A Complete Hiking Guide to the Albanian Alps (2024)

Which Way to Hike: Theth to Valbona or Valbona to Theth?

I got so confused when I was in Shkodra planning the trip, as there was a lot of mixed information out there. After doing the hike myself, I can totally say that it doesn't matter. They are both pretty much the same.

My suggestion is to go whichever way you find yourself going. If you find a nice group of friends to do the hike with, go with whichever group chooses. If your hostel recommended doing one way and there are many people going that way, go with them. The hike is more fun with people, especially if you get stuck in the mountain due to rain as I did.

That said, if you want to choose the most optimal ways for you, there are a few things to consider:

One, there are more hiking trails to do in Theth. So, if you are the type of hiker who prefers doing small hikes before doing a longer hike, go from Theth to Valbona.

Secondly, the Theth-Valbona hike levels are not evenly distributed. From Theth to Valbona Pass, it is a 3-hour steep climb straight up, which is perfect for those who like to do the hard part first when they have the energy and relax for the rest of the trail.

But if you are coming from Valbona to Valbona Pass, it is a long but gradual climb of around 4.5 hours, which is perfect for those who like to go slowly and steadily.

Personally, I prefer doing small hikes first before doing larger ones and going fast in the morning when I have the most energy. So, going from Theth to Valbona is the perfect fit for me.

Since both are generally the same, within this guide, I will stick to the Theth to Valbona route. However, if you decide to do the other way around, everything I write here will still apply to you, so stick around until the end.

5-Days Albanian Alps Hiking Itinerary

Day 1: Prepare for the Hike in Shkodra

Hiking Time: 0
Difficulty: No hiking is required today.
Where to Stay: The Wanderers Hostel (Budget) - 9 USD/Night (Dorm) | Amberyellowbnb (Mid-Range) - 44 USD/Night (Superior Double Room).

In order to hike the Albanian Alps, you will first have to make your way to Shkodra, one of the oldest cities in the Balkans. Depending on where you are coming from, the trip from Tirana to Shkodra should not take longer than 2 hours. Therefore, you should have some time on your arrival day to prepare yourself for the hikes and see some of the cool sights in Shkodra.

To prepare for the hike, you can refer to my Things to Prepare list above. If you are looking for a good place to buy some supplies before the hike, SPAR Supermarket located at the end of G'juhadol Street is a great place to start.

Once you are done with the preparation, you can spend the rest of the day exploring the city. From SPAR Supermarket, walk to the other end of G'juhadol Street and you will be in Kole Idromeno Street, one of the main attractions in Shkodra, full of restaurants and cafes to indulge yourself in.

Right around the same area as Kole Idromeno street, be sure to check out St. Stephen's Catholic Cathedral, Ebu Bekr Mosque, and Orthodox Cathedral of the Nativity as well while you are there. These are some of the prettiest structures you will find in Shkodra.

Looking for a great place to watch the sunset? Rozafa Castle, located 1.5 km south from Shkodra City Center, is one of the best places to do that. Two hours before sunset, start making your way to the castle, and when you are there, do not enter the castle (it is probably closed by then anyway) but climb up the hill to the side of the castle instead and watch the sunset from outside the castle wall.

If you don't fancy walking for 1.5 km, you can also rent a bike from your hostel/hotel and ride to Rozafa Castle as well. With a bike, you can also go further and check out the old Mesi Ottoman Bridge to the north of the city or ride along the Lake Skadar to Zogaj and back.

Before you end the day, make sure to organize all your transportation with your hostel/hotel to the Albanian Alps. You can book all the buses and ferry in one go with your accommodation for around 2,400 LEK.

You will receive the tickets for trips from Valbona to Fierze (bus), Fierze to Koman (ferry), Koman back to Shkodra (bus) which you can give to the driver later. For the trip from Shkodra to Theth, you can pay directly to the bus driver when you arrive tomorrow.

For accommodation in Theth and Valbona, you might be able to get by without booking during the shoulder seasons. However, if you are there in the mid-summer months, I highly recommend booking them before you embark on the journey. The good ones (the ones I recommended in this guide) get booked out really fast.

