Introducing ALBANIA | The Road to Bovilla Lake | Albanian Road Trip

BOVILLA LAKE, ALBANIA: One incredible day driving a dusty dirt track to Bovilla Lake and then trekking up to Albania's most stunning viewpoint. Welcome to my Albanian Road Trip!
▶️ More videos from my ALBANIAN ROAD TRIP here → bit.ly/AlbanianRoadTrip
I drove off-road for over 2 hours down a bumpy dirt track to get to one of the most stunning areas of Albania - the beautiful blue waters of Bovilla lake in Shtamë Pass National Park, a reservoir surrounded by lush green forests and spectacular mountains in the Tirana region.
My inspiration to drive and hike to the Bovilla Lake viewpoint was a photograph similar to the video's thumbnail - a sole figure standing on a rock perched high up on a mountain ridge overlooking the lake and miles of beautiful scenery. To see this in the flesh was my number one reason for visiting Albania. I was blown away by the landscape, the emptiness of it all, the vastness of what would stand in front of me, as soon as I saw it I knew I had to come! What I didn't expect however was the incredible adventure that went along with it - the incredulous mountain roads, the bumpy and winding Hida dirt track as I approached from the north, and the illusive sometimes dangerous hiking trail through wildlife filled pastures and ascending steeply across the face of what looked like an unclimbable cliff edge. This journey is not for the faint of heart.
Albania is one of Europe's less visited countries and that's exactly why I decided to organise a week long road trip here - starting and ending in Tirana but stopping by lots of towns and villages along the way.
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[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks for watching! If you'd like to support my channel please consider subscribing - it's very much appreciated! --> bit.ly/2RyPwto You can catch the rest of my ALBANIAN ROAD TRIP here --> bit.ly/AlbanianRoadTrip

[@edmondhilviu7214]

Bravo bellissimo video.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Grazie per la visione! Sono felice che ti piaccia.

Nice video, Like n.4 and Greetings from Italy :)

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thank you very much. Love Italy!

[@illyrianbloodline]

Welcome!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks very much!

[@daron8982]

Nice inspiring music that goes with sunny and beautiful views

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks, got lucky with the weather - it was beautiful all day!

[@hayleyl8915]

Fantastic! So interesting 👏👏👏xxxx

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

You just gotta love Albania!

[@stopinjorancestuaj]

Great video Matt! Thank you!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Glad you liked it! What an amazing place!

[@alexandrestul]

Thanks so much for making us participate so closely to your trips, it's very enjoyable 🙂. This Bovilla lake and countrysides in Albania reminds me of "Lac de Serre Ponçon" in South of France. The same creation of a lake as a big reservoir with dam to provide drinkable water for many South France cities, magnificent place with also many nautic activities authorized (one of the biggest created reservoir in Europe). Greetings from France 👍

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hello Alexandre, hope things are going well in France? Thanks for watching the video, glad you like the Bovilla Lake area - it was a tough video to make but I'm glad I did - what an adventure! I have just had a look at Lac de Serre Ponçon, I'd not heard of it before but it looks like a wonderful place. I love the south of France, it's a beautiful area!

[@marjusdedja9408]

Hahahah the shepherd was epic

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Agreed! What a character! Wish my Albanian was a bit better, I would have loved a conversation with him. Bet he had a few stories to tell.

[@markdavies8467]

Great video, Matt.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thank you! It was a memorable day.

[@hyn3537]

The video is amazing and really rich with information...keep it up this great work👏👏👏

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks for the feedback, glad you found it helpful. One of my favourite days in Albania!

[@hyn3537]

@@MattWhitingsEurope yes its , just want to ask you are 5 days enough or I need more. And what must do or see in 5 days only

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

5 days in Albania or Tirana? If Albania I would say no, stay for longer if you can! If Tirana I would say yes, you will get an excellent feel for the city in 5 days and likely have enough time for some day trips to places like Krujë or Durrës.

