Overview
€240 total for your group · 8–12 hours · departs from Shkoder or Tirana
The long day into the Alps: 3.5 hours from Tirana or 2 from Shkodër over the 'Thore Pass' to Theth, the village sits at 750 m with its church and lock-in tower, the Grunas waterfall, and the Blue Eye of Theth, a spring pool 45 minutes on foot from Nderlysaj with time for a swim before the drive back.
Tour facts
Highlights
- The scenic route passes through 'Qafa e Thorës' pass at around 1700 m, paved through to Theth and Nderlyse.
- Theth village at 750 m, with stone houses and a Catholic church
- One of the very few surviving lock-in towers, from the blood-feud years
- Grunas waterfall: a 25 m drop at the start of the Grunas canyon
- The Blue Eye of Theth, a karst spring 45 minutes on foot from Nderlysaj
- Spring water at around 10 °C all year
The road to Theth has been asphalt all the way since 2021, over the Qafa e Thorës pass at 1,685 m, so the valley is now a day trip: 3.5 hours from Tirana, 2 from Shkodër, with stops at the viewpoints. Theth itself sits at 750 m, a scatter of stone houses around a Catholic church and one of the very few surviving lock-in towers from the blood-feud years. The Grunas waterfall, a 25 m drop at the head of the Grunas canyon, is about an hour's walk there and back from the village.
The day ends at the Blue Eye of Theth, a karst spring 45 minutes on foot from Nderlysaj whose water holds at around 10 °C all year, with time for a swim for the brave before the transfer back. Sixteen hours door to door with the minibus and the guide; meals are free choice in Theth.
The route
3.5 hours from Tirana or 2 hours from Shkoder
Visit of Theth National Park and attractions
2 hours transfer to Shkoder or 3.5 hours transfer to Tirana The day ends at the Blue Eye of Theth, a spring pool 45 minutes on foot from Nderlysaj, with time for a swim before the drive back.
What's included
- Transport with AC Minibus
- Guide
- Visit of Theth National Park
Not included
- Meals and drinks
Good to know
Photos from this tour
Questions travelers ask
How much walking is there?
Two walks: about an hour there and back to the Grunas waterfall from the village, and 45 minutes each way to the Blue Eye from Nderlysaj on a track and a path. Sport shoes are enough.
Can I swim at the Blue Eye of Theth?
Yes, if you can bear it: the spring water is about 10 °C all year. It is a pool in the mountains, not a swim you stay in.
Is the road to Theth safe?
It is asphalt all the way over the Thore pass, paved through to Theth since 2021, in a minibus with a driver who does it every week.
Why sixteen hours?
Three and a half hours each way from Tirana, two from Shkodër, plus the village, the waterfall and the Blue Eye; the day starts early and ends late.
Is this the same Blue Eye as the one near Saranda?
No. This is the spring pool in the Albanian Alps; the one near Saranda is a karst spring in the south, six hours away.
Other options
- Boat trip · Hiking · Nature
- Group or Private tour
- Difficulty: challenging
- Beach
- Group or Private or Self-guided tour
- Difficulty: easy