Vrap means hurry. East of Vrap are three summits that can be connected to an exhilarating ridge hike. To climb all three mountains east of Vrap, you need to hurry, three times. But don't hurry too much, as some of the sections are fairly steep, particularly those descending to the notches between the summits. Albania is a land...

If you want to see remote village life close to Tirana, this hike is for you. Gracen lies on the road from Tirana to Elbasan. Few travellers stop to look down on either side of the ridge. Rarely any traveller will venture down from the ridge to visit the lower lying villages, well knowing that it is harder to get back and up than...

Many visitors come to Petrelë, primarily to visit the restaurants and the "Petrelë Castle", and this is good so. But Petrelë has other secrets awaiting the more intrepid visitor. The hill behind Petrelë is the site of the ancient City of Përsqop, and some ruins have recently been freed from shrubs and overgrowth. Moreover the...

Mali i Hajmelit is the very visible ridge to west of the Lezha - Shkodra Road. Part of this ridge looks very rocky (and is indeed very difficult to follow). The highest point, on the northern end of the ridge, on a roundish looking summit, can be reached in a short but very rewarding hike. Walk through some farmhouses for...

Maja e Rakshanit lies in the shadow of the big four mountains near Tirana (Dajti, Brar, Gamnit and Kruja). Barely topping 900 Meters, it does not seem to be a top destination. This is wholy unjustified, as it makes for a wonderful outing, involving a roundtrip, the most fantastic view of Kruja Mountain that is to be had, and the...

We are not prone to exaggeration, but this is one of the most engaging ridge walks on offer near Tirana. There are always great ridge walks, but this one can beat many others hands down. More than 10 kilometer long, and almost every meter is a pleasant and often engaging hike. But beware, just when you are proud of yourself of...

When days become short and cold, the wider Tirana region still offers short and interesting hikes. Mali i Gallushit, though relatively close to Tirana, will always instill a feeling of remoteness, especially when approached from Tirana. The villages on the western and southern slopes, facing the Adriatic Sea, orient themselves...

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...

The bulk of Koritnik (2397 Meter) lies in Kosovo, but its summit sits on the border of Albania and Kosovo. It doesn't look as dramatic as Gjallica, but it certainly is an imposing mountain near Kukes. It has a steep rock face on the Albanian side, but appears to be benign in Kosovo. Indeed, there is some good driving on forest...

Mali i Veles, while not memorably high in real terms (only 1150 Meter), is an impressive but often overlooked mountain. It lies behind the town of Lezha, on its eastern side, while the gaze of most travellers goes to the west with its beaches. Once Veles has attracted interest, its west face looks almost impossible to hike,...

There might not be many places where you can be at a lake, hike to a castle on beautiful trails, and enjoy some of the most splendid views of the "front range" of Tirana and the Adriatic at the same time. We hiked this trail on an afternoon following a long rainy day, and the views stretched as far a to Montenegro. And we need to...

A light morning or afternoon hike in easy reach of Tirana, to the ruins of an old Ilyrian castle. Up mostly on dirt roads, down on a variety of foot paths. There are only some few remnants of the walls left, but the place of the castle provides very good views into all directions - including views of Dajti, Skenderbeut mountain...

This climb up to the Dajti Plateau takesa not-so-frequently used trail starting at Tujan village. Returning fromthe Dajti Plateau, our hike takes the more frequently (perhaps once every two weeks?) used route back to Shermini, and cuts back to the starting point in Tujan village. Both trails have been recently cut free from...

An old path leads from the village of Tujan to the village of Dajti, behind Dajti Mountain. The path travels high above the Tirana River, on its southern bank. The trail, once an important mule path connecting Tujan and Dajti, is no longer in active use and at risk of falling into disepair. In September 2011, it was still...

Mali i Shebenikut (Shebenik) is the highest mountain in the chain south of Korab along the border to Macedonia. It gave the Shebenik-Jabllanice cross-border national park its name. We are not sure how actively the idea of the park is still pursued. Shebenik may not be more remote than many other mountains in Albania, but it...

Pellumba Cave is - and should be - one of the top hiking destinations from Tirana, especially for those with little time to spare. Half a day can be sufficient, though one could spend many hours in the cave itself. The cave is cool during the hot summer months, and probably warm in winter (though we didn't try). The trail to...

Razem is a nice place, cool in summer when the plains and beaches are hot. There are several hotels of all types, including the splashy Natyral Resort, with its good service, indoor swimmingpool and sauna. But then there is not much to do. Except there is Velecikut! And while many guests come with their 4WDs which never left the...

Thethi is often referred to as the Chamonix of the Albanian Alps, and it is said that it receives up to 10,000 visitors a year. The upgrade of Albania by the Lonely Planet to a top destination in 2011 has certainly contributed to Thethibecoming a "boom" tourist destination. . While Thethi certainly is a top destination for...

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...

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...