I’d been in Albania for a week already when I learned of Komani Lake and the guesthouses along the water. I immediately started trying to work out how to visit Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales and decided on a one night and two day river adventure to Riverside Komani Lake.
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About Komani Lake Ferry
Komani Lake is a reservoir in northern Albania fed by the Drin, Valbona, and Shala Rivers that was constructed in the 1980’s. There is a Komani Lake Ferry that shuttles people and a limited number of cars from the village of Koman to the town of Fierza in 2.5 hours, however there are smaller boats that also take guests to their guesthouses or bring supplies. The ferry departs Komani Lake terminal at 9 am and leaves Fierza in the opposite direction at 1 pm.
How to Get to the Komani Lake Ferry
To get to the ferry port, there are regular shuttle busses from the cities of Tirana at 5 am and Skhoder at 6-6:30 am and can take up to hours to get to the ferry port! The bus ticket is pretty cheap or you could spend quite a bit more to take a taxi. The ferry departs at 9 am.
Another option is you can rent a car in Albania like we did and drive to the ferry port. The road there is long and “paved” but very bumpy and potholed and not well maintained. In fact, it’s pretty atrocious. But you definitely do NOT need a 4×4. You could either get there early in the morning and park at the ferry parking area before the tunnel (do NOT drive through the tunnel as it gets too congested and you can get stuck in the tunnel traffic and miss the ferry).
You can click the banner below to search for rental car prices. This is the site we used all over Europe.
The other alternative is to do as we did and book a nearby guesthouse within a few miles of the ferry terminal, drive there, stay the night, then ask to leave your rental car there for a night or two, depending on how long you’re going, and get a ride from them to the ferry. Most will charge a small fee for this but it’s totally worth it if you have a car.
Book your Komani Ferry Tickets HERE
The Komani Lake Ferry runs once per day at 9 am to Fierza for 10 Euros. For an additional 7 Euros per meter squared, and if you book ahead, you can bring your rental car and drive to Valbona in the mountains after your ferry ride.
If you don’t have plans to visit Komani Lake, and are trying to reach Valbona or Theth, there is really no reason to take the ferry. You can drive from Shkoder to Valbona faster than taking the ferry, in around 4.5 hours.
We had plans to go to Theth afterwards, which is a long drive from Fierza so it didn’t make sense to bring our car and take the ferry. But I did want to experience Komani Lake and stay overnight.
Getting to Valbona from Fierza (Ferry Port)
Once you arrive and get off the ferry around noon, you can take a minibus to Valbona. Alternatively, you could take a taxi but it’s an expensive ride. The ride takes about an hour.
Note: If you plan to do the popular hiking route from Theth to Valbona (or the other way around), it wouldn’t make sense to take a rental car with you, since you’d be stuck leaving your car behind. There is no easy way to retrieve your car as the drive between them is over 5 hours. So don’t use a rental car if you plan to hike between Theth and Valbona. If you have a rental car for your time in Albania like us, pick one of the two mountain villages and do the hike partway and back or all the way there and back. Again, going to Komani Lake and taking the ferry is not necessary to get to Theth or Valbona.
We rented our car in Albania and other European countries through Discovercars.com and were very happy with our service and price!
Where to Stay Near the Komani Lake Ferry
Agroturizem Hotel Vila Franceze
We stayed one night here. It’s an older building used to house French laborers who built the dam. It was very clean and comfortable and they served a very nice dinner for 12 Euros per person and a breakfast buffet for 3 Euros. It has a bit of a hospital/dormitory vibe but everyone was super nice and the property is beautiful. I wouldn’t make this my main destination, by any means, but it’s a good point for getting to Komani Lake.
The major bonus was that they drove us to the ferry and picked us up again for super cheap. I think it was just a few dollars at most. We were able to leave our rental car in their secure, gated parking area at the guesthouse as well. For all these reasons, I highly recommend this spot if you want the convenience of staying the night close to Komani Lake.
Borealis Guest House
According to guest reviews, they’ll drive you to the ferry as well. Has great reviews
Lugina e Komanit
Also offers the transfer to the ferry and good reviews.
Kulla e Vjeter
Same perks as the others, with the added bonus of a restaurant on site. This one is only about 1.5 km from the ferry so you could technically walk if you really wanted to.
