accursed mountains, albania

Glacier-climate modeling suggests that these glaciers require annual accumulation of between 4,137 and 5,531mm (162.9 and 217.8in) (rainfall equivalent) to balance melting, which would correspond to between 49.7 and 66.4 metres (163.1 and 217.8ft) of snow. Discover the best things to do in the Albanian Alps and more with this post. This walking holiday to the wild north of Albania is probably one of the last great European adventures. And then in a dingy cafe in Kolain in Montenegro I heard the name: the Cursed Mountains. [28], In Albania, the new, enlarged, Alps of Albania National Park was created in 2022, merging the former Theth National Park, Valbona Valley National Park and Gashi River Strict Nature Reserve, totaling a massive coverage area of 86,000ha (330sqmi). Persistent heavy rains force me to leave Valbona early. French geologist Ami Bou described this part of the Accursed Mountains as "the most inexplicable, the most inaccessible and the wildest mountain range in the Balkans". The team that started Xplore Albania wondered why and how it is possible that the nature and sites of their country were still so unknown. So we really got lucky. Fri 18 May 2012 17.45 EDT L ike many minor roads in Albania, the route from the northern city of Shkodr to the nearby mountains is not tarmacked, and as our van bumps along, it contributes to. In the past, the only route for crossing the border between Montenegro and Kosovo was via Rugova Canyon, which was very dangerous and steep. [29][30] Theth National Park was designated in 1966[31] and covered area of 2,630ha (10.2sqmi) along the Thethi River. [citation needed] A real snow level is not widely spread, although in the high altitudes snow and fern fields can also keep during the summer on four very small glaciers at high altitudes, the highest one found in the shade of Jezerca. After about 2 hours, the trail got steeper as we climbed up through alpine forest. Description Albania is without question one of Europe's hidden wonders. It is a fascinating ride with views, old farming villages, communist concrete behemoths, a lovely terrace in Plav and a good conversation in Babino Polje. Allow extra days if you are wanting to explore Theth or Valbon further, Depending on your exact start and end point, the hike is 12km, We would rate this hike as moderate. Valbon and Theth are very small villages, so options are limited. Without making all the same mistakes as in the Alps, where unique scenery was ruined forever. Among the amphibians are the alpine salamander (southernmost habitat),[25] fire salamander, yellow-bellied toad and fire-bellied toad . Blood feuds, loneliness, legendary hospitality, an illegal border crossing and one of the most spectacular rock formations in Europe. So, Mustafa used his savings, built more huts and has since dedicated himself to caring for travellers full-time. One of the best ways to get to know a country is travelling the back-roads, through nature on horseback. The flora in the rocky areas of the Accursed Mountains are particularly noteworthy, because they are rare rich and endemic species, including the Tertiary relic Amphoricarpos neumayeri. They wave and disappear into the lap of the Accursed Mountains. The community of eight villages including Vermosh comprises 6,600 inhabitants. by Hans Avontuur Edition #10 Hans Avontuur travels to Albania in search of a fierce, rugged mountain range. It means that the aim of the company is to create meaningful relationships between travelers and local communities while benefitting the people and places you visit. We crossed into Montenegro through moss-covered rocks to the glacial waters of Lake Hrid, its still, glass-like surface reflecting the spiky spruce and pine trees surrounding it. Even the Ottoman pasha, who controlled half of the Balkans until 1912, quickly understood that this valley was too remote to be suppressed with a hard hand. Enter Ecotour Albania. Most of the area was modified by glacial activity with karstic areas in the western parts. Everything you need to know and what to expect of the stunning Valbon to Theth hike. See them scramble down the steep rocks. People always say half the fun is getting there! Though we dont always agree with this, (try backpacking through Madagascar for a month), its certainly true of the Shkodr to Valbon journey. In 2009 the American Catherine Bohne went on holiday to Valbona for 11 days, met the Albanian Alfred on the ferry and never left. In the philosophy of Sondor Travel, which we share, travel stretches your mind because of the myriad of new amazing landscapes you will see, and unknown smells and sounds you will experience, and above all because you will get to listen firsthand to stories told by people who live differently. None at all. The levels of vegetation in the Accursed Mountains meet the alpine level, from upland valleys through the montane mountain stage on forest-free alpine