Hiking the Albanian Alps

Our trip begins at Tirana International Airport (TIA) today at 8pm, where we'll meet our tour leader. To join the airport transfer, the latest your flight can arrive is 7.30pm. We'll travel as a group to our hotel in Shkoder, a journey of around 90 minutes. Known as the 'Capital of North Albania', Shkoder is one of the oldest cities in the country. Founded in the 4th century BC, the city is rich in cultural heritage and boasts a large number of artists, musicians, poets and writers.

This morning, we'll drive from Shkoder to the docks at Lake Koman, before boarding our ferry. Described in the Bradt guides as 'one of the great boat trips of the world' our two-hour journey takes us on glassy blue waters through twists and turns of narrow waterways beneath stunning mountain peaks. A truly beautiful introduction to the amazing scenery that Northern Albania has to offer. Once at the other side, we'll drive to Valbona and dive into an alpine landscape, stopping on route for a beautiful riverside walk that will stretch out our legs and prepare us for the week ahead. After our walk, we'll continue to our base in the mountains for the next three nights. Today's 6-kilometre/3.7-mile linear walk is expected to take between one to three hours, depending on which hotel you are staying at- your tour leader will confirm this on the trip. Maximum 360 metres/1,181 feet of ascent and 180 metres/591 feet of descent.

We'll spend the next two days hiking in Valbona National Park. Valbona is based in the Tropoja district of Northern Albania which, along with two adjoining districts, encompasses a region called The Malesi, roughly translated this means The Highlands. A wild and high mountainous region inhabited by fiercely independent and strong people who have never really been conquered or subdued by the various invasions in the last 2000 years. The full name of the mountains around Valbona is the Malësi e Gjakovës and this name is most often translated in English as 'The Accursed Mountains. A short drive after breakfast brings us to the beginning of our trail near to Drogobia village. We'll start a moderate climb, crossing meadows and patches of beechwood, climbing higher until we reach the elevated pastures known as 'Gjarpri I Dragobis' - the Drogobia Snake. After a quick break to enjoy our lunch, we'll continue our walk through the pastures, taking in the stunning views of Dragobia Gorge across the valley, framed by numerous peaks. From there, we'll descend to the valley floor and take a short drive back to our hotel. Today's 11-kilometre/6.8 mile out and back walk is expected to take around five hours with 630 metres/2,067 feet of ascent and descent.

Today we'll be walking through the mountain slopes in front of us that create the massif of Paplluga. The trail winds (steeply at times) through woods of beech and fir, crossing occasionally an old road used during the regime years for timber, until we reach the plateau known as 'Rrethi i Jubanit' and continue towards a panoramic spot where we'll take a break to enjoy our lunch. In front of us tower the magnificent vertical peaks of Grykat e Hapta, which create an impressive amphitheatre of limestone stretching until the end of the valley in the southwest, where the Valbona Pass awaits for us to cross in the coming day. After lunch, we'll continue to stay high on the plateau before starting the descent in the east-facing slopes of 'Rrethri' to reach the hamlet of Kukaj where we will taste a cup of herbal mountain tea on the terrace of a local family's home. Refreshed, we will then descend to the bottom of the valley under the soft late afternoon light. Today's 7-kilometre/4.3-mile walk is expected to take around five hours with 650 metres/2,133 feet of ascent and descent.

A morning transfer will take us from the hotel to the top of the valley in Rrogam, where the road ends. From here, we'll begin walking uphill along a steep and winding forest trail to reach the Valbona Springs. Later, the walk continues into wide alpine pastures with large glacier rocks scattered around the valley floor. The path then continues to steepen into a narrow trail that leads to the Valbona Pass. On clear days the views from this location at the heart of the Accursed Massif are truly breathtaking. From here, we'll follow a rather steep trail that winds through fir and beech forest and descends into the Theth valley, also surrounded by several 2,500 metre/8,200-feet-high sheer rocky domes, such as the Radohima and the Harapit. For the next two nights, we'll stay at Pisha Villa, a charming guesthouse run by a local family, offering stunning mountain views. Each room accommodates two to four guests, so you may share with other group members during your stay. If you're travelling as a couple, please be aware that rooms may also be allocated by gender for our group at this property.The rooms are basic but comfortable with shared bathroom facilities. You're guaranteed a warm welcome from your hosts who will provide lovely home-cooked meals. Today's challenging 13-kilometre/ 8-mile walk takes approximately seven hours, featuring 850 metres/ 2,789 feet of ascent and 1,240 metres/ 4,068 feet of descent. The route is steep and traverses rocky terrain, but it should not be too difficult for hikers in reasonably good shape. At the end of the ascent, there is a coffee bar where you can take a well-deserved rest.

Theth is an iconic Northern Albanian 'malesore' (highlands) village. Enclosed in the full remoteness of the Accursed Mountains, it stayed protected from the multiple invasions that afflicted the more accessible parts of the Alps and life was organised following the detailed rules of the 'Kanun' - the Unwritten Code of the Mountains. These aspects were well pictured by the Victorian traveller Ms Edith Durham in the book, High Albania, written on her journey into the area at the beginning of the 20th Century. After breakfast, we'll have the chance to visit some of the local attractions of the village such as the stone built catholic church, Kulla e Ngujimit - and the blood feud lock-in tower, used under the old 'kanun' to solve crimes amongst local families. Leaving the town, we'll walk along the river and reach a small waterfall. Our walk also takes us along the Grunas Canyon's ancient terraces towards the hamlet of Nderlysa; here we'll have a tasty lunch prepared by one of the local families. In the afternoon, you'll have the option to stay back at the guesthouse where we had lunch and relax in the gardens or take a further optional walk (total 6 kilometres/3.7 miles) to a natural, crystal-clear swimming pool. The natural pools in Nderlysa are created by the clear and icy water of the Kaprea Creek and offer the opportunity for a swim. Later on in the afternoon, we'll take a short 20-minute drive back to Theth where we'll have dinner and stay overnight. Today's 7-kilometre/4.3-mile walk is expected to take around four hours with 420 metres/1,378 feet of ascent and 660 metres/2,165 feet of descent.

This morning, we'll drive into the scenic valley of Boga, where there is the option, depending on the group's wishes, to stop for a leisurely circular walk at the Thore Pass surroundings to admire the views (approximately 90 minutes). Leaving the silhouette of the Albanian Alps behind us and heading towards the Shkodra plain, we'll reach the colourful Albanian capital of Tirana, where we'll stay in a hotel near the city centre (a four-hour journey). Our tour leader will lead us on an orientation walk, allowing us to learn more about the developments of Tirana throughout the various periods of influence, and have a taste of its cosmopolitan atmosphere.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Tirana. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Tirana at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to depart from Tirana International Airport (TIA,) a 40-minute drive from the hotel. If you're spending some more time in the city, we recommend taking the cable car up Mount Dajti for a panoramic view of the city or visiting some of the history-based museums in the capital such as the House of Leaves or Bunk'art.