The Theth Circuit

The Theth Circuit is one of the most popular off-road routes in Albania. It takes you to the heart of the Albanian Alps where you can enjoy high mountain passes, picturesque villages and deep valleys with crystal-clear streams.

Two roads lead from Shkodër to one of the most beautiful Albanian mountain villages of Theth. The northern one, via Thorës Pass (1,775m), is now completely asphalted and is therefore used by the vast majority of visitors to this part of the Albanian Alps.

More adventurous is the southern route from Theth via Ndërlysaj (where the asphalt ends) and Prekal back to Shkodër. It’s a road full of potholes, steep climbs and drop-offs and you may have to reverse in places to avoid oncoming vehicles. But you’ll be rewarded with fantastic views, whether of the Shala and Kir valleys or from the Qafa e Malit të Shoshit Pass (1180m).

For the southern section of the route, a robust 4×4 vehicle is a must. Most drivers take this challenging stretch in the direction from Theth to Shkodër. If you do the same, you’ll probably be spared most of the unpleasant avoiding on narrow sections. From Prekal to Shkodër, the road is paved again.

You can complete the 150km circuit in one day. But it’s much better to spend at least one night on the route, be it in Theth, Ndërlysaj or even better somewhere outdoors. Especially the southern section of the route has many beautiful camping spots.

There are several stunning locations along the route: From Ndërlysaj, make a short walk to the famous Blue Eye lake. Before returning to Shkodër, visit the ruins of the Drisht Castle and the most beautiful Ottoman bridge in Albania, the Mes Bridge.

Difficulty of the route: Moderate