I was told the last bus leaves at around 1:30 2:00 in the afternoon. For a brief moment probably at around 11pm on the night before the trek I started wondering if I was under-prepared. Qafe Thane (Macedonia) Elbasan Tirane Shkoder Theth. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Im not sure what your odds are of finding cheap public transportation to Valbone. And again, it was absolutely amazing. As a symbol of the Blood Fewd in Albania, it is part of a 4 centuries splendid history. For travel planning advice, please refer to our Rome2rio Coronavirus information page . Albania Itinerary: 2 Weeks to Explore the Highlights of the Country. Explore the Lock. ), head for Mini Market Jezerca where you can grab a drink and use the free WIFI to get your bearings. While it's possible to travel the entire way . For the latest travel status, please check the official page for Albania. 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). Lay the groundwork for a successful hike. When you click on and/or make a purchase through an affiliate link placed on this website, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.Thanks for your support! The airport is connected with direct lines and daily flights throughout Europe, operating both in summer and winter. Its a steep drop off, and hard, icy snow is never all that trustworthy to walk on. Hani i Hotit (Montenegro) Shkoder Theth. The hikers' paradise - Valbona Valley National Park Pass to Theth National Park, Valbona Village Valley, Valbona River Spring and Waterfall, and Theth Village. Hi Georgia! Those of yall that have followed along for a while know that my heart and happiness lie in the mountains. Even if theyre closed, the hose will still be running. If you'd like them to arrange your transfer, see them at the reception the night before, and you'll have your seat in no time. The price can vary from 50 to 100 per person. Hi Andrea, thats great to hear! Your guesthouse in Theth can easily arrange this for you. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Explore the Best of Albanian Alps and Accursed Mountains in a 2 Days tour of Theth and Shkoder from Tirana. 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. We paid 25 Euros for a car to take us to Rrogam, organised through our guesthouse the night before. Many thanks for all the detailed information, really useful to us as were planning our trip to Albania! Thankfully, it didnt pose any problem for us. We were able to leave our guesthouse by 7am and after a short drive to the trailhead, we started walking at 7.20am. 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. Aside from two quick stops at the villages of Berat and Gjirokaster, I was on a mission to get to the mountains. Immediately after the pass, youll find yourself going downhill steeply on some pretty unstable rocks. If you get lucky there might be shared vehicles leaving but I wouldn't count on it. Advance bookings are mandatory for the Komani Lake ferry. For the most part, the terrain on the trek is rough but manageable. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can hire a mule to carry larger backpacks (we saw a few people doing this), but I personally think its overkill. Only to realize about 10 minutes later that my backpack had ripped open and I was missing my camera, AirPods, clothes, and other things. Thank you so much for this detailed post! Thanks again and best wishes, Getting to Valbona from Shkoder takes more time and involves more transfers (van-ferry-van). By bus, first take a bus from Tirana to Shkoder (1 h 45 min, 3.30 euro). Are you going to trek from Valbona to Theth or try the reverse route? 5. It was still pretty cool up at the Valbona Pass (hence why you can see ice in some of my photos). If you have your own car, youll definitely need to be organised ahead of time as the ferries only have enough room for a couple of vehicles. How much would that typically be and how long does it take? Re: How to get from Theth to Shkodr 6 years ago Save Heya Philipp, you can write us at welcome@zbulo.org for details, a 4x4 ride starts from 60 for the 3h drive to Shkoder. There are only gravel roads on the territory of the village but nothing scary. If this post helped you out, show some love and support for the blog and help keep my adventures going bybuying me a beer! The night before we left Valbona, our hosts gave us the option of skipping breakfast and taking a packed lunch instead. 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. We heard from a few hikers who did it a few weeks prior that it was quite dangerous. Although it was about a 10-15 minute walk from the center of Valbone village, it was absolutely worth it for the location. The Wi-Fi here worked great. Are there any? I had a lot to say about this trek. When we arrived in Valbona, we were under the impression that we could wake up the next morning and just start walking from our guesthouse. Unfortunately, there isnt a lot of places to pull over and take pictures but its a beautiful drive even if you cannot stop. Heres a quick summary of my top 5 takeaways. From Theth, you can easily catch a bus back to Shkoder. Yes, the driving distance between Shkodr to Theth is 73 km. from. Trust me, Im as stubborn as it gets for doing everything on my own to save a little money. Hello emily. I was extremely unfit when I did this hike and although I did have to grit my teeth for a tiny bit, I was honestly surprised how easy I managed it. Hi Abraham, great to hear that! Hi Emily Finally, it's easier to organise transport back to Shkoder from Theth on the fly. Where to stay in Shkoder Accommodation