Itinerary
- Day 1
Tirana to Shkodra
You'll get picked up from Tirana airport or the city center for a two-hour drive to Shkodra. Once there, you'll receive your gear and a briefing about the week ahead. The pedestrian zone has some nice townhouses to walk through, and the bazaar is worth checking out for local snacks. Rozafa Castle sits on a hill with good views over the region if you want to head up there. If you're interested in biking, rentals are available to visit villages around the lake. Otherwise, you can spend time with locals over espresso and figure out where to eat dinner.
Included Activities
- Airport/city transfer to Shkodra
- Equipment provision (road book, maps, telephone, GPS)
- Tour briefing and orientation
Optional Activities
- Stroll through pedestrian zone with bourgeois townhouses
- Browse bazaar for dried fruit and local snacks
- Visit Marubi photo library
- Visit Rozafa Castle for panoramic views
- Rent bike (€5/day) to visit lakeside villages Shiroke and Zogaj
- Swimming in Lake Ohrid (largest lake in the Balkans)
- Fish dining at lakeside villages
- Enjoy espresso with locals
- Visit craft stores
- Dinner at local restaurants
- Evening drinks at local bars
Landmarks Rozafa Castle Marubi Photo Library Lake Ohrid - Day 2
Lake Komani - Valbona Valley
You'll start early and drive through the Drin Gorge for about two hours to reach Lake Komani. From there, you board a ferry that cuts through steep rock faces, stopping to pick up locals from remote villages before arriving in Fierze after three hours on the water. Then you continue by car to Valbona National Park and have lunch in Bajram Curri. In the afternoon, you'll see the stone towers that mark Valbona Valley. A light hike follows a clear stream through old beech forests where wild strawberries grow, and you'll get chances to swim in the cold river. By evening, you'll have a hearty dinner after this introduction to the mountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Light lunch in Bajram Curri), Dinner (Delicious, hearty dinner)
Included Activities
- Scenic transfer through Drin Gorge
- Ferry journey across Lake Komani
- Transfer to Valbona National Park
- Light warm-up hike in Valbona Valley (approximately 7 km, 02:15 walking time, 250 m ascent, 50 m descent)
- Hiking through ancient beech forests along crystal-clear stream
Optional Activities
- Swimming in ice-cold river
- Swimming at secluded pond
Landmarks Drin Gorge Lake Komani Valbona National Park Valbona Valley - Day 3
Doberdol Glacial Valley
A 50-minute drive takes you to Cerem village where your hike begins. You'll walk across flower-covered slopes toward the first border crossing, passing Mount Kolata at 2,534 m. The trail goes through coniferous forests and past small mountain pastures where you can stop for coffee and raki. By the end of the day, you reach Doberdol glacial valley at 1,750 m where animals wander freely and locals have lived for centuries. You'll sleep in simple shepherd's huts with warm hospitality, eat homemade dinner, and watch stars from around the campfire.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch box), Dinner (Homemade dinner in shepherd's huts)
Included Activities
- Transfer to Cerem village
- Hiking across flower carpets to first border crossing (approximately 16 km, 07:30 walking time, 1250 m ascent, 650 m descent)
- Scenic trail through nature park and coniferous forest
- Hike through glacial valley of Doberdol
Optional Activities
- Coffee and raki stop at mountain pastures
- Campfire evening with shepherds
Landmarks Mount Kolata Gashi Gorge Doberdol Glacial Valley - Day 4
Lake Hrid - Babino Polje, Montenegro
A steep climb takes you out of the valley to Mount Trekufiri at 2,366 m where Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro meet, with big views across the border. You'll continue on a blueberry trail into Montenegro around Mount Bogicevica at 2,374 m to reach Lake Hrid, a quiet alpine pond at 1,900 m where you can swim. The path then drops through dense moss-covered pine forests past mountain huts called Katun to Babino Polje. You'll spend the night in simple mountain huts where locals cook traditional Montenegrin food for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch box), Dinner (Traditional Montenegrin home cooking)
Included Activities
- Steep climb to Mount Trekufiri (approximately 13 km, 05:30 walking time, 600 m ascent, 850 m descent)
- Hike around Mount Bogicevica
- Descent through pine forests to Babino Polje
Optional Activities
- Swimming in Lake Hrid (1,900 m elevation)
Landmarks Mount Trekufiri Mount Bogicevica Lake Hrid - Day 5
Vusanje, Montenegro
