Mount Tomorr by Car

A ride on Mount Tomorr is something special, not just because it is the highest place in Albania that can be reached by car. Consider this tour full of stunning views as an introduction to Albanian mythology.

Start in the UNESCO town of Berat and before Poliçan, turn down the newly paved road to the Kulmak Pass, where one of the oldest Bektashi tekkes in Albania is located. The remaining altitude of 800 metres to the 2,379-metre summit of Tomorr is a well-maintained gravel road.

At the top stands the 1620 mausoleum of the Shiite saint Abbas Ali Tomorri. Abbas Ali Tomorri was the son of a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad and, legend says it, after his death at the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq, went on horseback to Albania and stayed for five days at Tomorr. The Bektashi worship him as do the Shiites, and thousands of pilgrims come to the mountain’s summit each year between August 20 and 25.

The views from the shrine are breathtaking, the whole of central Albania will be in the palm of your hand.

After returning from the summit to Kulmak, continue via Ujanik village (where asphalt ends) to Gjerbës and further to Çorovodë, the centre of the Skrapar region. You will drive through a stunning and largely deserted landscape. Just before the Çorovodë, you’ll pass the Gradec Canyon (stop at a quarry and make a 1 km hike to Pirogoshi Cave) and the Kasabashi Bridge.

From Çorovodë, you can either return to Berat or visit Osum Canyon, the most impressive canyon in Albania. It starts just outside the city and stretches southeastwards for about 26 kilometres. A good asphalted road runs along the canyon, with some great viewpoints.

The entire route from Berat via Tomorr to Çorovodë and back is about 100 kilometres long and takes a full day. The summit of Tomorr can only be reached by car in summer and autumn, as snow lies on the higher parts of the mountain until late spring. For a map of the entire car trip with GPS route and description, see here.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate