Exploring Albania's Breathtaking National Parks

Albania is home to diverse ecosystems and wildlife. As a country rich in nature, it offers stunning landscapes, including mountains, forests, and lakes. During your trip to Albania, national parks are must-see destinations. By protecting national parks and biodiversity, we help preserve our natural and cultural heritage. National parks feature some of the most stunning and iconic landscapes and are the perfect destination for people of all ages. In Albania, they encompass about 314 thousand hectares.

Let's explore some of the most beautiful parks in Albania.

Alps of Albania National Park🔗

Located in northern Albania, it is the largest national park. This park encompasses three regions: Theth National Park, Valbona Valley National Park and Gashi Nature Reserve. Theth and Valbona were established as national parks in the late 20th century, but in 2022, with the protected area of Gashi, they were combined into one national park. The most famous mountain range is the Albanian Alps, also known as the Accursed Mountains. Jezercë is the highest peak of the Alps. It is considered one of the most challenging and scenic peaks to climb in Albania.

Butrint National Park🔗

Located in the south of Albania, near the city of Saranda, it is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site in Albania. It is a combination of archaeology, monuments and nature all in one. Butrint has been inhabited since prehistoric times. This archaeological site contains ruins from different periods since the Bronze Age, starting from when Butrint was a Greek colony, a Roman city, then under Byzantine administration and later occupied by Venetians. It is one of the most important historical sites in Albania.

Llogara National Park🔗

Located in the southeastern part of Albania, it is popular for its diversity, with majestic mountains nestled along the Albanian Riviera. It offers stunning sea views, untouched forests, rocky and steep mountains, and coastal paths to hidden bays. Llogara Tourist Village is the perfect place to rest and enjoy Albanian mountain cuisine. You can explore the surroundings by taking nature walks or daily excursions to the bays.

Dajti Mountain National Park🔗

Located east of Tirana, it is the most accessible national park. It is the perfect getaway from the busy urban life in the city. Due to the panoramic views and beautiful landscapes, the park is considered “The Natural Balcony of Tirana”. It is reachable by car or you could take the cable car, Dajti Express. You have the opportunity to enjoy the scenery during this 15-minute journey while ascending to the top of Dajti Mountain.

Karaburun-Sazan Marine Park🔗

It is the only national marine park in Albania. Karaburun Peninsula is a Managed Nature Reserve, while Sazan Island is a military zone in Albania. This park offers natural hidden beaches with stunning views, rich underwater landscapes and fauna, giant caves and breathtaking views of the coastline. It also features ruins of sunken ships from the Greek or Roman period and World War 2. It is not possible to drive to this park. You can travel by boat from Vlora port to get there.

Vjosa Wild River National Park🔗

Located in the heart of southern Albania and established in 2023, it is the first park in Europe to be called Wild River National Park. This marks a historic moment for Albania and for nature conservation in Europe. Many people participated in the campaign to have the Vjosa River declared as a park including the well known actor, Leonardo DiCaprio. Vjosa river is one of the last rivers in Europe to remain untouched by human activity. The park offers beautiful canyons and curving waters. The visitors can raft in those waters, climb and swim in canyons or hike and camp in forests.

A trip to national parks is a great opportunity to disconnect with the digital world, enjoy the beautiful nature, relax, recharge, and best of all, it’s free. So if you are visiting Albania, there is no excuse to miss out on such great natural beauty.