After 10 days of touring around the Balkans and saying goodbye to Malin, it was time for Sam and me to head back up north in Albania. We had almost a full week in Albania, and our plan was to do a five-day hike in the northern mountains around Theth and Valbone. Early the next morning, we took a bus back to Shkodër, spent one day there preparing everything for our hike, and then took a bus to Theth the following day.
In Shkodër, we stayed at the nicest guest house I've ever been to. It was just called “Rooms for Rent” (not much creativity there…), but the owner was incredibly sweet and welcoming. He went above and beyond to help us, even walking us to a special shop to find gas for our camping stove and helping us arrange everything for our departure to Theth. He was this big Balkan man who looked rough but had such a big heart and a soft soul. When his adopted cat ran into our room and hid under the bed, he patiently got "her favorite cat toy" to coax her out. Seeing this big guy play with his little cat was such a cute and strange sight that I'll hardly forget. He lived with another man (their exact relationship was unclear), and they hung up laundry and prepared breakfast for us very early in the morning. It was so sweet; there didn’t seem to be any women around, just these two old men running the place. They were the most lovable Balkan men I’ve ever met. They even let us leave our extra bags at their place when we headed to Theth, so we wouldn’t have to carry everything with us on our hike.
From Shkodër, there’s a minivan going to Theth every morning for 10€, making it quite smooth to get there. It's a big tourist destination. Most tourists stay in guesthouses for a few nights or do a one-day hike to Valbone, then take the little boat down the river back to Theth. But since Sam had bought all this lightweight camping gear he’d been waiting to use, I agreed to do wild camping this time. Last summer, on the Mestia - Ushguli trek in Georgia, we did it my way, hiking from village to village, staying in guesthouses, and enjoying home-cooked meals. This time, I felt a bit more nervous about being completely on our own in the wild, but it was a nice opportunity to try multi-day hiking in mountain areas.
In Shkodër, we couldn’t find much dry food to bring, mostly just noodles and oats. The options were limited, so we had to survive on quite sparse rations for the first two days until we reached a small mountain village where we could restock. We had mapped out a 40 km, five-day hiking path ending in Valbone.
The minivan ride to Theth was smooth, thanks to a recently paved road. With the surge in tourism in Albania over the last five years, there were many new restaurants and guesthouses in Theth. We had a meal and stocked up on snacks and water before starting our hike.
The hike from Theth to Valbone was fairly easy, well-marked, and frequently hiked. There are ropes to hold on to during steep parts of the path, and even a few new cafes along the way. We did half of the hike the first day (a total distance of 17 km) and set up our tent in a small forest with a nice view of the mountain peaks. Around our tent, we found loads of wild strawberries, a whole sea of them. It gave me childhood flashbacks of picking them and putting them on a straw, so of course, I had to re-live those memories.
The next morning, we attempted to hike (or more accurately, climb) to the highest peak of Albania, Maja Jezercë, but it turned out to be much more advanced than we had guessed. Our plan was to do a 40 km loop to Valbone, which passed the highest peak and the Jezercë lakes, before reaching Valbone, instead of just hiking the shortest (and most frequently hiked) route there.
However, the path up to the peak was badly marked, and we ended up losing the trail a few times, stuck among loose rocks and steep slopes, which didn’t feel very safe. When we finally found the path again, it became so steep that it felt almost impossible to ascend with our heavy backpacks. It was more of a climb, and I almost panicked, fearing I’d fall backward and tumble over the edge with the backpack dragging me down. (Later, I read the Google reviews of Maja Jezercë and found most said it was a very advanced climb requiring proper equipment and taking 12 hours. I’m quite relieved we never attempted to reach the peak.)
Realizing we’d underestimated the trail’s difficulty, we decided to climb back down slowly. A few hours later, exhausted and a bit disappointed, we continued our hike to Valbone along the main trail.
The next day, we reached Valbone and decided to make another attempt to hike to the Jezercë lakes. After a full day of hiking and completely exhausted, we finally made it. The trail wasn’t as extreme as the one to Maja Jezercë, but still required good balance and strength. We only met two other hikers on the way, so it wasn’t very commonly hiked. Most other hikers we met by the lake had come from the Montenegro side, where the trail was shorter and easier. I almost stepped on a snake, which made both Sam and me quite tense for the rest of the hike. It was a relief to finally reach the lakes and take a refreshing swim in the crystal-clear water.
Our last night camping was spent halfway from the lakes back to Valbone, on a mountain saddle at almost 2000 meters altitude. It was probably the most beautiful campsite I’ve ever had, and seeing the sunset from there was amazing. Sam managed to convince me to wake up at 4:30 am to climb all the way up Rosi peak to watch the sunrise. I’m glad I didn’t know beforehand that it would take us three hours round trip, and that it was more of a climb. Once we returned to our camp, totally exhausted, we quickly packed up and started hiking back to Valbone to catch our minivan and the ferry back to Shkodër.
I think I’ve never been as exhausted and drained as I was during this six-hour hike, with barely any food besides some cookies. We made it to our minivan ten minutes before it departed, and it was such a relief to finally sit down, knowing we’d make it and that the intense hike, which was pretty painful in the end, was finally over.
This trip taught me that my body is capable of far more than I realized—I am actually stronger than I thought. Before this hike, I never imagined I could climb mountains with a heavy backpack. My perception of being in the mountains also evolved significantly over the days. Initially, I felt anxious, trapped, and scared sleeping in the tent, surrounded by towering peaks. However, as the days passed, I began to find comfort and peace in the scenery. Sam always said mountains mean freedom to him. For me, they had always induced fear or a sense of claustrophobia. Now, I'm happy to know that I can step outside my comfort zone and even start to enjoy it. I eagerly look forward to more hiking trips in the future.
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