Accursed Mountains

城市概覽

The area has been extensively visited by Edith Durham who wrote an entire book about the region and its customs.

Visitor information kiosks 1 Valbona Tourism Development Center, Valbone Center, ☏ +355 67 276 4157. This is an info center equipped with useful brochures, there you can buy a hiking map, 2 multipurpose buildings, exterior cooking areas, sport courts, a water fountain and parking. Kelmend & Shkrel Tourist Info Center, Tamare and Dedaj villages (Bajze-Vermosh Road (SH21)), ☏ +355 69 4724658, +355 68 2038823. (updated Aug 2020)

如何抵達

Theth

To get to Bogë leave Shkodra in direction of Montenegro on the brand new highway and turn off at the signposted exit at a roundabout near the city of Koplik, the road onwards is narrow but paved to the center of 2 Bogë. . The pass (Qafa e Thorës 1685m) behind Bogë is closed by snow during the winter, often as early as November and well into May. Also at the beginning and end of the season the road is in a rough condition. It's generally not advisable to undertake this journey on your own without a high clearance vehicle, in bad weather conditions 4wd can be handy. During summer there are various vehicles continuing to Theth and it's possible to hitch a ride. Public transport leaves from Shkodra in the morning, during the main season several minibuses a day, the trip takes around 3 hr. Also several hiking trails allow to arrive in Theth on foot, look at wikiloc.org for more details under the search term "Thores". Another way to reach Theth by road is via Kiri Valley. You leave Shkodra in direction of the Mesi Bridge following the asphalt road until you reach the village Prekal, from here one continues on a rough unpaved route through the Kiri Valley, crosses the pass (Qafa e Mali i Shoshit on above 1200m and reaches 3 Nicaj-Shosh. . Once you get to the bottom of the valley you arrived in Bregu i Lumit (the administrative center of Shala region), daily minibuses service the route from here to Shkodra. It's a short drive from here to Nderlysa and Theth.

Valbonë

To get to the beautiful Valbonë valley you need to get first to Bajram Curri. To get there take breathtaking trip across Lake Koman on a ferry or drive to Gjakova (Kosovo) and cross back into Albania at Qafa e Morines. From Bajram Curri get on a minibus to Valbonë.

Kelmend

To reach Kelmend you leave Shkodra by following the highway North to the border crossing with Montenegro, called Hani i Hotit. After passing under the railway bridge turn off right and head for the village of Rapsh. A spectac

當地交通

Getting around is best with your own vehicle, or if you have more time, your own bicycle, or on foot. There is little public transportation, and on many routes this means just one minibus early in the morning. The mountain pass which separates Thethi from Rrogami is only passable on foot. It is a challenging hike over a poorly marked trail. Parts of the trail are a bit sparse. The best way to find your way over that pass (Qafe e Valbonës) is with a local guide. The trail begins at the very end of the village of Rrogam. The trail is rather light, and seems to disappear at some points. If you are on a tight schedule, a guide is recommended. There are some English and Italian speaking residents in this area, but it is really best to speak Albanian. If walking on foot does not sound appealing, a horse or donkey can likely be arranged with one of the villagers for an appropriate fee (5,000 lek). If you have time to spare, the trail can be found through a bit of detective work (following donkey dung, etc.) and with enough time, you too can practise the art of trailblazing. The Peaks of the Balkans is a 192-km circular hiking trail through the Accursed Mountains.

Topographic maps Albanian topographic maps are hard to find. Topographic maps in scales 1:25,000, 1:50,000 or smaller are published by Institutin Topografik të Ushtrisë (ITU) and for sale from East View Geospatial, omnimap, or chartsandmaps.com. Soviet maps from the 1950s can be downloaded from mapstor for $1 per sheet (with discounts for bulk orders). Border areas (including this area) were also mapped by the US army National Imagery and Mapping Agency in the 1990s and archived by the University of Texas or for sale by East View Geospatial. Similar border areas are also covered on Yugoslav maps available from mapstor (scale 1:25,000). Some trails are also drawn on OpenStreetMap, in particular the more popular ones.

Itineraries A good itinerary would include the Fierzë-Komani ferry on lake Komani

必看景點

Stunning scenery and grand vistas, a unique and difficult way of life, and traditional Albanian houses and villagers.

Lock-in tower (Thethi) has been restored. The lock-in tower is especially of interest because it is one of the last remaining examples in Albania. The lock in tower was used to protect the male members of a family while they were under blood feud. Blood feuds were virtually extinguished during the communist times, however, the lawlessness of the 1990s saw a rather sharp rise in the number of killings. :The New York Times has a series of articles about the Kanun, Lekë Dukagjini, and the blood feuds. Tourists and foreigners are generally immune from these (and even protected, unless you flip over someone's table!). Grunas Waterfall in Valbone and spectacular Valbona River 1 Logu i Bjeshkeve (Miss Albanian Alps), Lepushe, Kelmend (from Gusinje, MNE enter Albania and turn left towards Lepushe and Predeleci Pass). The annual beauty pageant of the Alps takes place on the 2nd Saturday of August in Kelmend region and features traditional costumes and regional delicacies. (updated Aug 2020)

體驗活動

Hike those amazing mountains! The very little traffic in those remote areas makes it nice to hike even on the roads. Go fishing in the Valbonë river. The rapids near Dragobia seem to be a popular place. If you can, talk to people. In the summer, visit one of the hundreds of caves of Razem village.

美食

Try buying local foods from people in villages (this may be tricky without speaking Albanian!) You might get locally made cheese such as Kelmend-based Mishavin, Velecik, delicious home-baked bread, pickles, wild pomegranates, cranberries, blueberries, grape jam and various composts, natural honey, chestnuts, mountain tea, local plums, apples, and Kallmet Wine. Try mazë, a dish made from butter, corn flour and sheep cheese. Taste roasted ram known as fërlik, wild bird based dishes, and freshly baked trout. Locals also bake wild animals such as boars, goats, and rabbits. The restaurant of the hotel "Margjeka" (located up in the valley about 500 m before the minibuses end) serves huge portions of self-slaughtered meat. Some of the area's specialties are being internationally recognized for being locally grown by the Slow Food Foundation [1]

Flija: This layered pancake dish is particularly popular in mountainous areas. It's made by pouring thin layers of batter onto a heated stone or metal surface and stacking them one o