נהר שאלה - פנינה טבעית נסתרת של אלבניה

שקודר › נהר שאלה - פנינה טבעית נסתרת של אלבניה

Shala River and Komani Lake are among the most beautiful and best-kept places in Albania. Join me on my journey to the Thailand of Europe.

Gigantic rock formations, surrounded by turquoise waters and sunbeams beating down on my body – the perfect time to cool off in the crystal-clear water. I feel like I’m in Thailand. Yet this magical place is in Europe.

תוֹכֶן הָעִניָנִים

Is a trip to Shala River in Albania actually worth it?

Shala River (Albanian: ‘Lumi i Shales’) rises in the Albanian Alps and flows along the Shala Valley until it flows into the Koman reservoir. Its source is located in the Okol, near Radohina peak in Theth, very close to the border with Montenegro. The river is 37 km long, with the most beautiful stretch being the last few hundred meters. It is surrounded by lush vegetation and is home to many species of fish, including trout. The deep blue colour of the river and the surrounding rock formations have given it the name “Thailand of Albania”.

The only way to get to this natural spectacle is by boat trip across the beautiful Lake Koman. This is located in northern Albania, about 130 km from the capital, Tirana. It was artificially created for the purpose of generating electricity. The reservoir is now one of the most popular places in northern Albania due to the beautiful mountain panorama.

עֵצָה: Where The Shala River and Komani Lake meet, the water has an intense colour, which also looks beautiful in pictures.

How to visit the Shala River in Albania – Getting there

• מִקוּם: צפון אלבניה
• נקודת התחלה: Komani Lake Tunnel
• איך להגיע לשם: Car or minibus, then boat
• Best travel time: Mai/June or September

Getting there is no easy and requires some good planning. The Shala River can only be reached by boat from Lake Koman. The city of שקודר is the best starting point for your tour. From here you can either take a minibus or a rental car to Koman ferry port. The easiest option is to buy a combined ticket that includes the bus ride from Shkoder and the boat trip. Although the city of Shkoder is just 50 km from the starting point of the tour, the journey takes about 2 hours. Most tour operators leave at around 6:30 am. If you want to be flexible, take a rental car.

The first part of the route is well-maintained, but then it gets more adventurous. For about an hour, you will be driving along winding mountain roads that get worse by the metre. At some point towards the end, the road turns into a gravel track with potholes everywhere. The ride will definitely be bumpy at stages, but the views are phenomenal.

If you arrive by car, you should absolutely park it in front of the tunnel, the jetty offers hardly any space, and turning there is a nightmare. There are some paid parking spaces in front of the tunnel, I recommend you use these.

Boats to the Shala River and ferries across Lake Koman to Fierza all depart from right behind the tunnel. Most boats to the Shala River leave between 9 and 10 am. However, you should be there at least half an hour earlier.

I had already booked a ticket online beforehand and would recommend you doing the same. Its not necessary to pay the ticket in advance, but you can be sure to have a spot on the boat. In fact, the first people to be boarding were those who had already reserved a ticket.

Boat Trip across Komani Lake to the Shala River

The quiet journey across the beautiful Lake Koman begins on a small wooden boat. All around you is nothing but emerald green water and huge mountains. The scenery couldn’t be more beautiful, but the paradise is unfortunately littered by rubbish in some places.

• After about 45 minutes, you reach what is probably the most beautiful stage. The lake gets narrower and narrower with every minute, and the scenery more and more impressive. You get the feeling of being in Thailand. After a one-hour boat ride, you reach the Shala River.
• Boat Tours to the Shala river only takes place between May and October. The reason for this is the water level, which is too high in the other months.
• ה boat trip from the ferry terminal takes about 90 minutes. You will then be dropped off in a side arm of the lake, the so-called Shala River.
• ה boats return to Koman at around 3 pm, so you have about 4 hours to explore the area and relax, which was sufficient in my experience.

Crystal-clear water at the Shala River surrounded by steep mountain ranges

When you arrive at your final destination, you will find a range of accommodation, bars, and restaurants. You can also rent kayaks or beach chairs here.

Even from a distance, the water shines in a bright turquoise colour. The riverbed, which consists of thousands of small stones, leads to the river. Provisionally built wooden bridges lead from one bank to the next. I have never seen such crystal-clear water.

ה scenery is simply unique. However, contrary to my expectations, it is no longer an untouched place. There are some restaurants and even some plastic sunbeds have been set up. Especially at the weekends, it is not a place for those seeking peace and quiet. Many Albanians love loud music, and so the idyllic piece of earth quickly turns into a dance floor.

Of course, refreshments are essential in the hot summer temperatures. Cooling off is quite a challenge, because the mountain water is ice-cold. Even in the summer months, it hardly warms up at all, and you can’t really stay in the water for long.

What to bring?

It is best to pack what you would normally take to the beach. Even though you’re heading deep into the mountains, the sun will still be quite strong.

Make sure to bring a good hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, of course. Due to the rocky ground, water shoes are also highly recommended.

If the water is a bit too cold for you, you can also rent a kayak on site and explore the area.

Shala River – Hiking & Activities

Some of the activities that you can do are, of course, swimming, there’s also a zipline, kayak rentals, and a hiking trail.

You can also go for some wonderful hikes along the river bed and surrounding mountains. Be aware, however, that some routes are more challenging and should only be attempted with a local guide. You can however take a 45-minute hike up the mountain on the נהר שאלה to reach a beautiful viewpoint.

Many of the guest houses also rent kayaks. It is particularly worthwhile renting a kayak if you feel like exploring some of the more remote parts of the river.

Accommodation – Where to stay?

You will find a few guest houses right on the river bank. They are on only open during the season and I recommend booking in advance. Especially in the busy summer months, places to sleep go quick due to the rather limited availability. The prices here seemed rather steep to me compared to other places in northern Albania, but the season is also very short here.

Where to Stay in Shala River. There are now five guest houses in Shala River: Blini-Park, Bee-Eco, Eagles Land, Livadhi ו Riverside Komani Lake.

My recommendations:

Blini Park Guest House: A simple wooden guest house located directly on the beach of the Shala River. Breakfast is included in the room rate. You can also have lunch and dinner at additional cost.

Tip: Neomalsore Agrotourism: The Neomalsore Agrotourism is situated in a secluded location at the end of the Shala river, closer to where it leads into Komani Lake. Here you can experience simple rooms, delicious local food and sleep in a super quiet location surrounded by nature.

My Conclusion

A visit to the Shala River and Komani Lake is definitely worthwhile. The best time to visit is in June or September. It is already warm and you can escape the crowds. When planning, it is important to keep in mind that the tour only takes place once a day. If you want to visit this magical place for longer, it is worth staying in one of the guest houses. These are located right on the river, and you have the opportunity to visit the Shala River and the surrounding mountains outside the tour times. There are also some hiking trails in the area, but due to the limited time available, they cannot be visited on a day tour.

If you have a little more time, it is worth spending a night at Lake Komani. There are only a few restaurants and guest houses, but you can enjoy the unique natural surroundings almost to yourself. Most visitors only come to the Shala River for a day trip.