and subalpine mats and subnivale tundra caused by permafrost in vast heaps of rubble with raw soils. The Peaks of the Balkans connects communities of different faiths in three neighbouring nations (Credit: Culture Exclusive/Ben Pipe Photography/Getty Images). Ardita and her sons are standing on top in the distance. The bus terminates right on the eastern side of Shkoders main roundabout, near the mosque. Long called "Europe's enigma" by book authors and travel guides, Albania is possibly the most misunderstood country in Europe. The shoulder seasons usually offer warm days and fewer crowds. The round-trip from Theth to Denelle and back to Theth is about 9km (5.5 miles) and takes around 5-6 hours. And Outdoor Albania would gladly be your guide. A few years ago, a hotelier, a newcomer from Tirana, threatened some locals with a gun. In the mountains over 100 medicinal herbs are found, including species of the genus Primula, Satureja and Sideritis. If you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newslettercalled "The Essential List". Today, these signs are the only indication of the international borders, but it wasn't always this way. One Drin tributary is the Valbona, which drains into the Adriatic Sea, and its eastern tributary the Gashi River. Albanian Trip has proudly shown off Albania to thousands of travelers, and yes, they also offer trips to the Accursed Mountains. It started with an early morning furgon(shared minibus) ride at 6:30am for about 1.5-2 hours, taking us to Koman. We love pinning our journeys as we travel, Stock up on snacks and water (if necessary) at the SPAR or other supermarkets in Shkodr. There are NO ATMs in Valbon and Theth. When you travel with Off Limits, you arent traveler. It is just a few kilometers away from Gjirokastra, a UNESCO protected city in the South of Albania. From Shkodr its easy to arrange and sort out all the hiking logistics through a hostel or hotel. Since 2015, a good asphalt road leads from Fierz to Valbona , which has made the valley more accessible and also more vulnerable. In addition to precipitation, it receives water from sources near its shores. As with most of Europe, the summer months of July and August offer the hottest temperatures. Even if its in the heart of winter and in the middle of snow-covered Accursed Mountains. Even the somewhat more distant, larger cities of Shkodra, Podgorica, Gjakova and Peja create their sphere of influence and are frequently visited by inhabitants of the highlands for errands, administrative procedures and market sales. Large mammal species that have long been extinct in other regions are found here, such as the Eurasian brown bear, grey wolf, red fox, European wildcat, roe deer, fallow deer, red deer, wild boar and European otter. Other direct international bus connections include: Montenegro (Kotor, Budva, Herceg Novi & Podgorica), Bosnia & Herzegovina (Mostar) and Greece (Athens). After about three hours from the pass, we reached Theth and our phenomenal hike came to an end. After World War Two, authoritarian ruler Enver Hoxha effectively sealed the mountainous nation off from the outside world for four decades; banning religion (and making it the world's first atheist nation); forbidding travel and leading Edi Rama, the nation's current prime minister, to say Albania was once "the North Korea of Europe". Tour operators like Zbulo arrange all accommodation along the trail, and our guesthouse hosts in the hamlet of Babino Polje were Mihajlo and Jelena, a married couple. The Accursed Mountains are home to Albanians, Montenegrins, Serbs and Bosniaks, but they are only very sparsely populated. I sleep badly that night, plagued by images of cable cars, wellness hotels and self-service mountain restaurants. Coming out of the forested sections, the views really started to open up as we continued up the clearly signed path. Outdoor Albanias specialties also include one-day and multi-day hiking tours and heritage tours. In 1998, when Agon was 13, his father had to protect his family from Yugoslav forces moving in from Serbia and Montenegro as tensions rose between ethnic Albanians, ethnic Serbs and the Yugoslav government. So, its a good opportunity to go before the three hour boat ride across Lake Koman, which departs at 9:00am. The main trail continued on and down to Theth, but there was a clear little detour on the left to the actual summit. The Ibar, which originates on the slopes of the Hajla, takes a similar route into the Danube via the West Morava in Serbia. That is not what I need in an area torn apart by many border conflicts after the Yugoslavia war. Valleys common at lower altitudes are found at the alpine level, creating mountain passes and valley troughs, such as Buni Jezerce in Albania. [12] In addition, there are about 20 small lakes of glacial origin as described above, including the Buni Jezerc group of lakes on the northern side of the Jezerca Peak, the Ridsko Lake, the