Thankfully, you can book the accommodation on Booking.com now as they have recently obtained a reliable internet connection in both places.

Day 2: Travel from Shkodra to Theth and Hike to Denelle in Theth

5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate - Steep Climb at First but Easy towards the End
Where to Stay: Shpella Guesthouse Theth (Budget) - 17 USD/Night (Dorm) | 33 USD/Night (Twin Room with Private Bathroom).

After a night in Shkodra, you will be departing for Theth in the early morning, where the bus you booked yesterday should come and pick you up at your hostel/hotel around 7-8 AM.

My bus came and picked me up at my hostel at around 7:20 AM, so be sure to wake up early. I asked my hostel to prepare my breakfast for the trip, so you can do that too. Otherwise, the bus will stop at a viewpoint halfway to Theth, so you can buy some snacks and coffee from there as well.

The journey will take 3 hours, with 1.5 hours on a paved road to the viewpoint and another 1.5 hours on a mountainous road to Theth. If you are staying at Shpella Guesthouse, which I highly recommend, please let your driver know so that they can drop you off there.

There are 2 areas in Theth, the town center (if I could call it a town) and Fushe Thethi in the outer rim of the town where Shpella Guesthouse is located. It is only a 15-minute walk from one another, but the view is so much better in Fushe Thethi, hence why I recommend Shpella Guesthouse.

Shpella Guesthouse is also located close to all the side trips we will be doing today and tomorrow, so that is another reason to stay in the outer rim of Theth rather than at the center.

After a 3-hour journey from Shkodra, you should arrive in Theth by 11 AM, which should give you ample time to do some hikes before sunset. A hike I would recommend you do is the Denelle Trail, which will take you up a mountain, allowing you to see the other side of the valley.

The hike ends in Denelle, a giant plain surrounded by mountains, and in the midst of that, you will find a warm, welcoming family of 5 and their settlement where you can refill your water and enjoy the view with their lovely daughters.

The trail begins from Fushe Thethi just east of Shpella Guesthouse and continues east towards a rocky river bed where you will have to cross to the other side.

From the other side of the riverbed, the trail is a 3-hour straight-up hike through a thick forest where you will be able to occasionally take a break and admire the view of Theth and all the surrounding valleys from above.

If you think this view is nice, I would recommend that you go up first and come back down to this same spot on your way down a few hours before sunset. The light will be amazing then, and you should be able to capture some epic photos, as I did 😁.

The viewpoint is about halfway into the 3-hour hike, so you are still a long way until you arrive in Denelle. Continue to hike up further, and you should arrive at an opening where you will find yourself in the middle of a large plain surrounded by mountains.

Looking up from Theth, it is hard to imagine that this place exists high up in the middle of all those beautiful peaks. Continue walking a bit further into the plain and you will see a small camp where the warm-welcoming family of 5 awaits you.

Congratulations, you have reached the end of Denelle Trail, so you can relax a bit. Ask the family to fill up your water and explore the surrounding area. After you have finished taking photos, make your way down the same way.

It should be another 2 hours before you arrive back in Theth. Along the way, be sure to look out to the breathtaking valleys towering over Theth and watch as the sun retreats.

The hike to Denelle is moderate to hard, but tomorrow we will be doing an easier hike to the Blue Eye that consists of 90% flat trails and only 10% steep climbs.

After a hike, congratulate yourself with a feast worthy of a champion. At Shpella Guesthouse, every evening, the mother of the owner of the guesthouse will cook a large feast where everyone gathers around a large table and eats together.

They will prepare around 5-6 local dishes, where you can eat as much as you want. It costs 8 EUR per person, which is expensive for Albanian standards. However, the price makes sense when you consider that you are in the mountains and the food is plentiful, delicious, and you can eat until you collapse! I highly recommend dinner at Shpella Guesthouse.

After an epic feast, make sure to go out into the night and check out the night sky before you end the day. Walk a little towards the road connecting Theth center and the outer rim, and you will be away from artificial light, giving you the opportunity to have the entire Milky Way to yourself 😉. That's why I always carry a tripod!