[@WhenAdventureKnox]

Oh my word, that lake is stunning! 😍 I'll let you guess where I've just booked some flights to 😉 I shall slowly but surely be making my way through this series of yours for inspiration, tips and facts!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Ha I’m very jealous!! If it’s where I think it is (🤔) then you’re going to have a blast! This lake was spectacular and the view point made it all worthwhile! I’m certain there’s a slightly different viewpoint a bit further up but despite leaving nice and early the day once again got away from me and I had to hike back down before it got dark. I could have easily spent another couple of hours up there! Hopefully these videos can provide a little information for you and perhaps some inspiration - it was a memorable trip! 😀

[@oksanavidanova3655]

Thank you for your video! I've seen it a lot of times and this August I visited Bovilla Lake!!! Now the hike takes 15-20 minutes from that big stone with a marker. Albanians build a road a bit higher from that stone and from that point on it takes 15 minutes to the view point! The receptionist in hotel in Tirana told me I am the first to ask about Bovilla)) Thanks and greetings from the city of Lutsk (Ukraine)

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks for the information, sounds like a little bit of development is going on at Bovilla! What an awesome place, I'm glad you found my video helpful - it was an incredible adventure just getting there! Did you find the same view point as I did? or perhaps the one further up? Love how you were the first person to ask about it at your hotel - it's hard to believe Bovilla isn't more popular! Love Ukraine by the way, I visited Kyiv a few years back and it was amazing!

[@oksanavidanova3655]

@@MattWhitingsEurope yes, it was the same view point, that was enough for me as our taxi driver was waiting for us at the damp (not in a good mood as he didn't know that the road is not so good for such cars). And there is also a restaurant newly built called Bovilla. The winding road now leads straight to it. P.S. I watched your videos about Kyiv, great that you liked the city. Have you heard about Tunnel of love in the small town of Klevan? Or flooded village of Bakota? Recommend for visiting if there is a chance to be in Ukraine again.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

That's really interesting! Part of me is a little sad to hear there's now a restaurant up there - I wonder if it might take away from the charm of the place. I loved the fact that it felt so remote and disconnected from everywhere else. I'm glad you found the viewpoint, it wasn't an easy hike for me so you did very well to get up there and back whilst your driver waited! I loved Ukraine, really enjoyed my trip to Kyiv and will definitely be going back at some point. I did think about heading over to Lviv but then the pandemic hit and the rest is history. Thanks for the tips on places to visit, I have seen photos of that tunnel before but didn't realise it was in Ukraine. The flooded village, is that Bakota Kolodiyivka - that's all I get come up when I search for it? Thanks again for the information, I always like to keep notes of places that are recommended to me - especially by locals!

[@TheMitrovica2007]

Beautiful!!! Am so excited for this.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

It was one heck of a day!! Are you planning a trip there?

[@TheMitrovica2007]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Yes i am!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Enjoy! Hope you make it right to the top!

[@TheMitrovica2007]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Thank you, i will probably have to watch this video again so i know where to walk hahah

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Best of luck, I hope my video helps you! After doing a bit more research after my trip I think if you get to the ledge I was on, then continue to head up, you'll come to an even better overlook. Hope it goes well, it's a stunning area. Would love to hear how it goes...

[@jimmijimmi7147]

Respekt brother 🇦🇱🇽🇰🤝🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🇪🇺🇺🇸🇭🇷♥️💪💪

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thank you, much appreciated! It was one heck of a day.

[@albusha5150]

Matt, an Albanian here residing in the States: simply wondering what attracted you to Bovila lake? We have a lot of lakes most natural, my favorite lake Ohrid, whereas Bovila is just a reservoir? If you can make it up to those 9 villages you may be impressed at the taste of their food especially cheeses, butter, honey etc. That area represents Albania's heart and DNA scientists may be shocked if they did the DNA to those villagers. They might be able to trace beginnings of humanity!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hi Al, nice to talk to you. First off, I've got to say I love Albania but it feels like I'm only skimming the surface. My inspiration for visiting Bovilla Lake was a photograph similar to the video thumbnail that I saw in the centre of Bratislava (I think it was something set up by the Albanian Tourist Board). The photo was a lone figure overlooking the lake and I remember the colour of the water looked unreal - I knew at that point I wanted to visit. When I got the chance to travel to Albania I realised it was very close to where I was landing (Tirana) so it felt like fate had intervened! I still can't believe how little information there is on it, especially as I thought it would be one of the most popular places to visit. I'd definitely love to make it to Lake Ohrid but it didn't really fit in with my plans on this particular trip, hopefully it will on my next one! Have you visited Bovilla Lake?

[@albusha5150]

@@MattWhitingsEurope No Matt unfortunately, I have to admit as many times I've been back (almost every year starting in 1995 and I've stayed usually a month) since I left my country in 1990. Hopefully, this upcoming summer I will. There are so many places in my country I have not seen yet and you are an inspiration. Hopefully, you will make it back again there and spend more time exploring it.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks Al, I appreciate your words! As you could probably see in the video - I thought it was an incredible place but I'd avoid the Hida Road from the north unless you have a 4X4! It's cool that you head back every year but like you said, there's so much to see and you can't do it all!

