Valbona to Theth Hike; Everything You Need to Know
Majestic mountains, gushing turquoise rivers, picturesque mountain villages, lush forest, tranquil valleys, raw landscapes and some of the best hiking in Albania; read our guide on everything you need to know for the Valbona to Theth Hike in Valbona Valley National Park.
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The Valbona to Theth Hike is one of the very best hikes in Albania. It’s located in Valbona Valley National Park in the Accursed Mountains, also known as the Albanian Alps where you’ll find some of Albania’s most beautiful and dramatic scenery.
You’ll hike amongst majestic mountain peaks, peaceful valleys, piercing blue gushing rivers, quaint fairytale villages, lush dense forests and raw and untouched landscapes.
When planning your Albania itinerary, the Valbona to Theth Hike should definitely be on there. It’s an unforgettable adventure and you’ll experience some of the best hiking in Albania.
This guide will cover absolutely everything you need to know about the Valbona to Theth Hike including; where to stay and accommodation recommendations, reaching the trailhead, duration and difficulty, which direction to hike, planning and booking the hike, the best time to hike from Valbona to Theth and more. I’ll then give you a detailed guide on getting from Shkoder to Valbona, where the trail starts as this is an adventure in itself.
The guide will end with things to do in Theth as I’d recommend an extra day in this gorgeous mountain village to see some of the beautiful scenery.
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Contents
Now, let’s dive into everything you need to know to hike from Valbona to Theth.
Essential Information for the Valbona to Theth Hike
How long is the Valbona to Theth Hike?
The Valbona to Theth Hike is approximately 15 kilometres depending on where in Valbona you start (more on getting to the trailhead later).
The hike will take between 6 and 9 hours again depending on where you start and how often you stop. However, you’ll need three days in total to allow for transport time to and from the remote villages (more on that later).
How difficult is the Valbona to Theth Hike?
I would say the hike is moderate. It’s not too difficult or technical. Many people were hiking in trainers and you don’t need to be hugely physically fit or have a lot of hiking experience. The ascent to Valbona Pass is quite gruelling but nothing you need to train intensely for.
Elevation and Elevation Gain
The highest point of the Valbona to Theth Hike is at Valbona Pass which is 1,795 metres. The elevation gain of the total hike is 1000 metres.
Where is the trailhead?
The Valbona to Theth Hike trailhead is in Rragam, around 4 kilometres from Valbona. You can either hike along the road or your guesthouse may offer to book a minibus for around €4 per person. I’d recommend this as hiking along the road isn’t that interesting and will add about an hour and a half.
You can also book a taxi, however, this is quite expensive. Hitchhiking is also common.
The best time to hike from Valbona to Theth
The best time to hike from Valbona to Theth is May – June and September – October. The trail is open from mid-May to mid-November, however, there’s more chance of bad weather after October.
Saying that, the weather in the mountains is unpredictable at any time. I hiked mid-September and it rained and the clouds were so low I couldn’t see much from the top of Valbona Pass. The week before and after I hiked, the weather was perfect.
July and August you’re more likely to get the best weather but with those months the hike will also be busier and it may be incredibly hot.
Which direction to hike in
You can hike from Valbona to Theth and from Theth to Valbona. Both ways will reward you with incredible views however, I’d recommend hiking from Valbona to Theth and here’s why.
The trailhead in Rragam is 4 kilometres from Valbona and most guesthouses will offer you a ride to the start rather than having to walk along the road. This isn’t possible if you’re hiking from Theth to Valbona and the last thing I’d want after a day hiking is to walk 4 kilometres along a road.
Also, the ascent to Valbona Pass from Valbona is around 630 metres elevation gain, whereas from Theth it’s around 850 metres so it’s easier ascending from Valbona.
Both directions are equally as busy I’d say.
Planning the Valbona to Theth Hike
There are several ways you can plan your hike.
- Book everything independently: transport from Shkoder to Valbona and Theth to Shkoder (or vice versa) can be booked online here and accommodation can be booked on Booking.com.
- Book everything through your accommodation in Shkoder: your accommodation in Shkoder may be able to book all of your transport and accommodation for the round trip so speak to them in advance to see if this is possible. We stayed at the lovely Wanderers Hostel and they can book everything.