Day 3: Hike to the Blue Eye in Theth

5 hours
Difficulty: Easy - Mostly Flat But Long
Where to Stay: Shpella Guesthouse Theth (Budget) - 17 USD/Night (Dorm) | 33 USD/Night (Twin Room with Private Bathroom).

After a good night's sleep, have an epic breakfast at Shpella Guesthouse and set off to the Blue Eye, one of the most popular hikes to do in Theth. Due to its popularity, you can expect many more people doing this hike than the one I recommended the day before.

The Blue Eye trail begins just south of Shpella Guesthouse, where you will have to walk down along the right bank of the river until you cross the rocky river bed you crossed yesterday (at a different point). From here, you will have the option to either continue to the Blue Eye or check out Theth Waterfall.

It is just another 5-minute side trip, so I would recommend you visit Grunas Waterfall first, and then the trail should merge back to the Blue Eye trail. It is quite crowded for my liking, though it was still quite a nice view to see.

Be sure you keep checking your Maps.me after the waterfall. My friend Lindsay and I got lost quite a few times before we found ourselves on the right track.

After the waterfall, you will walk along a flat trail for 2 hours until you have to cross the river to a small settlement called Nderlysaj. From there, it is another 30-minute walk and a 15-minute steep climb to the Blue Eye.

After approximately 3 hours, you should arrive at the Blue Eye, where you can stop for lunch, swim in the chilling waters of the Blue Eye, or relax at the small café they have there.

Despite the temperature of the water, the Blue Eye is a stunning natural phenomenon to look at, even if you don't plan to swim. The water is extremely clear, and the fact that it is tucked away in a lush green forest makes the Blue Eye one hell of a photogenic place.

After taking a break at the Blue Eye, you can start heading back the same way to Theth. In general, the hike to the Blue Eye itself is very easy and not very demanding, but the trail is long, and you will be hiking for about 6 hours in total, so do prepare your gear accordingly.

After the hike, you will have the evening to freshen up, have an amazing dinner at Shpella Guesthouse, and socialize with the people at the guesthouse. For some reason, Shpella Guesthouse attracts the best people!

When I was there, we were stuck at Shpella Guesthouse for 3 days due to heavy rainfall, and I met some really awesome people. We ended up hiking together after the rain stopped. If you are looking to socialize in Theth, the Shpella Guesthouse dinner table is a great place to start 😉.

Day 4: Hike from Theth to Valbona

Hiking Time: 7 hours
Difficulty: Hard - Steep and Long Trail
Where to Stay: Jezerca Guesthouse (Budget) - 15 USD/Night (Dorm) | 33 USD/Night (Budget Double Room).

Today is going to be a big day and probably one of the reasons why you are visiting the Albanian Alps in the first place. We are tackling the famous Theth-Valbona hike, which will take you through some of the most stunning trails in the area.

From Theth, you will have to make your way up north heading towards Theth Center, but instead of crossing the river and following the road, you stick to the right bank of the river until you have to cross it on foot. Then, follow the trail until you reach the intersection.

Turn right at the intersection and then follow the trail, cross the riverbed again, and you should see a sign directing you to the trailhead of the Theth-Valbona hike.

From the trailhead, it is a 3-hour steep climb that goes straight up to Valbona Pass, the highest point of the trail. It is a long, strenuous hike, so take it slow and take a break often if you have to.

The trail at the beginning is mostly exposed, but 30 minutes in, and you should be in a forest, which should help you with the heat. This part is definitely the hardest of them all, but once you reach the Pass, it will be a simple stroll from then to Valbona.

There are a few awesome viewpoints along the way, so be sure to keep an eye out for one. Also, do not forget to look back once you are about to approach Valbona Pass.

After 3 hours of climbing, you should arrive at Valbona Pass where you can continue to climb up further to an actual viewpoint to get that epic panorama shot. Be very careful here as the trail is narrow and covered in slippery gravel.

Once you are done taking photos and chilling out at the pass, you can continue down the mountain and through the valley to Valbona. It is an easy stroll from here on out, but it is still quite a long way to go until you arrive in Valbona.

