Tirana is an exciting gateway to alpine adventures and a surprisingly perfect base for exploring the mountains, especially if you have rented a car. Just beyond the capital, you’ll find pristine national parks, turquoise lakes, hilltop castles, and quiet villages accessible with a short drive. In this guide, you’ll discover the best routes, must-see nature stops, and best times to plan your mountain day trips from Tirana.
Tirana’s location gives you an advantage. In every direction, you can reach multiple mountain ranges and natural escapes in under 2 hours. Tirana is encircled by green ridges and valleys. Tirana’s well-maintained radial roads make it easy for travellers to plan DIY excursions without guides.
Each road trip from Tirana reveals a different facet of Albania’s natural beauty. You’ll encounter dramatic limestone peaks and crags like Mount Dajti and Mount Gamti. Rivers such as the Erzen cut through verdant gorges, and highland meadows bloom with wildflowers in spring. Wildlife enthusiasts will be thrilled by the chance to spot wildlife like foxes, wild boar or even signs of bears in the more remote parks.
Birdwatchers can look out for eagles circling ridges or herons near lake shores. Most of these routes offer activities every nature lover enjoys. You can hike panoramic trails, take refreshing swims in rivers or lakes in permitted areas, enjoy picnics in scenic clearings, and stop to soak up the views on these scenic drives.
Below is a breakdown by season to help you plan your mountain road trips.
Spring is a fantastic time to explore the mountains near Tirana. After the winter rains, the valleys turn lush green with wildflowers. Waterfalls and streams are at their strongest flow. For example, the Shëngjergj waterfall east of Tirana is especially impressive in spring, fed by rain and snowmelt from Mali me Gropa mountain. Temperatures from March to May are often in the 15 to 20°C range, perfect for hiking. Trails are generally quieter, as the main tourist season hasn’t kicked in, so you can enjoy tranquil forest walks and birdwatching. Just be prepared for the occasional spring shower.
Summer brings hot temperatures to Tirana, but in the nearby mountains it’s pleasantly cooler. This make it the best time for alpine hikes and lake excursions. From June to August, plan to depart early in the morning for your road trips to beat both the city traffic and the midday heat.
Autumn is the best season for Tirana mountain road trips. Temperatures cool down to comfortable levels from 18 to 25°C in September, then down to the mid-teens by late October. Autumn’s low humidity means less haze, great for photography. It’s harvest season as well, so if your road trip passes any local farms or fruit stands, you’ll find fresh figs, grapes, and walnuts for sale. Autumn has fewer tourists than summer, so hiking trails and attractions are quieter.
Winter brings a different beauty to Tirana’s surrounding mountains. From December to February, low elevations experience cool weather around 5 to 10°C in Tirana with rain, but the mountains above ~1000 metres often get light snowfall.
The terrain and road network make scenic mountain drives from Tirana so accessible. Elevation gains are gradual on most routes, but some roads include tight switchbacks, variable pavement quality, and gravel segments.
Dajti is located 25 kilometres east of the city center and reaches 1,611 metres at the peak. Getting there is half the fun. In about 40 minutes’ drive, you’ll reach pine forests and smell the scent of clean mountain air. Along the way and at the top, you’ll find viewpoints, hiking paths, and a cable car option.
Quick Route Overview
From Tirana’s centre, head east toward Linzë and follow signs to Dajti National Park. The drive is about 25 to 26 kilometres and usually takes around 40 minutes by car. The paved road is in good shape but climbs steeply with many hairpin turns, so go slow. As you ascend, the air cools and the views widen, with several safe pull-offs for photos. Near the forest boundary, pines and oaks line the route. The road ends at Fusha e Dajtit plateau by the cable car upper station, restaurants, hotels, and parking. In winter, check for snow; otherwise take the cable car instead.
Best Nature Stops on Dajti
One joy of the Dajti trip is that the journey and destination are equally scenic. On the drive up, pause at a bend with a panoramic view of Tirana; a popular halfway clearing sometimes has a honey or snack vendor. Higher up, you may spot old concrete bunkers in the greenery and, on very clear days, even the Adriatic. At the top in Fusha e Dajtit, walk to Ballkoni i Dajtit for a dramatic drop-off viewpoint, especially at sunset.
Things to Do for Nature Lovers
The most rewarding hike is to Maja e Tujanit (about 1,580 meters), a moderate 1 to 1.5 hour trail from near the cable car station. For an easier option, the meadow and antenna loop is mostly flat and family-friendly. If hiking isn’t your plan, you can ride Dajti Express cable car and experience a 15-minute glide over forests and cliffs. Other nature activities include horseback riding, forest wandering, and seasonal blackberry picking.
The Bovilla Lake and Mount Gamti road trip leads to a stunning turquoise reservoir hidden in the mountains northeast of Tirana, capped with an epic panoramic viewpoint. Lake Bovilla, a man-made reservoir supplying Tirana’s drinking water, is about 15 to 20 kilometres away. The drive is part paved through rural villages and part bumpy gravel track as you near the lake. At the end, you’re rewarded with vivid blue-green water framed by dramatic cliffs, and above it rises Mount Gamti, known for its famous lookout point.
Route Overview from Tirana
The journey to Bovilla Lake begins by heading northeast out of Tirana, passing small villages as city roads gradually give way to rural terrain. The full trip is about 34 kilometres and usually takes 1 to 1.5 hours each way due to road conditions. Around 70% of the route is on decent tarmac, winding through hills. The final 8 to 10 kilometres is where the narrow gravel and dirt road with potholes and rocky patches start. A normal car can manage it in dry weather, but go slow. As you approach the lake, a high vantage point offers your first panoramic view. You’ll cross a narrow dam, then climb to the informal parking area near a restaurant, the usual starting point for the Mount Gamti hike.