Bukumirsko Lake and the Rikavako Lake. Dont worry you cant miss it! Theth is a hidden place where the residents make the rules. But I want to go to the valley of Valbona. Over coffee I get into conversation with locals who tell me that there is a shortcut that bypasses the closed border crossing there is discussion about the right location with Montenegro. From the city centre, the best and cheapest way to get to Shkodr is by bus. After a series of shallow switchbacks, we reached the peak. Ecotour Albania want to help you discover them all. To learn more, I'd decided to hike a five-day, 59km section of the trail from the Albanian village of Valbona to the village of Theth. Now its this leg of the combo, the ferry ride from Koman to Fierz that is really impressive. In an effort to restore peace, leaders of the three nations suggested a hiking trail linking Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox communities (Serbia and Montenegro were one nation until 2006), with Albanian and Kosovar hiking guides partnering with Montenegrin guesthouses. Every night the animals have to go inside to protect them from the roaming wolves. The rugged mountain peaks looked so picturesque jutting out over the colourful tree line. Inhale and admire, shut up and look. Your email address will not be published. Establishing the trail meant mapping routes known only to shepherds and encouraging farmers to open guesthouses. Historically, a caravan route between Podgorica and Plav crossed the mountains along the Lim and Cem rivers. Detailed geomorphological mapping was used to reconstruct the positions of former glaciers. Here on the border of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo there is still an opportunity to keep it more pristine, smaller and more sustainable than in the Alps. The Accursed Mountains are spectacular, unspoiled and virtually impenetrable, except . Descending along a rickety wooden staircase, climbing up the other bank and look out at an azure blue, almost perfectly round mountain lake, filled by a waterfall: the Blue Eye. The first part of this journey was up a narrow, windy and bumpy road. We are aiming for Theth, a village where blood feud was an accepted custom until well into the twentieth century. One of its most audacious projects in recent memory is the Peaks of the Balkans: a 192km circular hiking trail connecting Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo through a series of pathways straddling. Winter brings cold temperatures and snow and the hiking trails are usually closed between November May, Your email address will not be published. Aspens (Populus tremula) grow in damp sites alongside mountain maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) and Norway spruce (Picea abies). The views just got better and better the higher we got. [17] Also noteworthy is the Viola vilaensis Hayek. The Accursed Mountains have one endemic species of lizard, the Prokletije rock lizard or Dinarolacerta montenegrina, named after the range.[26]. Hidden in the north of Albania, near the Montenegrin border, Vermosh is the northernmost village in the country. Responsible and sustainable tourism, for both the people and the environment, is a philosophy inherent to Albanian Trip. The southern and eastern slopes of the Accursed Mountains fall into the latter category. Although it is a National Park, there are plans for a large cable car and work on a hydro power plant is already underway. Vermosh. Theth. Instead, the sweeping setting evoked a startling sense of isolation, and I couldn't help but feel I'd entered a back-of-the-wardrobe secret land that had somehow evaded the attention of the outside world. All rights reserved. See our description, photos and practical information for Accursed Mountains (Albanian Alps) and join in with our trekking and hiking forums to find out why we think so! Xplore Albania offers a great variety of tours; walking Albanias untamed paths in the Accursed Mountains or sailing the Ionian Sea, through the Albanian Riviera. The founding group of Albanian Trip consists of travel enthusiasts born and bred in Tirana, the capital of Albania. As the afternoon sun dappled through the thistled canopy, we slowly picked our way downhill. Petasites doerfleri is only found on the Jezerca peaks, and the Albanian lily Lilium albanicum and Viola ducagjinica are only found at the top of the Maja Radohims slope. Petrit Imeraj, Joost Smets, in: Gilian Gloyer: Stevanovi V, Vukojii S, inar-Sekuli J, Lazarevi M, Tomovi G & Tan K. 2009. We visited in the first week of October and there were only a few other tourists wanting to hike at that time. Reef-friendly sunscreen is the best for the environment, Charge you camera batteries/phone as youll want to take a lot of pictures, Take enough cash to pay for everything you need in the mountains (and extra just in case), Download Maps.me to your phone so that you have offline maps. Getting back to Shkodr was