“Albania 🇦🇱 ~Scenic Albanian Alps; Koman Lake to Boge”
We got to experience another beautiful, scenic drive, today. When I researched Albania, I was drawn to the visit, primarily for the mountains, lakes, and castles! We are very glad we finally found the mountain lakes.
What was most unexpected was how this region feels. It is an absolute Alpine wonder experience. I really thought we had to go to Switzerland for this!
What a day of joyful adventure!
We were both willing to try once again, to find Koman Lake. Our first attempt took us to Kosovo; way off track. It was another scenic drive, so not a waste of time, but I saw photos of Koman Lake and wanted to see the beautiful water for ourselves.
The lake was created in 1978 by the construction of the Fierza hydroelectric dam bordering all three of the region’s biggest districts. The lake is formed by water from Drini i Zi, Drini i Bardhe and the Luma River. Lake Koman is home to 13 different species of fish, molluscs, crabs and amphibians.
We would be all day driving, as the roads are not that great, and we would even go back through Shkoder for the third time, but this time, we would find our destination. We had hoped to be able to do the three-hour boat ride, after going all that way in to the mountains, but it was not meant to be. The ferry wasn’t running at all. In fact, there was no ferry boat for tourists at all.
The untouched beauty of this region is almost like it has been lost in time. When the tourists boats are in operation, the ferry trip is around two hours. There is inside seating if the weather is poor
Since there was no boat present for tourists, there are some private boats, instead. The lack of other tourists drives their cost up for just the two of us. While it would have been nice, we have many other European countries to visit, so we pace ourselves and sacrifice when we need to, in order to see more and do more in the long run.
After leaving Koman Lake, it was all the way out the same way we came in, which was quite an investment of time. Coming back through Shkoder, we took another road to continue our way through the Albanian Alps towards Theth National Park. If what we saw today is any indication of what we get to see in the National Park, we are very excited!
Primordial, remote, harsh, and craggy. This is the mountain world in the north of Albania and where the slopes of the Albanian Alps are covered; as was once typical for large stretches of Central Europe, were the tall beeches. Such beech forests are now a rarity in the whole of Europe and particularly in Albania. A restricted area as a military zone, the one-time Yugoslavian-Albanian border area was utterly remote and in this way a unique natural landscape has been able to develop.
The Albanian Alps is a part of the Balkan Green Belt which connects habitats of unusual diversity along the line of the one-time Iron Curtain. Bears and wolves find valuable retreats and the Balkan Lynx, which is threatened with extinction, still roams the forests here.
We still had enough daylight to try to make it all the way to Theth National Park, which was on the itinerary as well, so we gave it our best shot. In Albania the roads are one way in and the same road back out. It takes extra time, but the beauty is something to behold, so it’s not a difficult thing to do. Just know to plan plenty of road-time.
After a seven-hour day of driving and photo taking, we arrived in the village of Boge; two hours shy of Theth National Park. We were so lucky to find a room for the night, as we are in the the mountain range of the Alps, with very few options in the way of food and lodging. We could not be happier to be in this gorgeous setting. We feel very welcome and taken care of.
This mountain experience is very seasonal. We see signs along the way for required chains on tires, so wintertime driving would be a challenge, we would have no desire to take on. The roads are so narrow that cars and trucks pass us with mere inches to spare. I’m driving slow, they are not! It’s white-knuckle driving in perfect weather conditions, as it is.
We had a hearty meal of everything homegrown and homemade, and our little room is perfect. There is no need for A/C, because we are high enough in elevation, it is cooling off nicely, for the night. It is unusually very windy at this time. We are on a farm, and the milk cows have bells on their necks. During the day, the cows wander freely. In the evening, the cows come home abs stand at the gate. The farm dog barks to let the humans know “the cows are home!” Then, says human comes out and opens the gate to let the cow into the pasture. As the cows graze, the jingling echos across the mountains. It is a very alpine experience.
Being here for me is extra special, too, because I ran a farm; raised pigs and milked. I had horses, mules and donkeys, ducks, and geese. I always tended a large garden and canned and froze produce. I made my own bread, yogurt and butter for my family.
Being here on this farm, has brought back a flood of memories!
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Hello and Welcome to our Travel Blog Website, We enjoy writing about our experiences and taking photos of our adventuring along the way. Our names are: Daryl and Pen, but Daryl calls me “Bunny.” We met, quite randomly, whilst both… Read More
I love everything about this!! What a contrast to your initial impression of this country. One of the best things about your detailed accounts of your travels is that reminder that you “can’t judge a book by its cover” – or a whole country/city/region by a single experience at one establishment. Unfortunately very few of us have the means, time and devotion to travel like you do – that one stay may have been someone’s only impression of Albania (it sure left a bad taste in my [virtual] mouth!)
That is so true! We know enough that as fabulous as our chosen lifestyle is, life still happens and it has its ups and downs. Having the bad experience right off the bat left a bad taste in our mouths, too! In the end, we are actually grateful for that failed residence of two weeks. I had made the reservation at a time we were not sure if we would be quarantined after arrival in Albania or not. Or, if other borders would be open. As it turned out, we have had much more fun driving around the country, instead of being in o e place, since it was not necessary.
We think the coastal mountain range was quite impressive, but after so much ocean life in Greece, we have loved the mountains a lot, for a change!