The ULTIMATE Hikers Guide to the Albanian Alps (2025)

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If you’re travelling to Albania, a trip up to the Alps should be an essential part of your itinerary. The Albanian Alps are most famous for the iconic Valbona to Theth hike. A one-way track, through the mountains, taking you from one small mountain town to another. There are no roads between the two places, so it’ll just be you, your fellow hikers, and a few mountain dogs and horses along the way.

The Alps are also home to a few other challenging, but super rewarding hikes. The most gruelling hike of them all (in my humble opinion) is the Rosni Peak, taking you to the top of Maja e Rosit, one of the highest peaks in the area.

A couple of smaller hikes that you can do in Theth are the Blue Eye Hike and Grunas Waterfall. Both will have you marvelling at magnificent waterfalls. You can make these days as short or long as you’d like. There is a shuttle available to take you to the Blue Eye if you want to minimise the effort involved.

Or, if you want to pack your bag and head off into the Balkans for a couple of weeks, you HAVE to look at doing the Peaks of the Balkans trail.

This takes you through the northern Albanian Alps and to western Kosovo and south-eastern Montenegro. All on foot – cool, eh? But buckle up, this can take a couple of weeks to finish.

The best time of year to hit these trails is between June and September, AKA summertime in Europe. This time of year sees minimal rainfall and maximum sunshine. During this time, many of the trails get packed out – so you’ll want to be sure to secure you’re accommodation early, especially in Valbona and Theth.

However, I’ll throw a spanner in here and say that my favourite times to hike in Albania are actually during the shoulder seasons (May and October). Yes, the weather is a little more hit and miss, but the trails are way less busy, and I like the temperature a lil’ cool when I’m hiking anyway!

If you plan to take on the challenge of the higher summits, such as Rosni Peak, in the shoulder seasons, be sure to check the snow forecast, especially in May.

It’s important to know that many of the trails, including the Valbona to Theth track, close over the winter. So, you will not be able to hike the Albanian Alps over this period.

You essentially need to either get to Valbona or Theth to start hiking in the Albanian Alps. To get to both Valbona and Theth, you’ll need to make your way to Shkoder – a funky town in the north of Albania. Shkoder is essentially the gateway to the Albanian Alps.

How to Get From Shkoder to Valbona

Getting to Valbona from Shkoder is a bit of a mission. The entire trip takes a maximum of eight hours and usually requires an early morning pickup from your accommodation. It’s a three-part trip: you’ll be transported on a minivan, then a ferry, then another minivan. It’s quite the adventure.

• Leg 1: The initial minivan is a rocky ride as these roads are full of potholes and far from maintained. So buckle up while your driver does what he does best.
• Leg 2: The ferry ride is absolutely magical. Known as the Thailand of Europe, the boat along Lake Komani is worth the trip itself.
• Leg 3: After the boat, another minivan will pick you up and take you on the final leg of the journey and drop you straight to your homestay in Valbona.

From Valbona, you can access the:

• Rosni Peak Trail
• Valbona to Theth Trail

How to Get From Shkoder to Theth

To get to Theth from Shkoder, you can either hike there from Valbona 😉 OR you can get a minivan from Shkoder. It’s only a couple of hours away, so it’s a much shorter travel time than getting to Valbona.

From Theth, you can access:

• The Blue Eye
• Grunas Waterfall
• Peaks of the Balkans Trail
• Theth to Valbona Trail

The guesthouses in the Albanian Alps are one of my favourite parts. They are home to some of the best places to stay in Albania.

All of the places that I stayed were family-run homestays or guesthouses. The hosts will feed you up and look after you like you are one of their own.

Most of the stays will offer a homemade dinner for about 15 euros, and I can tell you now, it’s a spread! Many places include breakfast and can pack you a lunch for your hike for a small fee.

My favourite homestay in Valbona is Lazer Çardaku Guesthouse. They have recently built a cosy lounge area to enjoy a few beers and dinner around a fireplace. The rooms had gas heaters, which in October was a Godsend. The food was delicious! As was their local wine and raki. They even dropped us to the start of the hike – legends. I can’t recommend this place enough.

My favourite homestay in Theth is this Guest House in the Centre of Theth. This stay offered the BEST hot shower after our day of hiking. It also offered incredible views from our window. The included brekky was bangin’ and the owners offered up some of Albania’s finest hospitality.

You know how I said that Shkoder is the gateway to the Albanian Alps? I wasn’t kidding, this place is properly set up for hikers setting off into the Alps. Most homestays and hotels will offer transport arrangements AND luggage storage. Yep, if you’ve got a big ass backpack or suitcase that you don’t want to be lugging around with you – you can pay a couple of euros a day to store it.

Now you know you can ditch most of your stuff in Shkoder, you’ll want to make sure that you bring a day pack. I’d recommend the Speed Lite 21 Pack, or for a bigger pack, the Osprey Exos 58 is great. You aren’t going to need too much for your escapades into the Alps. However, you are heading into the mountains, and we know that the weather amongst the peaks can be rather unpredictable.

Here is my suggested packing list:

• As I just mentioned, a decent day pack. Something that you will find comfortable hiking with (if you’re planning to do the Valbona to Theth)
• Exercise clothing (at least two pairs, you’re gonna get sweaty!)
• Hiking shoes/boots
• Good socks (enough pairs for each day that you’re hiking)
• A lightweight rain jacket—I’d recommend the Mannut Alto Lightweight
• A long-sleeved top (you might want this to be merino/ thermal, if you’re visiting in the cooler months)
• A lightweight jumper/jacket

What you DON’T need to pack:

• Soap & shampoo – these toiletries are nearly always provided at the accommodation
• Towels – again, they are provided

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The Albanian Alps are one of the best places to visit in Albania as they’re full of epic things to do. Here are my top picks for the best things to do:

1. Go Hiking (Duh!)

Ahh, the reason we are all here! The best thing to do in the Albanian Alps is to go hiking. Whether that’s a shorter trek or a two-week escapade. The top hikes are:

• Valbona to Theth
• Valbona Pass
• Maja e Rosit
• Grunas Canyon/Waterfall
• Blue Eye Trail
• The Peaks of the Balkans Trail

2. Grunas Waterfall, Theth

If you are staying in Theth, a trip to the Grunas Waterfall is well worth the hike. You can hike from the town of Theth within 1.5 hrs.

The track takes you through some bloody incredible views. I’d say the views along the way are almost more impressive than the waterfall itself!

There are a couple of small cafe stops along the way if you need to stop for a drink.

The waterfall itself isn’t huge, but it’s incredibly beautiful. It’s the perfect place to stop, relax, and enjoy a bite to eat on the surrounding rocks.

When I visited, it definitely didn’t seem like a swimmable waterfall. The pool is pretty small and VERY cold!

3. Take a Dip in the Blue Eye, Theth (if you dare)

You can either make the big ol’ trek on foot to the Blue Eye from Theth, or you can take the shuttle from town. Then the hike to the Blue Eyes itself is just an hour. There is a restaurant at the start of the trail, and there is a drinks stop when you get to the waterfall too.

We took a very quick dip in the water when we arrived… but in October, we were the only ones jumping in! The water was 4°C according to the locals. It took my breath away (quite literally).

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4. Visit the famous church in Theth, Kisha e Thethit

Easily the most iconic church I’ve ever seen in my life. The building itself is gorgeous, but it’s the background that just makes it outstanding. I’d happily spend my Sundays here 🙂

5. Go Ziplining in Theth!

The Thethi Zipline is a 1,200m ride in the Albanian Alps… you can’t really beat the views you’ll get as you zoom above the tree tops. If you like a little thrill in your life, this is one to add to the list.

This itinerary is to hike Rosni Peak, Valbona to Theth, the Blue Eye, and Grunas Waterfall.

If you’re looking to do the Peaks of the Balkans trail, you’ll need at least two weeks and a whole other itinerary for this!

Day 0 – The Day BEFORE Your Adventure to the Albanian Alps Begins

The day before you set off on your Albanian Alps hiking trip, you’ll need to make sure you are in Shkoder. As we’ve talked about, this is the town from which you will access the Alps. On day 0 (or earlier), you can book your transport to get to Valbona.

You can do this through a tour agency, or ask your accommodation host, many hosts will be able to organise this for you.

Day 1 – A big day of travel

Day one will kick off with an early rise as your minivan will pick you up at about 6am. They set off this early to make sure they make the ferry departure!

Day one will consist of a minivan ride, an EPIC ferry ride along Komani Lake, and then another ferry ride before you get dropped off at your homestay in Valbona. I’d recommend stocking up on snacks and even a packed lunch for this day!

Once you arrive in Valbona, there is not a whole heap to do! You can go for a lil’ walk to explore, but this evening you’ll probably just relax at your homestay, eat a delicious home-cooked meal, and enjoy a glass of raki.