IN Shkoder The Wanderers Hostel - Shkoder There arent really any places to swim on the route, so dont bother wearing bathers (although you might want to pack them if youre going to the Blue Eye in Theth). Briefly, the trek can be divided into five chapters: Yes, the way is marked. Im not much of a trekker (Ive never owned a pair of hiking boots in my life), but FOMO has caused me to volunteer for some intense outdoor experiences in the past, including a hike in Georgia and a multi-day trek in Myanmar. Thanks for the rest of the information which was very very useful. This post may contain affiliate links. Hi and thank you for the amazing information! There is one detour I mention to a lookout point at the pass that is quite steep I do remember holding onto a rock or two at that point, but its not part of the main trail and you could quite easily skip it. Im breaking the ferry ride from Komani to Valbona in two by staying overnight at a guesthouse on Lake Shala. c) Thethi vans station , vans of 8 to 10 places, in Rus area. Expect rugged mountains and beautiful views, especially as you approach Valbona Peak. Dont underestimate the value of having the trail to yourself. Youre welcome, Katy! Either way, your accommodation supplier will be able to organise it for you. My favourite resources and tools for planning a trip to Albania. Since my backpack had split open, I could no longer frolic down the mountain like I wanted, but the views made it worth going slow. Some international borders began to reopen in Albania from June 15. They arranged a 6:30 AM taxi pickup to take us to the trailhead of the Valbone to Theth hike. Incredible! Find all the transport options for your trip from Shkodr to Theth right here. The hike is one of the best things I have done, and Im not even a hiker. Its better to book in advance online, especially in June. We started our hike just before 7 AM which we felt was perfect. It took us 8 hours, maybe a little over because we stopped to take a hundred photos as well as flying the drone and stopping to take a break. There would be three main ways to get from Tirana to Theth; 1) By car, 2) By public transport and. When I did this trip, it took 3.5-4 hours. This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. It costs 10 euros, or about 1200 lek for the three hour journey. Skanderbeg Square. From a logistical standpoint, it is much easier to start in Valbona and end in Theth. Im just wondering assuming I come by car to either Theth or Valbona. I have seen two other postings on this. If so, are they western style seated types? Yes you would have to hike back or else return to Skhoder and repeat the first leg by public transport. The only way to travel between Theth and Shoder is by shared minibus. Are hiking shoes a must have for the trek or can we use regular trainers ? If you prefer to take a guide, Journey to Valbona is a reputable provider. Learn more. There are no ATMs in Valbona or Theth, so youll need to carry whatever cash you need with you from Shkoder. Valbona to Theth is a thru hike once youre over the pass, theres no road to take you back. The three days that I spent in the Albanian Alps were far too short. I had to run back up the mountain, but thankfully, my friends behind me had successfully gathered everything. Official Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information for Albania. 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. I plan to carry him for most parts of the journey. There was a lot we had to figure out for ourselves. Meals at our guesthouses cost us between 7 and 10 Euros per person, and drinks (coffee, beer) a couple of Euros each. There is 1 way to get from Shkodr to Theth by car Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2rio's travel planner. Trip duration: around 2 hours one way Minibus Ticket Price: 10 Eur/ Person one way Pick-up: is offered from the hotel door in Shkodra, at around 07.00 a.m. Drop off: Guesthouse door. Wonderful run-down of this trek. Hi Iliana it depends on the forecast! Report inappropriate content 2. And damn, they did not disappoint. I was wondering how is the weather during the hike, in the mountains? Everything youll need can be provided by the guesthouses. Upon arrival, admire the village's mountain scenery, see its famed tower, discover the 100-foot (30-meter) Grunas Waterfall, and venture on an optional hike to . I dont think its possible to sleep somewhere along the way, unless some purpose-built accommodations have popped up since I was there. Please do feel free to drop back and add any tips Ive forgotten. I hightailed my way away from the coast. The distance between Shkodr and Theth is 42 km. If you leave Valbona early, you likely wont encounter many other people for the first half of the trek. Ps I assume it would still make sense to try and get to Valbona separately to do the ferry? The tour is around 65 per person. Good Walking/Hiking shoesif(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'thepartyingtraveler_com-leader-1','ezslot_15',136,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-leader-1-0'); The downhill part after reaching the Valbone Pass is really the only place I struggled with the terrain. As for trekking solo another option, although its less reliable of course, is to team up with some other hikers once you arrive. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. What do you think ? As I understand it, there are no regulations on camping in this area, meaning you can pitch a tent anywhere you please along the trail. Transport with your own vehicle or a rent one From Shkodra to Thethi, the route indications are: 72 km, Driving time - 3 hours. 