The easiest way to get to Theth is to take a minibus from Shkodër. This can usually be organised through your hotel or B&B, and currently costs 10 EUR or 1250 LEK one-way. Our minibus had 19 passengers including the driver. It departed at 7.00am from Shkodër and arrived 3 hours later in Theth. As usual, there were no seatbelts on the minibus. Our driver was in his sixties had apparently been driving the route for 26 years. Our main concern was that he might have a stroke mid-journey given that he was chain-smoking the whole way.
If you’re thinking about driving a car, think again. The second half of the road to Theth is an unpaved gravel road full of potholes and mostly only wide enough for 1.5 cars. On one side of the road is a mountain, and the other side is often a cliff. If two cars meet, one usually has to reverse down the road until the road widens a bit.
If you own a 4×4, you should be OK driving down this road. We don’t suggest hiring a 4×4 in Albania just for visiting Theth, as it is still way cheaper and more convenient to ditch your rental car in Shkodër and catch the bus. It will cost you significantly more to hire a 4×4 than a smaller car, the cost of petrol is outrageous in Albania and you won’t need to drive anywhere in Theth. Lastly, damage to the underside of a car is usually not covered in car insurance. We saw one person driving a small hatchback very slowly down the unpaved road, but is it really worth the risk?
Read more on 5 Things to Know Before Visiting Albania
