Vlachs historic transhumance route from Dhëmbel mountain pass (Përmet) to Mt Gramoz (Kolonja)
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 56.35 mi
- Elevation gain
- 16,096 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 11,909 ft
- Max elevation
- 7,125 ft
- TrailRank
- 58
- Min elevation
- 796 ft
- Trail type
- One Way
- Coordinates
- 7912
- Uploaded
- July 24, 2022
- Recorded
- July 2022
near Sheper, Gjirokastër (Albania)
Viewed 1346 times, downloaded 20 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
The Vlachs are an ethnolinguistic community who spoke a dialect of the neo-Latin language, and are distinguished by a way of living that was based primary on pastoral transhumance. For centuries, groups of Vlachs have traveled long-distance transhumant movement from lowland winter pastures in the Ionian coast to upland summer pastures in the mountain areas of south-east Albania. Once arrived in the summer pastures, the Vlachs build their yearly encampment, consisting of several familiar dwellings, known as ‘kalive’. During their movement, they set up daily camps of simple woolen tents, which were normally arranged close to inhabited areas.
Part of this movement includes the route that passes from Dhëmbel Mt pass to Mt Gramoz. The entire track lasts around 4 to 5 days, marching a distance of c. 90 km. Some of the suggested camping spots correspond with the daily camps that Vlachs set up during their treks. The camps suggested in this trial are situated in the vicinity of villages of Sheper, Ogren, Orgockë, and Skorovot. This journey offers the visitor the possibility to travel along one of the Vlachs seasonal movement. Additionally, it allows the travelers to look at various attractions of the area, such as are the villages vernacular architecture, Medieval churches, as well as to enjoy the astonishing nature, as yet unstained, of this corner of south-east Albania.
As walking along the route, you are recommended to stopover the Albturist Ecocamp, in Përmet, where you can visit a reconstructed Vlach historical dwelling, the kalive, and learn more about the history of the Vlach community.
This trail is of average difficulty due to mountain terrain and remoteness of the area. You can find available natural water springs along the track, with the exception of the hiking path from Frashër to Shëmtir (Çlirim).
Certain locations may not have mobile network signal or have poor connectivity.
Also be aware of shepherd dogs accompanying large flocks of sheep and goats. If it happens you encounter them on the way, stay calm and try to call and ask help to shepherds.
The track was made possible by CeRPHAAL, as part of their activities within the INCULTUM project, financed by European Union. (https://incultum.eu)
Part of this movement includes the route that passes from Dhëmbel Mt pass to Mt Gramoz. The entire track lasts around 4 to 5 days, marching a distance of c. 90 km. Some of the suggested camping spots correspond with the daily camps that Vlachs set up during their treks. The camps suggested in this trial are situated in the vicinity of villages of Sheper, Ogren, Orgockë, and Skorovot. This journey offers the visitor the possibility to travel along one of the Vlachs seasonal movement. Additionally, it allows the travelers to look at various attractions of the area, such as are the villages vernacular architecture, Medieval churches, as well as to enjoy the astonishing nature, as yet unstained, of this corner of south-east Albania.
As walking along the route, you are recommended to stopover the Albturist Ecocamp, in Përmet, where you can visit a reconstructed Vlach historical dwelling, the kalive, and learn more about the history of the Vlach community.
This trail is of average difficulty due to mountain terrain and remoteness of the area. You can find available natural water springs along the track, with the exception of the hiking path from Frashër to Shëmtir (Çlirim).
Certain locations may not have mobile network signal or have poor connectivity.
Also be aware of shepherd dogs accompanying large flocks of sheep and goats. If it happens you encounter them on the way, stay calm and try to call and ask help to shepherds.
The track was made possible by CeRPHAAL, as part of their activities within the INCULTUM project, financed by European Union. (https://incultum.eu)
Waypoints
Waypoint
2,921 ft
Comments (4)
You can add a comment or review this trail
Deze route is net geopend en aan te bevelen. Wij stonden toevallig op de camping bij Permit, waar een originele Kalive nagebouwd is. Een nomaden woning die de Vlachs bouwde op hun zomer of winter verblijf.
Beyond the Ecocamp, are there other hosts that you can recommend? It would be great for the local communities to benefit from the income hikers can provide.
Also from the recorded route, what's the ratio between hiking trails and roads, including dirt roads and 4x4 tracks?
Thank you for your interest.
We would kindly ask you to go over the text, in order to better understand that this cultural route aim at revitalizing the pastoral nomadic itineraries of the historic Vlach community. The route was designed following the memory of those Vlach people that once lived a nomadic life across the landscape of the Vjosa valley.
The Albturist Eco Camping campsite correlate with one of Vlach’s temporary camps set along their seasonal transhumance route. Here, we have reconstructed a traditional Vlach dwelling, known as kalive. To allow the hiking visitors to expand their understanding of the Vlach culture, they are suggested to visit this reconstructed building, located at Albturist Eco Camping campsite.
Also, the other camping spots along the route correspond with Vlach daily camps set up during their journeys. Of course, while promoting the cultural landscape along the route, this trail may also offer beneficial opportunities for the livelihood of the local communities.
Please, be aware of the fact that Vlach travelled on foot, followed by large herds of sheep, therefore this trail is recommended only for hikers, particularly interested to experience the kind of journey that Vlach did in the past (without the need for a 4x4).
If you are interested to learn more about this cultural route and the history of the Vlach people, you are welcome to join us during one of the forthcoming activities that will take place at Albturist Eco Camping, in Permeti.
Please, contact for more information!
Thanks for your detailed response Renald. Could you send more information about your upcoming activities in English or Shqip to welcome@zbulo.org? Thanks!