Mount Dajti National Park: the balcony over Tirana

Among the favourite destinations of tourists visiting Albaniacertainly include the Mount Dajti National Park. At an altitude of about 1,600 metres, it can be easily reached from the city of Tirana: in fact, it is only 25 kilometres away. The citizens of Tirana themselves, therefore, usually organise their weekends right on Mount Dajti. How come?

A natural paradise at your fingertips

Mount Dajti National Park, in fact, has a cable car only a 10-minute ride away by car or by bus from the centre. Only 15 minutes' ascent and you reach the top of the mountain, from which the panorama of Tirana can be admired. The National Park of Mount Dajti is, in fact, also called The balcony over Tirana. But it is not only the capital to be discovered: the view flies over the villages, the forests and gets as far as the sea. In short, a natural paradise at your fingertips.

Albania's green lung

With an area of around 30,000 hectares, Mount Dajti National Park is to all intents and purposes a green lung in Albania. It offers, among other things, picturesque scenery among mountains, canyons and conifer and beech forests, where wild boar, wolves, red foxes, hares, brown bears and wild cats dwell.

Overview of Mount Dajti National Park

Natural attractions and settlements

Mount Dajti National Park also makes it possible to visit prehistoric settlements and fortifications from past eras and, at the same time, offers numerous natural attractions. We refer to the Pellumbas Cave, the Erzeni Canyon and the Peshkashesh Dam, along the Erzeni River; or the Shengjini Waterfall, near the village of Shëngjergj, and the Mali me Gropa-Bize-Martanesh, a protected area rich in water sources.

Walking and trekking

For the more enterprising and adventurous, then, the Mount Dajti National Park provides numerous trekking opportunities. Be careful, however: the trails are often not well marked and you must therefore be careful not to get lost. We recommend always rely on experienced guides and to document yourself accurately by reading the articles on the Albanian mountains.

What about the children?

There is also the possibility of activities planned for the whole family. Children can not only visit Tirana with their parents, but also enjoy the park's riding stables for various horseback rides. There are also two playgrounds nearby. The first is right behind the Tirana Balcony Restaurant, the second is near the entrance to the cable car and has numerous inflatables. In addition, you can challenge yourself at mini golf or on the Dajiti Roller Blader skating rink.

The adventure park

Probably, however, the Dajti Adventure Park is the star of local entertainment. This is the Tirana Adventure Park, suitable for boys and girls aged 5 and up. The courses are of varying difficulty: adults can try their hand at heights of up to 10 metres.

Eating and sleeping

After all these activities, of course, it is necessary to refresh and revive body and soul. Fortunately, the Mount Dajti National Park is a popular tourist destination also among the Albanians and has many characteristic hotels and restaurants, where one can taste the specialities of the local cuisine.