5-day Komani Lake, Valbona Valley and Theth Trek (Guided)

Route

What's the plan?

Day 1: Tirana (Albania) - Lake Komani - Valbona (guesthouse)

The journey to Lake Komani starts early in the morning, you will be picked up at 5am. First stop is Vau i Dejës, a lake north of Tirana. On the way, you'll notice that the road is getting quieter and quieter, and the landscapes become more impressive. Once you arrive at the lake, hop on a local van to Komani Dam. The road here is bumpy, but the views along the way provide a distraction.

At 9am, you board a ferry to cross Lake Komani. It is considered by many to be an unforgettable boat ride not to be missed. Around noon, you will arrive at the Fierza dam, where you will be picked up and driven to your guesthouse in Valbona. From your guesthouse, you can take a short walk on your own initiative to explore the area.

Day 2: Valbona - Maja e Rosit (2524m) - Valbona (guesthouse)
16.6 km | 6-7 hours | Difficulty: Medium | ↑ 1530m | Trail type: Loop

After a brief introduction to the Balkan peaks on day 1, this day gets a bit more intense. Maja e Rosit (2524m) is on the program for today, a 4-hour climb from Valbona. The view from Maja e Rosit offers spectacular views of Valbona Valley and the Accursed Mountains. At the summit, we enjoy a well-deserved lunch before descending back to Valbona.
Day 3: Valbona - Valbona Pass - Theth (guesthouse)
14.4 km | 6-8 hours | Difficulty: Easy | ↑ 880m | Trail type: from A to B

The famous route from Valbona to Theth is on the agenda for today. This hike can take around 6 to 8 hours with more than 1,000 metres of ascent in remote terrain. Reaching the top of Valbona Pass (1795 m), you will see Theth on one side and Valbona on the other. During the descent to Theth, we pass through some beautiful landscapes and wild forests.
Day 4: Theth - The Blue Eye of Theth - Theth (guesthouse)
19.2 km | 6-8 hours | Difficulty: Easy | ↑ 470m | Trail type: Loop

Located just 15 kilometres from the border with neighbouring Montenegro, Theth is considered a hiker's paradise! Follow your nose into the old town and pass many characteristic old stone houses where you feel like going back in time. In the immediate surroundings of Theth, you will find the Blue Eye of Theth, a simply breathtaking waterfall. The Blue Eye was formed by the erosion of the rocks by water descending from the melting snow of the Albanian Alps. You won't be able to take your eyes off the green and blue colours that invite you to take a dip. Once dried up, take the same path back to Theth. 
Day 5: Theth - Grunas Waterfall - Theth - Tirana
6.5 km | 2 hours | Difficulty: Easy | ↑ 210m | Trail type: Loop

Enjoy your last traditional breakfast in the heart of the Albanian Alps. Today you will hike from Theth to the Grunas Waterfall (about 1 hour of hiking).  On the way back, you will visit the old church and the "Lock in" tower of Theth that contains hundreds of years of history.

Back in Theth, hop on a local van towards Shkodra. This ride will take you past the most beautiful views of the Albanian Alps. Our driver will pick us up in Shkodra and drop you off at your hotel in Tirana, arriving late in the afternoon. The end of your Balkan adventure!

What's Included

Included:

√ Transport
At the beginning of the trek, the trekking company will pick you up from your hotel in Tirana. All local transfers during the trek are also included in the price.

√ Guide
During the whole trip, you will be accompanied by a professional, English speaking tour guide.

√ Ferry ticket
The ferry Ticket for Komani Lake to Fierza Dam is included in the price of the trek.

√ Accommodation
During this 5-day trek you will spend 2 nights in a guesthouse in Valbona and 2 nights in guesthouse in Theth. Prices are calculated on triple or quadruples room occupancy. Double or single room occupancy is possible on extra charge. The Triple/Quadruple room occupancy means you might share the room with other travelers and/or the tour guide (who could be males or females).

√ Entry Tickets
Entry tickets are included for the different sights are included.

√ Breakfast
Breakfasts are included in the price of the trek. They will be provided at the accommodation where you spent the night before.

√ Taxes
Tourist taxes, road taxes, and petrol are included in the price of the trek.

Excluded:

× Airfare and Visa
You have to make your way to Tirana. The total amount is exclusive of flights to Albania. 

× Accommodation before and after the trek
Before and after the trek you have to take care of your own accommodation.

× Single and double supplement
Accommodation is based on Triple/Quadruple room occupancy. If you want to stay in a single or double room, you will have to pay an additional fee. Double room occupancy is possible on 10 Euros extra charge per night per person. Single room occupancy is available for 20 Euros extra per night per person.

× Meals, drinks, and snacks
The meals during the trek are not included in the final price, except for breakfast.

× Travel Insurance
Your international travel insurance is your own responsibility. Discuss your itinerary with the insurance company before your trek.

× Mule
Mule or horse caravan, to carry heavy luggage from Valbona to Theth, is available on request with an extra charge of 95 Euros per horse/mule.

