Hiking to the Blue Eye Theth & Grunas Waterfall

Theth › Hiking › Hiking to the Blue Eye Theth & Grunas Waterfall

Hiking guide to the Blue Eye in Theth, one of the most beautiful natural attractions in the Albanian Alps. Includes trail route and tips.

HIKE THETH – BLUE EYE

The Blue Eye of Theth – for many tourists the first port of call after their arrival in the small village. It is the most visited natural attraction in the north Albanian village. Although I had already seen the Blue Eye Saranda in southern Albania, I didn’t want to miss this one either!

On the walk, you can also take a detour to admire the Grunas Waterfall. Doing this adds another one hour onto the hike so be sure to factor this in by setting off early. 

Alternatively, if you’re short on time you can begin in the picturesque village of Nderlysaj arriving by hire car or taxi.

• TIME: 6 h (approx)
• DISTANCE: 19 km
• ELEVATION GAIN: +650 m
• DIFFICULTY: easy

Theth to Grunas Waterfall (1 hr)

At 7 o’clock in the morning, the alarm clock woke me up. I had planned to get up as early as possible, because in this valley, surrounded by high mountains, temperatures can climb to over 30 degrees in summer. Besides, I knew that the way there alone is 10 kilometres long and that the Blue Eye is often crowded at lunchtime. So I followed the path crossing a little meadow along the left side of the river, until I came to a little folk in the path for Grunas Waterfall.

Make sure to take the path on the left. If you decide to skip the waterfall, continue on the right-hand side.

Grunas Waterfall to Nderlysaj (1.5 hrs)

From the waterfall onwards, you then have to follow the red and white markings indicating ‘Ndërlyasaj’ in southeastern direction following the river.

The narrow path leads around 8.5 kilometres, mostly right along the Shala river. The wonderfully ice-cold river water invites you to take a quick dip and ultimately flows into the Komani lake in the distance. I had already visited the reservoir. The hiking trail also winds over a few hills, which offer great views of the surrounding valley.

Nderlysaj to the Blue Eye (1 hr)

Finally arriving at Ndërlyasaj, a small settlement of houses, the actual hiking part was about to begin. The setting is very beautiful with a crystal clear expanse of turquoise water surrounded by lofty canyons. 

For about 2.5 kilometres, the route then climbs steadily until the Blue Eye is finally within reach. As you draw closer you will start hearing the sound of the river growing stronger. Make sure to cross over the wooden bridge and follow the path for less than five minutes until you reach your final destination – the majestic Blue Eye of Theth.

A narrow trail down to the natural pool and its small waterfall. The approximately 5-metre-deep pool shimmers in every imaginable shade of blue.

But even the cool breeze suggests that a swim is only for the tough guys. During my visit, there were only a few people around. After a short rest at the beautiful riverbank near the wooden bridge, I started my way back around noon. And once again it showed that getting up early was worth it. Several minibuses full of people were dropped off at the nearby café and made their way to the Blue Eye.

Tips for your hike

If you are planning to hike to the Blue Eye in Theth make sure you bring:

• Trainers / hiking boots as it’s a long hike.
• Swimming gear if you decide to brave the freezing water.
• Water – like in any hike, make sure you bring a big water bottle with you. You can fill it up in Nderlysaj if needed.
• Your mobile with Maps.Me app downloaded as this will show you the exact path to take (you won’t have any signal).

Where to stay in Theth

If you’d prefer to stay in the heart of Theth, I recommend checking out Guest House Gjelaj. I loved the picturesque setting of this rustic guest house. It’s also tucked around a little winding road, which makes it feel more private than being directly in the centre of town.

Conlusion: The Blue Eye by Theth is absolutely worth seeing! Especially those who have not yet seen the attraction of the same name in southern Albania should definitely take on the hardships in the small mountain village. And as already mentioned, there is the possibility to take the offer of the minibuses. However, this hike was just the beginning for me in terms of adventures in Theth.