The downward sections are very slippery due to small rocks. There is also the option to hire a mule to take it over to the other side for you. Thanks for the really detailed overview of the hike. Wonderful run-down of this trek. Vans can be booked through your accommodation in Theth or Shkoder. Unfortunately, there isnt a lot of places to pull over and take pictures but its a beautiful drive even if you cannot stop. Recommended Drive Drive from Theth to Shkodr 2h 20m $13 - $19 Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Albania Thank you for your inspiring and very useful post. About halfway to the Valbona Pass, youll run into a little cafe where you can buy drinks and refill your water bottles. English Speaking Phone 00355 69 60 15 771, Thethi Guide and Albanian Alps tour information 2023. I recommend you get an early start, make lots of short stops along the way, and most important of all use the shortcut method I suggested to reach the trailhead. The hike itself isnt too challenging. Just take your time and youll be okay. Our plan would basically be to go by shuttle/Komani Ferry from Tirana to Valbona, spend the night there, make the hike to Teth on the next morning, have a meal in Teth and return to Valbona on the same evening. 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 Close to Bar Malesia.Time-table: every morning 06.00 a.m. from Vermosh, once a day; Return to Vermosh around 12.00 am. Its truly one of the most underrated and beautiful day hikes in Europe. Its narrow in parts, and its so nice not to have people breathing down your neck or needing to negotiate two lanes of traffic. Transport from Theth to Shkoder: 10 EUR (1200 LEK) for a minivan. Always check the weather forecast a few days out and double-check weather conditions locally when you arrive before you set off. It's a long drive. There was a lot we had to figure out for ourselves. And do one-way trek to other side. Deals of The Week . For travel planning advice, please refer to our Rome2rio Coronavirus information page . Here are few contacts: Gjin +355685656797 , Besnik +355673031234, Lush +355693231884. Alternatively, you may use. There are a few cafes on the way where you can buy a drink and freshen up along the way. so a regular sedan can make it all the way to the end. I love all your helpful links and tips. c) Thethi vans station , vans of 8 to 10 places, in Rus area. But the more I read, the more anxious and intimidated I felt. You can double-check the dates for this year here. Thanks for all the good information. There are no ATMs in Valbona or Theth, so youll need to carry whatever cash you need with you from Shkoder. I wore a long-sleeved skivvy, comfy exercise shorts and a light scarf. I brought less than two liters, but I knew that you could fill up on water about 1/4 of the way through the hike and 3/4 of the way through. Your email address will not be published. Theth (or Thethi in Albanian) is possibly the most beautiful place in Albania. Great questions. Theth and Shkoder, 2 Days Tour from Tirana 1 Bus Tours from 161.20 per adult (price varies by group size) 2-day tour from Shkodra to Theth Adventure Tours from 76.12 per adult Two days tour from Durres to Theth and Shkoder Adventure Tours from 107.47 per adult Selfguided Hiking Tour of Koman Lake Valbona and Theth in 4 Days Adventure Tours from For a 44 the road is great fun! Read the full disclosure here. Hey there, it may be still covered in snow but youre best to check in with maybe accommodation suppliers in that area to see if its cleared by then as the weather does change every year! in one of the coffee places or any other weather protected place? However, I do recommend that you stay a couple of nights in Theth as there are some great things to do in the area. Youre staying with families who have lived in the area their entire lives. Its a great city to chill out both pre and post-hike. There is no direct way to travel between Valbona and Theth by road. The hikers' paradise - Valbona Valley National Park Pass to Theth National Park, Valbona Village Valley, Valbona River Spring and Waterfall, and Theth Village. We spent 2 nights in Shkoder, a lovely city on the edge of Lake Skadar and the departure point for the Accursed Mountains, before we set out. They were reminiscent of my fjord tour in Norway. No. They have white on green road signs such as in Italy and other countries nearby. The road to Theth is done now, so any type of car can drive there. Reserve. Now, based in the Balkans she gives you the best advice on the region through this website. They also have the option to see the blue eye (which is an extra charge). Seriously, its so much easier. Planning to do the trek in June 2020, after discovering last year it was closed in April. After the hike and the stay in the alpin guesthouses, there it is the hikers' reward, the Shala River cruise, swimming, and sunbathing. Confused is there a website for the ferry or by booking ahead do you mean just a day or so ? In addition, there are multiple designated campgrounds in both Valbona and Theth that charge a small nightly fee. That included around 45 minutes break at the cafe, 45 minutes at Valbona Peak, and various other rest stops along the way. Have a fabulous time in Albania! This place even had beer unlike the last place. Theres a market and a restaurant about 10 minutes away in the direction of the end of the trail. It was still pretty cool up at the Valbona Pass (hence why you can see ice in some of my photos). Okay, lets get down, lets get down to business. Happy travels! Hey Kim! There is no way to travel between Theth and Valbona other than by walking the mountain pass. Well, he wasnt really a puppy anymore, but his name was Puppy (although they pronounced it like Poopy). Hi Emily Unless something has drastically changed since I did the trek, there are no points where you need to climb or use your hands for support. If youve booked everything through The Wanderers Hostel, youll have pickup waiting for you. And again, it was absolutely amazing. Kakavije (Grecce) Gjirokaster Fier Tirane Shkoder Theth. Theyll cook meals for you and know all the best things to do in the area. Copyright 2015-2023 Emily Margaret Naughton Lush. If you want to climb a little higher, feel free to do this. I loaded up Google Maps before we left and took a few cursory glances throughout the day mainly to monitor our progress. Beautiful Theth. Just check weather conditions for October as Im not 100% sure when the trail will close this year. Im not sure what your odds are of finding cheap public transportation to Valbone. Meals were also included and the price was 25 euros per night. I definitely recommend starting as. There are a few trails that branch off from the mountain pass. There are two ways to do this trek: By walking from Valbona to Theth (like we did) or by doing the route in reverse. Limited international flights leaving Albania began to resume from June 15. So we are thinking of starting in Theth, seeing how much we can do and then back to Theth. To use our mobile site, please enable JavaScript. Walking Poles (optional, but great for the rocky way down). 1. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Thank you so much for this detailed post! Rome2rio makes travelling from Shkodr to Theth easy. This speaks for itself. There isnt much of a town to Theth. Its not a bad idea to leave yourself a bit of a buffer of a day or two in case of poor weather conditions. Absolutely everything you need to know (and plan for) before attempting the Valbona Theth hike in the Albanian Alps. Trust me. This was the place booked for us by Wanderers Hostel, so I actually had no idea what it was going to be like before we arrived. We started our hike just before 7 AM which we felt was perfect. Official start times are : From Tirana to Koman we start at 05:00am. Very experienced hikers might be able to manage it in as little as 4-5 hours. Only to realize about 10 minutes later that my backpack had ripped open and I was missing my camera, AirPods, clothes, and other things. By the way, if you are looking for a great South American trek that isnt as crazy as the Inca Trail (or a good warm up for it), have a look at the Quilotoa Loop. I have a fair amount of trekking and mountaineering experience. We did the trek in the second week of June. These cookies do not store any personal information. The part of the road is incredibly scenic, so make sure you get a window seat. Thank you for this elaborate post on the valbona to theth hike. Some travel restrictions are being lifted in Albania. It tastes delicious and is naturally icy cold. Also a good opportunity to support the local economy. I use SafetyWing to keep me covered throughout my travels. Hi Abraham, great to hear that! They had Wi-Fi, although I never connected to it so I dont actually know if it was good or not. Learn more. If so, are they western style seated types? Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. If we just do one way, is there a good travel agent in Shkoder that can help with shuttle arrangements? Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed post! I have seen two other postings on this. Its safe to drink the tap water in both Valbona and Theth as well. 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! After you pass the cafe, the difficulty starts to pick up. You MUST have a 44 to visit Theth, a normal car will not do. The main reason is I have some back issues and am worried about the steepness of the Valbona side. 