If you’re visiting the Albanian Alps, this Theth Albania Travel Guide has all the information you’ll need.
Theth (also known as Thethi) is a tiny village in a valley in the middle of the Albanian Alps, otherwise known as the Accursed Mountains. Access to this village is by a narrow, winding mountain road, which can be closed off during winter snows.
Arriving into Theth you’ll be blown away with the breath-taking mountain scenery, some of the best hiking you’ll find anywhere, traditional lifestyles and welcoming hospitality. The village of Theth is in the Theth National Park.
We spent four nights in Theth in our campervan in late May 2025. We hiked several of the main trails, and enjoyed relaxing in this beautiful Alpine Village. Theth quickly became one of our favourite places in Albania.
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How to get to Theth
There are two ways to get to Theth, by road from Shkoder or on foot from Valbona.
By Air
The closest airports are in Tirana or just over the border in Podgorica, Montenegro. From here you will need to drive or take a bus to Theth.
By Car
You’ve probably heard horror stories about the drive to Theth, how the road is in terrible condition, unsealed, narrow and winding. The road was upgraded in 2021 and while it’s still narrow and winding, at least it is sealed!
We drove this road in our campervan and while it was exhilarating, it definitely wasn’t the worst road we’ve driven on! Yes there are switchbacks, and sometimes you’ll need to pull over for vehicles coming the other way. We only had to reverse once to make room for another van.
By Bus
If you don’t have your own vehicle, or you don’t want to drive yourself, you can take a minibus from Shkoder. Buses leave early in the morning to make the 2 (ish) hour journey to Theth.
While you can head to the bus station and hope for the best, you’re better off to book through your accommodation, or via Gjirafa Travel.
By Organised Tour
You can certainly take a day tour to Theth from Shkoder (even from Durres or Tirana) if you have limited time. However, we think this would be very rushed and would only recommend it if you’re happy to sit in a mini-bus for 4+ hours on a narrow road and have limited time in the village.
On foot (Valbona to Theth Hike)
The other main way travellers arrive in Theth is by hiking from Valbona. The Valbona to Theth hike is a part of a (minimum) three day adventure from Shkoder. On day one you take a bus from Shkoder to Koman, then a ferry on Komani Lake to Fierze, then a bus to Valbona. Day two you do the 20km hike from Valbona to Theth, and day three you take the bus back to Shkoder.
We chose not to do this full hike, as we didn’t want to leave the campervan. We did meet people doing this adventure, who had chosen to spend a couple of extra days in Theth, which we would recommend too.
Where to stay in Theth
Camping in Theth
If you’re travelling around Albania by Campervan, like us, we can recommend Balcony Camping. We stayed here for 4 nights. Our host Paul spoke excellent English (he worked in construction for 6 years in the UK) and is currently expanding the campsite.
We were fascinated to learn that the old ruin just up the hill from the campsite was his family home for centuries, and several families lived there. After the fall of communism in 1991 his family moved away (like many families in the area). He has recently returned to reclaim his birthright and is building a business here.
There are several other places for campervans in town, but most weren’t open when we stayed right at the beginning of the season. If you’re planning on wild camping in Theth, our friends stayed in a parking lot down towards the church.
Guesthouses in Theth
There are many small family run guesthouses in Theth, the Rupa Guesthouse gets great reviews and has twin and triple rooms and even budget priced dormitories. If you’d prefer a hotel, the Hotel Jezerca is right in the centre of town. We ate in their restaurant (and had beers here after our big hike!)
Best things to do in Theth Albania
Theth is a nature lovers paradise – and all the best things to do involve the great outdoors.
Hike to Valbona Pass
If you don’t want to commit to the full Theth to Valbona Hike (as we didn’t), you can hike up to the Valbona Pass. We really enjoyed this hike. Along the way you pass through beech forests, open meadows with incredible views, rocky paths until you finally arrive at the Albanian Flag at the top.
It is very steep and while anyone with a reasonable level of fitness can get up to the pass, coming down can be really tough on the knees.
To be honest I was in quite a bit of pain by the time we got to the bottom, even with hiking poles. I definitely deserved that beer! Having said that, I still recommend this hike and would do it again.
The hike took us all day, including photo stops, filming, putting the drone up and stopping for coffee and Flia (a local specialty dish) and resting!
There is only one café (and toilet) on the trail, so be sure to take plenty of water and snacks with you.
Theth Blue Eye (Syri I Kaltër)
Albania has two renowned “Blue Eyes” – one just outside of Saranda on the Albanian Riviera, and this one near Theth. The Theth Blue Eye is around 3 hours hike from the village of Theth, or, you can drive, take a bus or taxi to the village of Nderlysaj and hike from there.
