Travel Guide Qafa E Llogorasë

The National Park is located 19 km south of Orikum. Situated at an altitude of 1,043 m, 3 km from the coast, the Llogara Pass is the real gateway to the Albanian Riviera. It's the only way between Vlora and Saranda. And the ideal place for a break before heading south towards Dhërmi. For this stretch of road (of good quality, for once) proves to be very impressive and offers one of the most beautiful panoramas in the whole country with a view plunging down to the Ionian Sea (1,000 m difference in altitude!). The pass has always been a difficult obstacle to cross. Julius Caesar broke his teeth trying to cross this snowy pass in pursuit of Pompey in 48 BC. Nearby, the "Col de César" (qafa e Cezarit) is a reminder of this. Clouds are at home here in winter, but also very often in summer. Located in the upper Dukati Valley, the area opened up to tourism with the creation of the national park in 1966. A small complex of restaurants and hotels housed the nomenklatura and the deserving proletariat. Albanians continue to come with their families for walks through the forests of Bosnian pines, black pines (Pinus nigra), Bulgarian firs (Abies borisii-regis) and ash trees clinging to the slopes of Mount Athanasius (mali i Athanasit, 2,044 m above sea level). With a bit of luck and binoculars, you can see fallow deer, chamois, bartavelle partridges, but also otters, griffon vultures and golden eagles.Let's go. All minibuses to Himara and Saranda go there. To access the park, tell the driver that you wish to go down to the pass.