How to Hike to the Blue Eye Near Theth in Albania
If you’re visiting the Albanian Alps, also known as the Accursed Mountains, than hike to visit the stunning Blue Eye near Theth is a hike not to be missed.
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While I had planned to complete the famous Valbona to Theth hike in the Albanian Alps whilst visiting Albania, I ended up having a half day to spare in Theth. Not knowing what to do in this small town in the middle of nowhere in northern Albania, I started looking into things to do near Theth and happened to come across the Blue Eye hike near Theth.
Known is one of the most rewarding hikes in northern Albania. The hike isn’t too challenging, but the journey involves river crossings, rocky trails, and a bit of scrambling—making the swim at the end even more refreshing. If you’re planning to visit, here’s what you need to know to make the most of your trip.
What is the Blue Eye near Theth?
The Blue Eye or better known in Albanian as ‘Syri i Kaltër i Thethit‘ is a natural spring in the Albanian Alps near the town of Theth. Known for its strikingly clear, turquoise-blue waters, it is fed by an underground river. The spring is surrounded by dense forest and rugged mountain terrain making it ideal hiking grounds.
Where is the Blue Eye near Theth, Albania located?
The Blue Eye near Theth is located south of Theth, between Nderlysaj and Kaprre in Theth National Park. It’s a natural spring fed by an underground river, part of a tributary of the Shala River. The nearest road access is in Nderlysaj, about 6 km (3.7 miles) from Theth, and from there, it’s a 3 km (1.9 miles) hike to the Blue Eye.
Blue Eye near Saranda
To make things slightly confusing, there are two famous Blue Eyes in Albania. The Blue Eye near Saranda is larger and more developed, attracting more tourists. It is often referred to the Blue Eye in Albania. As such, make sure you specificy Blue eye near Theth when searching for this one.
The Blue Eye near Theth, remains more rugged and off the beaten track, surrounded by the lush greenery of the Albanian Alps, with less tourisits given it is only accessible via a hike.
I opted to visit this one, as I knew I would be visiting Theth anyway, to hike the Valbona pass hike from Theth to Valbona and had heard it was stunning, with less tourists than the larger one near Saranda.
Blue Eye Hike near Theth
To get to the Blue Eye near Theth, start in Theth village and either hike or take a 4×4 taxi to Nderlysaj , which is a village about 6 km / 3.7 miles south of Theth. From here the hike follows a dirt road and takes around 1.5 hours, while a taxi cuts this to 15-20 minutes. From Nderlysaj, continue on foot for 3 km (1.9 miles) along a rocky trail with river crossings and wooden bridges. This final stretch takes about 1 hour and leads directly to the Blue Eye. The total round-trip hike from Theth takes 5-6 hours, but using a taxi for the first leg reduces this to 3-4 hours.
Option 1: Hike the Full Route (9 km / 5.6 miles one way, 5-6 hours round trip)
- Theth to Nderlysaj (6 km / 3.7 miles, 1.5-2 hours) – Follow the dirt road south. Mostly downhill, easy to navigate.
- Nderlysaj to the Blue Eye (3 km / 1.9 miles, ~1 hour) – Uneven terrain, wooden bridges, river crossings.
Option 2: Taxi + Hike (3-4 hours round trip)
- 4×4 Taxi from Theth to Nderlysaj (15-20 minutes, €5-€10 per person) – Cuts out the first section of the hike.
- Hike from Nderlysaj to the Blue Eye (3 km / 1.9 miles, ~1 hour) – No road access beyond this point.
It is worth noting that there are no public transport options available from Theth to the Blue Eye, given the remoteness of both the locations in the Albanian Alps.
Hiking Route for the Blue Eye near Theth
The path itself is relatively flat until the last 45 mins where the climb is steeper. The path is clearly sign posted in most areas so it is also easy to follow as long as you look our for the white and red signs every so often (pictured below).
