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Shala River & Komani Lake Day Trip
4.9
271 Ratings
Komani Lake
Often described as ‘Albania’s Thailand’, the Shala River is surely among Albania’s most stunning locales. Accessible only via boat and framed by rugged mountain peaks, the river serves as an ideal retreat for individuals seeking a respite from cellular connectivity. The river originates from the Albanian Alps.
Often described as ‘Albania’s Thailand’, the Shala River is surely among Albania’s most stunning locales. Accessible only via boat and framed by rugged mountain peaks, the river serves as an ideal retreat for individuals seeking a respite from cellular connectivity. The river originates from the Albanian Alps.
Duration:
15 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Komani Lake - The Komani Lake and Shala River Day Trip is perfect for those looking for a serene day filled with picturesque views of Komani Lake and Shala River. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a boat trip on Komani Lake, followed by swimming and relaxing in the pristine, clear waters of the Shala River, surrounded by enchanting…
- Komani Lake - The Komani Lake and Shala River Day Trip is perfect for those looking for a serene day filled with picturesque views of Komani Lake and Shala River. Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy a boat trip on Komani Lake, followed by swimming and relaxing in the pristine, clear waters of the Shala River, surrounded by enchanting natural beauty.
The journey begins in Tirana, Lezha, and Shkodra city, involving a 3-hour and 20-minute car ride (from Tirana) with a brief stop en route to Komani Lake, which was created in the 1970s by damming the Drini valley.
- Shala River - Guests will then board a boat to navigate through a series of deep gorges and interconnected lakes, flanked by towering mountains, while soaking in the serene beauty of the natural landscape. The boat ride lasts about 1 hour, leading to the Shala River, renowned for its crystal-clear waters and stunning scenery.
FREE TIME/LUNCH: Visitors will have approximately 3 hours of free time at Shala River to appreciate the breathtaking nature, unwind, enjoy lunch, or take a refreshing swim in the clear waters. An optional hike is available, guided by the tour leader upon arrival. The hike takes about 45 minutes round trip and is highly recommended—the view from the top balcony is absolutely spectacular.
- Tirana - Afterward, guests will return to the boat and make their way back to the Komani Dam, followed by a drive back to Tirana. This tour provides a unique and unforgettable opportunity for visitors to discover the stunning natural beauty of Albania’s Komani Lake and Shala River, making it an excellent choice for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers.
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Tirana - KNOW BEFORE YOU RESERVE:
PICK UP: If the hotel pick-up option is selected, please be aware that in some instances, guests may be kindly requested to walk a short distance (1–5 minutes) to a nearby main street. This is typically due to certain hotels being situated on narrow streets where our buses cannot easily access.
IMPORTANT: Final tour details will be sent via email and WhatsApp the night before the tour, between 22:30 and midnight. Pick-up times may slightly vary depending on the schedule, so it is crucial to check our message. If you are asleep when the information is sent, simply check it in the morning to confirm your pick-up time.
MOBILE DATA ROAMING: On the day of the tour, all communication will be conducted via WhatsApp, so please ensure your phone number is linked to WhatsApp and that mobile data/roaming is enabled.
FITNESS LEVEL: No specific fitness level is required. Participants should be in good health to join this tour.
What's Included
- Transportation Tirana - Komani lake - Tirana
- English speaking tour guide
- Pick up and drop off from the hotel located in Tirana
- Pick up and Drop-off from Shkodra and Lezha
- Boat ticket
- Transportation Tirana - Komani lake - Tirana
- English speaking tour guide
- Pick up and drop off from the hotel located in Tirana
- Pick up and Drop-off from Shkodra and Lezha
- Boat ticket
What's Not Included
- Foods and drinks
- Tips for the tour guide & driver
- Foods and drinks
- Tips for the tour guide & driver
Additional Information
- Please note that infants are not permitted on this tour
- Please note that infants are not permitted on this tour
Location
Komani Lake
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(271 Ratings)
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U3457ouclaudiag
Aug 14, 2025
Shaka river great day - Excellent day beautiful river - was worried about it being too crowded but loads of sunloungers and lots of restaurants. Tour guide Arbi was really helpful and knowledgeable.
