1st Prize - Ecoturism Contest - Local Village House Trekking in Albania *

Congratulation to the ecotourism contest winner Shivya!

With her story “A Garden Lady in India's Cold Mountain Desert" Shivya has been voted the winner of the last Mynatour ecotourism contest sponsored by whl.travel.

In her story Shivya was able to combine, in a simple yet profound way , several aspect of what made a trip a memorable responsible experience: local encounters, education and the natural beauty of the place.  And this is what she will find in her next Albanian adventure.

In fact we are glad to announce that Shivya select the Local Village House Trekking in Albania out of the 6 prizes up for grabs. She will have the opportunity to spend, with a friend, 5 days house trek in the Albanian Alps. A trek through the beautiful Valbona Valley and a visit to the Theth Valley.

Shivya and her friend will admire the spectacular view of one of the largest lakes in Europe from the ruins of the Rozafa Castle. They will sleep in the mountains is in the traditional houses of the Albanian highlanders, the "Malesore". The tour will covers some of the most scenic parts of Albania and includes a ferry trip on the spectacular Lake Koman. 

But Keep in mind: This tour is recommended for reasonably fit people who are used to long walks, and for those with a flexible, adventurous attitude…we are defiantly sure Shivya is the right one!

Once again well done to our blogger Shivya and thanks to all of her supporters that make this happen and to our fantastic sponsor Outdoor Albania, part of the whl.travel group.

To make everyone a bit more jealous here some more details about the fantastic trip, feel free to share it!

Special highlights of this tour are:

- Lake Koman: The ferry trip on Lake Koman is an outstanding experience. The lake is narrow and winding, and stretches along the bed of the Drini River. The lake was formed after the construction of a dam in the 80's. The steep cliffs on both sides create a spectacular landscape reminiscent of Norwegian fjords. 

- Valbona Valley: This is probably the most beautiful valley of Northern Albania. The turquoise waters of Valbona River flow in the middle of a spectacular border of steep mountain peaks. This is the jewel in the crown of the Albanian Alps.

- Theth Valley: A hidden paradise in the heart of the Albanian Alps, the Theth Valley is the starting point for all treks to the highest peaks and passes in the region. It leads to Montenegro in the North, Kosovo in the East and the city of Shkodra in the West.

Itinerary:

Day 1: The Koman Dam and the river Drin.

At 6.30 in the motning we will drive to the ferry of Koman, which passes through the spectacular canyon of the Drin River. The lake was created after the construction of the Dam of Koman in the 80's. The trip will continue by car along the beautiful valley of the Valbona River, to the charming village of Dunishë, where the group will stay overnight.

Dinner and accommodation are in a village house in Dunish the best starting point for all kinds of hikes in the surrounding mountains. The lovely little lake behind the house is an ideal spot to rest after a long day.

Day 2: Trekking to the village of Kukaj

Trekking will start from the house toward the village of Kukaj (900 m). From there, a shepherd's path will take the group to the remote landscapes of the Eastern Alps of Albania to reach Qafa e Rosit (2000 m; approximately seven to eight hours of walking). The path climbs smoothly amidst green meadows, with gorgeous views of the Jezerca Mountain and Rrethi i Bardhë, the White Circle. At the end of the day, the tour will rest in the same place as the previous night in Dunishë. 

Day 3: Over the pass to Thethi

After breakfast, the group will drive 10 km to the village of Rragam, where the next round of trekking will begin. The journey will peak at the Pass of Valbona (1966 m). This is the classic route through the Albanian Alps, which for centuries has linked the two valleys of the area, Valbona and Thethi. Mules/horses will be used to carry luggage to the next resting area. The Albanian highlanders commonly use the path from late spring to the first snow of winter. Participants can enjoy the refreshing natural springs along the way, and the peaks of Jezerca and Radohima. From there, the group will start the descent towards the village of Thethi (800 m), where they will rest overnight after about eight hours of walking. Thethi is the best-preserved Alpine village in Albania, with typical houses still roofed with wooden tiles amid stunning surroundings. The group will stay overnight in one of the traditional houses and enjoy extraordinary hospitality.

Day 4: Discover Thethi

Thethi is one of the best-known villages of Northern Albania, because of its stunning beauty and traditional houses. The group will walk down from the house and visit the attractions near the village, including the Church, the Kulla e Ngujimit (a tower house used in the past by men as a shelter against ongoing vendettas), the Thethi Waterfall and the Grunasi Canyon. The group will also visit the Cyclopean stonewalled terraces dating from the late bronze era, but discovered only in 2007. Travellers will retire to the same house as the night before.

