Shishtavec is the largest of eight picturesque villages located on a plateau near the border with Kosovo. It became a popular destination after the road from Kukës was asphalted. It is a great base for hiking in the surrounding Shar Mountains.
As in the neighbouring region of Gora in Kosovo, a large part of the population in Shishtavec is made up of the Gorans ethnic group, who speak a south Slavic dialect similar to Macedonian and profess Islam.
The road to Shishtavec is spectacular in itself. A short beyond Kukës, it makes its way through the mighty Vana Gorge (Kanioni i Vanave) to climb in several switchbacks to the plateau. The minibus runs from Shishtavec to Kukës before 7:00 am and returns at 13:00
Shishtavec is known throughout Albania for its skiing. The locals learned this winter pastime from the Austro-Hungarian soldiers who served here during the First World War. Since then, the sport has become a tradition and races have been held here.
Due to the high altitude (around 1400 m) the village is a good starting point for hiking in the Shar Mountains. The most beautiful time to visit this region is late spring when the meadows here are in full bloom.
In the village, there is a guesthouse Adem Sokoli. Children will appreciate the new Adventure Park with swings and various climbing frames.
Take a trip to the Morning Stone (Guri i Mëngjesit), a lonely rock on a rounded mountain ridge near the Kosovo border. On the way, you can refresh yourself at the Skiator mountain hotel (you can make the trip shorter by driving an off-road car there). The trip is fairly easy and shouldn’t take you more than four hours. For a map with GPS directions, see here.
If that is insufficient, you might proceed from the Morning Stone to the dominant peak in the area, Kallabak (Maja e Kallabakut, 2174 m). It will take you approximately eight hours one way from Shishtavec (map with GPS route here).
This section is part of a network of long-distance trails called The High Scardus Trail (Albanians call it Trail of Colours, Shtegu i Ngjyrave). From its start at the North Macedonian-Kosovo border to Lake Prespa it covers nearly 500 kilometres, 150 kilometres of which pass through Albania. The landscape in this part of the trail is characterised by endless alpine meadows, one of the largest in Europe.
A map of the trails around Shishtavec can be found here.
WARNING: Some areas on the border with today’s Kosovo were partially mined during the Cold War and unexploded ordnance was found. Albania declared in 2009 that all of its territory was mine-free. However, in the border areas in the northeast of the country, it’s better to be cautious and ask the locals if your route is safe.
Useful Links
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