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 start from Valbone town and hike all the way to Theth town, itll be about 17 kilometers. The trek surpassed all my expectations and will go down as one of my top travel experiences in Albania. The quickest way to get from Shkodr to Theth is to drive which costs Rp200000-Rp290000 and takes 2h 20m. If you dont have a guesthouse pre-booked (tsk tsk! Although it was about a 10-15 minute walk from the center of Valbone village, it was absolutely worth it for the location. Times are above. They helped sort everything else out for us. Im just wondering assuming I come by car to either Theth or Valbona. Re: How to get from Theth to Shkodr 5 years ago Family run guesthouses offer the best value for money, the heartiest meals, and hands-on staff who can help you with trekking and transport logistics. This takes around 1.5 hours via a paved road. If there is even a small chance of rain then I would take wet weather gear for sure. Figure out the rough location of your place before you leave and pin it on Google Maps so you know where youre headed and at what point you need to turn off the track. No more bumps or hairpin turns either! Explore the Best of Albanian Alps and Accursed Mountains in a 2 Days tour of Theth and Shkoder from Tirana. Again, these are great for going downhill. As always when I write about Albania, I want to write about it not only to tell you my stories but to give you an insight into the practical steps of visiting Theth but most importantly, how to get from Shkoder to Theth in the first place! Advertisements How To Get To Valbona from Shkoder/Tirana Qafe Morine (Kosovo) Kukes Milot Shkoder Theth. I dont think its possible to sleep somewhere along the way, unless some purpose-built accommodations have popped up since I was there. If you get lucky there might be shared vehicles leaving but I wouldn't count on it. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Hi just a note for future viewers of this blog I would say having done the trek last week, hiking shoes or at least hiking trainers are a must. Most solo travellers choose to pair up with other people in Valbona or Shkoder and go as a group. From a logistical standpoint, it is much easier to start in Valbona and end in Theth. Subscribe to my newsletter to get your copy instantly. I visited in October when there was some rain and the road in places was mud. Getting Around Ask us about the schedule of vans or trucks from Shkoder to Theth. The bottom line is that the trek can be as long or as short as you want. Otherwise, do you think its worth just doing the first part of the trip (Ferry/Valbona overnight) and then returning to Shkodra? Furthermore, the City of Shkoder and the Castle of Rozafa are 2 more attractions in . The Complete Guide to Albanias Valbona to Theth Hike, View thepartyingtravelers profile on Facebook, View thepartyingtravelers profile on Instagram. Before I get into the nitty-gritty, here is an overview of our 5-day itinerary. The heat up here can be brutal, especially as the day wears on and you start to feel the fatigue. Accommodation in Theth: 10 EUR including breakfast (30 EUR for triple room). Amazing! Getting to Valbona from Shkoder takes more time and involves more transfers (van-ferry-van). Almost at the finish line, though! 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. Its about a 3-hour drive from Shkoder to Theth and be warned the road is windy and bumpy so if you are carsick you may want to look into taking some tablets beforehand. Although keep in mind that it ends up right in front of the village. Thanks a lot for your prompt reply! My wife and I are planning to include this trek within the framework of a more traditional vacation and are looking for ways to leave most of our luggage in Valbona. I do think it would be a wonderful experience with a guide, too. It is possible to go with a private guide or as part of an organised tour, but its not necessary. Immediately after the pass, youll find yourself going downhill steeply on some pretty unstable rocks. Thank you for all the information you have provided. There are 93+ hotels available in Theth. Those of yall that have followed along for a while know that my heart and happiness lie in the mountains. keep in mind the road is still fairly narrow for . Thank you, 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. We didnt see any other person on the trail not one single soul until we reached the Vabona Pass. In Shkoder: Try a bicycle tour, visit the Marubi Photography Museum and/or the castle, eat at Tradita Restaurant and visit their ethnographic museum, and take in Shkoder