- A combination of the above: this is what we did. Wanderers Hostel booked our transport to Valbona and Guesthouse Arben Selimaj. We booked our own accommodation in Theth as we wanted to stay somewhere different which we’re so glad we did. We stayed at Thethi Paradise Hotel, a bit of a walk out of town however the views over the town are amazing. This guesthouse also booked our bus back to Shkoder.
- Book an organised tour – this is a fantastic option if you’d like someone else to do the organising for you or you’re travelling on your own and want to meet others. You’ll also have a knowledgeable guide who knows the area very well. Browse some tour options below and click one of the links to see more.
Our top tip: leave your luggage at your accommodation in Shkoder and just take a small backpack with you for a couple of days.
Places to eat on the trail
There are several cafes on the Valbona to Theth hike serving a range of drinks and snacks and some of them have toilets.
What is the trail like?
From the trailhead, you’ll start ascending quite quickly. The trail is rocky but easy to walk on. It’s well-signposted with red and white signs so you can’t get lost. You’ll pass through a couple of farms and a cafe where you can stop for a drink and bathroom break if needed.
From the cafe, the ascent gets steeper as you make your way up to Valbona Pass. This is the most gruelling part of the hike. Make sure to look behind you as you get higher for incredible views across the valley.
Once you reach the top of Valbona Pass, before you start the descent to your right, head up to your left to the peak of Valbona. This only takes a few minutes. Hopefully, you’ll have a clearer day than I did and actually be able to see the amazing view!
From here, descend towards Theth through a shaded wood. From Valbona Peak to Theth it should take around 2 -3 hours and there are a few cafes you can stop at for a break and to refuel.
Do I need a guide?
If you’re hiking during the spring and summer and there’s no snow, then no you don’t need a guide for the Valbona to Theth Hike. It’s very well signposted and there are many people hiking in the same direction.
If you’re a solo traveller and want to hike with others, we’d either recommend staying at The Wanderer’s Hostel in Shkoder and booking everything with them or joining a group tour.Â
Money
You’ll need cash to pay for your accommodation and everything in the mountain villages. Shkoder is the last place with an ATM so make sure you bring enough. Even if you book your accommodation on Booking.com, you’ll probably have to pay in cash on arrival.
Accommodation in Theth and Valbona
There’s a range of accommodation in Theth and Valbona depending on your budget.
If you book everything through Wanderers, they’ll book you into Guesthouse Arben Selimaj in Valbona which is lovely. Clean, basic, affordable, lovely hosts and incredible views of the surrounding mountains.
In Theth, we stayed at Thethi Paradise Hotel about 30 minutes walk out of town up a hill which wasn’t too enjoyable after the hike. However, the views from the outside terrace are incredible and well worth the walk. There’s also a cosy restaurant and the rooms are clean and have everything you need.
Other accommodation options in Theth are:
- Budget: Guest House Flodisa
- Mid-range:Â Guest House Marashi
- Luxury:Villa Ujëvara e vogël
Other accommodation options in Valbona are:
- Budget:Â Bujtina Arlindi
- Mid-range:Â Oda N’Bjeshke
- Luxury:Â MIK Hotel Valbona
What do I need to take?
Pack light and leave your main luggage in Shkoder. Take a couple of layers in case it’s chilly at the top of Valbona Pass. The mornings and evenings will also be chilly. Bring a rain jacket as the weather in the mountains is unpredictable and, as you can see from my photos, even hiking in September you may have rain.
Most guesthouses will provide you with a packed lunch but this won’t be much so bring snacks. There are a few cafes along the route where you’ll be able to get a few snacks – cakes, pancakes, tea, coffee beer and even raki!
Although people were hiking in trainers, I’d recommend hiking shoes/boots as the terrain is quite rocky and parts can be quite slippery.Â
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Getting from Shkoder to Valbona
Getting to the trailhead for the Valbona to Theth Hike is an adventure and experience in itself. Valbona and Theth aren’t connected by road so you need to drive to a ferry, hop on a ferry for a couple of hours and then drive again. It sounds long but the scenery is unreal and definitely worth the journey.
