Valbona Valley National Park Albania – Albanian Alps

Hiking › Valbona Valley National Park Albania – Albanian Alps

The Valbona Valley National Park is a protected area in northern Albania. It protects parts of the Albanian Alps as well as the valley of the Valbona River and its waterfalls. If you are looking for a park where you can breathe fresh air and enjoy incredibly high mountains, Valbona Valley National Park is the place for you. There are 54 mountains with names in the park, the highest and most famous of which is Maja e Jezercës (2,694 m / 8,838 ft).

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Valbona Valley National Park in northern Albania

The Valbona Valley National Park covers an area of 80 km² in northern Albania. It is home to a large rivers, mountains, waterfalls and breathtaking rock formations. Valbona Valley National Park covers a large part of the catchment area of the Valbona River, which lies in the north of the country.

Geography

The Valbona Valley is home to diverse flora and fauna, including endangered species such as brown bears, wolves, golden eagles and lynxes. Its biodiversity is one of the reasons why the area was declared a protected national park in 1996.

The park borders Montenegro to the north, as well as the Gashi or Lumi Gashit Nature Reserve and the Thethi National Park. As the area is known for its incredible natural beauty, there are rumors that the authorities want to merge the Valbona Valley National Park with the Gashi Nature Reserve and the Thethi National Park into one large protected area.

The National Park protects the Accursed Mountains or Prokletije, as the Albanian Alps are sometimes referred to. From a geological point of view, the Albanian Alps are part of the Dinaric Alps. Its peaks are also protected in other nearby areas such as the Prokletije National Park in Montenegro and the Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park in Kosovo.

The park is very remote and relatively small, although it has a great diversity of ecosystems and climatic conditions. This creates the perfect habitat for diverse flora and fauna. Most of the park (about 89% of its total area) is forested.

The closest town to the park is Bajram Curri, where the villages of Rrogam, Valbona, Dragobi and Çerem are located. Part of the park is also under the special protection of UNESCO for the primeval beech forests of the Carpathians and other regions of Europe. Forbes has also described Valbona National Park as one of the most beautiful places in the Western Balkans.

Geology

Albania is a small country in the Balkans. It borders Montenegro to the north, Kosovo and Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south. The Albanian Alps are one of the most impressive and remarkable topographical features of Albania.

These peaks are geologically the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, which form part of the orogenic (mountain-forming) belt between the Alps and the Himalayas. This orogenic belt stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to Tibet in the east.

The topography of the park is mountainous, with many steep slopes, high ridges and deep river valleys. Some of the highest sections of the Dinaric Alps are located in the Albanian Alps.

Geologically, the Dinaric Alps are quite diverse and the mountains here have a variety of different formations. Limestones and dolomites dating back to the Mesozoic Era are widespread in the region, as are outcrops of bauxite, which contains a high proportion of aluminum. Due to the large limestone and dolomite deposits in the region, the park has a typical karst topography.

Karst topography includes landscapes created by the dissolution of soluble rock. Most karst landscapes have terrain features such as caves, springs and sinkholes.

However, the peaks in the region were not formed by karstification, but by tectonic collisions. This is where the African and Eurasian plates collided, creating the many peaks of the Dinaric Alps that we can still see today.

The highest peaks in the Valbona Valley National Park include:

• Maja e Jezercës (2,694 m)
• Grykat E Hapeta (2,625 m)
• Maja Popluqes (2,578 m)
• Maja Zhaporës (2,561 m)
• Maja Hekurave (2,560 m)
• Maja Brijasit (2,557 m)
• Maja Kollatës (2,552 m)
• Zla Kolata / Kollate e Keqe (2,535 m)
• Dobra Kolata / Kollate e Mires (2,525 m)
• Rosi summit (2,522 m)

Ecology of the valley

Although the Valbona Valley National Park is relatively small, it offers an enormous variety of ecosystems and habitats that have given rise to a diverse flora and fauna. Forests, especially the mixed forests of the Dinaric Mountains, dominate almost 90 percent of the park’s total area.

As the park is located in the Albanian Alps, its climate is characterized by cold winters and hot summers. However, if you visit the higher elevations of the park, it is always pleasantly warm. Due to the park’s proximity to the Mediterranean, it can get a little hot in the summer months. The Park is at its coldest between the end of December and the beginning of February and at its warmest from the beginning of July to the beginning of August.

The mixed forests of the Dinarides consist of deciduous trees such as oak, beech, ash, maple and elm. In spring, these trees have bright green leaves, and in fall they provide spectacular fall foliage with their red leaves.

Although there are many tree species in the park, birch and pine are the most common. Pine is one of the most common tree species in the park. There are many different species of pine in the region, including Austrian, Bosnian and Scots pine.

Valbona Valley National Park – History

In 1929, British climbers Sleeman, Elmalie and Ellwood were the first to climb the summit of Maja e Jezercës (2,694 m /8,838 ft). The following year, Austrian mountaineers also reached the peak. The summit soon became a popular destination for hikers and mountaineers, as it is one of the highest peaks in the Albanian Alps and in the whole of Albania.

The Valbona Valley National Park was established in January 1996. By establishing the park, the Albanian government wanted to preserve the natural ecosystems, landscapes, vegetation and biodiversity of the region.