Day 2 – It’s time to hit Rosni Peak (Maja Rosit)

If you’re up for the challenge, you can use the second day to summit Rosni Peak. Set off relatively early to give yourself maximum time to make it to the summit at 2,524 m (8,280 feet). The elevation gain is about 1,600 m.

This hike is challenging… to say the least. Only attempt this climb if you feel fit and prepared to take it on. It is 21km out and back and takes about 7-9 hours to complete. Take enough water and be sure to check the sunset time so that you make it back before dark. Oh, and enjoy the f***ckin’ amazing views!! It may be tough, but man, it’s worth it.

Once you get down, you’ll have a beer with your name on it.

Day 3 – Hike over to Valbona

If you have the time and your body is begging for it after the pain of Rosit catching up with you, you can always take this day to chill out and rest up before taking on the next hike.

However, if you feel up to it, you can gear up for another day of hiking over to Theth. This one doesn’t require as much of an early rise as the total hike is 15km and will take more like 6-7 hours. Potentially even faster if you’re fit, I think we did it in about 5 hours!

The elevation gain is 1,000m, which is still solid! The highest part of the hike is 1,800m. This hike is easier than Maja e Rosit, however, it is still challenging.

Once you get to Theth, you’ll have to hike to your accommodation. I’d recommend choosing somewhere close to the end of the hike—thank me later! Then it’s time to park up with a beer and enjoy the incredible views of Theth.

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Day 4 – Time to Explore Theth

Theth itself is more built up than Valbona as it is much easier to access from Shkoder. During your fourth day, I’d suggest that you hike to the Grunas Waterfall, through the Canyon, and over to the Blue Eye trail.

This hike, there and back, was 21km and took us ALL day. But, if you have the energy for this adventure, it does provide some bloody gorgeous views!

However, I have great news for those of you who will be pooped by this time. You can actually take a minivan from Theth town to the start of the Blue Eye trail for about 5 euros each way.

It’s then just 45min – 1hr to hike to the Blue Eye from the start of the track. There is also a restaurant/cafe at the Blue Eye so you could make an afternoon of it.

You can also check out the famous church in Theth, Kisha e Thethit. It is seriously one of the most beautiful settings to have a church…I can see why Instagram likes it so much!

Day 5 – Back to Shkoder

It’s day five, you’re probably going to be absolutely knackered after 3 big days of hiking in the Albanian Alps. So, you’ll be happy to know it’s time to head back to Shkoder. The minivan ride is only a couple of hours and can often be booked for you by your accommodation.

It’s important to note that if you have MORE time to spend in the Alps, I would 100% recommend it. You could easily hang out in Theth for a few days and spread out the Blue Eye, the waterfall, and the church over a couple of days. These are big days on your feet, so if your body needs the rest, you can take more time, slow it down, and just enjoy staying in these beautiful mountain towns!

Although this guide is pretty damn comprehensive, I’ve got you guys with a few more tips and tricks for your time hiking the the Albanian Alps.

• It’s a bit more expensive in the mountains than everywhere else in Albania.
• You can drink the water from the tap (even most outdoor ones!) and the water is some of the freshest I’ve ever sampled, everrrr.
• Some homestay hosts will charge you a whack to pick you up and drop you off at the start of the hike, so look into this before you book your stay.
• Booking a stay close to the start/end of your hike makes your life easier.
• There are bears in Albania – but apparently they haven’t been sighted by any locals in years! So that is promising lol.
• Most places in Shkoder will be able to organise your transport and hold your luggage.
• Snacks for the hike. Prices are hiked in the mountains, so stock up in Shkoder. However, the Valbona to Theth trail has a few cold water stops along the way.

Here’s what people usually ask me about hiking in the Albanian Alps.

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By now, you should have your toolbox full and all the information you need to plan the ultimate hiking trip to the Albanian Alps. There are a few different routes that you can take, some a couple of days long and others a couple of weeks. Whether you’re in for some heavy assss trekking or would rather a lighter hike, there is plenty for every kind of hiker in Albania.

If you’re unsure, you can’t go wrong with the Valbona to Theth route. It’s by far the most popular route in the Albanian Alps, and although the tracks can be busy, they are long, and saying hi to a few fellow hikers along the way is always nice, right?

Be sure to pack a couple of warm layers and a good rain jacket if you’re heading in shoulder season. And get out there and have a good time!

If you have any questions or if you think I’ve missed anything, please let me know in the comments below. Happy hiking!

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