Shala river, secret paradise of the Northern Albania

· updated · 2 min read
A swimmer in the turquoise Shala River beneath steep green cliffs on a sunny day
Shala river, Albania

Where it is

Shala river, on the map

What to pack10 things for this hike

Every hike

The light for photographs

Today at the high point: sunrise 06:12, sunset 16:36.

Today at the high point: sunrise 06:12, sunset 16:36.

At the high point, in local time (Europe/Tirane), with an open horizon: the mountains around can hide the sun sooner.

In short

Shala River is a boat-accessible destination in the Albanian Alps, reached from Koman or Fierza. The post describes guest houses, local food, drinks and camping spots.

Shala River is definitely one of the most beautiful destinations of Albania. Reachable only by boat and surrounded by mountains, this river is a perfect getaway for those who want to get rid of the mobile connection. The source of this river is in the Albanian Alps.

A swimmer in the turquoise Shala River beneath steep green cliffs on a sunny day

About the Shala River

Lumi i Shalës is a river flowing inside the Albanian Alps. Its source is in the Okol, near from Radohina peak in Theth, very close to the border with Montenegro. It flows into the Koman Reservoir Lake. The length of this river is 36 km.

Turquoise water at the Shala River beneath a large shadowed cave in a rocky cliff

How to get there

Reaching this river is possible by boat only. During the summertime, a lot of small boats go there from Koman and Fierza. Koman is about 55 km from Shkoder, and you need around 1 hour and 30 min driving. The road in some parts is unpaved. It takes around 1 hour and 20 minutes to arrive from Koman to Shala River.

Fierza is about 20 km from Bajram Curri and it takes around 30 minutes to arrive in Fierza. In Fierza there are fewer boats that go to Shala River. It takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes to go from Fierza to Lumi i Shales.

There is a bus pickup service offered from a company too. Check out the bus timetable and pick up spots: Komani Lake Ferry

Guest Houses in Shala River

There are two main Guest Houses there. One is called Blini Park and the other one is Eagles Land. There you can find a place to sleep, local food and a bar with drinks. If you are a fan of camping, there you can find many camping spots as well.

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Questions and comments

4 comments

  1. Jen D

    Hey, this is really helpful. I really want to get to the Shala River – do you know what time boats go from Fierza to Shala River and what time of year? I’ll be there in early-mid July. Thanks for any advice on this.

    Reply

    1. Granit Author

      Eary-mid July is the perfect time. And you will have plenty of boats that go, at the moment they are full, so nothing to worry about. I would suggest going there early.

      Reply

  2. Debby

    Hi!

    Is it also possible to reach Theth by boat over the Shala River?

    Reply

    1. Granit Author

      Hi, no it is not possible.

      Reply

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