The Ultimate Full-length Durisht (Petrelë) Ridge Hike

This is one of the most engaging ridge walks near Tirana. More than 10 kilometer long, and almost every meter is pleasant and often engaging. But beware, just when you are proud of having reached one or more of the many summits, a view will open up exposing even more kilometers of beautiful (and sometimes with steep drops) ridgewalking.

Some parts follow a dirt road (for example up to radio tower), some parts on good trails (the beginning and the end), most parts on barely visible and often somewhat overgrown tracks (along the ridge), and some without a trail. If in doubt, stick to the coordinates, or otherwise on or close to the ridgeline.

Most hikers in Tirana will end up at one time or another in Petrele or nearby, and will do shorter loop hikes in the area. We also had done all parts of this hike before, in bits and pieces, but now decided do do it in one go.

You need two cars, or you may hitch a bus or car to take you back to where you came from. If you park a car at the trailend, do it at Kasemi Restaurant (one of our favorites), and reward yourself with a kriegel of beer or a meal before you head home. (Note that to drive from Petrele to Kasemi Restaurant and back may take about one hour, if the traffic is bad). Kasemi Restaurant and the end of the trail is on the Tirana-Elbasan road, just 100 meters before the road emerges on the ridge, with views to both sides for the first time.

You may opt to do the walk in reverse, though route-finding might be a bit more difficult, especially near the north end of the southern part of the ridge.

It is easy to find shorter variations of parts of the trail. The northern part and the southern part can be done as loop hikes, returning on dirt roads to Petrele or Kasemi Restaurant respectively.