Day tour of Shala River & Komani Lake from Tirana or Shkoder
Overview
Shala River and Komani Lake offer a serious shot of adrenaline as we head into some of the most rural areas with jaw-dropping sceneries of Northern Albania.
Inclusions
- Transport provided by the company from Tirana to Vau I Dejes (and back)
- Local transport for bumpy road from Vau I Dejes to Komani Lake (and back)
- Local boat while visiting Komani Lake and Shala River
- Professional tour guide
- Port taxes
- Entry tickets for the ‘’will be visited’’ sites
- Hotel pick up and Hotel drop off in Tirana
- Tourist taxes, Road taxes, Petrol
- Entry/Admission - Shala River
- Entry/Admission - Komani Lake
What to expect
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
Our journey towards Shala River begins early in the morning. At 05:00 am, our tour leader will come and pick you up at your hotel in Tirana
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
Our tour leader will come and pick you up at your hotel in Shkoder
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Vau i Dejes, Vau i Dejes, Shkoder, Shkoder County
As we take the turn from the main road to Vau i Dejës, the area becomes more rural with fewer cars but more wild nature and amazing landscapes. We will stop for a short break by Vau i Dejes Lake, a beautiful and tranquil setting, and experience local transport over a bumpy road but with an amazing view.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Komani Lake, Koman Albania
We will get on a small local boat (this destination is only reachable by boat) that will take us through Komani Lake offering spectacular views of the Albanian Alps, waterfalls, rural villages and wild forests.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shala River, Albania
We will make the turn to Shala River after 30 minutes. You will have some free time to enjoy the view. The ones that are interested can go explore the area. Shala river is one of the most adventurous and wildest places to hike. If you are brave enough, don’t forget to bring your swimming suits as some of us will dare to swim in this paradise so-called the Albanian Thailand.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Komani Lake, Koman Albania
We will get back on the boat to Koman Lake
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
From here we drive back to Shkoder
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
From here we drive back to Tirana after an unforgettable experience. You will return home with a new sense of self excitement to share with those around you.
Duration: 1 hour
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
Our journey towards Shala River begins early in the morning. At 05:00 am, our tour leader will come and pick you up at your hotel in Tirana
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
Our tour leader will come and pick you up at your hotel in Shkoder
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Vau i Dejes, Vau i Dejes, Shkoder, Shkoder County
As we take the turn from the main road to Vau i Dejës, the area becomes more rural with fewer cars but more wild nature and amazing landscapes. We will stop for a short break by Vau i Dejes Lake, a beautiful and tranquil setting, and experience local transport over a bumpy road but with an amazing view.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Komani Lake, Koman Albania
We will get on a small local boat (this destination is only reachable by boat) that will take us through Komani Lake offering spectacular views of the Albanian Alps, waterfalls, rural villages and wild forests.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shala River, Albania
We will make the turn to Shala River after 30 minutes. You will have some free time to enjoy the view. The ones that are interested can go explore the area. Shala river is one of the most adventurous and wildest places to hike. If you are brave enough, don’t forget to bring your swimming suits as some of us will dare to swim in this paradise so-called the Albanian Thailand.
Duration: 4 hours
Stop At: Komani Lake, Koman Albania
We will get back on the boat to Koman Lake
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Shkoder, Shkoder, Shkoder County
From here we drive back to Shkoder
Duration: 5 minutes
Stop At: Tirana, Tirana, Tirana County
From here we drive back to Tirana after an unforgettable experience. You will return home with a new sense of self excitement to share with those around you.
Duration: 1 hour
Additional information
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note that due to rapid changes of the pandemic worldwide, measures and governmental restrictions on travel safety might change.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
924evamariam
April 2023
Our tour guide Toni (Elton) picked us up punctually at the meeting point. After a very short time we already had a very good connection to each other and drove towards Komani Lake in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Toni always stopped when we needed a break or wanted to take photos. The b...
Our tour guide Toni (Elton) picked us up punctually at the meeting point. After a very short time we already had a very good connection to each other and drove towards Komani Lake in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Toni always stopped when we needed a break or wanted to take photos. The boat trip was, just before the high season, an absolute highlight of our time in Albania. We also had very good and reliable contact with the organiser in the background, Sirma. Next time I will stay longer and certainly book a tour with Choose Balkans again!sarapatra
October 2022
We very much enjoyed our day at beautiful Lake Komani and Ari was a wonderful guide and driver. The communication with Choose Balkans was excellent from beginning to end and I would definitely recommend them for tours around Albania. The only downside of our particular tour was that the water in...
