Before coming to Albania I had never heard of Lumi i Shales. I only found out about this hidden gem as I spoke to some locals about visiting Lake Komani, and they said I must check out Lumi i Shales. Safe to say it did not disappoint! Lumi i shales is one of the most beautiful spots in Europe and was easily one of the highlights of my Albanian road trip. It is not the easiest place to get to, and as we don’t speak Albanian the whole journey was a bit confusing, we honestly has no idea if we were going where we wanted to, but luckily it all worked out! In this article I will share how to get to Lumi i Shales (near Lake Komani), a must see place in Albania.
If you want a more straight forward journey to lumi i Shala (Shala River) then you can book a day tour from Shkoder or Tirana.
How to get to Lumi i Shales
1) Book transport to Lake Komani
We booked our transport to Lake Komani and Lumi i Shales via our hotel in Shkoder Hotel Kurtabeg. Most hotels will have contacts and will be able to book this for you, just be sure to book it at least one day in advance.
2) Take the minibus to Lake Komani
The minibus to Lake Komani costs €5 each way (we were able to pay in euros). They will pick you up from your accommodation around 7:00 – 8:00am. The drive to Lake Komani takes around 1.5 to 2 hours.
3) Take the boat to Lumi i Shales
The minibus will drop you off at the Komani Lake Ferry Terminal. There are quite a few different boats here so make sure to ask your driver to help you find the correct one.
Lake Koman (or Komani Lake) is a reservoir located in a narrow valley surrounded by dense forested hills on vertical slopes. The boat ride to Lumi i Shales costs €6 each one way and takes about one hour. The landscape is really unique and it’s an incredibly scenic journey.
4) Walk up the Shala River
As we were there during a very dry summer the water levels were really low, which meant that the boat wasn’t able to take us the whole way to Lumi i Shales. So we were dropped off and then walked up the river for about 45 minutes. The river bed is very rocky so I would recommend bringing water shoes.
If you visit during the wetter months or at the beginning of summer the boat should be able to the whole way there.
5) Enjoy Lumi i Shales
Once you arrive at Lumi i Shales you will see a lush green valley with crystal blue water, it’s definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in Albania. You can understand why it’s called the Thailand of Europe.
You will have around 3 to 4 hours to enjoy before you need to head back to the boat. If you want a bit more time here then you can book accommodation at the Bee Eco Guesthouse or Livadhi Guesthouse.
6) Head back to the boat
After you’ve spent a few hours enjoying the incredibly secluded Lumi i Shales, it will be time to head back to the boat. Try to remember who you took the boat with so you can head back at the same time as them. We started to head back around 14:30.
Where to eat in Lumi i Shales
Lumi i Shales is very secluded, the only way to access it is by river, so it doesn’t have too many amenities. However you will find a couple of basic restaurants offering BBQ food. My partner and I both ate at the Bee Eco Guesthouse for less than €10 total.
As we visited during the summer months everything was open. If you were to visit off-season you might want to bring snacks and water with you just in case things are closed.
Where to stay near Lumi i Shales
We stayed at the Hotel Kurtabeg in Shkoder and just spent the day in Lumi i Shales. It was super cheap at only €17 a night for a double room with a private bathroom, but the rooms were very old and basic.
If you want to spend more time in Lumi i Shales then you can book accommodation right on the river at the Bee Eco Guesthouse, Blini Park Guesthouse or Livadhi Guesthouse.
Photo by Blini Park Guesthouse
I hope you have an amazing day discovering this hidden gem, one of the most instagrammable spots in Albania. It is a bit of an adventure to get there but I hope my guide on how to get to Lumi i Shales makes it a bit easier! For a more straight forward trip I recommend booking a tour.
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