Qafë-Shtama National Park

Established as a national park in 1996, it was expanded and reclassified as Qafë-Shtamë Nature Park in 2022, reflecting a broader protected area while remaining one of the country's best-known mountain destinations.

Landscape and nature

The park stretches across the highlands northeast of Krujë, with elevations ranging from roughly 525 to 1,724 meters. Dense black pine, beech, and oak forests dominate the landscape alongside alpine meadows, valleys, and rocky mountain terrain. Wildlife includes species such as bears, wolves, wild boar, foxes, and numerous mountain birds, making the area important for biodiversity conservation.

What makes it special

One of the park's best-known attractions is the Queen Mother's Spring (Burimi i Nënës Mbretëreshë), a freshwater spring historically associated with Albania's royal family. The area is also known for the Qafshtama bottled water sourced from the region. Visitors come for the fresh mountain air, peaceful forests, panoramic viewpoints, and opportunities for hiking, picnicking, camping, and nature photography.

Visiting experience

The park lies about 25 km northeast of Krujë along the road connecting Krujë with Burrel and the Mat Valley, making it a popular day trip from central Albania. Its cooler temperatures make it especially attractive during the warmer months, while the mountain scenery changes noticeably with the seasons.

Protected status

Although many older references still describe the site as a national park, Albania officially changed its designation in 2022 from National Park (Category II) to Nature Park (Category IV) and expanded the protected area from about 2,000 hectares to approximately 6,864 hectares. This reflects its current legal status while preserving its ecological and recreational importance.