The path has large sections which are uncovered. As such, if you are hiking in the summer months, an early start is ideal to avoid the midday heat. We only got to Theth around 11am from Shkoder, hence only managed to start around noon and were pretty exposed to the sun throughout the hike!
Do you need a Guide to Complete the Blue Eye Hike?
The hiking trail to the Blue Eye from Theth is relatively well marked and can be completed easily without the need for a guide. Just make sure to have a downloaded or physical map and reception can be patchy in some places on the trail. I recommend using AllTrails and downloading their offline trail maps in advance of the hike.
Food options Blue Eye Trail
There are a few small restaurants and guesthouses along the hike from Theth to the Blue Eye. You will find these closer to the small village of Nderlysaj enroute about half way to the Blue Eye from Theth. These serve a range of meals, however I found vegetarian options were mostly very limited. We also went in the peak seaosn in summer and by the time we got here in the late afternoon, most restaurants were either full or had run out of food. Least to say we wished we had bought our own packed lunches for the hike!
Nonetheless there’s usually a small café stall open near the Blue itself, mostly during the warmer summer months which offers snacks, drinks and a limited range of light meals.
Guesthouses in Theth
Guesthouses are your best accommodation option in Theth. We booked a homely guesthouse – Villa Gjecaj through Booking.com. I highly recommed booking these at least a few weeks in advance, especially if you are visiting in the summer months. Given the limited guesthouses, the good ones tend to get booked up quickly.
Guesthouses will typically offer dinner for an extra 5 – 10 Euros. Given the lack of dining options in this remote area. I highly recommend opting for this. Some of the best meals I had in Albania were in fact at these Guesthouses. The host families typically cook a nice selection of traditional Albanian dishes for the famished hikers. Our host family in Theth, were also kind enough to pack us a lunch and snacks for our hike the the following day.
Given the lack of transport options, its also worth inquiring about arranging drop off closer o the trail starting point, with your guesthouse to reduce down total hiking time. We managed to arrange this for our hike the following day from Theth to Valbona.
How to get to Theth
1. Shared Minivan (Most common & budget-friendly option)
- Departs: The minivan runs daily between 6:30–7:30 AM from central Shkodër (usually from Hotel Rozafa or nearby).
- Duration: ~2.5–3.5 hours depending on road and weather conditions.
- Cost: ~1,200–1,500 ALL (€12–€15) per person.
- Book: Through your guesthouse in Shkodër the day before, or at a local tour agency.
➡️ Note: The road to Theth is now fully paved, so it’s no longer the rough 4×4-only track it used to be.
2. Private Transfer
- Cost: There are several options for a private transfers. Transfeero is commonly used in Albania and costs ~€60–€80 for the car (up to 4 people).
- Duration: ~2.5 hours.
- Best for: Small groups, flexible departure times, or those with lots of luggage.
Preparation and Packing Essentials checklist
To ensure you’re well-equipped for your Albania Blue Eye adventure, we recommend the following items to pack for the hike:
- Sturdy hiking boots or trail shoes
- Weather-appropriate clothing
- Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat
- Reusable water bottle
- Lunch and snacks
- A comfortable and reliable backpack
- Camera or smartphone for capturing stunning photos
- A basic first-aid kit
- A waterproof jacket (just in case of unexpected weather changes)
- Spare bag for rubbish
Theth to Valbona Hike
Most hikers that complete the trail to the Blue Eye to Theth, also do the perhaps more famous Theth to Valbona hike.
The Theth to Valbona hike trail passes through the heart of the Albanian Alps, crossing the dramatic Valbona Pass with some sweeping views of mountains and alpine meadows.
This hike can be done either way, and although most people seem to do hike from Valbona to Theth, I recommend doing it from Theth to Valbona, aftering checking out the Blue Eye near Theth.
Let me know what you are most excited to see in Theth and Albania!
Are you heading to Albania? Check out my guides for Albania below
