Visiting the Bovilla Lakes in Albania
Bovilla Lakes is known for its crystal-clear waters and surrounding mountains. This serene spot is perfect for a one-day adventure. Check out this guide on how to visit this must see attraction from a day trip from Tirana, Albania! You definitely don’t want to miss it!
Getting to Bovilla Lakes
Bovilla Lakes is about an hour drive from Tirana. There is no public transport there. You can go via taxi, guided tour or with a 4×4 rental car. The road is bumpy, unpaved and winding in parts. Along the way you can see some farms, mountains and rolling hills.
When my friend and I went we did a guided tour. The cost was about $22 USD and included the transportation, guided hike and some free time to eat (lunch not provided). The whole tour lasted about 6 hours.
The Bovilla Canyon
On the way, we stopped on the side of the road to check out the Bovilla Canyon and Gorge. There is a tiny little bridge over the water but the best view is before crossing the little bridge. It is a quick little stop and worth getting out to see. After that, you will cross over the dam where you get your first view of the Bovilla Lakes with their epic color!
The Hike
Mount Gamti hike is the highlight of the tour. The tour bus drops you at the bottom and the first part is a little steep up some switchbacks but nothing techinically challenging. After that you arrive at the level of the restaurant. From there you climb up some rocky parts with railings available, followed by some stairs. On the top of the view there is a platform you can stand on. You can also climb a little higher to see the gorge from above. There is a steeper rock with the Albanian Flag. Our guide said “it’s off limits but if you do climb it be extra careful”.
At the top
On our tour we had about 20 minutes at the top to enjoy the view, go out on the platform or do any additional hiking. There is a small cave to grab some shade. The platform is cool but I think the even more impressive pictures are to the right of the platform just in nature.
The Restaurant
The Bovilla Restaurant itself has stunning views of Lake Bovilla. We hiked up to the restaurant and the guide did say for anyone who didn’t want to climb the rocks and stairs they could stay at the restaurant instead. My friend did not want to climb more so she stayed behind and grabbed a drink. After the tour was back from the hike, we had some free time here to eat and drink. I had a greek salad and we had a beer. The views even from here are great!
Top Tips for a one day visit to Bovilla Lakes
What to Bring
Definitely bring water and snacks for this trip. It’s ideal to have a little backpack or something to carry your water in for the hike. If you want to avoid paying for lunch at the only restaurant on a tour then consider packing a little lunch. Bring sunglasses and sunscreen. If you are into birdwatching, it is apparently great here so don’t forget your binoculars. And of course don’t forget your camera!
What to Wear
Hiking shoes or sneakers are recommended. It is a hiking trip and there are some rocky parts so shoes are important. Wearing quick drying workout clothes are great. I wore a yoga shirt and leggings that have pockets for easy accessing my phone for photos. Sunglasses are a must for sunny days.
Pick a Sunny Day
We almost didn’t go because of the weather. It was raining and storming in the morning and we debated whether it was even worth going. The guide said if it is raining they still go but the rocks and stairs can be slippery and it is much better on a clear day. Lucky for us the storm passed quickly and by the time we arrived the sun was even popping out. Things dry pretty quickly so the stones were no slippery. If you have flexibility to change your tour to another day if rain predicted it may be worth it.
Book early
Especially during peak season booking your tour or boat in advance is recommended. We were in shoulder season in September so was not as challenging but during the summer it may be more challenging. It did seem there were several other tours there are the same time as us but it was never super overcrowded.
Take in the views
Wow! The panoramic views of the crystal-clear waters and the mountains is absolutely breathtaking. It is a perfect day trip from Tirana. Bring your camera!
Plan your trip to Bovilla Lakes
If you haven’t made it to Albania yet, consider this your inspiration to go. It is beyond beautiful and you will not be disappointed. Bovilla Lakes was a great adventure from Tirana and unlike many other day tours didn’t take up the entire day. I highly recommend visiting here. The color of the lake with the surrounding mountains is absolutely stunning. If you are looking for another amazing day tour from Tirana consider checking out Lake Koman and the Shala River!
