Without a doubt, Albania remains the least known and least explored country in Central Europe. Although curiosity about this great 'unknown' in our immediate neighbourhood is growing year on year, few tourists make their way to Albania, and even fewer venture into the remote mountainous heart of northern Albania.

There, surrounded by steep rock walls, lies the 30-kilometre-long Koman Lake, connected to the road network only at its beginning and end. In between, there is nothing but turquoise water and scattered farmhouses and villages that seem frozen in time.

Here, in the heart of Europe, agriculture exists in its purest, most self-sufficient form – neither romanticised nor designed for tourism, but preserved in its archaic state for many different reasons. Even the paths that once connected long-abandoned farms and villages have not been used for decades and are difficult to find without the help of local farmers.

Anyone familiar with our WILD TRAIL concept will understand why we have been fascinated by this landscape for years. It is a true jewel for explorers and a natural playground for rediscovering ancient trails. After a great deal of work and with the invaluable help of the local people, we have explored this unique trek far enough to accompany our first clients on an Explorer journey.

We rely on our long-standing friendship with a local agency for logistics, as we need to organise mules, boats and campsites.

In the evening, we camp outdoors, sit around the campfire and experience authentic farming culture alongside Albanian mountain farmers. During the day, we follow ancient trails that are exposed in places. Along the route, we tackle short climbing sections and spectacular abseils in stunning natural surroundings.

Sure-footedness and climbing technique:

Challenging terrain: occurs over long sections

Exposure: long sections

Climbing difficulty: unprotected II° – secured III°


Fitness & endurance:

Elevation gain: 600 to 1400 m

Walking time: 6 to 9 hours


Comfort:

Luggage transport: delivered every evening

Carried gear: daypack only

Catering: accommodation 2x, shared cooking 5x

Packed lunches provided daily

Overnight stays: 5 nights outdoors in tents, 2 nights in hotel