Dajti National Park

Some time ago I had visited for the first time the National Park on the Dajti Mountains that surround Tirana. Then, I had gone up to it by car with local friends, and, after a long climb thru a poorly maintained, winding road, we eventually reached a very large flat area, where an old and dilapidated huge building was standing. It was empty and abandoned when I saw it, but, I was told, it had been a very active summer camp for children during the communist regime. I also distinctly remember one of my friends mentioning then that a tram way would be a great idea to make this place more easily accessible.





Today such a facility is a reality, and the modern cable car system, called by the generic European term “teleferik” in Albanian, is labeled the Dajti Express. It's the type of a ski lift, with cabins carrying 8 passengers each.

I decided to use it with another young friend, who lives in Tirana, but had not yet seen it, so that we could experience the different ride, and breathe real fresh and clean air on the top. I reminded her that I used to be in a similar position in my early days in NY. It took many years before I visited the usual touristy spots, and this happened only when I accompanied some foreign visitors to sightsee.



The weather was perfect for such a trip, with mild temperature, beautifully deep blue skies, and not a cloud in sight. We were lucky to travel by ourselves in one of the modern, air conditioned cabins, and were astonished by the route covered through this technological achievement.







From the base, the cable cars travel up and down several peaks and valleys, with a variety of landscapes. During the 15 minutes ride, we actually went over some farms, with homes and terraced land, tucked in between forested hills, then down to some rugged gorges, then up again above tree line, and finally, steeply above naked limestone rocks, to the tram landing, the surroundings of which is still being worked upon.

The modern structure is fully functional and it contains a large and well stocked bar, fast food, pizzeria, with some outside facilities and a children toy park annexed to it. Right next to it an enormous new construction, several stories high, is also taking shape. The flat countryside is the same I remembered from my previous visit (and, unfortunately, still covered with litter all over), as well as the huge ex summer camp, which, however, now looks very much under renovation. Many the tourists walking around and the locals whose children can also ride small horses that patiently snooze in the sunshine waiting for their customers.





An unpaved path leading to the ex camp, takes us to a nearby 3 story brand new building, which is a hotel, restaurant, bar. Here we decided to have a leisure lunch and I enjoyed the well known Lefreq fish with a wonderful mixture of grilled vegetables.



By the time we walked back to the cable car, the visiting crowds had increased, and we had to stay online to catch the return trip. As we took in the sights going down the mountain, we could see, in the distance, Tirana with its skyscrapers engulfed in smog, and, on the horizon, the sea shining in the setting sun.