[@albusha5150]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Thank Matt. Hope you will enjoy the rest of your visit in my country and when you go back to England you will spread the word so more English people visit my country. Just about to watch my favorite team Liverpool vs Wolves. Supported Liverpool since 1977. Hope you're not a Man Utd fan. Hahaha

[@albusha5150]

Sorry Matt I meant "I hope you will spread the word." and Liverpool vs Man Utd was just a little joke as you may well know the rivalry!

[@niceday5640]

I love Bovila my fiance born ther. I love 🇦🇱 is very beautiful. My favorite coffee is frape and fruit figs. I miss this all for 2 years. I love Kruje .2 years I sow lots of places . Pogradece is beautiful. (Sorry for wronge spelling I am not albanian girl.)

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

No problems Renata, I definitely share your love for Albania and more specifically Bovilla - what an amazing place! Interesting sounding coffee, I will have to try some next time I'm over there. Don't worry about your spelling, it's all good! Thanks for watching.

[@MTravelVlog]

😍👍🏼

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thank you!

[@horvoje_]

VAZ 21214 @ 4:36 (aka Lada Niva)

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

I often wonder what the heck that was doing there? 😦

[@PietroAntonelli-mn6pm]

Amazing video Matt ! I was planning to do exactly the same trip, coming from Kruja and reaching the lake from the north way, so coming back to Tirana by the south road, and this video has been really helpful since there's not Google Street View on this road. I'm just a little worried because it will be on December, so maybe the road could be really dangerous. What would you suggest to do?

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hi Pietro, apologies for my slow reply , I've been away from the internet for a few days. Glad the video helped, it sounds like you're having the same doubts and questions as I had before I visited. It's certainly a rough ride for a car but doable - you just have to take it slow and watch out for any sections where you may ground out. Driving it in December will bring about its own challenges - mainly the weather. I think you're best keeping an eye on the weather - rain, snow or ice could make parts of it impassable, or even worse - dangerous. I noticed that there are a number of villages along the road and I suspect many of the residents have cars so it's possible that the road is maintained in the winter to prevent them from being cut off. My advice would be to not attempt it in snow or icy conditions, nor if there's been any heavy rain. Drive to the start of the road and see what it's like, and make sure you trust your instincts. Let me know if there's anything else I can help with, and have a safe & fun journey! Let me know how it goes!

[@PietroAntonelli-mn6pm]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Hi Matt! We finally did it. It was quite tricky due to the heavy rains of the previous days, but we had a proper car (Dacia Duster) and both the adventure and the views were worth it. Thanks again for your video, without it we probably would have given up trying.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

@@PietroAntonelli-mn6pm Fantastic news Pietro!! Really glad you went for it and it all worked out! Sounds like you had a wonderful day and I'm really glad my video helped bring it all together. All the best!

[@Andrij_Kozak]

I am considering to go to Montenegro & Albania this summer. I think early June is a very good time. Because not so much tourists there and beaches not overcrowded.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Yeah that sounds like a plan, hopefully the virus will be under control by then and we'll all be able to travel a little bit more. I visited in October/November and was surprised by how warm it was - ideal for sightseeing and exploring but not really warm enough for a beach holiday. June sounds like a good plan, got any ideas as to where you want to visit yet?

[@woestewouter96]

REALLY wish I had seen your video before traveling down Hida Road with my girlfriend a few days ago. We also visited Kruja and decided to go the long way round. Problem was, we were in a Ford Fiesta. Luckily we survived but I think the rental people were not too keen on seeing one of their GPS-tracked cars going down that gravelpath 😅

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Haha sounds like your journey was as eventful as mine! What a crazy road 😵. It was certainly a day I'll never forget! Glad you made it through in the end, I take it the rental company didn't raise it with you when you returned the car?

[@woestewouter96]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Just got back yesterday, we were fearing for the rental company's wrath (or at least withholding our deposit). They never even mentioned it! I will have a look at the rest of your trek through Albania. Lovely country!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

@@woestewouter96 Glad to hear it! Mum's the word!

[@maudsoetens7198]

Really Nice video! I am thinking about driving the same road, how long did it take you to get to the lake in Total? Thanks!!

