Our journey towards the Albanian Alps begins at 07:00 am, with our tour leader picking you up from your hotel in Tirana / Golem / Durres (or later in the morning from Shkoder). First stop will be at Rozafa Castle in Shkodra to earn about the castle’s role in Albanian history, dating back to antiquity and the Illyrian-Roman wars, and see the castle, built on a hilltop. Discover the fascinating legends of the Albanian epic and how they relate to the castle’s history. As we drive along the way towards Northern Albania, you will see beautiful landscapes; wild fields, rivers, Shkodra Lake and rugged untouched mountains. As we take the turn from the main road to Theth the area becomes more rural, with fewer cars but more wild nature and amazing landscapes. Due to its favorable position this area is famous for cultivating medicinal herbs. On the way to the top, we will pass through a steep sneaky hillside reaching up to 1700 meters above sea level at Qafa e Thores. They say this is the spot for the best picture of the Albanian Alps.
We will have a short break for refreshment and start our journey towards Nderlysaj where we start the hiking journey to Blue Eye. Blue Eye was formed by the erosion of the water from the melting snow of the Albanian Alps. The hike from Nderlysaj is about 45 minutes one way, with a hiking distance of 4.8 km both ways and about 100 m of elevation.
You will not be able to take your eyes off this stunning scene of nature with its bright blue and green colours. The temperature of the Blue Eye is just around 5 degrees Celsius, would you dare to dive in? After this visit, we will head back to the village center and visit the Old Church and the “Lock in” Tower (symbol of Theth) where the stories behind the buildings take up centuries full of history.
Overnight in a traditional Guest house in Theth.
Hiking details (approx.):
Distance: 4.8 km
Elevation gain: 100 m
Technical difficulty: Easy
Time: 2h