Along the trail, you will find quite a few cafes where you can stop and take a break. I recommend Simoni Cafe if you are looking to stop for a bit after making your way down the Pass. For only 2 euros, you can get yourself a glass of their delicious iced coffee, a beer, or raki if you need a shot of that to wake you up 😉.

From Simoni Cafe, it is another 2.5-hour walk down the mountain and along the rocky riverbed until you arrive at a paved road. Depending on where your accommodation is, you might have to walk further along the road for another 45 minutes to get to the end of Valbona.

Jezerca Guesthouse that I recommended is located right at the end of Valbona, so you will have to walk for another 45 minutes to get there. Do not worry, once you see the road, you will want to continue on. The surrounding view in Valbona is pretty epic.

Along both sides of the road, you will see tons of breathtaking mountains, lush green forests, and cute little local farmhouses that should keep you occupied until you arrive at your guesthouse.

Also, be sure to keep an eye out for a few of the 170,000 bunkers that are scattered throughout the country in Valbona. There are quite a few of them hidden away along the road here.

After you arrive at your guesthouse, freshen up, eat dinner, and be sure to let your guesthouse know that you are going on the 10:30 AM bus the next day. Make sure you still have the tickets you bought earlier with you. If you somehow lost them, you can buy another one at the guesthouse in Valbona.

Day 5: Travel from Valbona to Shkodra

Hiking Time: 0
Difficulty: No hiking required today
Where to Stay: The Wanderers Hostel (Budget) - 9 USD/Night (Dorm) | Amberyellowbnb (Mid-Range) - 44 USD/Night (Superior Double Room).

Valbona is especially beautiful in the morning, so if you sleep in the day before, be sure to wake up early and walk around the town at sunrise before your departure.

From your guesthouse, a bus will come and pick you up at 10:30 AM (sometimes a bit earlier), and it will drive you to Fierze, a town where you will have to catch the ferry across Komani Lake.

The bus journey from Valbona to Fierze is about an hour, and you should arrive in time for the 1 PM ferry to Koman. At Fierze, they will drop you off right at the port where there is a restaurant where you can sit and wait for the ferry.

After you get on the ferry, it is another 2-hour journey across the Komani Lake. The view is quite amazing throughout, so be sure to find a seat outside.

On the ferry, you can buy water, soft drinks, and some light snacks in case you run out during the hike. After 2 hours on the ferry, you should arrive at the port in Koman around 4 PM.

At the port, there will be several buses waiting for you. You can get on one of them, give the driver your ticket, and they will take you back to Shkodra in 2 hours.

Congratulations! You have finally completed the epic Theth-Valbona hike in the Albanian Alps! From Shkodra, you will arrive too late to catch any bus out, so you will likely have to stay overnight and then catch a bus the next day.

More Shkodra Activities

Albania Travel Video

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When is the Best Time to Hike the Albanian Alps?

The best time to hike the Albanian Alps is from May - October when the hiking trails are open, and you are more likely to get clear days, which will make your hike much more enjoyable.

Keep in mind that the weather in the Albanian Alps can change quite drastically at any moment, even in the mid-summer months, so be sure to check the weather forecast before you embark on the journey.

The weather forecast in the Albanian Alps is pretty accurate, so I recommend you check the forecast about 3 days prior to your journey and plan accordingly.

I was hiking in July, and we were stuck in Theth for 3 days due to heavy rainfall. A couple of friends and I decided to extend our trip so that we could outstay the rain, but some had to go back as they didn't have the time. So, if you are determined to hike the Albanian Alps, be sure to leave some wiggle room in case the weather goes bad.

For hiking out-of-season, I would recommend against it as most of the high passes in the Albanian Alps will likely be closed off due to snowfall, and the ferry service across Komani Lake, one of the transportation options you will have to rely on, only runs from mid-April to early November.

The hiking season peaks in August (there is a chance there will be a Jazz Festival in Theth during August as well), so if you want to avoid the crowds, go for May - June or September instead.

How to Get to the Albanian Alps?

