With a little imagination, you will feel like you are on some island when visiting the Dry Mountain (Mali i Thatë). In fact, most of what you’ll see from the summit of this mountain range that separates Ohrid and Prespa Lake will be vast expanses of water. It’s a bit of a paradox since there’s hardly any water on the mountain itself.
The Dry Mountain is a southern extension of the much-visited Galičica range in North Macedonia. In comparison to the North Macedonian side, which is included in the Galičica National Park, the Albanian part is mostly deserted and rarely visited. The eastern part of the Dry Mountain is part of the Prespa National Park.
The karstic mountain does honour its name. Because rainwater is instantly soaked below the surface, there is very little chance that any vegetation will grow. The western part in particular is almost completely bare.
The Dry Mountain is essentially one long ridge, which at its highest point, called Pllaja e Pusit, reaches a height of 2,288 metres above sea level. It offers truly spectacular panoramic views of both Ohrid and Prespa Lakes.
The best starting point for a rather easy hike is the village of Alarup on the western side, which can be reached by car on an asphalt road (see map). From Prespa Lake, the route is more difficult and starts in the village of Gorica e Madhe (Gorna Gorica), which lies on the road near the border crossing with North Macedonia (see map).
Title photo: Pont.org
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