wealbaniansHidden between the Albanian Alps, Valbona is a national park dotted with amazing views, alpine landscapes, glaciers, rocks, forests, waterfalls, natural reserves, that constitute a unique untouched and pristine ecosystem.
Valbona Valley and Valbona National Park cover the eastern part of the Albanian Alps.
It is one of the most amazing natural resources of Albania, covering 8,000 ha, with 200 km of trails, just 25 km from the city of Bajram Curri.
Going up toward the Valbona Valley, you will meet Shoshani Canyon, proceeding then to Dragobia Village, the entrance gate to Valbona village. A long valley with the only road crossing it, there are a few guesthouses on both sides of the way.
The last village of this valley is Rragami i Shales (the highest one on the banks of the stony bed river, where starts the famous trail Valbona – Thethi ).
VALBONA VALLEY
The name Valbona, the etymology of the word in Italian ‘Val-bona,’ means ‘the Good-valley’, is a name which describes the valley, its river, and the main village in the valley.
The district, bordering with Kosovo to the northeast and Montenegro to the northwest, and Thethi National Park in the southwest, is part of the Accursed Mountains and the main point of connection of the cross-country trails, of the itinerary ‘Peaks of the Balkan’.
A wild, high, mountainous region inhabited by reliable and fiercely independent people, called ‘Malesore’ highlanders, is remarked from foreign tourists as an unspoiled, pristine place existing in Europe. By 2009. Valbona has emerged from the shadows of history and is being rediscovered as a uniquely preserved natural and cultural treasure.
Local people are particularly welcoming with a moving enthusiasm to foreign tourists. They appreciate the people coming from far distances all over the world to visit this place, and how often they are doing so in spite of the mountains’ fierce reputation.
