Lura National Park - Into Albania

Lura National Park

Experience the World Through Renewed Senses

For many, Lura National Park encapsulates the diversity, beauty, and wonder of Albanian nature better than anywhere. As some say, if you haven’t been here, you don’t know Albania…

 One of the reasons people love traveling so much, is for the fresh emotions it allows us to experience, and the unique ability it has of instilling in us a child’s perspective, through which everything is new, exciting, and mysterious, just waiting to be discovered. At the Lura National Park, you will discover the child within you again, as you are confronted with an overwhelming beauty which can only be experienced through renewed senses and emotions.

The Albanian poet and intellectual Gjergj Fishta once said, “he who hasn’t seen Lura, doesn’t know Albania,” and most would argue that he has a good point. Any tour of Albania’s natural beauties would be incomplete without a visit to the stunning Lura National Park. Located in the Lura Mountains in Dibër, the park includes twelve lakes, with the most amazing sights being the Big Lake (Liqeni i Madh), the Flower Lake (Liqeni i Luleve), Rrasa’s Lake, Hoti’s Lake, and the Black Lake (Liqeni i Zi), to name but a few.

Characteristics of Lura Lakes

At 1600 metres above sea level, the Big Lake has glacial, crystal-clear waters. The Black Lake, on the other hand, has darker waters as a result of its greater depth. Because some of the lakes are covered by ice during the cold winter, and others may dry out somewhat during the summer, spring is arguably the best season to visit the park. The lakes, along with the dense beech forests, black and white pines and many other trees, combine to create spectacular sights which feel like they’re reviving the soul, while the body is replenished with the freshest air imaginable.

In spring, both forests and lakes are covered by splashes of colorful flowers, giving the entire park a fairy-tale-like appearance. The Lake of Flowers, for instance, takes its name precisely from the large white lilies which give the lake its particular beauty and charm. In certain spots, the viewer can simultaneously admire the sight of several lakes and the mountains surrounding Lura.  The mountain streams of Seta, Uraka, or Malla e Lurës create a relaxing musical sound, providing both freshness and rhythm to a place which could not be more blessed with beauty!

Suggestions

You can get there by following the rural road Peshkopi – Fushë Lurë. Please be advised to procure any prescription drugs you may need prior to your trip to Lurë . Once in Lurë, the nearest pharmacy is located about a 4-hour drive away. Some items you may need on your trip include a flashlight, good hiking shoes, and waterproof clothes. If you decide to visit the lakes, we suggest finding a guide or a person familiar with the routes in this area. Last but not least, please do not throw any waste products (i.e. plastic, metal, batteries, etc.) in the area. While this is advisable anywhere else, in Lurë it is particularly important as there are currently no places around to recycle such materials.

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