Theth in the Albanian Alps
Theth in northern Albania is a national park around the mountain village of the same name. The village lies in a valley and is surrounded by the highest peaks of the Albanian Alps. The pass road to Theth was only completely paved two years ago, before that the village was almost isolated from the outside world. Because of the poor infrastructure and lack of economic prospects, most residents have left the place. Today only a few houses are inhabited all year round, not even a hundred residents live there permanently. In the summer season, many locals return to host vacationers. Tourism has been growing steadily since the road was expanded. There are now guest rooms in almost every cozy wooden house. As a visitor, you live with other travelers with Albanian families who serve delicious breakfasts and dinners, often made from home-grown ingredients. Theth is the perfect starting point for smaller and larger hikes. Shorter tours include hikes to Grunas Waterfall and Blue Eye, a sapphire-blue pool of water in the middle of the forest. One of the long – and particularly popular – hikes is the day tour to the neighboring valley of Valbona.