Conditions right now
Live weather where you are actually going, plus the seasonal facts that decide whether a hike or a swim is a good idea.
Live weather
Mountains
Theth (Albanian Alps)
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Mountains
Valbona
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City
Tirana
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Coast
Sarandë
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Coast
Himarë
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City
Pogradec (Lake Ohrid)
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Mountain passes & ferries
Theth–Valbona Pass (1,812 m)
In season nowSnow usually blocks the pass until late May and returns in November. Mid-June to early October is the safe window; guesthouses in Theth mostly close from November to April.
Usual window: Jun – Oct
Maja e Jezercës (2,694 m)
Out of season nowSnowfields linger into July. Only attempt it July to September, with a guide and an early start — storms build after 2pm.
Usual window: Jul – Sep
Llogara Pass road (1,027 m)
In season nowOpen all year but fog and strong side winds are common in winter. The Gjipe descent is dusty and unshaded — avoid midday in July and August.
Usual window: Jan – Dec
Komani Lake ferry
In season nowRuns daily in summer, reduced and weather-dependent in winter. Confirm the morning departure the day before.
Usual window: Apr – Oct
Sea temperature on the Riviera
Jan
14°
Feb
13°
Mar
14°
Apr
16°
May
19°
Jun
23°
Jul
25°
Aug
26°
Sep
24°
Oct
21°
Nov
18°
Dec
16°
Comfortable swimming starts around 22°C. The Ionian is warmest in August and still lovely through September.
Daylight for hiking
Oct: About 11 hours. Beautiful light, first snow late in the month.
Jan: Under 10 hours of daylight — short low-altitude walks only.
Feb: About 10.5 hours. Snow on all mountain routes.
Mar: About 12 hours. Wildflowers start in the south.
Apr: About 13 hours. Great for canyons and UNESCO towns.
May: About 14 hours. Alps still hold snow up high.
Jun: About 15 hours — the longest days of the year, ideal for the Valbona pass.
Jul: About 14.5 hours but very hot. Start before 7am.
Aug: About 13.5 hours. Hottest, busiest month.
Sep: About 12.5 hours. The best all-round hiking month.
Nov: About 10 hours. Mountain guesthouses close.
Dec: Under 10 hours. Cities and coast only.
Emergency & safety
Weather turns fast in the mountains. If a hike goes wrong, these are the numbers to call.
Albania has no 24/7 helicopter mountain-rescue service. Call 112 first, then your guesthouse — searches in Theth, Valbona and Jezerca are run by police with local volunteer rescuers and guesthouse owners, and they need hours to reach you.
- Tell someone your planBefore you leave, tell your guesthouse which trail you are walking, when you expect to arrive and who is with you. This is the single thing that starts a search early.
- Download the route firstSignal disappears on the passes. Save the GPX or KML from this page into Organic Maps, Maps.me or AllTrails, and download the offline map area while you still have wifi.
- Turn back by 13:00Thunderstorms build over the Accursed Mountains in the early afternoon. If you have not reached the pass or summit by 13:00, turn around.
- Follow the red-and-white blazesNever follow goat paths, scree chutes or shortcuts, especially in cloud. If you lose the blazes, walk back to the last one you saw.
- Carry the basicsAt least 2 litres of water, sun cover, a headtorch, a foil blanket, a power bank and a whistle. Three blasts means help needed.
- Cash and no ATMsThere is no ATM in Theth or Valbona. Carry lek in cash for cafés, guesthouses and any 4x4 lift out of the valley.