pass, where you'll be rewarded with memorable views over an ocean of gray, jagged and snow-streaked mountains.

On the way up, you’ll walk by several small stone tea houses selling drinks and snacks. Pause and recharge; the farming and shepherding families who run them (most of whom speak decent English) will be happy to tell you stories about life in the Albanian Alps.

Heading downhill on the western side of the pass, the trail runs through shaded forest almost all the way to Theth. Up high, the forest is dominated by sturdy-trunked conifers; lower down, beech trees start to dominate, with glowing green leaves that turn a fiery orange and red in October.

Dinner: After a long but fairly gentle approach to Theth, you’ll emerge into a village filled with solid stone houses with slate roofs, set amid an amphitheater of dramatic rock peaks, with a small but attractive 19th-century church at its center. Find your guesthouse and grab a shower before dinner.

Dinners are often taken communal-style, and after the buzz of walking over from Valbonë there’s plenty of contented chatter between diners. Considering that you just walked for most of a day, and there's a cozy bed with thick blankets calling your name, we reckon you won’t last long after dark.

Day 4: Return to Tirana or explore Theth National Park

On day four, you can linger in Theth to explore more of the scenery, or head back to Tirana. We recommend staying to explore – the landscapes around Theth are even lovelier after the majority of hikers board the morning bus back to Shkodër.

Morning: After enjoying breakfast and a gentle stroll around the village, most people return to Shkodër via the 11am bus, which takes 2.5 hours, following a road that corkscrews up and down mountain slopes and over passes before a final whirlwind drop down to the coastal plain. From Shkodër, you can get back to Tirana by car, bus or shuttle van.

How to spend the day: To get more from the area,take the 5pm bus from Theth and spend your day exploring the section of Alps of Albania National Park that sprawls around Theth. From the village, an easy 30-minute walk will take you to the impressive Grunas Waterfall, where you can have a refreshing dip.

If you hike quickly, you could head out to Theth’s amazing Blue Eye Kaprre, an electric-blue natural pool fed by a small but gushing waterfall. It's a half-day hike of 17km out-and-back, but the trip is well worth it for the chance to jump from the bridge into the chilly 7–10°C (45–50°F) water. On the way back, it's possible to take a taxi back to Theth from Nderlysaj.

Dinner: Once you return to Shkodër, if time allows, have a white tablecloth meal at Vila Bekteshi, which serves excellent pasta, pizza and grilled meats. Don’t let the fancy decor fool you; prices are moderate. Afterwards, toast your Albanian Alps adventure with cocktails at the stylish Goje Gaditese bar.

FAQs

Here are answers to a few common questions people have about visiting the north of Albania.

Do I Need a Guide to Hike From Valbonë to Theth?

While guided hikes from Valbonë to Theth can be arranged through tour agencies, the trail is well-used and clearly marked with red-and-white markers on trees and rocks, so most hikers go without a guide. It's still best to hike with someone else rather than walking on your own. Always ask about trail conditions at your accommodation and check the weather before you start walking. While the route is quite straightforward, it's best not to attempt the hike in the rain, when the trail can become slippery.

Do People Speak English in Northern Albania?

While you won't find as many fluent English speakers in the mountains as in the beach resorts along the Albanian coast, people working with tourists on the route from Shkodër to Valbonë and Theth usually speak some English, so you won't have a problem arranging meals and accommodation, or asking for directions along the route.

Can I Pay With a Credit Card in the Accursed Mountains?

While you can pay with a bank card or credit card in larger hotels, tourist-oriented restaurants and shops in Tirana and Shkodër, cash is still the normal way to pay in much of Albania. Bring plenty of cash (euros or lekë) for the trek from Valbonë to Theth, where cash is likely to be your only option. If you need to stock up on lekë, Shkodër has a handful of ATMs, but there are none in Valbonë.

How Do I Arrange Transport From Theth Back to Shkodër?

If you haven't arranged round-trip transport from Shkodër to Valbonë and from Theth back to Shkodër, you can book transport via guesthouses and hotels in Theth and Valbonë, or through the Berisha ferry company.

Find out more about travel in Albania with Lonely Planet's Western Balkans guidebook.