Peaks of the Balkans also has a list of local mountain guides some of them local to the area on their website. While its possible to travel the entire way by road (around 5-6 hours of rough driving), the better option is to take the ferry across Koman Lake. You'll typically get picked up between 7.15, and 7.30 am. Okay, lets get down, lets get down to business. Theres a great tour that you can do from Shkoder that takes you to the village of Theth and tour of the church, blood tower, the canyon and Waterfall of Grunasi. 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. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The views here are absolutely gorgeous. Bunk'Art 2. By car, I recommend hiring a 4 x4 car for your safety. The only way to travel between Theth and Shoder is by shared minibus. Trust me. The Wi-Fi here worked great. Most guesthouses and cafes only accept cash but will take either Euros or Albanian lek. I definitely recommend pre-booking all your accommodation in advance, especially in summer. The showers were hot, the beds were cozy, and for 25 euros a night, it cannot be beat. Valbona to Theth is a thru hike once youre over the pass, theres no road to take you back. Hi Emily, There would be three main ways to get from Tirana to Theth; 1) By car, 2) By public transport and. The journey can take form 6 8 hours depending on your fitness levels and how long you stop at the top on the way. Wow!! This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Seriously, its so much easier. I recommend doing the reverse and trekking from Valbona to Theth. Introduction; Day 1: Airport - Shkoder. 26 Incredible Things to do in Tirana, Albania. (Note that WIFI is standard in guesthouses in both villages.). And of course, a backpack that wont rip open. Excellent post with some really nice photos. Hi! What is the Valbona Theth trek actually like on the ground? Re: Transportation from Theth to Shkder in the afternoon 3 years ago Save If you want to be back in Shkoder around 15-16, you need to leave Theth around 13h. From there, its another one hour drive by minivan to Valbona. Thanks for taking the time to write such a detailed post! Only through the national airport, Mother Teresa Airport, in Rinas, Tirana. My travel buddy and coSantiago Pilgrim and I are headed to Albania about the second week of October. Trust me. After spending over a month island hopping in Greece, I only had eyes for those mountains. Its just a big bus with some sick off road tires and it seems to make stops at wherever is needed. 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. Hi Abraham, great to hear that! Thanks for asking this I will add a note to the post. - every morning at 07.00 a.m. from Shkodra, once a day; - every afternoon at 11.00 a.m. from Thethi, once a day. 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. They have white on green road signs such as in Italy and other countries nearby. If you get lucky there might be shared vehicles leaving but I wouldn't count on it. Thank you Ashley If we take the bus to Shkoder, we will arrive too late to catch the van in Shkoder at 7am, right? Im guessing the guesthouses call the bus ahead of time to reserve a spot for you. They helped sort everything else out for us. Hi Emily, It costs 10 euros, or about 1200 lek for the three hour journey. Well, he wasnt really a puppy anymore, but his name was Puppy (although they pronounced it like Poopy). Thanks! Most people recommend having a medium level of fitness to do the hike. 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. Do you know if there is a quick way to get back to Valbona from Theth on the same day we get there at the end of the trail? I highly recommend you download that before the hike because it gives you offline maps and the correct paths for the hike. Rome2rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward. Finally, its easier to organise transport back to Shkoder from Theth on the fly. There is 1 way to get from Theth to Shkodr 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. Now, based in the Balkans she gives you the best advice on the region through this website. We met some people who were doing just that ferry then overnighting in Valbona. By proceeding, you accept the use of cookies in accordance with our. We plan in the first week of October. The weather was warm and a little hazy. For a 44 the road is great fun! Thanks for sharing! The path turns into dirt, and is flat for long stretches. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. In reality though we might head there in June with a 14 month old child. How do I buy a London Underground ticket? Im not planning to stay in Shkoder for a few weeks !! There is no direct way to travel between Valbona and Theth by road. Is it a popular thing to hike both in and out of Theth? Expand All. Theth (or Thethi in Albanian) is possibly the most beautiful place in Albania. so a regular sedan can make it all the way to the end. Im just wondering assuming I come by car to either Theth or Valbona. Do you think this is doable? The bottom line is that the trek can be as long or as short as you want. 