A journey through the wild heart of Albania is a triumphant symbol of environmental protection.
At the end of a long, dry summer, dominated by a cloudless sky, the rapids of the mighty Vjosa calmed and calmed down. Which suits me perfectly, since I am sitting in a kayak sailing in the old Këlcyrë gorges.
The waterfall corridor that earned it the nickname Paradise of a Thousand Sources » is just as voluptuous. Streams crisscross the stone walls and descend to the pool of water through profusions of gravity-defying vegetation and resolute, twisted trees.
It is one of the last free-flowing rivers in Europe and virtually the only major river on the continent not to be polluted by dams. Additionally, a long battle to preserve its natural rhythm and important ecosystems was ultimately won. I dive my paddle into the turquoise meltwater of the Vjosa, which flows continuously from the Greek mountains of Pindus to the Albanian coastal town of Vlorë. As I orient my kayak through picturesque canals, I begin to understand why this river, which has been praised in poems and songs for centuries, is so important to locals and why a multi-year campaign to preserve it has resonated with clothing brand Patagonia and actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
It may be the end of peak season, but Zamo and his team of young raft experts are full of energy on our small-group excursion to Albania’s mountainous hinterland, which has started and will end in the capital of Tirana. Guides also have good reason to rejoice: visitor arrivals in Albania are booming. Figures for the first half of 2023 indicate a 30% increase in the number of travelers compared to the same period of the previous year. Outdated stereotypes of crime and blood feuds are replaced by viral posts showing pristine Adriatic beaches, magnificent Ottoman remains, and fresh Mediterranean dishes. If Albania was once Europe’s best-kept travel secret, the news is spreading today.
Mark