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! A local guide could probably show you some lesser-known spots and narrate the journey. Depending on where you start and where you end, the hike can range anywhere from around 12-20 kilometers. It allows me to keep providing free travel guides and creating travel content to help you all travel the world.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,100],'thepartyingtraveler_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_9',118,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-medrectangle-3-0'); I hiked from Valbone (or Valbona) to Theth. Again, these are great for going downhill. 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. From Theth, its a comparatively straightforward drive back to Shkoder. It will then take you to a van just outside the city which will take you all the way to Theth. Planning to do the trek in June 2020, after discovering last year it was closed in April. April 20, 2021. How do I close the loop? The first hour is tarmac and the remaining hours is a gravel road. This is my top tip for the Valbona Theth hike. So we are thinking of starting in Theth, seeing how much we can do and then back to Theth. Maybe its because I went into the country completely blind without knowing a single thing about it. So lets take a virtual tour to Theth for any of the options: Traveling by car. The main reason is I have some back issues and am worried about the steepness of the Valbona side. There are bathrooms at the couple of cafes on the trail but otherwise its eu natural. Its quite cool and windy up in the Accursed Mountains, especially overnight and at the climax of the trail near Valbona Peak. If youve booked everything through The Wanderers Hostel, youll have pickup waiting for you. Youll be walking along rocky terrain but the trail is well worn and clearly marked. In reality though we might head there in June with a 14 month old child. Trust me. Youve inspired me to try it. Vans can be booked through your accommodation in Theth or Shkoder. Heres why: Valbona is a mountain town 200km north-east of Shkoder. It is very helpful! Its narrow in parts, and its so nice not to have people breathing down your neck or needing to negotiate two lanes of traffic. There are two cafes on the route: One 2 hours from Valbona and another approximately 3 hours from Theth. Hi Wan, yes the road is complete as of a couple of weeks ago. How do I buy a London Underground ticket? Learn more about me here. Hi Emily. What is the toilet situation along the trail? Airport to Shkoder transport from . It's a long drive. 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. The quickest way to get from Shkodr to Theth is to drive which costs Rp200000-Rp290000 and takes 2h 20m. Thank you, My travel buddy and coSantiago Pilgrim and I are headed to Albania about the second week of October. 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. Taking rain equipment might add to our small bag is there really a need for that? Limited international flights leaving Albania began to resume from June 15. For everyone else, set aside the whole day, set off early, and youll have no issues reaching your end point before nightfall. Just take your time and youll be okay. Recommended option Drive Drive from Shkodr to Theth 2h 20m $13 - $19 Quickest way to get there Cheapest option Distance between Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Albania Start your hike early and make sure you have a guesthouse at the far end of the Valbona valley. We started walking at 7.20am and arrived in Theth at 3pm, meaning we completed the hike in 7.5 hours (a new PB!). For a 44 the road is great fun! Your private trip includes lodging, meals, and all transportation. There isnt much of a town to Theth. Peaks of the Balkans also has a list of local mountain guides some of them local to the area on their website. Just a question regarding the gear. Thanks for the really detailed overview of the hike. Gazheli Petrol in Tirana,to Koman at 05:00. The hike itself isnt too challenging. Getting Around Albania. Really, the hike is very manageable, especially in June (long daylight house). Tirana - 2 nights. Come prepared and dont count on the cafes being open. Paul. Walking Poles (optional, but great for the rocky way down). After pickup from your accommodation in Tirana or Shkoder, travel via Jeep out of the city. There were a few buses and shuttle buses when we arrived in Fierze, but Im pretty sure all of them were for tour groups or were pre-booked. There are brown bears, wolves and lynx in the area another reason why you should stick to the marked trail. Hi John! Thanks for asking this I will add a note to the post. About halfway to the Valbona Pass, youll run into a little cafe where you can buy drinks and refill your water bottles. ( pick-up from hotel ) Here are all the extra services we offer. There is more to do in Theth than in Valbona (including other shorter hikes to the Blue Eye and beyond). Hi Emily per adult. Whatever you need, you have to carry with you, which is why I highly recommend travelling with a light day pack only. There are a few cafes on the way where you can buy a drink and freshen up along the way. There are no border crossings and no security checkpoints on the trail itself. (Its also possible to book a transfer from Tirana bus station for 1400 lek.). Its really hard to say without knowing the weather conditions. There is widespread community transmission globally. Subscribe to my newsletter to get your copy instantly. There is only one daily journey, leaving at 7 am on the dot. I do have one question though. Bunk'Art 2. Rome2rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. It eases up pretty quickly, though. 