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed the video. I have some very fond memories of this particular day in Albania - a tough one but totally worth it! From Kruge to the Dam (where I started the hike) it took me about 6 hours but then I did stop a lot to take photos and video. I reckon you could do it in about 2 with the odd stop here or there. The dirt track was the slow part, average speed was about walking pace due to the bumps and holes. Very challenging for a car but doable as you saw in the video.

[@michaelmeyer9081]

I guess the road is still in the condition as shown in the video, right? A friend and I are traveling to albania in a few weeks and we are considering to visit Bovilla Lake, but we only have a small car (no 4x4).

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hi Michael, I'm not aware of any upgrading and I highly doubt the authorities would see it as a priority at the moment. Maybe worth a look if you're passing! Very risky taking a small car down there but then again I got away with it. Good luck with your trip - enjoy!

[@opdrachtondernemenlucadeko722]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Hi Mat great video! Really adventures! So, a question abt the road, is there a better way from Rirana to Bovilla - than the one on the video? (Because I heard you say something like that, ones you arrived at the lake). We are thinking to go next week for rockclimbing!

[@jamielm8561]

Hello matt I am doing this drive/hike in a weeks time, is it better to drive up the way you drove down?

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hello Jamie, yes I would say the better/easier way up there is from the south - the road is much better and it's a lot quicker if you're coming from Tirana. Hope that helps, enjoy your trip - it's a wonderful place!

[@jamielm8561]

@@MattWhitingsEurope brilliant cheers pal, will do ✌️, great videos

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

@@jamielm8561 Thanks, much appreciated. Enjoy!

[@BardhokNdoji]

It would have been much much easier and better road to approach from the city of Tirana. It looks like you came from the back side of the lake,

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Yes indeed, I was staying in Kruje so thought I would give it a try. I usually avoid using the same way there and back - that way I can see something different on each journey. I was intrigued by the little road that approached from the north and wanted to see some of those tiny villages and unseen mountains that at the time weren't even on Google Maps. It was a crazy ride but a memorable experience. I returned to Kruje by using the road you wrote about, heading through Tirana and then on from there.

[@BardhokNdoji]

@@MattWhitingsEurope Amazing. I hope you had a good time. You seem to have explored more than I have in that area and I am Albanian myself. I went once by myself and completely lost the path on the way up, pretty much on the same path as you. I did record a short video by drone and had to head back to Tirana so had not much time. I love adventures like that driving on terrains that I never have before. People over there are friendly but language barrier can be an issue when all you need is a simple direction. Anyway, keep exploring ;)

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Thanks, will do. I can't tell you how close I was to turning back on that hike. Like you said, the trail is really difficult to follow and I couldn't work out where I needed to go. The rock face looks so steep it's hard to see a pathway but after a while I found the one I used in the video. I still to this day don't know if there was another trail a little higher because the one I took seemed to be pretty rough in places. As I was losing the light I got closer and closer to accepting defeat - thankfully though I pushed on and made it to that final viewpoint. I had about 15 minutes and then had to turn straight around as I didn't want to be coming down the mountainside in the dark. If I had more time I would have continued up from the viewpoint as I think there's another one just above it - next time perhaps. What a day though. I will definitely find your video and take a look!

[@GeraldBathorja]

Hey man, I had to pause the video to correct you on the people stealing ammunition and the explosion you heard about. That's actually false since people were not stealing anything but instead they were employed and they were working on dismantling the ammunition. A mistake was made while dismantling the ammunitions and that caused a huge explosion many years ago in a village not far away from Tirana called Gerdec. You can actually see videos about that here on youtube. Just search for Gerdec explosion. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6TYY42wftGJmK8

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

Hey Gerald, thanks for the information - really interesting to hear the story. Very sad too! Do you know what those tunnels were at the start of the video, there seemed to be quite a few of them. Hope you enjoyed the rest of the video!

[@GeraldBathorja]

@@MattWhitingsEurope As far as I know those tunnels used to be Ammunition Depot from the communist regime era. Now I think they are just empty. I did enjoy the video. I hope you enjoyed your visit in Albania as well.

[@MattWhitingsEurope]

@@GeraldBathorja Thanks Gerald, I loved my time in Albania!! What an incredible country - I'll definitely return at some point to see some more of it! Fascinating about the tunnels, thanks for the information. I'm really intrigued by what lurks deeper inside - I find that kind of thing so interesting. Thanks for your comment, I have learnt something!