The Albanian Alps are located in the northern part of Albania, bordering Kosovo and Montenegro. In order to get to the Albanian Alps, you will have to get to Shkodra, the main city hub, before you embark on the mountain.

Depending on where you are coming from, most likely you will have to fly into Tirana, the capital city of Albania first. There are a few ways you can get to Tirana:

How to Get to Tirana?

From the US, you can fly into Tirana via Turkish Airlines through Istanbul, KLM Airlines through Amsterdam, Alitalia Airlines through Rome, and a few other routes that go through Europe.

From within Europe, you can go with low-cost airlines like WizzAir or RyanAir to get to Tirana. If you are coming from a place that doesn't have a low-cost direct flight to Tirana, it might be worthwhile to travel by land to a city that has one and fly from there instead of relying on expensive flights.

From Asia, the easiest way to fly to Tirana is through Istanbul via Turkish Airlines. If you want to minimize costs, you can find a way to Turkey and then from there, you can fly with Pegasus Low-Cost Airline to Tirana. Keep in mind that you might have to change airports if you are switching from a regular carrier to a low-cost carrier in Istanbul.

To find a cheap flight to Tirana, I would recommend that you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule, so you can compare and pick the best one.

How to Get from Tirana to Shkodra?

From Tirana, you can take one of the many buses going to Shkodra every day from the Northward Bus Station in Tirana.

There are 13 buses running every day between the two cities from 7 AM to 5 PM, running almost every hour. The bus costs 300 LEK and will take around 2 hours to reach Shkodra. They will drop you off at Sheshi Demonkracia roundabout located in the city center, so you should have no trouble walking to your hostel/hotel.

How to Get from Saranda to Shkodra?

Saranda is a big city hub in southern Albania, and if you are coming from Greece by ferry, you will likely end up here. If you are looking to travel from Saranda to Shkodra, you can easily do it in one day without a stopover in Tirana.

First, you will have to get to Tirana by catching one of the many buses bound for Tirana. The buses connecting these two cities run from 5 AM to 10 PM. Keep in mind that this schedule may be subject to change depending on the season you are traveling in.

The journey from Saranda to Tirana will take 5 hours and cost 1300 LEK, while the journey from Tirana to Shkodra will take another 2 hours and cost 300 LEK.

How to Get to Theth and Valbona Trailhead?

The trailhead doesn't begin until you are in Theth, which is still quite far away from Shkodra. It can get quite confusing wrapping your head around all the transportation required to bring you to the Albanian Alps and back, but do not sweat, I'm here to break the entire trip down into an easy-to-understand step-by-step guide.

Tips: You will be traveling on one bus from Shkodra to Theth and one ferry and two buses from Valbona back to Shkodra. To ensure that you have space on this transportation, I recommend you buy all the bus and ferry tickets all in one go from your hostel/hotel in Shkodra. The total price will be around 3,400 LEK.

Getting from Shkodra to Theth

From Shkodra, you will first have to travel by bus on a winding road for 3 hours before you arrive in Theth. If you organize your trip with your hostel/hotel in Shkodra, the bus should come to pick you up and your accommodation at around 7:20 AM.

The journey will take 3 hours and cost around 1,200 LEK (10 EUR). Once you arrive in Theth, you can ask your driver to drop you off at your accommodation so that you do not have to walk.

Getting from Theth to Valbona

From Theth to Valbona, you will have to hike up to the Valbona Pass for 3 hours and down to Valbona in 4 hours. You can find more details on what to expect along the trail below.

Getting from Valbona to Shkodra

From Valbona, you will have to travel to Fierze to take the ferry across the Komani Lake. The bus leaves from Valbona at 10:30 AM, and you will arrive in Fierze in one hour. The bus costs 700 LEK.

If you bought all your tickets in Shkodra, all you have to do is let your guesthouse know that you are leaving on the 10:30 AM bus the day before, so they can inform the bus driver to pick you up. Then, you can simply show the ticket to the bus driver when the bus arrives.

After you arrive in Fierze, you will have to wait until 1 PM to catch the ferry to Koman across Komani Lake. This part of the journey will cost 800 LEK and takes around 2 hours before you arrive in Koman, where you will have to get another bus back to Shkodra.