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 Stephen's Catholic Cathedral (Shkoder Cathedral) Hotels near Rruga Kole Idromeno ( ) Hotels near Rental Car Shkodra Hotels near Site of Witness and Memory The road distance is 72.6 km. Even if you opt to walk from the start of the trailhead, if you start from Valbona, you can get this part over with and be in the shade of the forest near Theth before it starts getting too hot. What is the Valbona Theth trek actually like on the ground? There were plenty of hiking trails that you could connect to straight from the guesthouse. There are lots of guesthouses in both Valbona and Theth, but I highly recommend you read the reviews and choose wisely. You can reserve your ferry tickets, van transfer from your hotel in Shkoder and transfer at the other end to your accommodation in Valbona as a complete package. Hi Wan, (Actually the mammal was carrying another, smaller mammal in its mouth, so technically we saw two animals.). The final step is the transportation to Valbone. 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. Some people at our guesthouse were carrying poles, boots and other fancy trekking paraphernalia, none of which I had with me. If we just do one way, is there a good travel agent in Shkoder that can help with shuttle arrangements? As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This is such a nice post: I wanna board the plane today and go straight to Teth. There's a lot more to do in this village compared to Valbone. Qafe Morine (Kosovo) Kukes Milot Shkoder Theth. I recommend leaving your luggage in Shkoder as you have to pass through there to get the ferry anyway. The guesthouse fed us three meals a day, so we never really had to go into town except for beer.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thepartyingtraveler_com-box-4','ezslot_11',119,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-box-4-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'thepartyingtraveler_com-box-4','ezslot_12',119,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-box-4-0_1'); .box-4-multi-119{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;}. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. 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. Good luck, let me know how you get on! We all took turns falling over during the last part of the walk the steepest and most slippery part of the trail is the final descent into Theth. Sunscreen is also essential. There are 93+ hotels available in Theth. Youre most welcome, Monique! You will need to book the night before as a furgon will pick you up from your hotel or hostel. If you start from Valbone town and hike all the way to Theth town, itll be about 17 kilometers. Introduction; Day 1: Airport - Shkoder. I was wearing high speck, gripping hiking trainers and was struggling with slipping all along. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our. Kolman Lake/Valbona/Theth - 3 nights. But the more I read, the more anxious and intimidated I felt. There are the top ways to get to Theth, whether youre an adventure lover or not there are options for everyone. It cost 16 euros for all of that. A good place to camp is near the cafe above Theth. 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! Discover insider tips, itinerary inspiration, and all the best things to see, do and experience in Albania! Im glad you found my advice helpful! After you pass the cafe, the difficulty starts to pick up. There are a few trails that branch off from the mountain pass. Close to Bar Malesia.Time-table: every morning 06.00 a.m. from Vermosh, once a day; Return to Vermosh around 12.00 am. Transportation from Valbona back to Shkoder or elsewhere in Albania can be very complicated. Instead of walking from your guesthouse, you can organise for a driver to take you to Rrogam, the small village where the trail starts. Even then, I dont know if its worth the extra hassle considering this leg of the trip is only 700 lek, or about $7 for a nearly hour-long journey.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'thepartyingtraveler_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_17',120,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-thepartyingtraveler_com-medrectangle-4-0'); When we got off the ferry, we just told them we were with the hostel and they had a ride sorted for us. 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. Theth is pretty spread out (though not to the same extent as Valbona), with guesthouses and camping grounds all along the river. I love all your helpful links and tips. We only took one wrong turn, right at the beginning of the hike as we were leaving a small village near the Valbona trailhead. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. We were lucky we had that packed lunch, otherwise we would have gone hungry. Both cafes I mentioned are located on the edge of a stream and have free water. Guesthouses and cabins are the main places to stay in the Albanian Alps. Once youve wrapped up your time in Theth, you can catch a bus back to Shkoder. Getting back to Shkoder from Theth is easy by comparison (van only). Its also a good idea to pack some hiking snacks (muesli bars, crackers, etc.). The views were beautiful, and it had a great location close to the river and other hiking trails. Bookings can be made through the official website, Komani Lake Ferry Berisha. Hi! 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).