Mount Dajti

The Austrian-built Dajti Ekspres carries passengers in enclosed gondolas – typically one family per cabin. During the ascent, you pass over farmhouses, small lakes, pine forest, and limestone cliffs. From the upper station, the panorama sweeps across all of Tirana, the surrounding valleys, and the Adriatic Sea on the horizon (on clear days).

At the summit, the Ballkoni Dajtit restaurant complex sits on a cliff edge with city views. The Dajti Tower Hotel features a rotating bar on the 7th floor – a full 360° turn takes 45 minutes. Active options include the Dajti Adventure Park (forest obstacle courses), an 18-hole mini golf course, horseback riding, roller skating, and a shooting range. Picnic areas and playgrounds are available for families.

Hiking trails start from the upper station. The easy Mali i Dajtit Loop covers 3 km with several viewpoints. The moderate trail to Tujani Peak (1,580 m) takes about 2 hours one way through oak forest. From the peak, you can see Bovilla Lake and the inland mountain ranges. Trails are marked with white-and-red blazes, though markings can be patchy – an offline map is recommended.

Elevation – 1,613 m above sea level, roughly 800 m above the cable car's lower station

Cable car – 4.7 km, the longest in the Balkans, 15-minute ride

National park – 293 km², established in 1966; beech and pine forests, deer, wild boar

Hiking – easy (3 km loop) to moderate (Tujani Peak, 2 hrs); marked trails

Panorama – Tirana, the valley, and the Adriatic Sea on clear days

Activities – adventure park, mini golf, horseback riding, rotating bar

Dajti National Park was established in 1966 to protect the mountain forests and biodiversity of central Albania. The mountain has been used for centuries: ruins of the medieval Kalaja e Dajtit fortress survive on the summit, once a strategic lookout point. During World War II, partisan units operated in these mountains.

In 2005, the Austrian-built Dajti Ekspres cable car was completed, transforming the mountain from a destination for a few hikers into the capital's top nature attraction. In 2006, the park was expanded to 293 km². Since then, the Dajti Tower Hotel, the Ballkoni Dajtit restaurant, the adventure park, and other infrastructure have been added to the summit area. Mount Dajt remains the most accessible mountain destination in Albania.

From central Tirana to the lower station (25 km, 20–30 minutes):

– City bus line 11 (blue) from the Biblioteka stop behind Skanderbeg Square to the Porcelan terminus – 40 ALL ($0.40), every 5–20 minutes, 5:30 AM–midnight. From the bus stop, 5 minutes uphill on foot to the station.

– Taxi via app – 700–1,000 ALL ($7–10). Negotiated rate with Merr Taxi: 650 ALL.

– Rent a car – free parking at the lower station

At the summit:

From the upper station to the restaurant – 2 minutes on foot. To the trailheads – 5–10 minutes.

Season: April–June and September–November offer the best visibility and comfortable hiking temperatures. Winter (December–February) brings snow to the summit – scenic but trails are slippery. Summer (July–August) is hot at the base; the summit is 10–15°C cooler.

Time of day: Morning (9:00–11:00 AM) – shortest queues for the cable car. Sunset – best light for panoramic photos of Tirana.

Duration: 3–5 hours for the cable car + walk + lunch. Full day if hiking to Tujani Peak.

Avoid: Snowy winter weekends – long cable car queues. Tuesdays – cable car is closed.