Albania offers some of the most beautiful natural environments in Europe, and the most complex, unspoiled ecosystem in the Balkans. The most extensive national forests are found in the Highlands or “Malësi” of the Albanian Alps, as well as a 2,000 year old independent and surviving culture. This tour offers the visitor the chance to spend five days with experienced and informed local guides, both hiking the most beautiful and wild landscapes in Albania, visiting historical Theth, and seeing cultural sites. Visitors will stay in local guesthouses, eating delicious traditional food.

Day 1 : Lake Koman and the Valbona Valley
We leave Barbullush early on the minibus to catch a 9 am “small boat” or passenger ferry which travels up Lake Koman to Fierze. This has been called one of the great boat trips of the world. The ferry follows the bright blue, silent and narrow waters of the Lake, winding through breathtaking and spectacular mountains and past remote homesteads. We arrive at Fierze at noon, and there board another minibus, arriving in the frontier town of Bajrum Curri (the main town of Tropoja) around 1 pm. Here we have lunch, explore and shop a little. At 2:30 we leave Bajrum Curri for Valbona, the heart of the most extensive national park of Albania. We arrive at 4 pm at the Quku i Valbones Guesthouse, part of a family farm which has been in existence for more than 100 years, where we will be staying for the next two nights. Having settled in, we can walk through the beech woods beyond the houses to a small lake. The clear blue lake is spring-fed, still and magical, and a great place to relax and watch the trout come out to swim. If you don't mind the freezing temperature of the water, you can swim too.

In the evening we will enjoy a lavish meal of locally produced traditional food – vegetables are from the family's gardens, the dairy and meat from the valley.

Day 2 : Trekking to Rosi Mountain
After breakfast, we trek along the valley and up to the village of Kukaj (900m). From Kukaj we continue trekking along a path which rises through beech and pine woods to emerge into amazing and flourishing meadows of alpine flowers. Especially in spring, you enjoy the aroma of hundreds of kinds of flowers and marvel at all the colors of these large meadows. When we reach the large meadow just below the Pass of Rosi (2000m) where we stop for a picnic lunch, we will have a great view of Jezerca mountain (2694m), the second highest mountain in Albania, as well as the traditional and scenic summer pastures of Rrethi i Bardhe. After resting and exploring for an hour, we return to the guesthouse. The hiking lasts for 5 hours (3 hours up, 2 down), and horses are also available to hire for guests who don't want to hike the whole way.

Back in the Valley, in the evening we can have a look at some of the fascinating processes of the Dunishe Farm, where ancient traditions and tools are still used to make local products. Here we are pleased to give a gift to our guests, and offer a choice of handmade socks or locally produced honey or raki.

After this, we have dinner and stay at the guesthouse.

Day 3 : Shkodra
After an early breakfast, we will leave the guesthouse to catch the return ferry from Fierze. Having experienced for the second time the beauty of Lake Koman, we take our minibus to visit the historic city of Shkodra, often called the Cradle of Albanian Culture. Here we will visit the Castle of Rozafa which provides evidence of our being Illyrian and has one of the oldest and greatest of Albanian legends. After Rozafa Castle we visit the Marubi photo studio, the oldest in Balkans, and then spend some time sightseeing around the city center. Lunch will be in one of the fresh fish restaurants on the shores of Lake Shkodra.

After Lunch we return to Barballush.

TOUR PRICE PER PERSON

2 Persons : 280 euro
3 persons : 245 euro
4 Persons : 225 euro
5 Persons : 215 euro
6 Persons : 205 euro
7 Persons : 190 euro
8 Persons : 185 euro
9 persons : 180 euro
10 persons: 176 euro
11 persons: 172 euro
12 persons: 168 euro
13 persons: 165 euro
14 persons: 162 euro

Tours guaranteed to depart with a minimum of two people. Maximum tour size is fourteen.
Price Includes:
· Guesthouse accommodation and breakfast
· All scheduled meals
· Services of driver and guide throughout
· Packhorses for luggage where necessary
· Entrance fees

Price Does Not Include:
· Gratuities and individual daily expenses

Recommended good health. Children should not be younger than 10. Children from 10 to 16 pay 75% of the adult price. For guests that can not walk for long distances we provide horses (50 euro extra price).

NOTE:Albania is a developing country and small-scale tourism that takes care about the destination and the local population, has a positive impact. We'd like to support that as Camping Albania and therefore bring this tour to
· Additional Horses for Trekking
· Additional beverages
· Travel insurance
Medical and luggage insurance are recommended for coverage against all unforeseen circumstances.your attention.

We want to support this initiative of young Albanians who participate in a positive way to build their country. The very cheap price of the tour they make by themselves also to promote their country.

You will walk in the Balkan PeacePark. Parks for Peace are transboundary protected areas that are formally dedicated to the protection and maintenance of biological diversity, and of natural and associated cultural resources, and to the promotion of peace and cooperation.
For more information http://www.balkanspeacepark.org/maps.php