This active multi-day tour of Valbona and Theth in the heart of the Albanian Alps takes you to Lake Koman, Valbona Valley, and the quaint village of Theth. Reserve. Starting in Theth and hiking to Valbona is the more popular route. And damn, they did not disappoint. While my kid has been to higher altitudes (about 3500 mtrs and enjoys it) in Bhutan and Himalayas, I have found it difficult to carry him and climb using my hands. a) Bus station near by the Train station of Tirana. After asking and reading around, we figured it could take anywhere between 5 and 10 hours to complete the 9.5 km hike from Rroga to Theth village. Hi Abraham, great to hear that! I do have one question though. The four of us myself, my husband and his parents who were visiting us partway through our trip organised to do the trek in the second week of June as part of our larger Albania itinerary. Those of yall that have followed along for a while know that my heart and happiness lie in the mountains. If you plan to travel with your own car from Tirana to Theth, that is a great choice. Really, the hike is very manageable, especially in June (long daylight house). If you do have a 44 make sure you drive it when the road is open. There is also the option to hire a mule to take it over to the other side for you. I definitely recommend starting as. The heat up here can be brutal, especially as the day wears on and you start to feel the fatigue. We are all quite fit but since with a child you never know their moods I wanted to ask if anyone knows: would it be possible in worst case to sleep anywhere on the way e.g. Many thanks for the kind words. But we will arrive in Tirana close to midnight, so we will stay there for one night to start our way to Theth the next morning. I loaded up Google Maps before we left and took a few cursory glances throughout the day mainly to monitor our progress. The area is beautiful and although there isnt a lot to do other than walk and hike, its still the perfect place to relax and take in the surroundings. Thanks a lot for your prompt reply! Enjoy a day tour of Shkoder. Theth and Shkoder, 2 Days Tour from Tirana 1 Bus Tours from S$263.05 per adult (price varies by group size) 2-day tour from Shkodra to Theth Adventure Tours from S$124.22 per adult Two days tour from Durres to Theth and Shkoder Adventure Tours from S$175.37 per adult Selfguided Hiking Tour of Koman Lake Valbona and Theth in 4 Days Adventure Tours Airport to Shkoder transport from . Valbona to Theth is a thru hike once youre over the pass, theres no road to take you back. The uphill parts are gruelling for sure, but they only come in short bursts, and you do get some relief with the downhill portions. Ive been afraid to do it though as Im not particularly fit or athletic. I wanted to check whether there are any specific points in the route where we are expected to climb using our hands or use hands as support (both during ascent and descent). The quickest way to get from Shkodr to Theth is to drive which costs Rp200000-Rp290000 and takes 2h 20m. Bunk'Art 2. I dont think its possible to sleep somewhere along the way, unless some purpose-built accommodations have popped up since I was there. Hope you enjoyed the hike! This is why I recommend leaving your car in Shkoder and making use of the public transport connections to get to and from the mountains. Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed post! This website uses affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link. Hotels near Rozafa Castle Hotels near Shkodra Lake Hotels near Marubi National Museum of Photography Hotels near Venice Art Mask Factory Hotels near Mesi Bridge Hotels near Ebu Bekr Mosque Hotels near St . So very helpful! No. Briefly, the trek can be divided into five chapters: Yes, the way is marked. I was fully expecting to struggle with the trek, but it wasnt as difficult as I anticipated. This does vary year to year depending on the weather, so its a good idea to check with someone on the ground if possible. There is only one daily journey, leaving at 7 am on the dot. Learn more. Instead of walking from your guesthouse, you can organise for a driver to take you to Rrogam, the small village where the trail starts. It might be better to link up with other travellers the night before and set out together the next morning this should be fairly easy to do through your first guesthouse. We did the trek in the second week of June. Ive had my eye on it since 2017 and finally going to do it next summer and cannot wait. Introduction; Day 1: Airport - Shkoder. Personally, because of the remote location and risk of falling (especially in the loose rock sections), I would not feel comfortable trekking alone. Beautiful Theth. Finally, its easier to organise transport back to Shkoder from Theth on the fly. The beds were comfy and they had hot showers, and best of all, a puppy! Its safe to drink the tap water in both Valbona and Theth as well. You do not need a guide to do this hike. My fitness level is absolute zero and I still did OK. All Rights Reserved. From there, its another one hour drive by minivan to Valbona. I havent heard of anyone doing that before, but I think its a great idea. Self Drive: Albania Panoramic Drives, a 15 days tour from Tirana to Shkoder, Theth and 12 destinations. Hi Andrea, thats great to hear! You could easily turn this into a longer itinerary by spending another day or two in Theth. It is very helpful! Hi Emily We started walking at 7.20am and arrived in Theth at 3pm, meaning we completed the hike in 7.5 hours (a new PB!). I will abstain from an answer, but lets just say a warm beer at the mountain pass brought me very little satisfaction. Learn more about me here. This put us way ahead of the pack (and ahead of the weather). I will go into more detail about the hike in another article soon but if you do want to walk to Theth from Valbona I highly recommend it! Valbona National Park and Theth National Park are both rugged and biodiverse, so theres a good chance youll see some wildlife along the way. Expand All. There are some shorter hiking routes around Valbona that you could do too. Now, based in the Balkans she gives you the best advice on the region through this website. No more bumps or hairpin turns either! Theres a great tour that you can do from Shkoder that takes you to the village of Theth and tour of the church, blood tower, the canyon and Waterfall of Grunasi. Hi Emily. The inclines are never too tricky or too steep. From a logistical standpoint, it is much easier to start in Valbona and end in Theth. Discover