× Personal expenses
Personal expenses such as souvenirs, drinks at the bar and other similar expenses are for your own account.

× Tipping
Tips are not a must in Albania or the Balkans, however, our recommendation is to tip the tour guide/driver 5 - 6 Euros per day/person as an international practice to tip good service.

Accommodation

FAQ

FAQ

Best season
The best months to visit Albania are from mid-June to mid-September. The summer months are relatively warm due to its geographical location. Average temperatures in July, August and September are around 25 °C in the Riviera, while temperatures are lower in the Albanian Alps. The beaches are crowded during this period and you will meet most people on the trails. September, October and the first part of November are considered the most ideal period, there is no snow yet and the trails are a lot quieter. The weather conditions in these months are ideal for a brisk trek. 

In winter (November, December, January, February and March), temperatures can drop considerably. You will encounter snow in the mountains, making northern Albania in particular very suitable for winter sports. The transition periods between winter and summer are very unstable. A day with temperatures of 25 °C is certainly not unusual, however, the next day can be 15 °C cooler. This applies mainly to the months of April, May, June and October. From mid-May to around the end of June, weather conditions are good for a nice trek and you won't meet as many other hikers on the route.

Training
The fitter you are, the more you will enjoy the trek. No doubt about that. If you are in good shape, this trek shouldn't be a problem for you. Remember that during these treks in Albania you will be walking many hours in the mountains for several days. If you are worried that it might be too much, you can always train in advance, walking a few hours a day and climbing some stairs. 

Tipping
Tipping is not a must in Albania or the Balkans. However, if you got a good service from your guide and you want to thank him, it will always be much appreciated. How much to tip your guide is up to you. Our recommendation is to tip the tour guide/driver 5 – 10 Euros per day/person as it is an international practice to tip good service.

Single room occupancy
Single room occupancy is possible for EUR 30 extra per person per night. Please ask our trekking experts about the possibilities. 

If you want to get more in-depth information you can check out the following blog posts from Bookatrekking.com about hiking in the Balkans: 

Hiking Albania
Hiking in Croatia
Climb Triglav
Hiking in Montenegro

Packing List

Packing List

Balkans-Challenge accepted! But what should I actually take with me? That's a hard question to answer, because you don't want to compromise on quality but certainly don't want to carry too much weight as well. Perhaps this packing list will help you to prepare for the trek. Use these as a guideline, our trekking experts are happy to advise you if you have any questions. 

Clothing:

- Hiking boots
- Hiking trousers 
- Fleece/down jacket
- Rainwear (jacket, trousers, poncho, etc.)
- Hiking socks
- Hat or buff
- Gloves
- Swimwear (in the summer months)

Equipment:

- Backpack
- Sun protection (sunglasses, sunscreen, etc.)
- Headlamp
- Nightwear
- Travel towel 
- Earplugs

Personal care:

- Water bottle and/or water bottle
- Plastic bag (for rubbish)
- Snacks
- Toiletries 
- Painkillers 

Indispensables:

- Passport/ID
- Travel and/or mountaineering insurance
- Cash money
- Chargers
- Camera for capturing memories

Choose Balkans

Choose Balkans & Bookatrekking.com

Choose Balkans has been Bookatrekking.com's preferred partner in Albania and the Balkans since 2019. Alban and his team are operating from their office in Tirana and they have excellent knowledge of the region. Arranging the local logistics, but also showing the hidden gems of their country is one of their specialities. They also have broad experience in Guided and Self-Guided hiking Trips in Albania and on the Peaks of The Balkans Trail.

If you book your tour through Bookatrekking.com, we will be glad to help you with making the right choice and advise you in the best way possible. Once the booking is made, we leave Choose Balkans to do where they are best. Arranging your accommodations, routes, and all other travel plans to make your hiking trip in Albania an unforgettable experience!

How to Book

How does it work?

On Bookatrekking.com you can find and compare the adventures of your dreams. Is this trekking adventure your match? In that case you can proceed to booking. At Bookatrekking.com you make a deposit of 20% of the total amount. You pay the remaining amount on location prior to the trek directly to the trekking company.

Bookatrekking.com uses only the safest payment methods. Once your booking has been received, your place is reserved, your place is safe and you can look forward to your chosen trekking.

After you have made your booking, you will receive an e-mail confirmation with all necessary information and the contact details of the trekking company. If you have any questions or if you want to clarify something, you can obtain information directly from the right person. Of course, you can also always ask us your question. Send us an e-mail on support@bookatrekking.com

The trekking company will also receive your details and can therefore always contact you and provide you with extra information.

Cancellation Policy

You wish you didn’t have to, but there is no other way: You find yourself having to cancel your plans. In this case, you lose your deposit, but since you haven’t paid the large sum yet, you at least save that. Please do let us know if you cannot make it. A no-show can be a small disaster for your trekking provider, who did its best to block your dates. View our complete cancellation policy here.