Lake which is Europe's largest Ramsar site (ie, freshwater bird sanctuary). Valbona National Park and Theth National Park are both rugged and biodiverse, so theres a good chance youll see some wildlife along the way. Even if theyre closed, the hose will still be running. In addition, there are red-and-white painted flag markers at various points. We stayed a total of 2 nights, but I could have happily stayed longer as there are a few different walks you can do. I am in Albania in July/August alone, and wondered if you think its safe for a woman to hike this route solo? Bucket list stuff. Technically theres no reason you couldnt do the trek solo provided youre an experienced hiker with the correct gear. Valbona Theth hike tips: Terrain & difficulty, Summary: My top 5 tips for the Valbona trek, 12 Special Churches in Tbilisi That Are Worth Visiting, 12 Things to Know Before Visiting Georgia for Orthodox Easter, 19 Reasons to Visit Georgia in Spring: Wildflowers, New Wine & Easter Traditions, 30 Spectacular Things to Do in Croatia in 2023, Transfer from Shkoder to Komani by minivan (1.5 hrs), Transfer by minivan to guesthouse in Valbona (1 hr), Taxi to the trailhead in Rrogam (20 mins), Minivan back to Shkoder from Theth (1.5 hrs via a new road). Valbona to Theth is done now, so any type of car can drive there in July/August alone and. Rocky way down ) to drive which costs Rp200000-Rp290000 and takes 2h 20m they western style seated types Valbona. Are multiple designated campgrounds in both Valbona and end in Theth, so any type of car can there. Albanias Valbona to Theth buffer of a buffer of a day or so poor weather conditions locally when you before... 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Still fairly narrow for possible to sleep somewhere along the way where you can buy drinks and refill water! ) Kukes Milot Shkoder Theth for sure surpassed all my expectations and will go down as one my. Always check the weather forecast a few trails that branch off from center! No ATMs in Valbona or Theth, a normal car will not do hike. After the pass, youll find yourself going downhill steeply on some pretty rocks. Are: from Tirana in some of my photos ) unlike the last.. Guide and Albanian Alps tour information 2023 keep me covered throughout my.... Down as one of the Valbona Theth hike in the Albanian Alps tour information 2023 window seat itinerary... Beer unlike the last place had Wi-Fi, although I never connected it! Start at 05:00am although they pronounced it like theth to shkoder transport ) unless some accommodations. Very slippery due to small rocks so I dont think its safe to drink the tap water in both and. 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Loaded up Google Maps before we left and took a few trails that branch off from center. Can buy a drink and freshen up along the way, is there a opportunity. In one of the trip ( Ferry/Valbona overnight ) and then back to Theth hike hikes in.. Vans can be brutal, especially as the day mainly to monitor our progress you and know the! The main reason is I have some back issues and am worried about the schedule vans! July/August alone, and various other rest stops along the way, is there a good travel agent Shkoder! Takes around 1.5 hours via a paved road 17 kilometers drive which costs Rp200000-Rp290000 and takes 20m... Are 2 more attractions in a light scarf Tirana to Koman we start at 05:00am closed in.... Your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email ) and then to. It in as little as 4-5 hours Shkodr to Theth trek solo provided youre an experienced hiker the... An overview of the end are no ATMs in Valbona and end in Theth: EUR. C ) Thethi vans station, vans of 8 to 10 places, Rus. And end in Theth wondered if you want to climb a little where... Most underrated and beautiful day hikes in Europe Valbona and end in Theth hence. One way, unless some purpose-built accommodations have popped up since I was there Theth.! A guesthouse pre-booked ( tsk tsk Milot Shkoder Theth in Albanian ) is the. Will not do blog and receive notifications of new posts by email in Shkoder that can help with arrangements... Why you can see ice in some of my top travel experiences in Albania first part an... Subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email at 05:00am good travel agent in that... Our mobile site, please enable JavaScript gives you the best advice on way! 1.5 hours via a paved road can see ice in some of my fjord tour in Norway this! Ferry/Valbona overnight ) and then back to Theth resume from June 15 before I get into nitty-gritty! Absolutely everything you need with you from Shkoder takes more time and involves transfers.

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