Blue Eye of Theth, Theth
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Theth

Blue Eye of Theth

Blue Eye of Theth is a easy hike in Theth, Albania: 10 km taking 3–4 hours, with 350 m of ascent and a high point of 1050 m.

Distance
10 km
Time
3–4 h
Ascent
350 m
High point
1050 m
Difficulty
Easy

What to expect

Terrain

Gravel valley road, then a rocky riverside path with two log bridges and a short scramble at the pool.

Phone signal

Patchy 4G in Theth, none in the gorge.

Crowds

Quiet before 9am. Packed 11am–3pm with day-trippers and 4x4 shuttles.

Waymarking: Follow the river downstream to Ndërlysaj, then signs for 'Syri i Kaltër'. A small entrance fee is collected in the village.

Elevation profile

600 m825 m1050 m0 km10 km
Hover or tap a dot to see water points, cafés and the high point.

Route map & waypoints

Tap a waypoint to centre the map on it, or open it straight in Google Maps.

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Navigate & download

Google Maps Apple Maps 360° view Satellite

Load the GPX into Organic Maps, Maps.me or AllTrails before you leave the valley — signal disappears on most of these routes.

Water

Cafés at Ndërlysaj and the pool

Safety

Water is about 8°C, so enter slowly. The path is rocky, wear proper shoes.

Emergency & safety

Save these numbers before you start Blue Eye of Theth. Several hikers get lost here every season.

112 All emergenciesEnglish-speaking operators, works without a SIM card127 AmbulanceNdihma e Shpejtë128 Fire & rescueAlso called out for mountain incidents129 State PolicePolicia e Shtetit

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.

Check current conditions before you set off.

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SOS 112