Theth village sits in a valley, which describing it would be like talking about a sweet dream.
Lush soil with an ice-cold river flowing in the valley’s midpoint, while green hills circle the valley, a chain of snow-capped mountains around them. At last, the sky wraps it all from the top.
Theth is a village situated in the mountains of North Albania, also called The Albanian Alps. The village is one of Albania’s most beautiful attractions and is the starting point of the famous Theth Valbona Hike. Besides the highlight walk that most visitors will never miss, Theth’s national park offers many other hiking trails and natural wonders you should explore.
Since we travel slow, we took our time and stayed for four nights. It was a great decision. We had enough time to walk, see Grunas Waterfalls, jump inside the Blue Eye, get ready for the hike to Valbona, and sit on the balcony.
Travel slow.
Gain the opportunity to see the same faces, exchange words with locals, travelers, absorb nature, and observe human interactions.
Top Places to Visit in Theth National Park
1. The Blue Eye
Hidden inside the Albanian Alps and famous for its cold healing water, the Blue Eye will mesmerize you with its deep blue color and freezing temperature. Underground sources feed the spring and a small waterfall adds to it glacier water. Our stay in the Blue Eye was equivalent to walking time because it’s just too hard to leave such a magical place. Read more…
2. Grunas\Theth waterfalls
- Time: 45 min from Theth church.
- Distance: 2 km.
Grunas waterfall is a fun, short, easy attraction you shouldn’t miss while staying in Theth. Glacier water falling from 30 m high creates a magical pond at the bottom of the waterfall. You could bath and feel like a freezing commercial for shampoo.
From Theth’s church, find the river and walk by its left-hand side. Red and white colors mark the path. The path passes by a lovely cafe with a spectacular view. It will be tempting to stop and have a beer, so do it. It’s a walk you can do tipsy, or you can save it for the walk back 🙂
After 35 min of walking, the path splits into two trails: up and straight ahead. Both are marked and lead to the waterfall from different sides, though most people choose the trail up because it’s shorter.
Follow Maps.me App if you feel insecure. It’s an easy, friendly hike, walkable with children. The climb up lasts around 15-20 min, and it’s mainly in the shade.
3. The Hike from Theth to Valbona
Theth Valbona hike will surely be one of the highlights of your Albanian trip. If you consider yourself a hiker, this hike should be on your bucket list.
Now listen.
We are -not- hikers by definition.
We walked with a baby and too much weight on our backs, and still, the hike was a transcending experience for us. All nature lovers should visit Albania, especially for this hike. Read more…
Where to Stay in Theth Village
Our recommendation is to stay close to the center, next to the church or lock-in tower. For sure this location will make you feel a part of Theth village and within the village. In addition, you should have a day just to sit in the village and look around. We got the chance to talk with the inhabitants, feel like neighbors, and see if the kids had a fight and who started. Look at the cows, pigs, and a farmer harvest the fields with a sickle.
Excluding the main hike from Theth to Valbona, the starting point of most hikes are in this area.
Guesthouses away from the center can seem detached from the valley and isolated. Therefore you should stay in the center.
If you plan to arrive at Theth for one night and start the hike to Valbona the next day, finding a hostel close to the hike’s starting point will be better. Those few kilometers less can make a difference.
Guesthouse Pashko
We stayed at Guesthouse Pashko, with a perfect location, between the church and the Lock-in Tower. Pashko is the owner, and Vera, his wife, runs the place like a goddess with her sister-in-law, Ella. Albanians are known for good hospitality. At Guesthouse Pashko, we understood why. We travel on a low budget and sometimes cook for ourselves. Vera agreed we would use their kitchen for cooking whenever we wished. Another example of great hospitality was when the Euro Football games were on in the evening. Their home TV was available for all the guests.
Like most remote places in the world, accommodation prices in Theth and Valbona are relatively higher compared to the rest of Albania. Don’t let it stop you. It was the most meaningful experience in Albania.
Our deal at Guesthouse Pashko was 30€ per night, with breakfast. Dinner costs approx 10€ per person in all the guest houses. If you are on a budget, I recommend grocery shopping in Shkoder before the ride to Theth. There isn’t a supermarket in Theth, just a small overpriced mini market.
How to get to Theth Village
There are two ways to get to Theth village. The first one is hiking from Valbona, and you can read all there is to know about it in our Theth – Valbona post. The second one is using public transportation from Shkoder, as we did.
We stayed in Trabosh Hostel at Shkoder. Our host, Illy, booked seats for us in a minibus. All hosts can do that for you. If not, find help in the information center located in the main square of Shkoder, one ticket costs 1000 LEK (10$).
We met the 4X4 minibus at the central square by the tourist information at 06:30 AM. The bus picked up the rest of the passengers, 18 in total, and we hit the road at 08:00 AM. Theth is only 75 km from Shkoder, yet the ride lasts around 3 hours.
Our Expirience of the Ride
The road starts nice and paved, but it won’t last for long. Most of it is bumpy and twisty, for that you shouldn’t worry about choosing a seat when entering the bus. All passengers are getting a sight out of the bus towards the cliff’s edge due to the curves. To sum up the ride so far, we have bumps, turns, and, last but not least, ascent and descent effects. Ladies and Gentlemen, we felt at Six Flags. With every curve, the road became a photomontage. Gluing together every sight out the window shows more of the subject than can be shown in a single photograph
Final Thoughts
After two months of traveling in Albania, if you would ask a recommendation to visit one place in this wonderful country, my replay will be Theth National Park. It may not be an undiscovered village, and yes, there are tourists, but it doesn’t feel crowded. There’s enough space to connect with nature, the views are breathtaking, every destination looks like a natural phenomenon, and even the hospitality experience is an attraction to explore.
Just go there.