There is a guesthouse literally right at the ferry port with a restaurant downstairs and rooms upstairs Rozafa Ferry, but the reviews are terrible.
Tours to Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales
There are a small handful of rustic guesthouses on Komani Lake and the beautiful Lumi i Shales (the Shala river). This area is made popular by the stunning turquoise water and steep, lush green mountains that frame the river canyon. Day tours by boating companies bring people for a day visit and there are a handful of guesthouses, restaurants, and bars scattered about the area.
Many tours depart from the Komani Lake Ferry port. You can book with the Komani Lake Ferry company that also offers day tours HERE. Note that this doesn’t include transportation to the ferry port (which you can book additionally) nor does it include a visit to Lumi i Shales which is an additional 10 Euros.
Alternatively, you can book an all inclusive day tour that departs from Tirana such as THIS ONE.
Guesthouses on Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales
If you’re like me, maybe you want to experience more than just a few hours on Komani Lake and the popular Lumi i Shales. By later in the day, tour groups have departed and the area is calm and quiet and you get a different feeling.
In this case, consider booking an overnight stay or longer at one of the local guesthouses on Komani Lake or the Shala River (Lumi i Shales).
Keep in mind each of these will arrange transportation from the ferry port for an additional charge and meals will be extra, except for potentially a continental breakfast. It’s a good idea to know how much cash you’ll need ahead of time and be sure to bring plenty. Everything is done in cash.
Guesthouses on Komani Lake
Riverside Komani Lake
This was the accommodation I picked for our one night. I chose it based on the stunning green hillsides surrounding it, the deck view, the suspension bridge, and the proximity to the stunning Lumi i Shales.
Although the guesthouse is very rustic and gets incredibly hot in the summer in the rooms with big windows facing the water, it was definitely a beautiful spot. Meals are not included nor is the pre-arranged boat ride to and from the port. So for one night stay in the room with the big window, we spent over $200 which seemed a bit outrageous for Albania. Keep in mind some rooms have shared bathrooms too.
The location felt a bit isolated with little to do, but when you’re only staying one night, that didn’t feel like a big deal. They drive you about 10 minutes up the river in a boat and drop you off to spend time at Lumi i Shales.
Despite a lot of garbage floating in Komani Lake, there didn’t seem to be any near Riverside Komani Lake. I think it’s far enough up the river (Lumi i Shales), that there is enough of a current that it moves it farther down to the lake. Room prices are all over the place from $53-110/night.
Neomalsore Agrotourism
In terms of reviews, this one is the best. The location score is incredibly high due to the lovely views and the traditional, family run, authenticity. The meals are supposedly delicious and straight from their garden. Definitely read the reviews first to know what to expect (outdoor shared bathroom, lack of electricity, etc.). The price is definitely on the high side as well. would definitely stay there next visit for the authentic experience. Rooms start at $107/night.
5 Stinet
The reviews are lovely, and I we saw this one from our boat on our transfer up the river, but I hadn’t considered it. Personally I wanted to be farther up the river and closer to Lumi i Shales, but they can certainly arrange a visit to Lumi i Shales for you. You can also use kayaks to explore the lake. Reviews are very good overall. I think this would be a lovely stay. Rooms start at $75/night.
Guesthouses on Lumi i Shales
Farther up the river where it narrows and turns a crystal clear blue, you’ll find a handful of guesthouses and their restaurants and bars. Here, the water is shallow and moving a bit faster so there is no plastic floating. The nicer part about staying up here is you can walk to other guesthouses’ restaurants and explore more. At Riverside it felt a bit limited to their small property.
I’ve ordered these randomly and didn’t get pictures of all of them, but know that they’re all in the same vicinity on the beautiful river. Tours will come during the day so it will feel more crowded. This is the main reason I chose not to stay here. But next time, I think I would just to experience the difference.
Our Riverside Komani Lake guesthouse dropped us off here around noon and didn’t come back for us until around 6 pm. It got a little boring but after 5 pm the crowds disappeared and the area was very quiet which was nice.
Guri i Lekës
I think this one is quite new because their reviews start in 2023. The reviews mention it’s a little separated from the raucous of other guesthouses and quieter, which sounds nice. We hung out on the beach here and although we didn’t check out the guesthouse, I can confirm it was a nice quiet area and incredibly beautiful at the farther, more westerly direction down the river. I’d definitely stay here next visit. The reviews are quite good. Rooms start at $64/night.
