Hiking from Valbona to Theth: Everything You Need to Know

This hike over the Valbona pass was part of a 3-day adventure through the Albanian Alps, including a picturesque ferry ride across the Komani lake. In this article, disvcover everything you need to know to plan your own unforgettable journey, from essential packing tips to navigating a vegan diet in the heart of the Balkan mountains.

Overview of the Valbona to Theth Hike

Valbona to Theth Hike: General Info

History of the Valbona to Theth Hike

Both Valbona and Theth are tiny, rural villages in the heart of the Albanian mountains, each with a population of only a few hundred to around 1,000 residents. So what draws so many travelers to this remote part of the world? The short answer: The Valbona Pass!

The Valbona Pass connects the remote villages of Valbona and Theth. Although the straight-line distance between them is only about 10 to 12 kilometers, traveling by car takes around 7 hours due to the challenging mountain roads. Historically, this route served as a vital route through the Albanian Alps, primarily used by local shepherds and traders. Today, while this historical fact adds an exciting background story to the hike, the Valbona Pass draws its fame largely from one simple fact: it is absolutely stunning.

What makes it special?

The Valbona to Theth hike takes you through some of the most beautiful landscapes in the Albanian Alps, also known as the “Accursed Mountains.” Picture the most stunning mountain panorama, with dramatic peaks, dense forests and wild rivers. A true paradise for every nature lover!

Another intriguing aspect of the Valbona to Theth hike is its remoteness and the fact that it is not easily accessible. Getting there takes time and makes the journey itself already part of the adventure. Most people choose to hike in one direction only, so they often leave their cars behind and rely on public transport to reach one of the villages. This way, the adventure begins well before you hit the trails, as reaching the starting point itself is an experience. It involves both a minibus transfer along bumpy mountain roads and a scenic ferry ride… But more on this below. All in all, you should plan for at least 3 days to complete the entire trip.

General info about the hike

Length: 15.0 km
Elevation gain: 955 m
Route type: Point to point

The hike can be done in both directions. Since we hiked the pass from Valbona to Theth, we will focus on this route in the article.

Difficulty level

The hike from Valbona to Theth is considered moderate to challenging, suitable for experienced hikers or those in good physical condition. The terrain includes steep ascents and descents and rocky paths. Some parts can be slippery, especially after rain.

Distance and Duration

The hike covers approximately 10-12 kilometers and typically takes between 6 to 10 hours to complete, depending on fitness level and weather conditions. If you’re hiking both ways (Valbona to Theth and return), you should allow 2 days to complete both stretches.

Elevation Gain

Expect a total elevation gain of about 900 meters as you climb through the mountains. The highest point is the Valbona Pass, which offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.

Best Time to Go

The best time to hike the Valbona to Theth trail is from late spring to early autumn (May to October). During these months, the trail is typically clear of snow and the weather is mild. However, be prepared for sudden changes in weather, especially in the higher elevations.

Trailhead and Access

• Starting Point (Valbona): The trail begins in Valbona, which can be reached by minibus or private vehicle from Shkodra. Valbona is located about 2.5 to 3 hours away from Shkodra.
• Ending Point (Theth): The hike ends in Theth, a remote village in the Albanian Alps. Theth is also accessible by minibus or private vehicle from Shkodra (approximately 3 to 3.5 hours of travel time). Like Valbona, the road to Theth is quite rough and can be challenging, particularly in certain weather conditions.

Travelling to Valbona

Car or public transport?

If you’ve read this far, you already know that reaching the start of the Valbona to Theth hike requires some planning. And you’ve seen that many travelers opt for public transport. So, you might be thinking, I’m renting a car for my trip through Albania anyway -why not just drive to Valbona? Of course this is possible, and many travelers choose this option. But before you make a decision, hear us out:

1. The road conditions are rough: The roads to Valbona or Theth are partly unpaved and can be challenging, especially for small rental cars. Expect potholes, uneven surfaces and lots of dust – all these, while navigating narrow mountain roads. More than once, our minibus overtook rental cars whose drivers wore expressions of panic and regret on their faces.
2. The route is more scenic: Taking the public transport route (minibus + ferry) takes you over the stunning Komani Lake, often described as one of the most beautiful boat journeys in Europe.
3. The journey is part of the adventure: Opting for public transport makes the trip start long before the hike itself. You’ll experience bumpy minibus rides through remote villages and a breathtaking ferry journey across Komani Lake. The entire journey becomes part of the adventure rather than just a means of getting to the trail.

