This wasn’t on our radar until we got to Tirana at the end of our trip, but I’m so happy we went. It was a bit of a mission, but if you have a day or half-day for a nature escape from the capital city, you must go! You can also combine a visit to Lake Bovilla with a stop in Kruja, or spend more time in the great outdoors hiking to the summit of Gamti Mountain.
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Where is Lake Bovilla?
An hour northeast of Tirana, Lake Bovilla (also known as Bovilla Lake) is a feature of the sprawling Dajti Mountain National Park. Not only is the water a stunning shade of blue, but it’s also practical. It supplies most of the drinking water in the capital city! It’s a quick and easy nature getaway from bustling Tirana.
The only way to get there is by car: either renting or getting someone to drive you, ie. going with a tour. More on this below.
Getting to Lake Bovilla
It’s only about an hours’ drive to Lake Bovilla, but it’s a bumpy ride! I really don’t recommend taking a rental car out there because you could easily damage it or get stranded with a popped tire.
With a tour
This is by far, without a doubt, the easiest way to get to Lake Bovilla. Even if you’re not a big tour person (neither am I), this just makes sense. Many tours include a stop in Kruja or Durres, have a guided walk to the summit of Gamti Mountain, or fun features like transport on ATVs or luxury Land Rovers.
This is the one we did! We got lucky and were the only people on the trip so it was kinda like having a private (and super knowledgeable) driver.
You might also be able to find a local tour operator directly if you shop around or ask at your hostel/hotel/Airbnb. But the one we booked with Get Your Guide was great.
On your own
Ok, ok, if you insist. Maybe you’ve rented a huge truck or you simply don’t care about your rental deposit — that’s your business. It’s definitely possible to drive yourself out here, but I’m not joking. The roads are like suuuuper bumpy, and not just for the last stretch. We couldn’t even chat in the car because our voices were just like WuuuUUuuuHuuuuuUUUUuuuu, you know?
But if you do want to drive, you can just put “Bovilla Restorant” into Google Maps. That’ll take you to the main parking lot just a 20-minute hike to the main viewpoint. It’s also a great stop to stop for a drink or lunch.
Look at those windy roads! You can’t see the giant potholes from here, but I promise they exist.
What to do at Lake Bovilla
Because it’s not a super accessible on your own, you may be limited in what you can do in Lake Bovilla with a tour. The main thing to do is hike up to the viewpoint looking out over the lake to get an epic photo (or 20).
“Hike” is probably a strong word, though. From the parking lot it’s about 20 minutes. But it’s definitely steep and a little treacherous with loose rocks so take care. And to get to the viewpoint you need to do a little scrambling.
Us waiting for some other people to get down before we scramble up
There are some small caves at the top where you can cool off, which you’ll need if you go in the heat of summer. (We went in the afternoon at the end of July and WHEW it was hot.)
You’ll want to stop in at the cute cafe where you park before the hike to grab a cold drink or lunch. If you haven’t gotten enough of the view yet, it’s still stunning from the cafe!
Cafe view and caves
You can also book a trip to Lake Bovilla that tacks on the Mount Dajti Cable Car nearby. It’s a quick and scenic ride up to a beautiful viewing platform. There’s a revolving restaurant and mini golf course among a few other touristy things to do.
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