OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

For all of you who are keen on Off Road adventure by 4×4 vehicles, Albania offers an ideal Off Road terrain of more than 3000 km to make it happen. 

Choosing 4×4 Off Road explore means loving a certain form of adventure in which freedom is the leaven. Freedom to get off the beaten track and off the slopes usually frequented by tourist expeditions, it is going to meet the authentic, in search of true contact with other cultures, to find, through a smile, the traditional welcome, a mixture of curiosity and customs. During this tour we will have the chance to visit numerous churches, temples, mosques and archaeological sites listed as World Heritage of UNESCO.

With a view to accomplishing this challenging adventure you can use your own vehicle or Albania Adventure will put at your disposal 4WD vehicles which are especially modified for Off Road tours. When on this adventure we will be accommodated in guesthouses, hotels or we will set up our camping tents, this depending on your preference.

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA "THE HIDDEN ALBANIA"

DAY 1

Albania Adventure guides will pick you up at Tirana International Airport to go to Shkodra city, where we will be accommodated.

Shkodra is the largest city in northern Albania with a history of ancient civilization and culture.

Later we will proceed with a visit to: Rozafa Castle. From its ancient Illyrian walls and the medieval ruins of the Balshaj, to the Towers of the Bushatllinj, Rozafa Castle is a monumental testament to the beauty of an everlasting fortress.

Built during Antiquity, enduring the Roman and Ottoman empires, and remaining intact up to the present day, Rozafa Castle has witnessed the dramatic changes of tide over the course Albania’s fascinating history.

The Cathedral of Shkodra called the Great Church, because at the time the building was one of the largest churches in the Balkans.

The next visit is  New Mosque Ebu Bekr,  which is the largest in Albania and among the largest in the Balkans. It is worth noting that one of the greatest values of Albanian people is the coexistence and religious tolerance.

DAY 2

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

SHKODER – THETH

Departing from Shkodra in direction of Shoshi Mountain. Is one of the most panoramic and famous roads of Off road itineraries in Albania. In the larger part this road winds along the Kir river and Shala river. 
The canyons that this road winds through are really amazing.

Called by foreign tourists “Europe’s Last Paradise”, the village of Theth is located in the northern part of Shala valley. It is a magnificent beauty between the Alps.

We will be hosted in a warm guest house.

DAY 3

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

THETHI VALLEY – VAU DEJES LAKE

We will spend the first part of day visiting Thethi valley, Grunas Water fall and Blue Eye. We will leave Thethi valley, this amazing part of Albanian Alps to go down in Shkoder and then later we continue our trip through hills, in narrow roads which winds from one abandoned village to other and later we drive along the of Vau Dejes  lake. 

Accommodation in a camping in a lake shore of Vau Dejes. This lake is formed in 1971 from the Drin catchment. The lake extends through mountain gorges, making the landscape quite attractive. The surface of the lake is 24.7 km, and it has a depth of 52 meters, and the Vau Dejes hydro power plant was built in it.

Day 4

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

VAU DEJES – VALBONA VALLEY

Early in the morning we take the ferry to go in Valbona. During the 3 hour-sailing we will be acquainted with Komani Lake, which closely resembles with Norwegian fjords. The panorama here is considered as a gem of Albanian natural beauties.

After we got off the ferry we  will climb in an amazing off road terrain in direction of highland “Bjeshket e namuna”. Late in afternoon we will descent in Valbona valley, where we will be accommodated.

Day 5

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

VALBONA VALLEY – RUBIK

We leave from Valbona valley to follow an old road of dictatorial regime, called Qafa e Malit with more then 2000 bends in 4 hours. 

We will follow the Mat River which leads us to the small town of Rubik, where we will be accommodate.

Day 6

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

RUBIK – LURA NATIONAL PARK – PESHKOPI

In the morning we will leave Rubik and after we have traversed Mirdita’s district, we will step into Lura’s National Park, which lies in the highland of Lura and occupies an area of 1300 ha. The territory of the park of Lura is very rugged by a row of mountain streams where the most popular are Seta, Uraka, Malla of Lura. The park’s 14 lakes, which are glacial ones, offer a magnificent beauty. Lunch is predicted in a traditional local restaurant.

