Multi Activity: Shepherd Trails, Mule Trekking & Kayaking

Seven days in the far north: two nights in Kelmend, a night in Shkodër, then Theth, the Valbona valley and Lake Koman, with the road in and out from Tirana.

The base for the first two nights is Lepushe, a village in Kelmend above 1,260 m whose houses stand in four groups across two catchments. Day two is mule trekking over the pastures between Lepushe and Vermosh, the northernmost village in Albania, 95 km from Shkodër in a valley of glacial origin, with time at the river before the return. Day three climbs towards Vajusha, a 2,210 m summit on the Montenegrin border above the upper Grebaje valley; the road then leaves Kelmend for Shkodër.

Day four crosses to Theth, two hours from Shkodër on asphalt over the Thore pass, with stops at the viewpoints, and takes the path in to the Blue Eye of Theth, about 45 minutes on foot, where the water holds at 10 °C all year. Day five is the crossing from Theth to Valbona: an off-road transfer up to Gjelaj, then six to seven hours over the pass on a mule track marked red and white, rests included.

Day six ends on the water. A drive to Fierze, then more than an hour by boat on Lake Koman, a reservoir of 34 km² on the Drin, about 400 m wide, held by a dam 115 m high, with kayaks and free time at the landing before the road to Tirana.