You'll transfer in the morning into Grbaja Valley, one of the most striking valleys in the Balkans with dramatic karst towers like Karanfili at 2,461 m. The climb goes through beech forest to alpine meadow surrounded by peaks. A ridge walk takes you past several viewpoints to the two highest peaks, Popadiji and Taljanka at 2,056 m, with views across the border into Albania's Kelmend region. After a steep descent through shaded forest, you'll relax at beer gardens back in the valley. Then you transfer to a family-run inn in Vusanje. Later, you can walk to nearby Grla waterfall or just sit on the veranda looking at the mountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch box), Dinner
Included Activities
- Transfer into Grbaja Valley
- Hike through alpine meadows and ridge path (approximately 12 km, 06:30 walking time, 950 m ascent, 950 m descent)
- Ascent through beech forest
- Ridge trail with panoramic viewpoints
- Descent through forest paths
- Transfer to Vusanje
Optional Activities
- Drinks at beer gardens in valley
- Evening stroll to Grla waterfall
Landmarks Grbaja Valley Karanfili Popadija Peak Taljanka Peak Grla Waterfall - Day 6
Lake Gjeshtare - Peja Pass - Theth, Albania
You'll hike the 26 km Ropojana Valley from Vusanje. At Oko Skakavice, an ice-cold river emerges from the mountains where snow melts. The route passes Lake Gjeshtare and then through forest before opening to a large alpine meadow with shepherds' huts and an old military post. You'll reach the highest point before Peja Pass at 1,711 m, which marks the transition to Theth in the Albanian Alps. A steep caravan trail in switchbacks takes you down to the valley. From a watering hole, you can arrange a local ride to your guesthouse or walk the largely traffic-free 4x4 road to the village center.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch box), Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike through Ropojana Valley (approximately 11 km, 05:30 walking time, 650 m ascent, 900 m descent)
- Pass Oko Skakavice karst spring
- Scenic trail past Lake Gjeshtare
- Alpine meadow hiking with shepherds' huts
- Descent through Peja Pass
Optional Activities
- Arrangement of local lift to guesthouse
- 4x4 road option to village center
Landmarks Ropojana Valley Oko Skakavice Lake Gjeshtare Peja Pass - Day 7
Nderlysaj - Boge Valley - Lake Shkodra - Tirana
You'll walk through Theth village and green fields to see its character. There's an old church to visit and a sluice tower where you can learn about the Highland Code. The Kulla tower offers refuge during blood feuds and starts the trail to Nderlysaj. You'll climb along water channels to Grunas waterfall, then to a cliff above the 50 m deep gorge. A good trail follows the river downstream to Nderlysaj where you can swim at the pond if it's hot. In the afternoon, you transfer over Thorja Pass at 1,630 m into Boge Valley and along Lake Shkodra for two hours, then a 2.5-hour drive to Tirana. The city's modern side contrasts with your week in the mountains. You'll end with dinner and drinks in the Bloku district to celebrate the trek.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch box)
Included Activities
- Walk through Theth village
- Visit iconic church in Theth
- Learn about Kanun at sluice tower
- Hike to Nderlysaj (approximately 8 km, 02:40 walking time, 150 m ascent, 400 m descent)
- Grunas waterfall visit
- Grunas Gorge viewing
- Transfer over Thorja Pass to Boge Valley
- Transfer along Lake Shkodra
- Transfer to Tirana
Optional Activities
- Swimming at pond near Nderlysaj
- Glacier mills visit above Nderlysaj
- Explore Tirana's streets and sights
- Visit Skanderbeg Square
- Sip espresso at local bars
- Shop at New Bazaar
- Visit Bunkart 2 (communist history)
- Visit The House of Leaves (communist history)
- Dinner in Bloku district
Landmarks Theth Church Sluice Tower (Kulla) Grunas Waterfall Grunas Gorge Nderlysaj Thorja Pass Boge Valley Lake Shkodra Skanderbeg Square Bunkart 2 The House of Leaves New Bazaar - Day 8
Tirana to Airport
Your last morning in Tirana lets you walk the city streets and see some sights if you want. You can have espresso at local bars, watch the morning activity, and check out edible souvenirs at the New Bazaar. If history interests you, Bunkart 2 and The House of Leaves are both just five minutes from Skanderbeg Square and cover the communist era. Then you head to the airport for your 40-minute transfer home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Airport transfer from Tirana
Optional Activities
- Explore Tirana's streets and sights
- Enjoy espresso at local bars
- Browse New Bazaar for edible souvenirs
- Visit Bunkart 2 (communist history museum)
- Visit The House of Leaves (communist history museum)
Landmarks Skanderbeg Square Bunkart 2 The House of Leaves New Bazaar
