Tirana · 11.5 hours · private
€42438,077 L for the car · up to 4 people
−10% cash · €381 for the car
Photo: Albinfo, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Why go
One full day: morning views from the Balcony of Bovilla, the rugged highland track to Qafshtamë National Park, and the bazaar and castle of Krujë in the late afternoon.
North of Tirana the road runs through Zall-Herr and turns to dirt and gravel for the last stretch to the Bovilla reservoir. Beyond the lake the track winds through remote highlands most cars never see.
Qafshtamë is a pine forest national park known for the Queen Geraldine spring. From there a mountain road drops into Krujë, Skanderbeg's citadel, with its castle and a bazaar that has traded since the 1600s.
On the ground
In pictures
The Bovilla reservoir below the Gamti ridge
The forest road through Qafshtamë National Park
Black pine on the slopes of Qafshtamë
Krujë castle above the old town
The rooftops of Krujë on the mountainside
Swipe for more. Photographs of the places on this route, under Creative Commons licences. Full credits.
Itinerary
08:00
About 1 h 15 min north through Zall-Herr; the last stretch to the lake is rough dirt and gravel.
09:15
Climb the steep stairs and rocks to the balcony for spectacular morning views over the reservoir.
10:45
2.5-3 hours past the lake on the rugged track through the remote highlands.
13:30
A well-deserved break in the pine forest and a late meal near the Queen Geraldine spring.
15:00
About an hour on the mountain road into the historic city.
16:00
The traditional Old Bazaar, its handicrafts, and Krujë Castle.
18:30
Down to the highway and into downtown Tirana around 19:30.
The price
Your price
1 person · 1 car
€42438,077 L
The whole trip. That is the card price.
−10% cash · €381if you pay the driver in cash on the day
How many of you?
Where do we start?
Door to door from your hotel or address in Tirana, included
How it adds up
Or pay the whole thing by card now. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before.
Included
Not included
Best months: April to October
On foot
Your driver waits while you walk. Distance, climb and season for each, from public sources.
hardQafshtamë · hikeMaja e Liqenit
2 km↑ 500 m1–1.5 h
One of Albania's higher summits reached in a short but steep climb, with views stretching from the coast to the mountains of central Albania.
Best: May to September
hardKrujë · heritage walkShpella e Sari Salltikut
2 km↑ 700 m1.5–2.5 h
A demanding climb to a sacred Islamic shrine in a mountain cave, rewarding the effort with panoramic views across central Albania to the Adriatic.
Best: April to October
easyKrujë · heritage walkKalaja e Krujës
1 km1–2 h
One of Albania's most important castles, set above a bazaar that has traded for centuries, and a gateway to the Skanderbeg story.
Best: April to October
Still deciding?
Get Bovilla · Qafshtamë · Krujë, the price and a booking link in your inbox, so it's there when you plan the rest of Albania.
Questions
Pay the driver in cash on the day and save 10% on the listed price. Or pay the whole thing by card online, or leave a card deposit to hold the car and settle the rest on the day. Free to cancel up to 24 hours before.
€450 for the car and the whole day, for up to four people. Card or cash, the same price either way.
The Balcony of Bovilla is a short, steep climb up stairs and rocks. Everything else is by car, and the climb is optional.
Krujë castle and museum entry (about €5 per person) is paid on the day.