Your different modes of transport will take you through mountain villages, stunning valleys, winding mountain roads with spectacular views and lush forest. And, as the journey is broken into sections, it doesn’t feel too long.
You’ll need a night in Shkoder before the journey starts and I’d actually recommend having two nights so you can spend a day exploring the gateway to the Albanian Alps.
Amble the quaint pedestrianised streets in the centre lined with shops, bars, cafes and restaurants or hop on a bike and cycle along the shore of the beautiful Lake Shkoder.Â
There’s lots of accommodation in Shkoder. As I mentioned above, we stayed at The Wanderers Hostel which is a great, budget-friendly option with private rooms and dorms. It’s one of the most popular places to stay in Shkoder and very social so, if you’re travelling on your own I’d recommend staying here. You’ll meet a lot of people also doing the Valbona to Theth Hike.
The bus leaves Shkoder between 6:30am and 7am to drive to Koman. You’ll either get picked up from your accommodation or the bus station.
The bus drives you to the ferry terminal in Koman where you’ll get on a ferry at 9am. This drive offers beautiful panoramic mountain views and lush forest roads. The journey takes just under two hours. You’ll also stop at a cafe about 15 minutes before the ferry terminal for a coffee and bathroom stop.
The Komani Lake Ferry is the highlight of the journey from Shkoder to Valbona. It takes around 2.5 – 3 hours and is incredibly scenic. Small lakeside villages sit along the peaceful lake’s shores and imposing mountain peaks tower above you as you sail peacefully along Komani Lake.
Unfortunately, there are areas where there’s a lot of rubbish in the water. It’s such a shame in such an incredibly beautiful part of the world. Make sure you take all of your rubbish with you and not throw it overboard.Â
You’ll arrive at Fierzë around midday and your bus will be waiting for you. There’s a cafe and bathroom here if needed.Â
The bus to Valbona takes 1-1.5 hours and you’ll pass through dramatic mountain scenery and cross bridges over piercing blue gushing rivers. The bus should drop you at your accommodation, but if it doesn’t, Valbona is very small.
Valbona is a small mountain village nestled in Valbona Valley National Park. It’s small, however it’s quite spread out. Staying at Guesthouse Arben Selimaj you’re about a 1km walk into the centre of town. It’s a beautiful guesthouse in a gorgeous location surrounded by majestic mountain peaks on the piercing blue Valbona River. There were even people jumping in the water!
If you’re staying at Guesthouse Arben Selimaj, your dinner, breakfast and packed lunch for the following day are included. Dinner was delicious – many local dishes all vegetarian-friendly. Breakfast is simple and just what you need before a big hike – bread, eggs, cheese and fruit. Lunch is a very light lunch of a sandwich and a piece of fruit so make sure you pack snacks.
If you’re driving on your Albania itinerary, I’d recommend leaving your car in Shkoder. Alternatively, you can drive to Valbona or Theth (the ferries take cars), hike in one direction, stay overnight and hike back.
Things to do in Theth
I’d recommend spending an extra day in the beautiful mountain village Theth, whether that’s before or after your hike depending on your direction.
There are lots of things to do in Theth, known for its magnificent mountains, lush verdant valleys and turquoise rivers offering many opportunities for outdoor adventures and beautiful scenery.
One of the best things to do in Theth is visit the Blue Eye. You can either do this by hiking from Theth or, the easier option, especially if you’re doing the hike from Valbona to Theth or vice versa, is to book a tour.
The hike is roughly 18 kilometres round trip and will take between 5 and 6 hours. Also, allow for time spent swimming and enjoying the Blue Eye. Alternatively, browse the tours below and click on one of the links to be taken to more options.
These tours include hotel pick up and drop off and take you as far as they can without having to hike which is about an hour away. They also include various other stops including the picturesque Church of Theth (see below), lunch, waterfalls and other mountains depending on the tour.
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Another of the top things to do in Theth is to visit the gorgeous Church of Theth. Nestled underneath dramatic peaks towering over the church, the best time to visit is either sunrise or sunset when the lighting is just perfect. Unfortunately, again the clouds weren’t on our side, however, it was still a beautiful sight to see even without the mountains in the background.
That concludes our guide on everything you need to know to hike from Valbona to Theth. If you have any questions or want to say hi, please leave a comment below.
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