If none of the above has convinced you and you’re thinking, Good for you, but I really just want a chill holiday, without much planning… we might have a 3rd option for you! Book a fully organized tour, including transport and accommodation, and don’t worry about any planning:

In our honest opinion however, we don’t think that a guided tour is necessary, and we’d like to encourage you to embark on the journey on your own. The adventure of planning and navigating Albanian public transport is all part of the fun! While it might seem overwhelming at first, we’ll guide you through each step in the following sections:

Travelling to Valbona by minibus and ferry

So you’ve decided to leave your car behind and dive into the lively world of Albanian public transport, minibusses and ferries! We will take you to details in the sections below. In short, our journey to Valbona looked like this:

Transport from Shkodra to Lake Komani

We decided to book all our transportation through one company: Komani Lake Ferry Berisha. They offer pick ups from Tirana, Shkodra and Valbona. Since we had spent the previous days in Shkodra, we opted for a van to pick us up from there – at 6:45 a.m., to be precise!

To book your own ticket (8€/person), you simply need to visit their website, select “Pick-Up” in the menu, and then click on “Shkoder-Koman-Shkoder”. Otherwise, the following link will take you directly to the online reservation: Click here. Alternatively, you can also choose a pickup from Tirana (12€/person), if that suits you better.

So, now you have your ticket for the minibus that will take you from Shkodra to Lake Komani. Don’t forget to also buy the ferry ticket, more on that below.

The minibus will be parked across from Rozafa Hotel (click for google maps location) and has the ‘Ferry Berisha’ logo on it. The driver will have a list with all the names of those who booked, and you’ll need to show your reservation. Our bus arrived quite early and actually left as soon as it was full, even before the designated departure time.

The initial stretch of the route is generally well-maintained, but as the minibus climbs deeper into the mountains, the roads become narrower and more winding, with some unpaved sections and potholes. We were thankful not to be driving ourselves, and that we could sit back and fully enjoy the breathtaking scenery along the way.

Then we arrived at the ferry, where we waited in line with a bunch of other travelers. About 10 minutes before reaching the ferry dock, the van made a stop at a café, with the possibility to grab a drink and use the toilets.

Ferry to Fierza

We bought the ticket for the ferry from Komani Lake to Fierza through the same company as the minibus pick-up. You’ll find the online reservation here (10€/person): click here. Now you have all the tickets you need, as the pick-up from the ferry to your final accommodation in Valbona is already included in this ticket.

The two-and-a-half-hour ferry ride takes you across Lake Komani, navigating through narrow canyons. On the day of our trip, it was exceptionally grey and cooold. We wore all the clothes we had brought on this trip just to staysomewhat comfy. But even though the weather wasn’t as we had hoped, the stunning views more than made up for it. While we didn’t get to experience the famous turquoise water due to the lack of sunlight, the clouds hanging over the mountains added to the dramatic scenery and became a highlight on their own right. You know that feeling of awe when you’re standing in front of something monumental and suddenly feel small? That’s exactly how we felt as we entered the canyons, with the mighty cliffs rising up on both sides.

After we arrived at Fierza Port, everyone disembarked from the ferry and waited in front of several vans ready to take travelers to Valbona. The ferry staff were busy assigning groups of people to different vehicles, depending on what accommodation they had booked. One scene that stood out was an American woman running frantically back and forth between the cars, trying to secure a seat for herself in one of them. Pro tip: don’t be that person 🙂 While the situation might look chaotic to outsiders, the guys have a plan, and you definitely won’t be left behind!

Things to do in Valbona

One hour later, we finally reached our destination for the day – Valbona! At the start, the drivers ask everyone the name of their accommodation, and you’ll be dropped off right in front. We stayed at the cozy Oda N’Bjeshke, a friendly family-run place. The owner’s nephew gave us a tour of the property while sharing stories about his life in Albania and his studies in Tirana. To our surprise, he had never done the famous hike from Valbona to Theth that attracts so many visitors to his village from all over the world!

We took a quick afternoon nap before heading out again. The main attraction in Valbona is Mulliri I Vjetër, which is just a few minutes’ walk from most accommodations. It’s a lovely spot to explore and walk around for a while.

Vegan in Valbona

Valbona is quite small and primarily consists of one main street that runs through the village, lined with a few guesthouses, some restaurants and a single, small shop. As it turned out, the shop was reallyyy tiny and didn’t even sell bread during our visit. Thankfully, we had stocked up on bread, vegan spreads, and cookies while we were in Shkodra, so we had everything we needed to prepare our sandwiches for the hike ahead.

The restaurants in Valbona were all traditional Albanian, offering mostly the same vegan options, such as stuffed eggplants and veggie soup. We decided to have dinner at our hotel, which left us feeling full and happy. Our stay also included breakfast the next morning, but being the well-prepared vegans we are, we planned ahead and prepared some peanut butter sandwiches. And thank goodness we did, because breakfast turned out to be a standard plate for everyone, complete with eggs, sausage and pancakes.

