Grunas Waterfall

About this place

Grunas Waterfall falls down the western slope of the Theth valley in the Albanian Alps of northern Albania, about 42 km northeast of Shkodër in a straight line. It is protected as a natural monument and is one of the valley's best-known walking destinations. The water rises at the western foot of Bosh peak and runs through a narrow channel across a limestone slope, then drops all at once into a gorge 25 metres deep. A pool has formed at the foot of the drop, and from it the water flows out into the Theth valley at the head of the narrow Grunas canyon. The falls lie within the Albanian Alps National Park, created in 2022. The slope where the water breaks is covered in dense beech forest, and spray drifts all around, keeping the moss-covered rocks wet and green. A clear pool gathers below among coloured stones, and a rainbow can appear in the spray when the sun comes out. Visitors reach the falls on foot from Theth village along a trail that crosses the river by a bridge, a walk of under an hour. The road into Theth climbs over the Terthorja Pass at 1,630 metres and can stay under snow into late spring, so summer and early autumn suit a visit best.