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...

Priskë lies in the shadow of Dajti - it doesn't have a cable car, no restaurants on the balcony, no television towers on top, it doesn't have an interesting shape, it has three hundred meter less altitude than Dajti, and - most importantly - it doesn't have a path to its top. This is, probably, what makes the mountain rarely...

Rosavere is a somewhat fabled village near Krrabe, which is only available by foot. (We saw an old Mercedes Benz parked in the village, and there might be times in the year when a vehicle can ford the river and reach the village. It is unlikely, however, that driving to Rosaveres would be faster than walking from Krrabe)....

Not very high-altitude, but a hike in very unspoilt environment with some challenging bits. From the reservoir of the village Fushas near Baldushk the trail it climbs to the highpoint of the area, Mal Zajs. Mal Zajs is heavily wooded, and the summit has no views, so you may as well skip it. But then, when will you be as close...

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...

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 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...

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...

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...

Dajti Mountain with 1665 meters dominates Tirana (at 160 meter elevation). It is visible when one approaches Tirana from any side, and often maintains a snow cap in the colder months. There is a road leading up to a plateau at about 1050 Meter, or one can take the cable car. There are many restaurants and it is nice to simply...

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...

Petrela is best known as an afternoon drive for a lunch or coffee. Here,we walk from the artificial lakein Tirana through the park and over the hills to the restaurant at Petrela castle. The hike is easy but long. The trail ends at the restaurant in Petrela castle, which offers refreshments and meals. Take the bus back to...

What looks like something from one side may look a different matter from the other side. Mali i Lunxherise is one of those two-faced mountains. Lunxherise is the mountain range east of Gjirokastra. It looks not like much from Gjirokastra - more or less like a humangeous loaf of bread - but from the Zagoria valley it becomes...

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...

There might be as many Guri i Zi's (black rocks) in Albania as there are white rocks or red rocks. To our knowledge, this 'black rock' is the highest, topping out at way over 2000 Meter. Guri i Zi is one of the prominent highpoints on the western side of Shkumbin valley. Its striking formation is only recognized from...