An easy but interesting loop hike from the tourist town of Kruja. Most foreign visitors to Albania and also Albanians end up and one time or the other in Kruja town, to shop for souvenirs or visit the Skenderbej Museum. The mountain behind Kruja town looks almost vertical, and few visitors know that there is an easy pilgrim's path...

There is somewhat of a mystery as to the real name of this mountain. We call it Gamnit. It is very close to Tirana, and it stands in a row with Kruja Mountain, Gamnit, Brari Mountain and Dajti. Of all those, Gamnit looks somewhat forbidding, and it is the most diffcult of those to climb. As for the others, the views from the top...

Korabi is the highest peak of Albania, with 2764 Meter. It is also the highest peak of Macedonia. It is on the list of all those with an ambition to climb high mountains, or to scale the highest points in each country they visit. Korabi has a "primary factor"or prominence of 2169 meter, which means one has to walk down for...

There are two main summits of Brar Mountain. The South summit is the higher one. We went there on Mother Teresa day 2011, which is in October, and a good time to attempt the summit. Much of the loop hike is exposed to the west, and can get very hot in summer. We elected to start the hike in Priske e Vogel, but it can also be done...

Gramos is the highest Mountain in southern Albania. The summit of Gramos (also called Cuka e Pecit) sits on the border of Albania with Greece, near Erseke. Here, the border forms a sharp triangle so as to share the summit with both countries. From the valley one can see the summit pyramid, but not the summit itself. The trail...

Kendërvicës is the highest point of the Mali i Gribës range, which dominates the view when driving from Fier to Tepelene. The shortest hike to the summit requires a long drive from Tepelene to Nivice. The drive leads from Tepelene onto the plateau of Lekdushk, Progonat, Gusmar and Nice, with its magnificant canyons. The road...

Many travellers make it over the Llogara Pass, and their gaze is usually drawn to the sandy beaches and blue waters of the Ionian Sea. Unless, of course, they hold tight to the steering wheel and fix their attention to the winding road. The pass climbs to an altitude of 1000 Meter, and many find the altitude dizzying. Few...

Valamares is among our most favorite hikes in Albania. It has all attributes that make a good hike: a hotel right at the trailhead - so you just get up in the morning and start walking. There is 1000 Meter elevation gain, but it feels like a breeze as the trail has a steady gentle slope. The first part of the trail leads through...

Gjallica Mountain towers above Kukes town, and it maintains a snowcap long into spring. One may try to hike Gjallica summit directly from Kukes, but it is also possible to drive up high on the side of the mountain, and hike from there to the top. The drive up is easy with a high-clearance 4WD vehicle and worth a trip in itself. We...

Aside from any mountain near the seashore, there is no other mountain in Albania from where so much water can be seen. The summit of Mali i Thatë (the Dry Mountain) is called Pllaja e Pusit, and both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa - the largest lakes in the Balkans - can be seen from there. The mountain range separating Prespa...

Gropa e Bukura is the "beautiful hole" - a piece of grass that provides the ideal starting point for climbs of Maja e Jezerce or Maja e Popluks (see spearate trail). Gropa a Bukura is at 1700 meter altitude - 1000 Meter higher than Thethi. We took a mule to carry camping equipment from Thethi to Gropat e Bukura, especially as...

Nobody seems to know Maja e Popluks (2569 Meter). This is so because Maja e Jezerce is right next to it, and all eyes and attention seems to be on the highest summit entirely in Albania. Would Maja e Popluks stand alone, it would be an extraordinary mountain, with excellent views to most peaks of the Albania Alps and beyond. As it...

Papingut has a dramatic east face - which drops 2000 Meter into the Vjosa Valley, near Permët. Ascend from the east is reserved for suitably equipped climbers ready to cope with the reputedly bad rock. But the mountain can be relatively easily scaled from the valley of Zagoria on its west side. Zagoria in itself is tremendously...