Valbona Valley is an amazingly beautiful region, where people live in a mountainous, wooded area and help to develop tourism. It is a national park, the "Albanian wonder of the Alps". A perfect combination of alpine houses, clear waters of the river of the same name and the surrounding nature. It is as if you are transported into a fairy tale, which at different times of the year is magical in its own way.
From Tirana the road takes about 4.5 hours. The roads are flat, there are Albanian beauties on different sides, in some sections there will be a ferry crossing. It is best to drive in a rented car. Depart early in the morning to be in lovely Valbona in the morning.
Why to come here:
- to experience a variety of outdoor activities: mountaineering, skiing, hiking and canoeing;
- to enjoy the scenic beauty and fresh air;
- get to know the local people and their traditions.
Landmarks
The first thing you will see is the mountain scenery, drowned in pine greenery, and the tops of the cliffs are covered with snow. There is a great variety of hiking trails of varying difficulty, where you meet unusual birds and wild animals. These include brown bears, wolves, bobcats, roe deer and goats. But they try to stay away from human trails, but the abundance of birds will delight you.
The road runs through the beech forest, so tourists can enjoy plenty of healing air and the power of these trees. At the pass there is a cafe with a panoramic view, where they pour a delicious tea made of mountain herbs.
In addition to walking you can take a horse and walk the route on horseback.
From the top of the pass you can see the highest part of the mountain Prokletje - Maja Jezertse, its height is 2694 m. A perfect picture that combines dense greenery and the ruggedness of snow-capped peaks.
A popular ascent of Maja Rosit (2,525 m). First you will pass through the mountain village of Kukai, then through the Albanian hills where sheep graze and climb the mountain ridge. Here Albania borders Montenegro.
The road is not easy, along rocky winding paths with precipices, but you can see the whole valley and Prokletje from here. Alpine meadows, mountain ranges and you are on top of Valbona. Such a trip will stay in your memory and memory of the camera for a long time. The pictures are excellent.
If you are not a fan of climbing mountains, then you can canoe on the local mountain river and enjoy the scenery from the water. Or get to the village of Ses, where the Blue Eye underground spring is located. Sometimes people swim here, but the water is cold, no higher than +10 degrees.
The local population
The villagers of the valley keep the ancient traditions and folk festivities. This is especially evident in the verbal and musical folklore. If you are lucky, the tourist can get to festivals, which are held here depending on the time of year. For visitors organize national dance shows.
For example, the traditional "men's dance", "dance with the sword" or "flower dance". You can enjoy the music on such instruments: flute, lute and zumaryo. The people are hospitable and welcoming, receive guests with overnight stays in a traditional hut, fed organic food grown in the purest of mountainous terrain. They will gladly share amazing stories and legends of the picturesque region.