Hiking from Valbona to Theth

Finally, the day of the actual hike arrived! Depending on where your accommodation is located, you should allow around 30 to 40 minutes to reach the starting point of the hike. Alternatively, you can ask your hotel to arrange a taxi for the first few kilometers to save time.

If you decide to hike in the same direction as we did (Valbona to Theth instead of Theth to Valbona), here are the advantages: first, the ascent is slightly steeper, but the descent is less technical. A significant part of the second half of the hike is through the forest, so you’ll be less exposed to the sun if you start early enough. And finally, the whole journey of travelling to Valbona by minibus and ferry, will be long and – although spectacular – also tiring. So we preferred to tackle this part while still feeling fresh and motivated.

All in all, the Valbona – Theth hike was truly stunning and we would recommend it to everyone eyes closed! Especially the first part offered some of the most breathtaking scenery we’ve ever experienced, with a constant view on the Accursed Mountains.

In terms of difficulty, we found the hike manageable with a reasonable fitness level. The first part is steadily going upwards, but there’s no need to rush. Take your time and remember – every break offers a great excuse to admire the views 😉 There are some rocky and uneven sections that require careful footing, especially at the top. After reaching the peak, the trail transitions into more forested areas, along with some gravel sections that demand good balance. There were three cafés on the way, offering drinks, but no food.

One café before the peak, one after.

Arriving in Theth

After more or less 9 hours (including breaks, photo stops and spending quality time with cows we’ve met on the way), we arrived at our accommodation in Theth. Like Valbona, the village consists of one main street, including hotels and guesthouses, a church and some small shops.

Things to do in Theth

One of the top attractions near Theth is visiting the Blue Eye (Syri i Kalter), a natural spring with crystal-clear, turquoise water. To reach it, you have a couple of options: you can either tackle an approximately 17-kilometer hike from Theth or take a transport to get there and walk the final 45 minutes on foot. During our visit, we found that spontaneity worked perfectly in Albania. When we wandered through the village in the morning after our Valbona hike, we spotted a van parked on the main street with a sign reading “Blue Eye.” We approached the driver to check for available space and he informed us that he could take us there for 500 ALL/person (around 5 EUR) and that we should be ready to leave at 10 AM. Done deal. Alternatively, you can also ask your accommodation to organize a taxi and they’ll likely have someone ready to drive you to the Blue Eye within the next hour.

Vegan in Theth

Just like Valbona, Theth offers a variety of traditional Albanian restaurants, where you can always find dishes like stuffed vegetables and vegetable soups. There is also a small shop selling essentials and where we stocked up on bread, cookies and spread (jam being the only vegan option we found).

A restaurant that stood out for us was Villa Gjecaj, located just a few minutes away from the main street. They had many vegan options, the staff understood our requests perfectly and we truly had one of the best meals during our entire Albania trip here.

Another option for vegans is Fast Food Pizzeri Jezerca, where you can order a vegetable pizza without the cheese. However, when we visited, they informed us that they has run out of vegetables! This experience highlighted an important lesson for us: while it was unfortunate, in a small village like Theth, restaurants may not always have every ingredient in stock, and shortages are possible. If you’re vegan, it’s wise to plan ahead and stock up on some essentials before heading to more remote places.

Going back to Shkodra

To return to Shkodra (or wherever you’ve left your car), you can easily book your trip back through the same company as mentioned earlier. They offer departures by minibus from Theth at 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM (10€/person). Simply choose your preferred timing here. If you’d like more flexibility, for example to visit the Blue Eye, you can also arrange a private taxi through them for 90€. To book, simply send an email to: kontakt@komanilakeferry.com.

Checklist Roundtrip

And that’s a wrap on the journey around the Valbona to Theth hike! Congrats on making it through all the details 🙂 We hope this guide has inspired you to take on this incredible hike and provided you with all the essential info to arrange your transportation smoothly. To make sure you haven’t missed anything, let’s quickly go over the checklist once more:

Packing list

To prepare for your multi-day journey from Valbona to Theth, another important thing to consider is what to pack. Keep in mind that you’ll be staying (at least) two nights in different locations, and you’ll need to be able to carry everything with you during the 15-kilometer hike. Here’s a suggested packing list for your trip:

• hiking shoes
• t-shirts for multiple days
• hiking pants
• jumper or warm layers (even if it’s warm, it can get chilly in the mountains)
• waterproof jacket
• sun cream
• water
• food for the length of the trip: trail snacks (energy bars, nuts, dried fruits, …), sandwiches or wraps -> as mentioned earlier, the vegan options in the shops in Valbona and Theth were limited. We would recommend to plan ahead and pack some bread and spreads in order to prepare some sandwiches for the hike. For more vegan backpacking ideas, check out our article about vegan recipes on the go (coming soon).
• toiletries