How To Take The Komani Lake Ferry from Koman to Fierze

Albania › How To Take The Komani Lake Ferry from Koman to Fierze

Lake Koman (Liqeni i Komanit) in northern Albania is home to one of the most beautiful ferry rides in the world. On my road trip through the Balkans, during which I visited the beautiful countries of Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, northern Albania with its breathtaking mountain ranges caught my eye the most. Especially the 2.5-hour ferry ride through the Albanian fjords, which will undoubtedly leave you mesmerised.

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About Lake Koman

Lake Koman is located in the northern part of Albania, not far from Shkoder and just a stone’s throw from the spectacular Valbona Valley National Park. Lake Koman is actually an artificial lake (reservoir). It was created when the hydroelectric power plant on the Drin River was built in the 1980s with the 115 metre high dam on one side near the village of Komani (hence the name of the reservoir).

A bit of history – Where Illyrians became Albanians

It is believed that the village of Koman was the place where the transition between the Illyrian tribe and the Albanians took place. This transition is referred to as the Koman culture, which took place in this village between the 6th and 8th centuries. The details of the graves in the area, including the objects that adorn the graves, such as earrings and rings, point to a unified culture and the continuation of the Illyrians into the 9th century.

What is the Komani lake ferry?

The Komani Lake Ferry is a daily ferry between the towns of Koman and Fierze in northern Albania. It crosses the Koman Reservoir and is one of the most beautiful ferry journeys you will ever experience. The journey takes 2.5 hours and the ferry runs once a day (from Koman to Fierze and back to Koman).

The ferry itself is nothing special. The boats are rather unremarkable and carry both passengers and cars. It is definitely not a luxury experience. This ferry service was opened decades ago when there was no tourism. Although the ferry was never created for tourism, it has become one of the most popular tourist attractions in Albania. I can well imagine how the first tourists on this trip decades ago thought: ‘Why isn’t this better known?’

Timetable of the Komani Lake ferry in Albania

The ferry crosses Lake Komani twice a day. Once in the morning from Koman to Fierza and once in the afternoon from Fierza back to Koman. In the summer months there will sometimes be additional ferries with different times.

Route of the Koman ferry

I have created this map so that you can get an idea of where exactly the ferry is located. On the map below, the red line shows where the ferry sails. If you start in Shkoder (A), you are travelling to Koman, which is B. After the ferry ride you are in Fierza and if you continue to Valbona, these are points A and B on the right side of the map.

Why take the Koman ferry?

You might be asking yourself, why am I travelling all this way just to take a ferry? In case the pictures above haven’t convinced you yet: This ferry is also part of the Valbona to Theth hike, which is perhaps even more famous.

The National Parks of Valbona and Theth are absolutely breathtaking mountain ranges that rival the Italian Dolomites. The jagged peaks of these mountain ranges are some of the most dramatic and beautiful I have ever seen. They are more beautiful than any other mountain range I have seen in the USA. A very famous hike is the one from Valbona National Park to Theth National Park. This hike takes you through valleys surrounded by beautiful peaks, scenery and trails. It’s a mostly leisurely 6-7 hour hike and gives you an insight into the best Albania has to offer. You will also stay in nice guesthouses in Valbona and Theth.

Komani Lake Tour – Valbona to Theth – 3 days

For this hike, most people take a combination of minibus and ferry. You can’t drive to Valbona by car, do the hike to Theth and then take a taxi back to Valbona. This is because there are no roads connecting these national parks. The only way to get to Valbona is to hike back. Therefore, many people choose to park their car in Shkoder and do the following:

• Spend the night in Shkoder
• The next morning you take a minibus to Koman, where you take the ferry to Fierza. From Fierza, take another minibus to Valbona.
• The next morning you hike from Valbona to Theth. Spend the night in Theth
• The next day you take a minibus back to Shkoder or Tirana.

All in all, this is a three to four-day route that has become incredibly popular in recent years (and for good reason).

In the end, I was very glad I did this trip, and I hope this helps you plan your trip too!

What about taking the ferry just for the view?

What if you don’t fancy a long three-day journey through the Alps? You’re probably not the only one! You don’t have to hike or visit any part of the Albanian Alps to take this ferry ride.

You can easily do the ferry as a day trip. From Shkoder or Tirana, you can essentially do this trip in one day by taking a return ferry journey. It would look something like this:

• Start in Shkoder to travel to Koman
• Take the ferry from Koman to Fierza
• Arrival in Fierza
• There is nothing to see in Fierza, but it would be a good time to do some shopping in one of the shops nearby.
• Take the ferry from Fierza to Koman
• Arrival in Koman
• Arrival in Shkoder

For this journey you will need to pay for the return journey by minivan and the return journey by ferry.

If you have a car, you can also drive here from Tirana or Shkoder. When you arrive in Koman, leave your car and take the ferry for the return journey. Alternatively, you can drive your car onto the ferry and drive back from Fierza when you’re done.

How much are the ferry tickets for Koman Reservoir?

Once you’ve decided on your itinerary, it’s time to book the tickets. This is the best part. For such an impressive ferry journey, the prices are incredibly affordable. Again, this is an ordinary ferry that has blossomed into a major tourist attraction. You won’t pay tourist prices here.