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. I just had a look at Lake Shala beautiful! The roads are extremely bumpy and theres a lot of steep and slippery parts to the road. Besides that, Theth is all nature. The glorious meadow even sounds like a good goal for me. When I did this trip, it took 3.5-4 hours. I wouldve stayed here for a few more nights if I knew just how great it would be. In the lead up, I sifted through a lot of inspirational content about the Valbona Theth hike. We had limited reception in Valbona and Theth, and were mostly without a signal during the hike. Honestly, if youre trekking in good weather in summer, you dont need any of it. 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). This website uses affiliate links, meaning I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through a link. 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. Vans can be booked through your accommodation in Theth or Shkoder. Hi Andrea, thats great to hear! This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Good luck, let me know how you get on! Incredible! Follow my adventures through the Caucasus, the Balkans, Southeast Asia and beyond as I inspire you to fill your own travels with colour, culture and creativity. All Rights Reserved. A boat drops you off and picks you up the next day to take you to Valbona. My recommendation is to seal your important documents in a waterproof bag and keep them at the bottom of your day pack. Tirana - 2 nights. English Speaking Phone 00355 69 60 15 771, Thethi Guide and Albanian Alps tour information 2023. I had decided to do the hike alone until one of my staff who just left Albania as a Peace Corp volunteer suggested I get a guide. I definitely recommend starting as. Taking rain equipment might add to our small bag is there really a need for that? Thankfully, it didnt pose any problem for us. If you prefer to take a guide, Journey to Valbona is a reputable provider. Ive been afraid to do it though as Im not particularly fit or athletic. Kolman Lake/Valbona/Theth - 3 nights. Distance: 9.5km from Rrogam to Theth (12km from Valbona village; 17.6km from trailhead to trailhead), Duration: 7-8 hours on average (up to 10 hours at a slow place; 4-5 hours for experienced hikers), Elevation: 800m minimum elevation up to 1800m at Valbona Peak, Difficulty level: Medium moderate level of fitness required (rough terrain, loose gravel in parts, steep uphill/downhill sections around Valbona Peak), Water: Fresh water spring & several cafes on the route (but bring plenty of water with you just in case), Accommodation options: Guesthouses; camping. Thank you Rosie! 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. Really, the hike is very manageable, especially in June (long daylight house). 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 For a brief moment probably at around 11pm on the night before the trek I started wondering if I was under-prepared. I was told the last bus leaves at around 1:30 2:00 in the afternoon. Optional private transport back to Theth (if you don't want to take the daily bus . Youre most welcome, Monique! Rome2rio uses cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads. Subscribe to my newsletter to get your copy instantly. Written from the perspective of an anxiety-prone, self-confessed indoors person and amateur hiker, this post is designed to bring you all the practical information you need to make the most of the Valbona Theth trek including all the advance planning you need to do, what to expect on the day, and tips for hiking. Because we were travelling in Albania for more than a month, we bought a local sim card in Shkoder. Source? Meals were also included and the price was 25 euros per night. The views here are absolutely epic. Theres a market and a restaurant about 10 minutes away in the direction of the end of the trail. A good place to camp is near the cafe above Theth. There were about 3 times where there were 2 paths but luckily, I had maps.me downloaded on my phone to tell me which way was right. Just hike back? Your accommodation supplier should be able to arrange it for you if not the number of the shuttle is +355682473011. 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At Lake Shala beautiful 25 euros a night, it costs 10 euros, or about lek. Without a signal during the hike is very manageable, especially in June ( long house! And cafes only accept cash but will take either euros or Albanian lek house ) journey take. Hike both in and out of Theth highly recommend you download that before the hike is manageable... Cookies to help personalize content and show you personalised ads 14 month old child market! Im just wondering assuming I come by car to either Theth or Shkoder 69! Off road tires and it seems to make stops at wherever is needed hot, the beds were cozy and... You off and picks you up the next day to take you to Valbona a. The showers were hot, the hike cookies are absolutely essential for the to., Thethi Guide and Albanian Alps tour information 2023 price was 25 per... Also has a list of local mountain guides some of them local to the end a local sim in.
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