We caught the “local bus” which was 1000 Lek (€10) return per person. You can catch this bus just by the Visitor Centre. There is a bus stop with times posted outside the visitor centre, but the centre wasn’t open when we visited (maybe it only opens after 1 June?). We went and asked one of the minibuses in the big intersection by the bridge, and one of them took us.
The hike to the Blue Eye took us around an hour, it’s a beautiful hike through a valley. You end up at a pool with a small waterfall. There is a small café above the pool, with great views of the pool and waterfall. You can swim in the Blue Eye (unlike the one in Saranda), although the water is VERY cold. Nigel did one of his infamous dives into the pool and got out moaning that it was the coldest water he’s ever dived into!
Grunas Waterfall
If you’re not really a hiker but still want to see some of the amazing nature around Theth up close, why not visit the Grunas Waterfall. The Theth Waterfall is only a short 2km walk from the centre of town.
Theth Church
Possibly the most photographed Church in Albania, the Theth Church is a Catholic Church that was built in 1892. The majority of the population of Theth was always Catholic. Theth is one of the only places we visited in Albania that didn’t have a mosque. It was strange not to hear the call to prayer every day.
The church is quite austere inside, but the view of the church from the outside with the mountains in the background is iconic.
Lock in Tower (Kulla e Ngujimit)
People living in this part of Albania were subject to laws known as Kunan, which sanctioned blood feuds. Sometimes these feuds would last for generations, as a family that had been dishonoured would ensure to get retribution against the family who had wronged them.
Communist dictator Enver Hoxha outlawed this practice of “an eye for an eye” but according to reports, some vestiges of Kunan law still persist in Albania.
Defence towers such as this “Kulla” were built on the outskirts of towns, where men could lock themselves away in “safety” until the feud was over. You can visit this tower although the opening hours can be sporadic. Entry fee is 150 Lek.
Theth Zipline
Ziplines are really a “thing” in the Balkans, since visiting Theth we have seen them in so many places. The Theth Zipline starts from near where we were staying at Balcony Camping. The price for a ride down is €20. We joked about riding the zipline down into town, stopping for dinner and drinks, and getting their shuttle back to the top.
The normal way is to get the shuttle from town and zipline back down.
Where to eat in Theth
Food (and snack!) supplies are very limited in Theth. There is one small store here with only a limited range, and prices are, well, what you would expect in a remote mountain village! They do have fresh bread a couple of times a day though, which was delicious.
There are several restaurants in town, and the guesthouses provide food for their guests. We ate at the Hotel Jezerca and the food there was fine.
Theth Albania Travel Guide – Essential Information
Here’s our Top Tips for Theth Albania
Carry Cash
At the time we visited there wasn’t an ATM in town, so be sure to cash up before you come to Theth. Card payments are not accepted in most places here.
What to pack for Theth
Being in the mountains, the weather can be quite changeable here. We recommend you wear layers, and don’t forget a windproof jacket if you’re going into the mountains. We got quite hot on the Valbona Pass hike, and as soon as we turned the corner at the pass the wind came roaring through and we were reaching for our jackets.
I would also recommend a set of hiking poles, even if you don’t usually use them. The path up to the Valbona Pass is very steep, you’ll be glad of poles on the way down.
Fuel
There is no fuel station in Theth, so if you’re driving, make sure you have plenty of fuel for the return journey.
Phone and Internet
We found that we had good reception on our mobile phones once we were in Theth, but the reception was quite patchy on the drive up. There was no reception on the Blue Eye hike, and only patchy reception as we hiked to the Valbona Pass.
FAQs
When is the best time to visit Theth?
As the roads may be closed in winter, the best time to visit is from May to October. We visited in late May. We love being in the mountains in the late Spring as there are beautiful wild flowers everywhere.
How long do you need in Theth?
While it’s certainly possible to visit Theth on a day trip from Shkoder (even Tirana!) we really recommend spending a couple of days here. Even if you’re not a hiker, it’s such a beautiful place to relax and slow down for a couple of days.
We spent four nights here, one day to hike to Blue Eye, one day to hike to the Valbona Pass and one day to just relax.
Is Theth worth visiting?
Oh YES it really is. We spent three months travelling around Albania in our Campervan and we actually returned to the country once it was warm enough to visit Theth and go hiking. It’s such a beautiful contrast from the beaches of the Riviera and even the hustle and bustle of Tirana.
Safe to say, Theth is one of our favourite places in Albania.
Watch our Travel Film
As we are on our Albania Road Trip we are producing Adventure Travel Films for our YouTube Channel. You can watch our film about Theth, or check out our full Albania Road Trip playlist.
Where to next?
Continue your journey through Albania visiting the capital Tirana or maybe check out the historic cities of Berat or Gjirokaster.