We very much enjoyed our day at beautiful Lake Komani and Ari was a wonderful guide and driver. The communication with Choose Balkans was excellent from beginning to end and I would definitely recommend them for tours around Albania. The only downside of our particular tour was that the water in the Shala river was too low to pass through with the boat, so we didn't get to see as much of the river. What we did see was still amazingly beautiful though and our lunch at a lake guesthouse was absolutely delicious! Tips: 1) bring a jacket! We went in September and the boat ride was very cold and wet! We weren’t adequately prepared for this. 2) Keep in mind that you'll be doing a lot of sitting on this tour. The drive is about 3-4 hours total each way (with some coffee stops) and the boat ride is another 2 hours there and back. If you are looking for a more active experience, this might not be the best tour for you. The views really are stunning though.Valerie_K
September 2022
Fabulous day trip up the dammed river to a wonderful stone cottage where a lovely family fed us a farm to table lunch complete with wine and raki in their own home. The food was cooked on an open fire, was authentic Albanian fare which is difficult to find now and was absolutely delicious. The fa...
Fabulous day trip up the dammed river to a wonderful stone cottage where a lovely family fed us a farm to table lunch complete with wine and raki in their own home. The food was cooked on an open fire, was authentic Albanian fare which is difficult to find now and was absolutely delicious. The family was gracious and incredibly kind and they welcomed us enthusiastically even though the stop was not planned for, as a storm had caused a blockage further up the river and plans were changed short notice. What a fortuitous change for us! The scenery is absolutely beautiful, the drive through the mountains offered unparalleled views and our driver/guide was exceptional. He drove for the road conditions 100% of the way and it was a comfortable ride despite the stretch of bumpy and potholed road. Eri, our BalkanTour guide was amazing…informative, attentive, kind and humorous. He answered all of our many questions about his country, their way of life and was very knowledgable about Albanian history and geography. He also speaks 5 languages fluently. We travel frequently and this was without a doubt, the best guided day tour we have experienced. Definitely an 11/10!v k
September 2022
We took a day trip from Tirana to the Shala River with Eri Veseli in late September and it was the definitely the highlight of our 10 days in Albania. In fact, the day was a highlight experience of 10 years of fairly extensive travel! The scenery on the way in and while on the lake is beautiful,...
We took a day trip from Tirana to the Shala River with Eri Veseli in late September and it was the definitely the highlight of our 10 days in Albania. In fact, the day was a highlight experience of 10 years of fairly extensive travel! The scenery on the way in and while on the lake is beautiful, and even though we had plenty of rain and were soaked to the skin, we would not have changed a single thing! The road into the dammed lake area and start of the boat ride was bumpy, twisting and, with a less skilled driver, might have felt more than a bit dangerous. However, Eri’s driving throughout the day was exemplary and he drove for the conditions 100 percent of the way. We felt safe and well cared for the entire day, from our 0500 pick up to the 1900 drop off. He was an informative, welcoming and attentive guide who answered all of our many questions honestly and with humour, which was greatly appreciated. Eri is fluent in 5 languages and his English was excellent. We had the most incredible meal experience of our lives and were welcomed into the home of a lovely family, fed an amazing meal, most of which was cooked over an indoor fire and they shared their home and generosity freely and with great enthusiasm and kindness. This was an absolutely incredible experience and one I would not hesitate to recommend Eri Veseli and Balkan Tours for one second!eselhh
August 2022
Such a beautiful place! I was lucky to do it on a Friday, as it might be crowded at the weekend. Super Orga and guide ❤️ Hope this place will be free of litter as it would be a shame if human behavior and tourism would destroy this amazing place 💚
Such a beautiful place! I was lucky to do it on a Friday, as it might be crowded at the weekend. Super Orga and guide ❤️ Hope this place will be free of litter as it would be a shame if human behavior and tourism would destroy this amazing place 💚sumary c
August 2022
The true hidden paradise, we were accompanied by the best guide and adventurer! Thank you for such a beautiful experience. Everything you mention is true! We have been traveling for two and a half years, and it is important to take a beautiful memory of each place we visit! Everything was pun...
The true hidden paradise, we were accompanied by the best guide and adventurer! Thank you for such a beautiful experience. Everything you mention is true! We have been traveling for two and a half years, and it is important to take a beautiful memory of each place we visit! Everything was punctual and exact as promised, we recommend this adventure of clear waters and beautiful mountains!