The prices for the ferry:

• Passenger – 8 € or 800 Leke
• Bicycle – 14 € or 1400 Leke
• Motorbike – 28 € or 2800 Leke
• Car – 8 € or 800 Leke per m2

How to get to the Koman reservoir

Now you know all about the Koman Lake ferry. But maybe you’re wondering how to get there from a more popular city like Shkoder or Tirana?

Quite simply, you just need to organise transport from Shkoder or Tirana to Koman. There are several options: You can drive your own car, ask your guesthouse or hotel to organise a taxi for you, or order the minivan taxis from the ferry company in Koman itself. As I drove myself, I didn’t have to worry about transport, but I met many other people who did.

The ferry ride itself

Now that you’re on your way, what can you actually expect on this epic journey? Firstly, you shouldn’t expect much in terms of service on the ship. There’s a small toilet on the main deck, where the cars are parked, and that’s about it. No refreshments are sold on board.

From the upper deck you have a great view of the fjord-like mountains, where I spent most of my time. However, when I was travelling, the ferry was almost empty and I was able to get some absolutely fantastic shots in front of the ferry overlooking the mountains. Normally the ferry would be packed with cars so I wouldn’t be able to take these kinds of photos.

Having just visited Valbona, I was already impressed by the beauty of the Albanian Alps. But this ferry ride was even more impressive than that! There are certain parts of the journey that I think are more beautiful than others. From Koman to Fierza, the journey begins after about an hour, when grassy hills give way to jagged mountain peaks. From Fierza to Koman, the journey begins after about 40 minutes.

I suppose this is what the Norwegian fjords feel like, but rest assured you can wear shorts on this trip.

What is the best time to visit Koman in Albania?

May to October is the best time of year to visit Lake Koman in northern Albania, but June is the best month for a boat trip on the lake.

How long is the ferry journey from Koman to Fierze?

About 3 hours. The ferry ride across Lake Koman is one of the most beautiful boat trips in Europe. This ferry takes you from Koman to Fierze (only 20 minutes by car from Valbona) and takes about 3 hours.

Koman – Shala River

The Shala River (also known as Lumi I Shales) is one of Albania’s most important natural attractions, BUT not many people know about it! The Shala River is often confused with Lake Komani and although they are connected, they are definitely not the same thing.

Your adventures on the Shala River start in Shkoder – this is your base town for exploring the river. It is the only town in Albania that offers a direct bus to the river, unless you pay for an expensive, private tour elsewhere.

The Shala River is a tributary of the popular Lake Komani. You can only reach the Shala River via the ferry harbour at Lake Komani, where you’ll have to take – you guessed it – a boat.

The most common reason to visit Lake Komani is A) sightseeing and B) access to Valbona Valley National Park. Most people bypass the Shala River because the main ferry doesn’t go there, only from the ferry harbour at Lake Komani to Fierza and vice versa.

However, if you are one of the lucky few who explore Lake Komani or the Shala River properly, you will find that there are day trips and guesthouses along this hidden stretch of river!

How to get to Lumi i Shales

There are several ways to get to the Shala River – the easiest is to book a tour.

• If you are coming from Shkoder, book this tour.

I recommend staying in one of the guesthouses along the river (I present all the guesthouses here).

If you book a tour and/or stay in one of the guesthouses, they take care of the transport to and from the river as well as to and from Shkoder. Basically, they take care of all the planning for you!

If you are travelling with your own canoe or kayak, you can also reach the Shala River this way. Keep in mind, however, that the distance to the Lumi I Shales is far too great to cover in one day. If you want to visit the river this way, you should bring camping gear (wild camping is allowed, but it will probably be difficult to find a spot) and plan a multi-day trip.

The Lumi I Shales I keep talking about is this place on the river.

Guesthouses on the Shala River

There are quite a few places to stay along the Shala River and most of them are cute little guesthouses run by locals!

If you want to stay at the furthest point of the river, where all the nice bars, fire pits and beach chairs are located by the river, you can stay at Bee Eco Guesthouse or Blini Park Guesthouse. Both are ideal for night-time evenings under the stars, even if they are pretty full during the day when the tour operators come.

Prices for the Bee Eco Guesthouse can be found here.

The prices for the Blini Park Guesthouse can be found here.

During my stay at Shala River, I stayed at Riverside Komani Lake, which I can’t rave about enough! They serve delicious, home-cooked food from the region. They have a great (and huge) wooden deck overlooking the river. Mark, one of the family members who runs the guest house, took me on a fantastic hike and went kayaking several times. WOW, that was a very special experience I had with them!

What you should pack for your trip to the Albanian Alps

As you may already know, I’m an advocate of travelling light, and indeed packing light for a trip like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip:

• Good walking shoes. Comfortable shoes are essential – great are these shoes for women, while for men I recommend these shoes.
• Power bank: With a 20,000+ mAh power bank, you can charge your electronic devices on the go.
• Water bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to carry around town or on the trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It’s a real all-rounder.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my favourite camera backpack for everyday use. It’s big enough to carry all my travelling gear and has plenty of compartments and pockets. It’s also pretty damn stylish!
• Large backpack: You need a large backpack to carry all your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can’t go wrong with Osprey.

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