Mt. Dajti (Mali i Dajtit)

The basics

You have multiple options for enjoying your time on the mountain. From the upper cable car station, the hike to the summit takes two hours. There are plenty of other outdoor activities, many offered as guided tours, including family-friendly options such as mini-golf or a small adventure park, plus downhill cycling, horse riding, and paragliding. Many tours also stop at Bunk’Art 1, a nearby contemporary art museum in a Soviet underground bunker.

Things to know before you go

• If you’re hiking, consider going on a trekking tour. Trail markers aren’t always clear, so independent hikers should have a good trail map and reliable GPS coordinates downloaded to their phone.

• The summit rises over 1,600 meters (about 5,250 feet)—a considerable altitude difference from Tirana. Bring along a sweater or jacket: Even if it’s warm and sunny in Tirana, it can be rainy and windy on the mountain.

• You can stay overnight at Dajti Tower Hotel. Tickets on the Dajti Express Cable Car are only valid for the day they’re purchased, so notify the ticket office if you’re coming down the next day.

• Reservations at the hotel include cable car rides.

How to get there

The quickest option for reaching the top of Mt. Dajti is to ascend by cable car. The Dajti Express lower station can be reached by blue Porcelan bus from Sahati clock tower in downtown Tirana (near Skanderbeg square). Ride for about 20-30 minutes and get down at the last station. Taxis or rideshares are another option, while guided tours typically include transport from the city center.

When to get there

Mt. Dajti is a year-round destination but most popular in summer, when cooler mountain temperatures provide relief from sunbaked Tirana, and winter, when fresh snow crowns the rolling peaks. Other times to consider visiting are during Valentine’s Day—the panoramic hilltop restaurant Ballkoni Dajtit offers a festive menu—or on November 28th, when locals come to Mt. Dajti to celebrate Albanian Independence Day.

What to eat on the top of Mt. Dajti

Ballkoni Dajtit, near the Dajti Express upper station, not only boasts stunning panoramic views—it’s also a great place to sample traditional Albanian cuisine and regional wines. The restaurant—built in a cozy log cabin style—serves up classic home cooked dishes such as fergese (a national dish baked in a clay dish and made with curd, red peppers, and sometimes liver) and flaky, spinach-filled burek pastries.