not arranged by the hostel. Theres views over Lake Shkodr, the Albanian Alps and the converging rivers of Drin, Kir and Buna. You are more a friend that is part of, and a contributor to, the Albanian community. Some rivers or streams, such as Prroi i That in Albania, dry out completely during the summer droughts. In fact, 93% of Kosovars are ethnically Albanian and speak Albanian. The rectory where the story of blood feud is set has since disappeared, but the church and the defense tower are still there. The White Drin Waterfall in Kosovo reaches a height of 25m (82ft). But as we all know, size isn't everything and what these mountains lack in Himalayan greatness, they more than make up for with lyrical beauty. But dont abuse their generosity, it could cost you dearly. Albania has so much to offer: the Albanian Alps are suitable for hiking; the beaches in the Riviera are perfect for relaxing, Albania has 13 National Parks, 3 UNESCO sites and many other interesting places that are not famous at all. Albania is filled with up to 500,000 concrete bunkers and was once "the North Korea of Europe" (Credit: reidecki/Getty Images). Local income comes from agriculture, semi-illegal forestry and tourism. Surprised and confused, I enter Montenegro over an abandoned mountain pass. We stayed at Guesthouse Arben Selimaj, tucked away in a great spot in the Alps. In addition to the seasonal migration, the whole mountain area is suffering from a severe "brain drain", as its income from agriculture is low. It then leads to the source elevation of the Qafa e Predelecit after Vermosh, followed by another border crossing, ending at Gusinje. [16] The southern edge of mountains have a sub-Mediterranean character. The itinerary covers the three most remarkable regions in the Dinaric Alps . The four-hour crossing with a creaky, pounding old ferry is like a dream cruise: emerald green water, a gorge that opens and closes, eagles float through the grey sky.It rains softly and there is a cutting wind. Denelle is a breathtaking grassland surrounded by towering mountains. Blessed by a Mediterranean climate, with approximately three hundred days of sun, Albania is one of the most naturally diverse countries. Shtraza Lake. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address below to receive our latest blog posts. This video shows in short my trip through Albanian mountains starting from Shkoder - Theth - Valbona - Koman Lake and back to Shkoder. And then suddenly theres a farm that seems to cling to the mountainside, along with suitable livestock grazing. The Accursed Mountains are a typical Dinaric karst high mountain range with a pronounced steep topography and glacial features. Beech, fir and silicate spruce forests dominate the mountain areas. The dome-shaped Maja e Harapit to the other and the descent to the Shala river valley and Theth village straight ahead. A shepherd doesn't just look after animals, but people too," he said. Over coffee, she explained: "I'm old enough to remember when our village was communist. Though Mihajlo was proud of his homemade cottage cheese and plum jam, Jelena prepares all their meals. Forget about mass tourism, it does not exist in Albania, but think authenticity and true discoveries. Breakfast, walking shoes, backpack on and out the door. With the help of GTZ, 40 private houses (also referred to as guest houses, or han in Albanian) have been transformed into tourist accommodations or B&Bs. But for us, hiking on a glorious day in the first week of October, neither crowds or heat where an issue. The steepish scree path was slippery in parts, but luckily the views in this direction werent as impressive, so we could concentrate on where we were putting our feet. Names of various Albanian tribes (Hoti, Gruda, Kelmendi, Kastrati, Dukagjini, Shkreli, Shala, Nikaj, Krasniqi, Gashi, Kuci and Rugova) refer to their geographical locations within the range. They also have apartments which we stayed in after our hike, seperate to the hostel. The mother was so upset and angry that she cursed both the mountains and fairy forever. We commenced hiking at 9am. Illegal deforestation is a major problem. The rich herpetofauna include the fence lizard, green lizard, Greek tortoise and snakes such as the true vipers, including the venomous horned viper and adder. The path zigzags steeply up through a fairytale forest until it finally opens on a plateau. It is exactly as Dutch writer A. den Doolaard described this view in the 1930s: a laughable attempt by man to confront nature.. He finds exactly what he is looking for. It is one of the rare mountain ranges in Europe that has not been explored entirely. Kosovo (previously part of Serbia) and Montenegro were incorporated into the newly formed Yugoslavia in 1918, but the country's breakup in 1992 triggered a series of fierce ethnic conflicts, as both Serbia and Montenegro are mainly Christian Orthodox. Girl Scout Cookies Exploitation, Articles A