Nature Activities at Bovilla
The crown jewel of Bovilla is the hike up Mount Gamti. It’s 1 kilometre each way with about 160 meters of elevation gain. The path mixes dirt, rocks, and a few metal stairs. After 30 to 45 minutes, you’ll reach the Gamti viewpoint, a rocky platform overlooking Bovilla’s stunning turquoise S-shaped lake and layers of distant mountains. The edges are exposed, so proceed carefully. Swimming and fishing are not allowed because the lake supplies Tirana’s water, but you can explore the lakeside and walk along the dam.
The Petrela Castle and Erzen Canyon road trip offers culture and nature in a scenic loop south of Tirana. Petrela Castle, a medieval hilltop fortress about 15 kilometres from the city. Nearby, the Erzen River has carved a beautiful canyon near the village of Pëllumbas, home to a popular cave and hiking trail. Road trippers can enjoy winding country roads, explore a historic castle, and take a gentle nature walk through a river canyon. You can do it as a quick half-day outing focused on the castle or make it a full-day trip by adding the canyon hike.
Drive and Loop Options
Driving from Petrela Castle from Tirana takes about a 30 minutes. As you near the village of Petrelë, the castle’s tower appears on a rocky hill, with parking available just below. For a quick outing, you can visit the castle, enjoy a meal, and return the same way. The road to Pëllumbas is narrower with some gravel sections but manageable for regular cars, following the Erzen River valley. From the village, you can hike to the canyon and cave before returning to Tirana via a connecting country road or by backtracking.
Nature Highlights
The nature highlights of this trip begin at Petrela Castle, perched at about 329 meters on a rocky hill with sweeping views of the Erzen Valley. From its walls, you’ll see olive groves, terracotta-roofed villages, and a winding river. Continuing to Erzen Canyon, near Pëllumbas, you’ll encounter cliffs rising up to 40 meters above the water.
The main attraction is the Pëllumbas Cave, reached by a 2 kilometre trail along the canyon wall. It offers thrilling views and a chance to explore one of Albania’s notable karst caves. A flashlight and good shoes are essential. Those seeking something gentler can follow riverside paths for picnics or summer splashes in shallow pools. Along the way, watch for Ottoman-era bridges, clear river water, and local birdlife, from kingfishers to circling raptors.
If you want to escape the usual tourist trail and experience authentic Albanian mountain village life, head to the Shëngjergj area east of Tirana. Just an hour away, this peaceful region offers green hills, forests, small farms, and a slower pace of life. Shëngjergj is a cluster of traditional highland villages. The drive winds past streams and leads to the Shëngjergj Waterfall, reached by a short, easy hike. Scenic viewpoints reveal the Mali me Gropa plateau in the distance.
Route Overview
The drive from Tirana to Shëngjergj is about 40 kilometres and takes 1 to 1.5 hours, following a paved mountain road through Dajt’s outskirts. The route has some narrow stretches and potholes, but manageable for any normal car. As you climb, you’ll navigate hairpin turns. The road passes through pine forests on the backside of Mount Dajti before reaching Qafa e Priskës, where you descend into the Shëngjergj valley. You can stop at the Shëngjergj Waterfall, reached via a short trail. After visiting the falls, you can continue to the village for lunch. You can return the same way, as roads beyond the village grow rough.
Village Nature Walks and Waterfall Spots
The Shëngjergj area offers nature walks perfect for all ages. The highlight is the Shëngjergj Waterfall, a 30-meter cascade flowing over layered rock. It’s reached by a 15 to 20 minute walk through the woods along a creek. The falls plunge into a small pool surrounded by cliffs. Beyond the waterfall, the villages invite slow wandering along country lanes, past green pastures, stone houses, and views of Mali me Gropa. You can stroll by the clear river, dip your feet in summer, or relax under the trees. Another option is the small Liqeni i Lepurit lake, which locals can direct you to. Expect birds, butterflies, wildflowers, and friendly rural life.
The road trip to Qafë Shtamë National Park, north of Tirana, leads you into thick pine forests, fresh mountain air, and peaceful alpine scenery. Centered around a high mountain pass in the Skanderbeg Mountains, it’s known for its dense woodland, quiet trails, and the pure “Queen Mother’s Spring.” It’s about 45 minutes from Tirana.
Best Forest Trails and Picnic Areas
Qafë Shtamë is perfect for forest hikes and peaceful picnics. The park’s signature trek is the climb to Maja e Liqenit. It is a 3.5 kilometre moderate hike from the pass with about 470 meters of elevation gain. It takes a little over an hour and rewards you with 360° views of Tirana, Bovilla Lake, the Adriatic, and the mountain ranges. The area around the famous Queen Mother Spring offers gentle walks through aromatic pine forests, flat tracks, and shaded picnic spots. You can also explore traces of King Zog’s old hunting lodge.
As we’ve explored, Tirana is so much more than a city destination. It’s the perfect springboard into Albania’s natural treasures. With five diverse mountain road trips at your fingertips, you can craft an adventure to suit any mood or interest. Whichever trip you choose first, you’re bound to fall in love with the mountains near Tirana.
Rent a car in Tirana with Final Rentals. Choose your pick-up location from Tirana International Airport or downtown. Select the perfect vehicle, from compact cars to rugged SUVs, and enter your travel details. With easy booking and flexible options, Final Rentals helps you plan your mountain adventure. For extra convenience, you can also download the Final Rentals app on Google Play and the App Store.
