Overlanding Albania with a 4x4 and rooftop tent: the Lura lakes, Mount Tomorr, Theth to Prekal, when you need real 4x4, recovery gear and where to camp.
Albania still has a huge network of gravel roads and old mountain tracks, and some roads that look paved on the map turn to stone halfway up a valley. With a capable 4x4 and a rooftop tent you can reach lakes, passes and villages that most visitors never see.
Overland groups stop at our camp near Durrës every summer, often on their first night off the ferry. This is what we tell them about the routes, the gear and the places to sleep.
01When you really need a 4x4
Most of Albania is fine in an ordinary car or van, including the road to Theth and the Vjosa valley. A real 4x4 with good ground clearance matters for the Lura lakes, the eastern descent of the Qafë Shtamë pass, the rough final approach to Bovilla Lake, the high tracks of Mount Tomorr, and almost any mountain road in winter.
Snow can close the roads from Bajram Curri to Valbona, from Hani i Hotit to Vermosh and from Boga to Theth between late autumn and spring. From June to October the mountains are open, and that is when most overlanders come.
02Lura National Park and its glacial lakes
In the mountains of Dibër in the north-east, the Lura plateau holds around a dozen glacial lakes scattered through beech and pine forest. The best known is the Lake of Flowers, covered in water lilies in summer.
The tracks up are rocky and steep in places, so this is one of the routes where a 4x4 earns its keep. Lura is a national park, so ask in the villages below the lakes where you can camp rather than pitching on the shore.
03Mount Tomorr above Berat
Tomorr rises to about 2,400 metres east of Berat and is a holy mountain for the Bektashi order, whose followers climb to the shrine near the top every August. Tracks lead high up the mountain, with the whole of central Albania below you.
The surface is loose stone with steep sections, so plan a full day, carry plenty of water and turn back if the weather closes in. Combine it with a night in Berat, which is in our road trip itinerary.
04Theth to Prekal and the far north
The track from Theth over the Thore pass towards Prekal is one of the best-known off-road routes in the country: rocky, high and remote. Conditions change from year to year, so ask in Theth before you commit, and do not drive it alone.
Further north, the road from Hani i Hotit climbs into Kelmend, past Tamarë to Vermosh and Lëpushë near the Montenegrin border. It is quieter than Theth, with wide alpine meadows and small villages that see few foreign cars.
05Gear and planning
Carry recovery boards and a strap, a tyre repair kit, a compressor and a full-size spare. Fill up with fuel before you head into the mountains, keep at least 20 litres of water on board, and download offline maps that show tracks, since phone signal disappears in the high valleys.
On remote tracks, travel with a second vehicle if you can. Do not cross streams after heavy rain, close any gate you open, and keep to the track on grazing land. Shepherds are usually friendly and often the best source of advice on what is ahead.
For the ferry from Italy, border crossings and insurance, read our driving guide.
06Where to camp
Wild camping with a rooftop tent is widely tolerated in Albania outside national parks and protected areas. Our guide to camping in Albania explains the rules and how to pick a good spot.
Between routes, our camp near Durrës is an easy base: level pitches for rooftop tents, electricity, hot showers, drinking water to fill your tanks and barbecue areas for the evening. Convoys and groups are welcome, and the ferry port is fifteen minutes away. See the camp or message us with the number of vehicles and we will keep space together for you.