From Koman, you will find many buses waiting for you at the port. Simply get on one, show your ticket to the driver, and you will be back in Shkodra in 2.5 hours. This last leg of your journey will cost you an additional 700 LEK.

How Many Days to Spend Hiking in the Albanian Alps?

If you are only interested in doing the Theth-Valbona hike and you do not have a lot of time, you can spend a minimum of 3 full days (4 nights), including 2 nights in Shkodra and one night each in Theth and Valbona. However, you will barely scratch the surface of what makes the Albanian Alps so breathtaking.

If you have more time, I would recommend that you spend at least 4 full days (5 nights), with 2 nights in Shkodra, 2 nights in Theth, and one night in Valbona. This way, you will have more time to do some epic side trips in Theth.

Here is a breakdown of the 4-day itinerary in the Albanian Alps:

Day 1: Prepare for the hike in Shkodra and spend the night there.

Day 2: Travel to Theth and hike up to Denelle and back. Spend one night in Theth.

Day 3: Hike to the Blue Eye and back, and spend another night in Theth.

Day 4: Complete the Theth-Valbona hike and stay overnight in Valbona.

Day 5: Travel back to Shkodra and spend the night there.

For more details on the 5-day itinerary and the hiking trails, check out the detailed 5-day hiking itinerary in the Albanian Alps below.

How Much Money Do I Need for the Albanian Alps?

From the 5-day itinerary above, we can calculate the minimum amount of money you can expect to spend in the Albanian Alps as follows:

Tips: There is no ATM in Theth and Valbona, so be sure to take out enough cash in Shkodra before you start your journey. Feel free to use this breakdown as a guide, but keep in mind that this is a minimum value (staying in a dorm, eating cheap, etc.). Be sure to have more money than you need just in case.

Accommodation: Two nights in Shkodra cost 18 USD, two nights in Theth cost 34 USD, and one night in Valbona costs 15 USD. Therefore, the total accommodation cost is 67 USD (7,429 LEK).

Food: Food in Shkodra costs around 500 LEK, whereas in both Theth and Valbona, you can expect to pay 500 LEK for lunch and 1,000 for dinner. Breakfasts are included in the accommodations recommended here, so for 5 days, you will spend around 4,000 LEK on food.

Transportation: For transportation, a bus from Shkodra to Theth costs 1,200 LEK, a bus from Valbona to Fierze costs 700 LEK, a ferry from Fierze to Koman costs 800 LEK, and a bus from Koman to Shkodra costs 700 LEK. Therefore, the total cost for transportation is 3,400 LEK.

Activities: Hiking is FREE! 😁

Total Budget: 14,829 LEK (134 USD).

Is it Safe in the Albanian Alps

In general, Albania is a very safe country to travel in. There is nothing to worry about when it comes to dealing with people. The only thing to worry about is the terrain in the Albanian Alps.

In the Albanian Alps, you will be hiking on several steep trails, and it can be challenging and slippery, especially when it rains. One place you have to watch out for the most is at the viewpoint of the Valbona Pass, which is a narrow, rocky trail full of slippery small gravel.

When it is crowded up there, people have the habit of trying to squeeze themselves in to get that epic view of the Valbona Valley, so watch your step and watch out for other people's swinging backpacks.

Which tourist SIM card is best for The Albanian Alps?

Update: If your phone supports eSIM, I highly recommend checking out Airalo, a global eSIM marketplace. It allows you to stay connected affordably while traveling in Albanian Alps, Albania without having to switch out your physical SIM card.

Gone are the days when you needed to scramble to find a local SIM card at an airport upon arrival. You can purchase an eSIM before your arrival, and you'll be good to go. If your phone doesn't support eSIM, here is how you can get a local SIM card in Albanian Alps, Albania:

In Shkodra, there is fast WIFI available in most places, so you should have no trouble finding one, but that is another story in Theth and Valbona, since they are both in the mountains. However, if you stay at the guesthouses I recommended, they do have reliable WIFI in the common area that you can stay connected to.