In the afternoon we will leave the park for reach the city of Peshkopi, where we will be accommodated. 

Day 7

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

PESHKOPI – BULQIZE – LIBRAZHD – POGRADEC

We will depart very early, as this will be the longest journey throughout your adventure in Albania. The road from Peshkopi to Bulqize will be harsh and we will often find traces of the off road tours that our guides have made so far. This area is the best one for training and testing 4WD vehicles.

This day will pass along the old trails, a part of Albania which has been abandoned for decades. There will be endless hours in this trip where we almost are not going to meet anyone. Around midday, between the mountains, we will stop for lunch and we can also visit a masjid, place of worship for Bektashi religion. In the afternoon, we will go down from Biza field towards Librazhdi city where the terrain will be more difficult for a long time. In the late afternoon we will reach Pogradec city, where Ohrid Lake will accompany us for a long time.

Accommodation in Pogradec, in a nice hotel and a deliciuos dinner with fresh trout, the endemic fish of Ohrid Lake.

Day 8

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

POGRADEC – HIGHLAND OF MOKRA -KORCE

Old road used during the communist time, especially from the military this because of the rough terrain now are totally abandoned and used only by the shepherds. The highlight of this day is “Gur i Kamjes”. This big rock and other stones with strange shapes, feature of this area gives the feeling of passing in an extraterrestrial area. 

Accommodation in Korce.

Day 9

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

KORCE – HIGH LAND OF KORCE – PERMET

Southeast Albania is our next scheduled stop once we have left behind the city of Korça. We will be travelling across villages and cities with a small density population. In this part of not well-developed Albania time seems to go slowly. This is obviously noticed from the old road infrastructure which date back in the communism era. As we pass through mountains and hills in southern Albania we will achieve inexperienced inner peace. The famous Permet’s thermal baths will be visited in the afternoon. They are located in Benje region, part of Permet city. The sulfur based waters spring from six sources at the massive rocks ground, on both sides of Langarice River. Four from these sources are distinguished for their curative effects of chronic rheumatism, stomach and on related diseases. Benje’s thermal waters reach a temperature of 26 -32°C.

After this we will continue our tour towards Gjirokaster city. Its old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most attractive tourists sities of the country. The city is overlooked by Gjirokastër Fortress.

DAY 10

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

PERMET – ZAGORI VALLEY – GJIROKASTER

We leave Permet to start a strong climbing of 1000 m in just 8 km and later we go down ahead to the Zagoria Valley. 

Zagoria Valley is one of the biggest valleys in the area in an altitude 160-900 meters. In this altitude it changes the character several times. It narrows and expands during its length, creating canyons and beautiful reliefs. While Pogoni Valley is along Suha River, surrounded by high mountains of Nemercka (2485) and Burrreto (1766m ). Later in afternoon we drive toward Gjirokaster, where we will be accommodated.

DAY 11

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

GJIROKASTER -NIVICE – BORSH BEACH – VLORA CITY

From Gjirokastra we will drive towards Tepelena to continue to the canyon and the village of Nivica. In our left side we can see the wonderful view of the canyon. We will drive along the Vlora river until the Kuci Buronjas’s, the Kuci village and the coastal village of Borsh. Late in afternoon departure towards the Vlora coastal city.

Accommodation in Vlora.

Day 12

OFF ROAD IN ALBANIA

VLORE – NARTA & KARAVASTA LAGOON – TIRANE

Starting from Vlora on this day we will visit two lagoons. The first one is  Narta lagoon. It has a total area of about 41.8 km2.

This lagoon lies in the southeastern area of the Gulf of Vlora and is separated from the Adriatic Sea by a narrow coastal belt, consisting of alluvial dunes with a total length of about 5 miles (8 km). It is formed by the continuous accumulation of solid flows of the Vjosa River.

The second lagoon is Karavasta lagoon, the largest lagoon in Albania, spanning an area of 42 km2.

Later in afternoon we will reach Tirana.

Accommodation in a nice hotel in a very good location.

Accommodation in Tirana, the Albanian capital.

Day 13

Depending on your schedule ore guide will accompany you to the airport.