Day 5: Shkoder and Tiran

We will leave Thethi to start our last 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 than leave through the Boga valley towards Shkodra and than Tirana (120km – 3hrs).

You can neither decide to stop your trip in arrival in Shkoder or in Tirana.

Additional info:

Note: This trip is combined with the 8 day scenic trekking in Northern Albania, starting on day 3 of the 8 day trip in Shkoder. If you would like to book a pre tour accomodation in the hotel the night before departure, please let us know.

If you wish to depart with your own privat group, please contact us while giving your preferred departure date.

Included:

Full board accommodation.

English speaking guide

All transport from the starting point until arriving in Tirana.

Entrance at Kulla in Thethi

Entrance ethnographic museum Thethi

Not Included:

Drinks

Breakfast on day 1

The price does not include:

Drinks 

Airport pick up/ delivery. 

Breakfast on day 1 

Lunch and dinner on day 5 

Transport: Local minibus.

Guide: English speaking.

Food:  traditional restaurants and home-made dishes.

Accommodation: 2/3 star hotels and guesthouses.

(Airport) pick up

OA offers the possibility of booking an airport pick up to a hotel in Shkoder. The pick up cost 60 euros per ride (max 3 persons per ride).

From Tirana to the airport the price is 30 euro per ride (max 3 pax)

Terrain during the hikes

This trail is saturated with lots of descends and ascends.  The route passes over engraved relief representing alpine terrain with steep slopes, mountain river valleys incised on the mounts, rocky peaks, belts of mountain pine, etc. However, the chosen paths are mostly well trod underfoot and safe.   

Equipment and clothing:

You should remember that you must try to keep the weight of your clothing equipment down to a minimum. Your packed rucksack should weigh no more than 10-15 kilograms.

Recommended equipment: 

Breathable light weight waterproof gear (gore-tex, sympatex, etc), fleece/wool pullovers/wind-stopper jackets and gloves, small back-pack with rain coverage, cap, sun-block, mosquito repellent, head-lamp, hiking poles, water bottle, sun glasses/block.    

Weather:

Temperatures expected for this period are between + 10 and +35C. Rainfalls or short but heavy showers are possible, being a bit prolonged during spring and late autumn.

Luggage transport

The hike from Valbona to Thethi, is accompanied by a mule/horse, which carries the luggage. You will carry your own day backpack. From Thethi to Boga, there will be a vehicle, which will transport the luggage to Boga, from where we drive back to Tirana.

Early rising

As Albania knows high temperatures, you need to be willing to rise early in the mornings, as later in the day it might be to hot for hiking. Especially in the summer months, it can get up to 35 degrees during daytime.

The tour includes: transport, guidance, museum, park/resort fees and full board accommodation during the entire itinerary above described.

Presents for the locals

If you like to bring presents to the locals, we advise not to bring clothes, unless it is still of good quality. In addition, souvenirs, or sweets from your county of origin are nice things for the locals to receive.

Your travel companions

Outdoor Albania trips attract a variety of international people who love to travel, venture off the beaten track and enjoy the experience of a new country and culture.

Age limits

For our set departure dates, the minimum age required to participate in this tour is 14 and all children under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or an adult.

Land only

The OA tours are Land only; the prices do not include your flight, nor transport to and from the airport to the beginnning pont of the tour. You must make your own way to the starting point of the tour. If you wish us arrange a transfer from Tirana to Shkoder, please let us know.

OATour leaders

All our tours are led by a qualified OA tour leader, who will accompany you throughout the entire trip. It is the tour leaders responsibility to ensure that each trip runs smoothly, and that all the logistics are in place. The aim of the tour leader is to ensure that all the group members are safe and well looked after for the duration of the trip.

Rooming

Our trips are based on participants sharing twin bedded rooms. If you are traveling alone you will be placed in a room with someone of the same sex.

Meals

The OAtours are widely regarded for their choice of good cuisine, and we often receive compliments from our guests. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all inclusive. Soft drinks and alcohol are to be paid by our guests. If you have specific dietary requirements please let us know although we do ask people to have realistic expectations.

All together

Everyone that travels with Outdoor Albania will have slightly different expectations when they arrive on tour. A vital part of tour leaders role is to understand individual expectations and to run the tour in such a way that everyone gets the most out of their holiday. However group tours do have to adhere to the schedule to insure that they run smoothly.

Travel insurance

Valid travel insurance is mandatory for all foreign customers. You will need to show evidence to your tour leader that you are adequately insured at the start of the tour. For this reason you must carry your valid insurance policy with you on each trip. Expectation is that an individuals travel insurance will cover any medical expenses incurred, and emergency repatriation. If you have not got an insurrance yet and wich to book one via our international partner WHL, please click here