Be prepared - it’s a bumpy ride. I don’t really get travel sickness but the boat combined with the winding roads, wasn’t feeling great. Pack some travel sickness tablets
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marah
Aug 14, 2025
Worth it! - This trip was very well planned and accurate on timings. It was absolutely worth it, the stunning views of nature and that hike was super self nourishing, Special thanks to our tour guide Arber for making this trip absolutely the best. He has been very attentive and catering to our questions and needs, Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurajj1491dk
Aug 13, 2025
Definitely worth visiting - The trip to lake Komani and Shala river was amazing! Everything went smoothly and our guide Riges was very helpful and friendly. He also made the trip more memorable because he was sharing interesting facts about Albania. Really recommend taking swimming shoes to the trip because the river is very rocky. Overall 10/10 experience, the views are amazing and definitely worth visiting.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Northstar48044460293
Aug 12, 2025
Fantastic guide and breathtaking scenery. - Really fun and interesting tour.
Breathtaking scenery along the route and at the locations.
Klajdi was our guide and was excellent, very knowledgeable and passionate not only about the tour but about Albania as a whole! Excellent hosting from start to finish.
When at the Shala River resort there is charges for loungers and umbrellas and toilet facilities aren’t the greatest, but given the location this shouldn’t come as a massive surprise!
The short but very steep hike is absolutely worth it if you are able, also.
Also don’t get caught short like I did, you will NEED cash, no one accepts card, which again, should have been to be expected, just short-sighted on my part!
Overall I would strongly recommend this trip, passionate and knowledgeable guide with absolutely breathtaking scenery!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Fitore
Aug 12, 2025
My favourite trip - The trip was really fun! The boattrip allows you to see wonderful views. Once you arrive at the river, you will see that it's so pretty. The water was incredible, so clear, and so clean. It's quite cold in the beginning, but that is something you get used to.
Our guide Klajdi also made sure to teach us fun facts about the places we visited as well as the Albanian history in general. He's good at making the mood, which makes the time spent in the bus pass very quickly.
I would definitely recommend this trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Curious52483181502
Aug 12, 2025
Lovely day with gorgeous scenery that made the early start so worth while - A really friendly guide who made sure we were comfortable and catered for. He gave us some really great insights into the history of Albania and the culture within the people. Our guide fielded so many questions about how people live, sport, family, traditions, sports, foods..... certainly more than you could learn from a book. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
505m_lissaa
Aug 10, 2025
Hidden Gem: Shala River - Excellent excursion! The landscapes are breathtaking. The Shala River is really a must. However, the trip from DE Tirana is extremely long (we had for 2h DE traffic) additional. Now, it’s perfect if you don’t want to spend more than a day in Northern DE Albania:)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mamdoh_a
Aug 9, 2025
Great trip - Today’s trip to Shala River and Komani Lake was absolutely unforgettable.
From the moment we set off, the landscapes were breathtaking — crystal-clear turquoise waters surrounded by dramatic mountain peaks, peaceful villages, and lush greenery at every turn. The boat ride across Komani Lake felt like sailing through a hidden paradise, and arriving at the Shala River was like stepping into a postcard.
Our guide was excellent — knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive to every detail, making sure we enjoyed the experience to the fullest. Their insights about the area’s history and nature added so much value to the trip.
Review provided by Viator
Fearless817866
Aug 9, 2025
Beautiful nature you absolutely must see, unfortunately the Service and food quality is underground - The place is fantastic – the nature here is just beautiful and absolutely worth seeing. For day trippers, I strongly recommend bringing your own food and drink. Unfortunately ES – as in many places in Albania – have massive problems with the gastronomy and Service. We live in Germany, but we were born in Kosovo and speak Albanian – yet the Service here was underground. In Lumi Shales, we were served by children, some as young as about 12 years old – apparently to save staff costs. For the guests this is an imposition, for the children an exploitation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Corinne_a
Aug 11, 2025
Very unpleasant guide,... - EN very unpleasant guide, sent us bala DER saying that we had the wrong DE bus, I had to prove to him through WhatsApp that we were indeed part of this tour. Arriving at the pier after a chaotic trip EN mountains, we had to have a toilet break, only 1 of my children out of 2 could go, so much had to hurry.
Then the scenery on Lake Komani is great, however, arrived at the Shala River, it is a festival DE boats colliding and DE thousands of tourists. No pleasure!
Review provided by Viator
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