For the phone signal, you will get an unreliable 3G speed that will fall back to EDGE most of the time in Valbona and Theth, and there is no phone signal in any of the hiking trails, so do not expect to rely on them when you are hiking.

If you are looking to buy a local SIM card anyway, you can buy one in Shkodra. I would recommend getting the Vodafone Z package, a one-month validity SIM card with 5.5 GB of regular data, 10 GB for social network usage, 400 minutes, and SMS, which cost 1500 LEK + 100 LEK for a new SIM card, especially if you are planning to travel in Albania for more than 2 weeks.

If you are traveling in Albania for only 2 weeks or less, I would recommend getting the 14-days validity Vodafone Tourist sim that gives you 10 GB of data and 500 mins of calls for 1300 LEK.

For more information about Albania local SIM card: Albania Prepaid Data SIM Card.

Tips: To stay connected with people at home, be sure that you have a VPN, such as ProtonVPN, installed before traveling. It's FREE, and you can gain access to services that may be blocked in certain countries.

What To Pack for Theth-Valbona Hike in the Albanian Alps?

• Cash: This is very important as there are no ATMs available in Theth and Shkodra. Be sure to bring enough cash for the entire trip with a few extra, just in case you get stuck due to heavy rainfall. Check out our cost breakdown of the Albanian Alps here.
• Minimal Toiletries: Proper showers and bathrooms are available in the guesthouses in Valbona and Theth, so pack some toiletries for the trip.
• Sunblocks and Sunglasses: The sun can get quite strong up there, so do put on sunblock before the hike. Sunglasses are recommended, especially for the trail from Valbona Pass to Valbona, which goes through a riverbed full of blinding white rocks and gravel that reflect light.
• Water bottles: Make sure you carry with you a 2-liter bottle because the hikes you will be doing can last from 5 to 7 hours, so prepare accordingly. You can refill your water at your guesthouse. I always carry my 2-liter hydration pack, which I recommend so you don't have to stop to stay hydrated.
• Snacks and Lunch: In Shkodra, be sure to buy some hiking snacks (granola bars, etc.) for the 5 days you are going to be in the mountains. Some light meals (ham, bread, peanut butter, etc.) are also recommended so that you can prepare lunch for the hikes. You can buy bread from your guesthouse, so no need to take one off if you don't want to.
• Sturdy Shoes: There are many steep trails with loose gravel, especially when you are approaching the Valbona Pass, so I would recommend wearing sturdy shoes that can handle that kind of terrain. These Timberland Shoes are my go-to hiking boots in most situations.
• Wind-proof and insulating jackets: It can get quite cold in the mountains, even in Theth and Valbona, especially at night or when it rains. So be sure to have warm layers with you. A fleece and a windproof jacket are enough if you are hiking in the summer. Here are jackets I recommend you get for the trip: fleece jacket and the beautiful orange Columbia outer-shell jacket.
• A Daypack: You will need a daypack to carry all of your gear with you when you are out and about. During this trip, I use the Herschel Supply's Barlow Trail Collection Backpack to carry everything with me. It is lightweight with good capacity and stylish as hell.
• Maps.me: All the hiking trails I recommend here are also available on Maps.me, which is an app I highly recommend you get before you start hiking. You can download Maps.me here: Android | iOS.
  Make sure you download the offline maps before you hit the trail.

Check Out My Hiking Packing List

Baggage Storage for the Albanian Alps

For the Albanian Alps, you do not have to carry everything with you during the hike. You can leave your luggage at your accommodation in Shkodra for a fee, and you can come and pick it up later when you have completed the hike. Depending on which accommodation you are staying at, the baggage storage fee can range from free to around 1 EUR per day. I left my backpack at my hostel, and I paid 5 EUR for 5 days of storage.

Now that we have all the information we need, it's time to start planning your trip! Here are some resources to help you get going:

Are you planning to travel independently? Be sure to check out my guide on How To Plan A Backpacking Trip here.

Further Reading for Albania

Looking for more information for your trip to Albania? Here are a collection of articles about Albania that will help you with your trip planning: