Thyra Travels: Hiking the Accursed Mountains in Albania in 2019
I spent less time in Albania than I thought I would, as I am basically letting my mood decide on my next city/country. Keen on hiking, I spent a week in northern Albania, in the ‘Accursed Mountains’.
My time in Albania started with a bus border crossing like usual. I was the only one on the bus going to Shkoder, so the driver dropped me off on the outskirts of town instead of in the center. To get into town I inquired with one of the taxi men that were standing there. Dude quoted me FOUR euros for the fiveish minute drive to town. This is highway robbery in Albania. More than that, the sly smirk he gave me assured me he was convinced of my stupidity. Nope. I looked at him right in the face, went ‘HA, bye’, and walked myself into the center. Oh, taxistas…
Before I arrived, I knew I wanted to go farther north to hike. I organized transportation for the next morning and relaxed in the hostel. The room was completely empty except for me – luxury. For dinner I went to this ~fancy restaurant, where I ate like a queen. Quick to bed as the first part of my journey started early the next morning.
My first official day in the mountains started with the shuttle ride to Theth. The ride was beautiful, with picturesque villages and snow-capped mountains at every turn. We arrived to Theth around 10 am, and after dropping my bags at a guesthouse, I started out on my hike to a waterfall. Minute five into the hike – I fall. Like an idiot, I am climbing down a mountain while peeling an orange. Invincible she is not! I sit, finish my orange, assess the damage, and pour some water to clear the blood. Some germans pass and give me two band-aids. On with the hike! On my way back from the waterfall, the band-aids are completely soaked through with blood. Lord. I stop to decide if I want to leave the band-aids or take them off. A huge group of Israelis find me pondering this question on a rock. Soon I have 20 un-official doctors, along with their tour guide from Kosovo who tried to give me his whole first aid kit. I chuckled and shooed them on their way after grabbing a few spare bandages. I spent the night reading and relaxing at the guesthouse, who kept me thoroughly stuffed with fresh dairy and meat from their farm. The food was great.
Early the next morning I set off on the main part of my hike – 18 km to Valbona. I got started a little late, as it was pouring rain when I initially wanted to leave. At 8 am it was dry enough to start, so I bid goodbye to my hosts and stomped off to the entrance. I got horribly lost trying to find the path and who do I run into? The Israeli tour group! We all chuckled at our meeting and I showed off my bandaged knee. They invited me to join their hike and I was more than happy to do so. We spent the next 8 hours trading stories, sharing food, and drinking coffee. People always ask me why I hike alone and if it is dangerous. The answer is no, because you always, ALWAYS meet people to hike with along the way (unless you are really off the beaten path).
The next day I set off back to Shkoder, on a journey that included a Vietnam-reminiscent ferry ride. I was exhausted but happy in the way that only a beautiful hike and cool mountain air can make you.
When I got back, I spent a few days in Shkoder, walking around and eating lots of food. I considered my next move. I heard that Tirana, the capital, was unbearably hot during the day. Along the same lines, I heard the beaches in the south were packed at this time of the year. Because of this, I decided to move on to Montenegro, specifically Kotor. A friend had visited a few months ago and talked it up so much that I had been looking forward to going ever since.
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