Hiking in the Karaburun hidden bay and Cave

We will leave Tirana at 7:00 and head toward the Albanian Coast where we will start our journey. The Karaburun peninsular is one of the least explored parts of the country due to the very harsh terrain and its military importance as in the last couple of centuries it has been a very important naval base.

After less than 3 Hrs drive, we will be in the depth of the peninsula, where we will start our trail. We will follow a pretty regulated trail for about an hour to get to the peak of the hills with a maximum altitude of 400 meters. The downhill pass goes through a softer terrain with a spectacular view of the sea and Riviera. A path with aromatic perfumes of wild sage and thyme.

From the bay, we will follow a few kilometers path along the seaside to reach the Duke Gjoni Cave. The final destination of this trail is the Natural Monument of “Duk Gjoni” cave (III category according to IUCN). With an elevation of 129 m above sea level, this cave is considered as one of the most important habitats of bats such as Chiroptera sp. and Rhinolophus blasii. The cave has important natural values and exceptional beauty due to the presence of stalactites and stalagmites.

Along the trail there is a very rich flora, represented by: the second highest forest, after that of Shen Andre of the valonia oak, the sessile oak (Quercus petraea), the turkey oak and many more.