insider tips, itinerary inspiration, and all the best things to see, do and experience in Albania! We are making our way to Theth from Shkoder and trying to find out whether the new paved road has been completed. It looks like a beautiful part of the world so Id hate to miss out on seeing it. The hike is one of the best things I have done, and Im not even a hiker. Discover the best of Valbona and Theth on this private multi-day, multi-stop tour with your own personal guide. early as you can because of this. The Complete Travel Guide to Chacahua, Oaxaca | Mexico, The Best Party Destinations In Mexico | The Partying Traveler, The Complete Guide to Visiting Xochimilco | Mexico City, The Best Travel Destinations to Visit in Morocco | 2023, The Backpackers Travel Guide to Essaouira, Morocco | 2023, The Backpackers Travel Guide to Marrakech | Morocco, The Ultimate Backpackers Guide to Traveling in Georgia, The Backpackers Travel Guide to Barcelona, Spain | 2023, The Ultimate Guide to Nightlife in Prague | 2022, The Backpacker's Guide to Puerto Escondido, Mexico. Expect rugged mountains and beautiful views, especially as you approach Valbona Peak. The journey can take form 6 8 hours depending on your fitness levels and how long you stop at the top on the way. Its usually the weather and conditions that can make things really difficult. Transport from Theth to Shkoder: 10 EUR (1200 LEK) for a minivan. Chances are you will share your seat with some homemade bread the true Balkan way! Its a personal preference, but dont feel like you need to buy a special outfit for the hike. How much would that typically be and how long does it take? However, I do recommend that you stay a couple of nights in Theth as there are some great things to do in the area. Hi Emily, I recommend leaving your luggage in Shkoder as you have to pass through there to get the ferry anyway. (check out the best hotels in Theth here), How to get from Shkoder to Theth, Albania (Thethi). The views here are absolutely gorgeous. The path turns into dirt, and is flat for long stretches. These are prominent and appear as often as every 50 metres on either end of the trail (although they are more dispersed as you near Valbona Peak). This part can feel like it drags on, especially towards the end when the trail gets super rocky and steep. Its a stunning panorama where you get vistas of the entire Valbona Valley and Theth Valley. Trip duration: 2,5 hours one wayMinibus Ticket Price: 15 Eur/ Person one way, English Speaking Phone 00355 69 60 15 771, Thethi Guide and Albanian Alps tour information 2023. We will find the perfect tour or create a custom tour so you can visit and enjoy this destination and more. Snow and ice can still be heavy on the trail as late as May, in which case you will need poles, sturdy boots and proper equipment. You can lower the cost by carpooling with other travellers. Distance: 9.5km from Rrogam to Theth (12km from Valbona village; 17.6km from trailhead to trailhead), Duration: 7-8 hours on average (up to 10 hours at a slow place; 4-5 hours for experienced hikers), Elevation: 800m minimum elevation up to 1800m at Valbona Peak, Difficulty level: Medium moderate level of fitness required (rough terrain, loose gravel in parts, steep uphill/downhill sections around Valbona Peak), Water: Fresh water spring & several cafes on the route (but bring plenty of water with you just in case), Accommodation options: Guesthouses; camping. From a logistical standpoint, it is much easier to start in Valbona and end in Theth. The route isnt marked on Google Maps, but you can use Maps.Me if you want to. Exploring the city of Shkoder and the nature of Theth is one of the most popular activities in Albania. Great questions. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Well rested and reinvigorated afterwards, I ran down the mountain. They also booked our place for us in Theth, and called the owner so he would meet us at the end of the hike and take us directly to our cabin. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Enjoy included accommodation, meals, and all transportation, including ferry tickets. Line bus: Rinas Airport Tirana Center. Its difficult to say I would recommend asking someone local in Theth or Valbona so they can give you advice, perhaps your guesthouse house or the staff at the national park service (the Theth office was particularly good when we visited). Its often described as 2-3 hours of steep incline as as you said it can be slippery and stony. Unfortunately, there isnt a lot of places to pull over and take pictures but its a beautiful drive even if you cannot stop. Only to realize about 10 minutes later that my backpack had ripped open and I was missing my camera, AirPods, clothes, and other things. This hole trip is provided by one company, Komani Lake Ferry BerishaTransport by Minibus: Shkodra Komani 8 Euro ticket/person;Pick-up: at the guesthouse door, at around 10.00 a.m.Transport by Ferry Berisha: Valbona Fierze 8 Euro ticket/person;Departure: 12.00 a.m. once a day, for a 2 hours trip on the lake.Transport by Minibus: Koman Shkodra 8 Euro ticket/person.Drop off: at the hotel door in Shkodra at around 17.00 p.m. For more info visit the link https://komanilakeferry.com/en/timetables-and-prices/, Where: Rus, Shkoder, Ura e Maxharrit square. If you have all your luggage with you, an alternative option is to travel to either Valbona or Theth, hike to Valbona Peak, then return to your base camp. Good luck, let me know how you get on! This place even had beer unlike the last place. We plan in the first week of October. The water is meltwater and safe to drink. Limited international flights leaving Albania began to resume from June 15. If you get lucky there might be shared vehicles leaving but I wouldn't count on it. Find all the transport options for your trip from Shkodr to Theth right here. Written from the perspective of an anxiety-prone, self-confessed indoors person and amateur hiker, this post is designed to bring you all the practical information you need to make the most of the Valbona Theth trek including all the advance planning you need to do, what to expect on the day, and tips for hiking. The downward sections are very slippery due to small rocks. Are you planning to do the trek? The first thing you need to consider when planning the Valbona Theth trek is what time of year to go. You suggest booking a few weeks ahead for the ferry and being able to pay by credit card but then say to arrange via accommodation in Shkoder. 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