Skrapar Region

Skrapar is a region southeast of Berat known for its natural beauty. The much-visited Osum Canyon has already found a firm place on Albania’s tourist map, but the region has much more to offer: explore the Pirogosh Cave and the Bogova Waterfall.

Skrapar is a perfect example of the inner periphery. Although it is located in the central part of southern Albania, the entire region can be reached by a single asphalt road. From all other sides, it is surrounded by mountains. Communist planners were well aware of its strategic location and built an arms factory in Poliçan and a large underground weapons depot in Gradec Canyon.

Çorovodë, the administrative centre of the region, is located around 50 kilometres away from Berat and can easily be reached by car or by bus, which runs several times a day. With 4×4 car, you can make one of Albania’s most beautiful off-road trips from Çorovodë to Mount Tomorr via Gjerbës.

Osum Canyon has recently earned a position as a top tourist attraction in Albania. Visitors come to admire the largest gorge in Albania which is an ideal destination for rafting or river hiking. For a more detailed description click here.

Another of Skrapar’s gorges, the Gradec Canyon (Kanioni i Gradecit) can be found a few kilometres away from Çorovodë, just like Osum Canyon.

Leave your car by the elegant Kasabashi Bridge (Ura e Kasabashit), which dates back to the Ottoman era (1640 to be precise) and marks the end of the asphalt road. From there, a dirt road (1 km) leads to former military tunnels that were dug into the rock in the Cold War era. The Albanian People’s Army stored there so much ammunition that would last for half a year of war. The tunnels are now empty, enter at your own risk.

If you take the serpentine road up from the Kasabashi bridge, after about three kilometres you will reach the Pirogosh Cave (Shpella e Pirogoshit). The road has a gravel surface but is good enough for all types of vehicles. Leave the car by the quarry, from which a marked trail with railings leads to the cave (less than 1 km).

The cave is five metres high and 30 metres wide at the entrance, with some beautiful stalactites inside. It is freely accessible, but you should have a basic caving experience before venturing deeper. The cave offers breathtaking views of the Gradec Canyon and its up to 300-meter-high cliffs.

The Bogova Waterfall (Ujëvara e Bogovës) is another pride of Skrapar. Being a part of Tomorr National Park, it is known for its serene and picturesque setting, surrounded by lush greenery. You have to take an easy hike (2 km, marked trail) to reach it from the village of Bogovë where you can park your car.

The best season to go there is spring when the waterfall has the most water. It flows from several directions into a beautiful pool, which is a pleasure to swim in on a hot day.

From Skrapar, reaching the Ostrovica Mountain is quite accessible. An asphalt road from Çorovodë leads to the village of Potom, located at the southern base of this stunning and remote mountain range. From there, you can either hike or take an off-road vehicle to the village of Backë and onward to the Marta Pass, a distance of 8 km. From the pass, it takes just over an hour to reach the southern peak of Maja e Faqekuqit, which stands at 2,352 meters.

WARNING: Avoid using the road from Çorovodë to Këlcyrë in Vjosa Valley via Sevran unless you want to get stuck or ruin your car. The road is in terrible condition and should only be driven by vehicles with high clearance.

 

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