Livadhi Guesthouse
Also quite a new guesthouse since the summer of 2023, this was still under construction when we were there. WiFi is apparently fantastic, so if that’s important, this may be your best bet. It’s also on the quieter west direction farther down the river. Rooms start at $65/night.
Eagles Landing
We went here for lunch mainly because there was no one there and they seemed happy and eager to welcome us. Plus they had WiFi. I felt our meal was overpriced and pretty mediocre at best, but maybe we got unlucky. They were kind enough to let us use their sun-beds for a couple hours for free which we greatly appreciated. The reviews are not great as a place to stay or eat, but it is in a good location near the previous two I mentioned. Rooms start at $58/night.
Guesthouse Zgiboza
Another new guesthouse as of this summer (are we seeing a trend here?). They also have good reviews, a lovely looking bar/restaurant perched on the water, as well as WiFi. They too are at the west end of the river away from the hordes. Rooms start at $58/night.
Blini-Park Guesthouse
This one has been here at least a couple years and has more reviews to scour. The reviews leave something to be desired as well. Guests complain of poor guest services and communication, lack of helpfulness from the staff, loud music until late, etc. It’s located at the eastern end of the river which makes it much more crowded with day tourists, lounge chairs, and bars, etc. Probably best to steer clear of this one. Rooms start at $64/night.
Bee Eco Guesthouse
I’m inclined to guess this may be the first guesthouse in the area as their reviews are the oldest. And they have good reviews too. I definitely considered staying here and the only thing that changed my mind was how close it is to the east end of the river like Blini-Park where it looked far more crowded and loud. Reviews do complain of next door late light music. But they sound like they have good food. Rooms start at $77/night.
Things to Know About Visiting Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales
As mentioned, cash is necessary. Guesthouses will likely charge all rates, meals, transfers, etc. in cash.
The guesthouse will usually reach out to you via WhatsApp before your stay to make sure you know where and when to catch the boat. If they don’t, you need to contact them.
Most guesthouses have two transfer options, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Try to get there in the morning to have more time to enjoy the location. The next morning you’ll likely have two options for departure as well, early morning or late afternoon (when the boat goes for pickups), neither of which is ideal.
Ask how much the transfer is per person so you have enough cash. Meals are anywhere from $10-25 each plus drinks.
Bring bottled water. I read a number of reviews that said their guesthouses didn’t provide bottled water. Do not drink the tap water in Albania. Bring a couple large bottles.
If you’re bringing luggage with you, know that you’ll need to be able to lift and carry it onto the boat and potentially up uneven trails/hills to get to your guesthouse.
Most of the boat transfers are covered but by some twist of fate, ours to Riverside Komani Lake was the only one I saw without a shade. Be prepared for sun exposure on your boat ride for upwards of an hour each way. I always bring a packable hat like this one:
Some areas like Lumi i Shales have hiking trails, which I’ve read can be overgrown and steep. Bring good shoes for hiking if you think you’d do that.
I’d consider bringing snacks since there are typically three set meal times at many guesthouses.
Last but certainly not least…Komani Lake is full of garbage. I read about it in some reviews but really wasn’t prepared for how awful it is. I don’t know who is most responsible for it, but each guesthouse should make sure they and their guests are not contributing. As I mentioned, it’s worst in the reservoir as you’ll see after leaving the ferry port. It gets better at Lumi i Shales where the water moves quickly. Small efforts by activists have been made to remove bags and bags of trash but it barely makes a dent. Make sure to demand improvements in reviews, comment to guesthouse staff, etc. I’m sure tourists play a huge role, but guesthouses need to take make sure they are setting a precedence for guests. Hopefully the government will really step up and do what’s necessary.
I really hope this has been helpful. There’s a bit of info out there about how to visit Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales but its not always super clear and likely evolving. Keep in mind Albania is relatively new to tourism and things don’t always run smoothly and on time.
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This is a really great article. It’s educational, and very fascinating too. Komani Lake and Lumi i Shales is like a dream trip for me, so I admire it all the more. I love all the pictures because they show how beautiful it is there. Also, I love the many suggestions contained within the article. They’re worth writing down and taking along on the trip. Thanks for another great trip report!
I appreciate that! Thanks for reading! Albania quickly became one of my favorite countries!
I’d love to see more on Albania from your perspective