3-Day Albanian Alps Tour: Koman, Valbona, Thethi, Blue Eye

Walk mountain passes and ferry through gorges in the Albanian Alps

A 3-day guided tour from Tirana through the remote valleys and peaks of northern Albania, visiting Koman Lake, Valbona Valley, Thethi, and the Blue Eye. You ferry across Koman Lake surrounded by vertical canyon walls, hike the Valbona Pass through beech forest, stay overnight in traditional guesthouses, and see the Lock-in tower and Grunasi Waterfall before returning to the city.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tirana to Valbone via Koman Lake

• View villages and Shkodra castle
• Drive along Vau Dejes lake
• See hydropower plant
• Ferry ride on Lake Koman
• Visit Valbona Valley National Park
• Explore old mill near Valbona village
• Visit Lake of Xhema
• Overnight at traditional guesthouses

Day 2: Valbone to Theth via Valbona Pass

• Breakfast with traditional foods
• Walk to Rragami Waterfall
• Hike Valbona Pass to Theth
• Visit Theth National Park
• Overnight at traditional guesthouse in Theth

Day 3: Theth to Tirana or Shkoder

• Breakfast with traditional foods
• Visit Lock-in Tower in Theth
• See Grunasi Waterfall
• Visit Blue Eye of Kaprre
• Explore Bogë village
• Return to Tirana or Shkoder with photo stops

The experience

The route starts with a drive north from Tirana to Koman, where you board a ferry across a 34-square-kilometer reservoir ringed by forested hills and deep gorges. The Koman Lake sits between vertical canyon walls more than 50 meters wide, with the Drin River feeding into it alongside the Shala and Valbona Rivers. From the ferry's far shore at Fierza, you travel by van along the Valbona River valley toward your first overnight stop, staying in a traditional guesthouse where breakfast is included.

Day two takes you from Valbona to Thethi across the Valbona Pass, a 9.5-kilometer mountain trail at 1,759 meters elevation that climbs roughly 630 meters from the valley floor. The hike runs through dense beech forest and connects two of the Albanian Alps' most remote inhabited valleys. Along the way you can detour to Rragami Waterfall, a 50-60 minute walk from Rragam village through the upper Valbona valley. That evening you sleep in another traditional guesthouse in Thethi village itself.

The final day visits Thethi's main sites before the return to Tirana or Shkodra. You see the Lock-in tower, a three-story stone fort built 388 years ago where families in blood feuds were confined (only women could leave to work the land outside). Grunasi Waterfall drops 25 meters down a limestone slope on the western side of the valley, surrounded by dense forest and often framed by a rainbow in the mist. The Blue Eye near Kaprre village, about 7 kilometers from Thethi center, is a well roughly 100 square meters across and 4-5 meters deep, fed by the Black River and colored deep blue or emerald depending on the season. After these stops, the van returns you to your hotel in the city, with short photo stops along the way.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from Tirana or Shkodra.
• professional tour guide in English or Italian.
• all transport by van and ferry (Koman Lake to Fierza Dam, Valbona to Thethi).
• accommodation in traditional guesthouses for two nights.
• breakfast each morning.
• all fees and taxes.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Under 13: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Alps Adventures

Is this one for you?This is a guided group tour with a set itinerary and pace, so you walk and travel with others on fixed dates rather than choosing your own schedule. It suits travelers who want the route planned, a local guide to explain the sites, and the logistics of transport and lodging handled: leaving you to focus on the hiking and the valleys themselves. Minimum age is 13, and moderate fitness is needed for the mountain pass hike.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Italian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Valbona Pass hike like, and how long does it take?

The Valbona Pass is a 9.5-kilometer mountain trail connecting Valbona Valley to Thethi Valley at an altitude of 1,759 meters. The hike climbs roughly 630 meters from the valley floor and runs through beech forest. Most travelers complete it in a morning or early afternoon.

Do I need to be an experienced hiker to do this tour?

The tour requires at least a moderate level of physical fitness. The Valbona Pass hike is the main physical demand, though the route also includes easier walks like the 50-60 minute trail to Rragami Waterfall through the forest.

What is the Blue Eye, and where is it?

The Blue Eye is a natural well near Kaprre village, about 7 kilometers from Thethi center, formed by the Black River flow. It is roughly 100 square meters across and 4-5 meters deep, and its deep blue or emerald color comes from the water's depth and the season.

What does the ferry ride across Koman Lake show?

The ferry crosses a 34-square-kilometer reservoir surrounded by dense forested hills, vertical canyon walls, and narrow gorges. The narrowest section has canyon walls more than 50 meters apart, and the lake is fed by the Drin, Shala, and Valbona Rivers.

Are meals included, and what kind of food will I eat?

Breakfast is included each morning at your traditional guesthouse. Lunch and dinner are not included. Guesthouses serve organic local food typical of the Balkans, and you can arrange meals there or in the villages.

What is the Lock-in tower in Thethi?

The Lock-in tower is a three-story stone fort built 388 years ago in Thethi village, used during blood feuds to confine all males over age 14 from feuding families. Only the women of the house were free to leave and work the land outside the tower. It stands near the Shala River and is open to visitors today.