Don't be late. Deals of The Week . And again, it was absolutely amazing. Northern Albania has pronounced seasons its not possible to trek in the Albanian Alps in winter due to heavy snowfall. The trek surpassed all my expectations and will go down as one of my top travel experiences in Albania. The owners were some of the kindest people Ive ever met. No more bumps or hairpin turns either! I love all your helpful links and tips. When I did this trip, it took 3.5-4 hours. If youre not a huge hiker, it is possible to still enjoy Theth. Walking Poles (optional, but great for the rocky way down). Maybe its because I went into the country completely blind without knowing a single thing about it. Like I mentioned earlier, the hostel I stayed at also organized pretty much everything for me. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The showers were hot, the beds were cozy, and for 25 euros a night, it cannot be beat. My adventures are entirely self-funded, so any show of support is greatly appreciated. The most popular way to get to Theth is from Shkoder, which is a city in the north of Albania, and a very beautiful one at that! 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). Some people at our guesthouse were carrying poles, boots and other fancy trekking paraphernalia, none of which I had with me. The route an old mule trail winds through the Accursed Mountains (Albanian Alps) and over the Valbona Pass, a landscape of rocky peaks and deep ravines shared between Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo. The three days that I spent in the Albanian Alps were far too short. The shuttle between Theth and Shkoder is 10 euro . Most guesthouses and cafes only accept cash but will take either Euros or Albanian lek. Hi Emily. Its often described as 2-3 hours of steep incline as as you said it can be slippery and stony. Required fields are marked *, document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "aed89f797d37662949d6db19ef56f4a8" );document.getElementById("g1a5e7aece").setAttribute( "id", "comment" );Comment *. By bus, first take a bus from Tirana to Shkoder (1 h 45 min, 3.30 euro). All Rights Reserved. Thank you for useful info! A local guide could probably show you some lesser-known spots and narrate the journey. Thanks for asking this I will add a note to the post. The heat up here can be brutal, especially as the day wears on and you start to feel the fatigue. Besides that, Theth is all nature. Almost everyone we encountered on our travels was doing it this way. Hi Anita, I hightailed my way away from the coast. Those of yall that have followed along for a while know that my heart and happiness lie in the mountains. more, You seem to have JavaScript disabled. Either way, your accommodation supplier will be able to organise it for you. Again, I had no idea what this was going to be like before we arrived. Finally, it's easier to organise transport back to Shkoder from Theth on the fly. If you dont have a guesthouse pre-booked (tsk tsk! Id recommend doing it this way because this is the one that I can give you the details for, and the route that can be organized entirely by The Wanderers Hostel in Shkoder. Find all the transport options for your trip from Shkodr to Theth right here. There are two cafes on the route: One 2 hours from Valbona and another approximately 3 hours from Theth. Very experienced hikers might be able to manage it in as little as 4-5 hours. Although keep in mind that it ends up right in front of the village. Thank you for this elaborate post on the valbona to theth hike. Learn more about me here. The uphill parts are gruelling for sure, but they only come in short bursts, and you do get some relief with the downhill portions. Great questions. I found it so much better than just staying at a hotel or hostel. How do I close the loop? Both cafes I mentioned are located on the edge of a stream and have free water. Accommodation in Theth: 10 EUR including breakfast (30 EUR for triple room). $198.77. You can hire a mule to carry larger backpacks (we saw a few people doing this), but I personally think its overkill. Valbone is very spread out, so where youre staying and where you start can add a few kilometers to the journey.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thepartyingtraveler_com-banner-1','ezslot_3',129,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thepartyingtraveler_com-banner-1','ezslot_4',129,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-banner-1-0_1'); .banner-1-multi-129{border:none !important;display:block !important;float:none !important;line-height:0px;margin-bottom:7px !important;margin-left:auto !important;margin-right:auto !important;margin-top:7px !important;max-width:100% !important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center !important;}. The inclines are never too tricky or too steep. My fitness level is absolute zero and I still did OK. They also have the option to see the blue eye (which is an extra charge). The Valbona cafe was closed in June, and the Theth cafe only had limited food offerings. We heard from a few hikers who did it a few weeks prior that it was quite dangerous. Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. I havent heard of anyone doing that before, but I think its a great idea. There isnt much of a town to Theth. How to get from Heathrow Airport into central London, How to get from Luton Airport into central London, Shkodr to Porto Montenegro Residences Tivat. Happy travels! The Valbona (Valbone) to Theth (Thethi) hike in Northern Albania is an A to B trek that takes you from one idyllic alpine village to another through the heart of Theth and Valbona National Parks. If you have any questions relating to getting to Theth make sure you leave them below and I will do my best to answer them for you. Glad to hear that! Learn more. These cookies do not store any personal information. Heres why: Valbona is a mountain town 200km north-east of Shkoder. I recommend leaving your luggage in Shkoder as you have to pass through there to get the ferry anyway. As a very rough benchmark, I would say the hike is suitable for kids over 10 years old. Almost at the finish line, though! Seems like you experienced it? What do you think ? You do not need a guide to do this hike. Kolman Lake/Valbona/Theth - 3 nights. Its better to book in advance online, especially in June. Again, many people were dressed in proper hiking gear when something comfortable and cool would have done the job just as well. I definitely met people who were doing the hike both ways but the most popular option is to get a shuttle from Shkoder to Theth, then do the hike to Valbona and take the ferry + shuttle back to Shkoder, or the other way around! If you do go down this route, remember to notify someone on either end of your plans. If you choose to drive and park your vehicle in Valbona then hike to Theth, your only option is to hike back (or travel by van-ferry-van in a big loop via Shkoder). Hey Anita! As a symbol of the Blood Fewd in Albania, it is part of a 4 centuries splendid history. From Theth, its a comparatively straightforward drive back to Shkoder. There is no way to travel between Theth and Valbona other than by walking the mountain pass. Thank you, Push through for the final few kilometers and youll be rewarded with the wonderful views from the village of Theth. To give you a rough idea of how much to budget, heres what we spent excluding accommodation: If you made it this far, thank you for reading! Have a fabulous time in Albania! 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. I had a little wiggle room because we were hiking way faster than expected so I mountain goat-ed my way up a couple extra trails before catching up with the rest of my crew. Thanks for the really detailed overview of the hike. 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. Most of the trail is a white rocky path that is very easy to distinguish from the terrain around it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Travelling Balkans Site Powered by Pix & Hue. Domestic travel is restricted within Albania due to Coronavirus (COVID-19). There are a few cafes on the way where you can buy a drink and freshen up along the way. This website uses affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link. Times are above. Otherwise yes, its very much worth just doing the first part of the trip. My biggest regret was not giving myself sufficient time to explore Albania. Transport from Theth to Shkoder: 10 EUR (1200 LEK) for a minivan. Honestly, if youre trekking in good weather in summer, you dont need any of it. Just take your time and youll be okay. 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 Although it was about a 10-15 minute walk from the center of Valbone village, it was absolutely worth it for the location. They had Wi-Fi, although I never connected to it so I dont actually know if it was good or not. I am considering to hike with my son who is 4 years old. Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. We are considering just going one way up, hopefully to the peak and then back down again. This takes around 1.5 hours via a paved road. 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. What is the Valbona Theth trek actually like on the ground? But trust me, youll want to stay in Theth for at least one night. Copyright 2015-2023 Emily Margaret Naughton Lush. Are you planning to do the trek? If its windy, it also makes things a lot trickier. Its truly one of the most underrated and beautiful day hikes in Europe. Mid to late June through to September is a safe bet. - every morning at 07.00 a.m. from Shkodra, once a day; - every afternoon at 11.00 a.m. from Thethi, once a day. 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