Experience Life Outdoors in the Albanian Alps

Jul 18, 2020 | Albanian Alps

Thinking of making a trip to the Albanian Alps? You’ll want to make sure that you’re well prepared. Known as the accursed mountains, this is one of the most beautiful destinations out there in the world, and is a fantastic untapped playground for those that are seeking adventure.

If you’re planning to head to the Albanian Alps, it’s imperative that you travel light so that you can easily hike from one valley to the other within a day. You’ll be able to make the most of your hiking trip and won’t need to camp and have any tent equipment with you. You can hike within Vuthai and Theth within a day or Cerem and Doberdol. During your hiking trip, don’t forget to stay at the pasture cottages to get a little insight into shepherds going about their daily life or have a coffee in people’s local houses.

Even if you want to visit Thethi National Park, you don’t need to bring along equipment with you as there is plenty of equipment available for rent around the valleys for climbing and even winter sports. Not sure how to pack light? No worries, we’ve got you covered. Below are some tips we have on packing lightly for your hiking adventures.

Pack for the weather

Even if you’ve checked the weather and it says it’s going to be warm and sunny all day, you should pack for the season and for the expected weather patterns – never assume. It’s best to pack lighter fabrics that you can easily layer, polyester is a good one as it dries faster than other materials.

Avoid bringing fancy technology

Whilst it might be tempting to bring the latest camera along with various lenses to capture the beauty of the Albanian Alps, it’s not ideal if you’re going to be hiking for an extended period of time. It’s going to add additional weight you don’t want to be carrying around, and you can always use your phone to snapshots.

Needless to say, you should also not be bringing other technological devices such as a tablet or laptop. You’re embarking on this hike to immerse yourself in nature and take in the views, so leave all the technological disruptions at home.

Bring a wind shirt

Instead of packing numerous shirts and outfits, a wind shirt on its own is more than sufficient. Not only is it lightweight, but it’ll also protect you from the elements, and can reduce your overall weight load. It’s also comfortable and provides a significant amount of warmth whilst still allowing you to wear lighter base layers.

Pack light snacks or food

If you’re embarking on a longer hike, you’ll most likely be carrying snacks and food. You shouldn’t be carrying anything that’s overly heavy. Instead, bring some snack bars with you – they’re not only healthy and nutritious, but they’ll also provide you with energy up the hike and don’t take up too much space or weight at all.

Bring only what you need

This echoes everything that has been mentioned so far, but you should only be bringing what you need. If you’re packing toiletries, keep it to a minimum and have it organized properly to protect everything else in your bag. For clothes, you should focus on quality clothing as opposed to quantity. Instead of picking out heavy sweaters and jackets, opt for base layers that’ll help with temperature regulation and moisture management.

Lightweight packing tubes are great options to also help you with both organizing and compressing your clothing. Other things that you should consider bringing when hiking the Albanian Alps include light mountain shoes, sunscreen, a hat, hiking stick, and some long and short trousers. A 10-liter backpack should also be more than sufficient for three to four days of traveling in the alps.

Spend a little more on lighter equipment If you’re heading on a longer hike, be willing to invest in the equipment you bring with you – it makes a whole lot of difference. While it’s tempting to want to stick to a certain budget, the gear that you have is crucial for your safety or in completing a hike successfully. You wouldn’t want to take any shortcuts and should prepare your checklist of items way in advance before you even begin packing. Look for lightweight equipment such as an ultra-light packing cube that has a clean and dirty section. That way you’ll be able to separate your clean and dirty stuff while adding almost zero weight to your backpack. Pick travel-friendly versions

If you’re going to be hiking for a longer period of time, food can add the most weight to your backpack. Hence, it’s best to pick either dehydrated alternatives or lighter foods. Some examples of food that you can pack include instant hot cereal, powdered milk, dried fruits, and of course protein bars.

Other meals that you can look into include freeze-dried meals and dehydrated eggs. Aside from food, carry smaller or lighter alternatives of necessities. Instead of a bulky fluffy towel, for example, opt for an absorbent and light towel instead. At night, you can also use a light inflatable pillow that takes up minimal space. Toiletry swaps are also possible, you can use a paper soap instead of a bar, or go with baby wipes instead.

Share the load

If you’re traveling with a friend, sharing the load is a great way to limit weight and pack lightly. Before heading off on your hiking trip, discuss who’s going to what and how many sets of each item you require – it’s most likely that you’ll only need one. Then, you can divide the pieces among your packs accordingly.

There you have it, some of the hiking tips we have when it comes to packing lightly. By following these tips above, you’ll be able to enjoy your hike while taking in the breathtaking scenery of the Albanian Alps. After your hike, why not continue your trip by heading to Shengjin, Albania? Famous for its sandy beaches, you can unwind and relax with your hike. If you’re not sure where to stay, here are some Airbnb vacation rentals in Shengjin, Albania to get you started.