A plan to expand the National Park together with the nearby Thethi National Park and the Gashi Nature Reserve is currently under consideration. This expansion plan would make the park the largest in Albania and one of the largest in south-eastern Europe.

Hikes in Valbona Valley National Park

Hiking is one of the most popular activities in Valbona Valley National Park. The views you can enjoy from the park’s hiking trails are incredibly rewarding and give you a different perspective on the stunning Albanian landscape.

Valbona Pass

The Valbona trail is particularly popular in summer. It takes hikers from Valbona to Thethi in just 17 km and has only slight differences in altitude. This trail is a good option if you want to visit both Valbona Valley National Park and Thethi National Park.

In fact, this trail is often quite crowded in summer as everyone wants to see both beautiful parks. The trail leads through a dense forest and then through beautiful meadows. As the trail is relatively flat, it’s great for the whole family, although the length of the Valbona Trail means it will probably take you the best part of a day to complete.

Jezerca Lakes

The starting point for the hike to the Jezerca Lakes is in the village of Valbona near the local school. It is a relatively strenuous hike as the difference in altitude is around 1,000 meters. The hike leads through meadows and rocky terrain. Once you reach the mountain hut, follow the path and descend to the lakes.

On this trail, you have a descent of 400 m, which is quite a lot of descent as the lower part of the trail is only 3 km long. Nevertheless, you can enjoy the lakes on this hike and go for a swim if the weather permits. The beauty of the surroundings makes this hike absolutely worthwhile.

Maja e Jezercës

Most hikers start their hike up Maja e Jezercës (2,694 m / 8,838 ft) from Gusinje in Montenegro. Although this is the easiest route, it is not advisable to do it without a border pass, as you are crossing from one country (Montenegro) to another (Albania).

The hike is strenuous, but still worthwhile as you will be climbing the second highest peak in the Albanian Alps. The trail is 20 km long and leads from Gusinje to the summit of Maja e Jezercës. There is also a difference in altitude of almost 2,000 m to overcome on this trail, so it is not for the faint-hearted.

Larger towns

Looking for accommodation near Valbona Valley National Park? Here are some of the best places and towns in the area.

Bajram Curri

Bajram Curri is a town in the north of Albania. It became famous due to its proximity to Valbona Valley National Park and its beautiful views of the mountains. The town has around 5,000 inhabitants and was founded by Ali Pasha Tepelena, an Ottoman military commander and former ruler of Albania.

The name Bajram means “the great” or “the most important”. Nowadays, the town can be reached by road and you can choose one of the many accommodation options in the town, from campsites to bungalows.

Shkoder

Shkoder is a city in northern Albania and the capital of the district of the same name, Shkodër. The city has a population of around 130,000 and has been inhabited since ancient times.

Visitors to Shkoder can explore the ruins of the old town and the numerous museums. During your stay in the city, you can also visit the famous Lake Shkoder (also known as Lake Skadar).

You can reach Shkoder by car or train. You have a wide choice of accommodation in the city, as Shkoder is a tourist town that offers everything from upscale hotels to youth hostels.

Podgorica

Podgorica is the capital and largest city of Montenegro. It is also the administrative center of the municipality of Podgorica. Although Podgorica is not located in Albania, it is close to the Valbona Valley National Park.

Podgorica is also a city with a rich history and culture as well as fascinating architecture. It has more than 150,000 inhabitants and is a multicultural city that will impress any visitor. Podgorica is also home to one of the largest airports in the region, making it a good starting point for your trip to the Valbona Valley.

Getting to Valbona Valley

By bus

The average Albanian still travels by minibus and also sends mail this way. In addition, fresh agricultural produce is delivered daily to (presumably otherwise starving) relatives in the city, furniture … all sorts of things are transported by minibus in Albania. I’ve also only seen a cow being transported in a minibus once (and I have the photo to prove it!). But don’t worry – it wasn’t a passenger minibus.

The network can be off-putting to foreigners as there is usually no published timetable or system, no information in print or online, no tickets sold and no formal organized way to make reservations. Oh, and no proper bus stations. Welcome to Albania!

Shkoder to Valbona by bus

From Shkoder you can of course take the minibus + ferry or cab + ferry. But you can also rent a car and drive to Valbona via Kosovo, for example.

. Option 1: Bus from Shkoder to Koman + ferry from Koman to Fierze + bus from Fierze to Valbona
. Option 2: Taxi from Shkoder to Koman + ferry from Koman to Fierze + cab from Fierze to Valbona

FAQs

Is there a Valbona Vallay national Park Map?

Yes, there are detailked maps available for Valbona Valley National Park, including hiking maps, and you can find them online or potentially at local tourist offices. Check with the local tourist offices in Valbona or nearby towns like Bajram Curri for paper maps or information about hiking trails. Here is where the park is loacted: The closest larger town is the city of Shkoder.

Valbona Valley National Park – Camping Allowed?

Wild camping and free standing with a camper is (still) officially permitted in Albania, with a few restrictions. As long as you always ask about national parks or nature reserves and private land or enquire with official authorities, you can relax and find a nice spot that you have all to yourself. Albania is a real insider tip among campers. How long it will stay that way is questionable as more and more outdoor enthusiasts are being drawn to this beautiful country in south-eastern Europe.

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