Komani Lake, Valbona & Theth: 3-Day Self-Guided Tour
Overview
From €289 per person · 3 days · departs from Shkodër or Tirana or Tirana Airport
The same three-day crossing as our guided tour, done on your own: pickup at the airport, Tirana or Shkodër, the boat up Lake Koman into the Shala River and on to Fierza, the night in Valbona, the off-road transfer to Rragam and the hike over the Valbona pass to Theth, the night in Theth, and the transfer back to Shkodër, the airport or Tirana. Accommodation, meals and all transfers are booked; we assist by phone.
Tour facts
Highlights
- The boat up Lake Koman and into the Shala River, then the van to Valbona
- The Valbona–Theth crossing over the 1,795 m pass, the best-known hike in the Alps
- Two nights in family guesthouses, in Valbona and in Theth, with meals
- Every transfer booked, including the off-road leg to Rragam; assistance by phone
Day one is the transfer to Koman and the boat up the lake, into the Shala River and on to Fierza, where a minibus takes you up the valley to Valbona for the night. Day two is the crossing: an off-road vehicle to Rragam, then the trail over the Valbona pass at 1,795 m and down into Theth, the most walked route in the Albanian Alps, marked and busy enough in season that you are rarely alone. The night is in Theth.
Day three is the transfer out of Theth to Shkodër, the airport or Tirana. Everything is arranged in advance, the guesthouses, the meals, the boat and every transfer, and you have a phone number that answers; what you do not have is a guide walking with you.
This self-guided tour includes the hike from Valbona to Theth, so travellers should be active and in good health. The hike is not technical and is manageable for active people in good health; the total distance is about 14 km, with 700 m of ascent and 1,000 m of descent.
Itinerary
Transfer to Koman, boat trip on Komani Lake - Shala River - Fierze, minibus transfer to Valbona. Accommodation in a private room with private bathroom. Overnight in Valbona.
Overnight in Valbona Valley
Offroad transfer to Rragam, hike Valbona Theth. Overnight in Theth. Total distance 14 km, with 700 m of ascent and 1,000 m of descent. Accommodation in a private room with private bathroom.
Overnight in Theth National Park
11:00 am transfer from Theth to Shkoder / Tirana Airport / Tirana. Arrival in Shkoder by 13:30, at Tirana Airport by 15:45 and in Tirana by 16:30. Flexibility to extend overnights in Theth without losing the minibus transfers.
What's included
- All transfers including the boat trip on Komani Lake
- Accommodation in private room with private bathroom
- 2 breakfasts 2 lunches 2 dinners
- Real time assistance
Not included
- Drinks
- A guide on the hike
Good to know
Photos from this tour
Questions travelers ask
Will I be alone on the trail?
You walk without a guide, but the Valbona–Theth trail is the most used in the Albanian Alps and in season there are other walkers on it most of the day. The route is marked.
What is included?
The two nights, the meals, all transfers including the Komani boat and the off-road vehicle to Rragam, and real-time assistance by phone.
Can I add a guide for the hike?
Ask when you book; a guide for the Valbona side up to the pass can usually be arranged.
Where does it start?
Pickup at Tirana Airport, in Tirana or in Shkodër, early enough to catch the boat at Koman.
When does it run?
The boat season is May to October; June to September for the pass.
Photo credits
- Theth's Church by DGA05 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Other options
- Boat trip · Hiking · Nature
- Group or Private tour
- Difficulty: challenging
- Boat trip · Food · Nature
- Self-guided tour
- Difficulty: easy