Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Valbona Valley
The Valbona Valley (Albanian: Lugina e Valbonës) is in the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. It is part of Alps of Albania National Park, one of the most impressive and notable topographic features of Albania. Being the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, it forms a section of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, which extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Himalaya Mountains. The mountains are characterized by limestone and dolomite rocks and shows major karst features. Maja Jezercë sprawls to the west of the valley and is the highest mountain of the Dinaric Alps, with an altitude of 2,694 m (8,839 ft). The Valbona River originate from several karst springs along the south of Maja Jezercë and the east of Valbona Pass. It is the largest river within the Albanian Alps and drains the entire eastern portion of the range. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park. During the Würm period, the glacier of Valbona reached a total length of 9.5 kilometres. Nowadays, there are two very small active glaciers close to the northeastern edge of Maja Jezercë.
The Valbona Valley and its surrounding mountains were protected as Valbona Valley National Park in 1996. In 2022, the park was amalgamated with Theth National Park to form Alps of Albania National Park. The park covered an area of 80 km2 (31 sq mi), encompassing Valbona River and its surrounding areas with mountainous terrain, alpine landscapes, glacial springs, deep depressions, various rock formations, waterfalls and the Valbona Valley with its dense coniferous and deciduous forest. It is characterized by its very remote areas which have a large preserved ecosystem all of which is primarily untouched with pristine quality.
The park's remoteness and relatively small human population, combined with the great variation of ecosystems and climatic conditions favours the existence of a rich variety of flora and fauna distributed throughout the land area. Most of the park consists of forest, covering 89% of the overall surface area. Brown bear, grey wolf, lynx, roe deer, chamois and wild goat are the primary predatory and browsing animals in the park. The park's forests are characterized by the predominance of different tree species, with beech, pine and oak. Notably, the most important tree species used to be Norway spruce; it is one of few regions in Albania where this species can be found.
Valbona Valley National Park was established in accordance with Decision of Council of Ministers number 102, dated 15 January 1996 in order to preserve the natural ecosystems and landscapes along with their vegetation and biodiversity communities and habitats.
Located within the park, the Gashi River is included into the UNESCO Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe. It is also part of the European Green Belt, which serves as a retreat for endangered and endemic species. The park applied also to join the EUROPARC Federation. Plantlife has recognised the park, as well as the Albanian Alps, as an Important Plant Area of international importance, because it supports great plant species. The region is part of the Emerald Network, the ecological network made up of Areas of Special Conservation Interest designated under the Bern Convention.
Valbonë Valley National Park encompassed some of the Albanian Alps, the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps. It is situated entirely in Kukës County and lies mostly between latitudes 42° and 27° N and longitudes 19° and 53° E. The u-shaped valley of Valbona extends between Maja Jezercë, Maja e Kollatës, Maja Boshit and Maja e Hekurave. From the bridge of Shoshani until Fierzë, the valley passes through the Tropojë catchment and the hilly relief between Bujani and Tëplani. The park bordered the Prokletije National Park to the north, Gashi Nature Reserve to the east, Nikaj-Mërtur Regional Nature Park to the south and Theth National Park to the west.
Located within the Albanian Alps, the park's climate is characterized by cold winters and hot, dry summers, although at higher altitudes it is pleasantly fresh even in summer. Due to the close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea located in the west, the climate is also exposed to the influences of the Mediterranean climate as well as the Continental climate.
The coldest periods are from December to February, while the hottest from July to August. The park's minimal temperature ranges between −23.4 °C (−10.1 °F) — −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) in winter and its maximal temperature between 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) — 39–9 °C (102–48 °F) in summer. The average altitude of annual precipitation ranges between 2,700 millimetres (110 inches) and 3,000 millimetres (120 inches), with the higher levels occurring at high altitudes. At least 22% falls during spring, 8.7% in summer, 32.3% in autumn and 38% during winter. At higher altitudes, snowfall begins in October or November and accumulates through to March or April when the melt begins. Snow reaches a height of 1.5–5 m and lasts between 60 and 160 days.
Hub AI
Valbona Valley AI simulator
(@Valbona Valley_simulator)
Valbona Valley
The Valbona Valley (Albanian: Lugina e Valbonës) is in the Albanian Alps in northern Albania. It is part of Alps of Albania National Park, one of the most impressive and notable topographic features of Albania. Being the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps, it forms a section of the Alpine-Himalayan orogenic belt, which extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Himalaya Mountains. The mountains are characterized by limestone and dolomite rocks and shows major karst features. Maja Jezercë sprawls to the west of the valley and is the highest mountain of the Dinaric Alps, with an altitude of 2,694 m (8,839 ft). The Valbona River originate from several karst springs along the south of Maja Jezercë and the east of Valbona Pass. It is the largest river within the Albanian Alps and drains the entire eastern portion of the range. Over the past few million years, glaciers have at times covered most of the park. During the Würm period, the glacier of Valbona reached a total length of 9.5 kilometres. Nowadays, there are two very small active glaciers close to the northeastern edge of Maja Jezercë.
The Valbona Valley and its surrounding mountains were protected as Valbona Valley National Park in 1996. In 2022, the park was amalgamated with Theth National Park to form Alps of Albania National Park. The park covered an area of 80 km2 (31 sq mi), encompassing Valbona River and its surrounding areas with mountainous terrain, alpine landscapes, glacial springs, deep depressions, various rock formations, waterfalls and the Valbona Valley with its dense coniferous and deciduous forest. It is characterized by its very remote areas which have a large preserved ecosystem all of which is primarily untouched with pristine quality.
The park's remoteness and relatively small human population, combined with the great variation of ecosystems and climatic conditions favours the existence of a rich variety of flora and fauna distributed throughout the land area. Most of the park consists of forest, covering 89% of the overall surface area. Brown bear, grey wolf, lynx, roe deer, chamois and wild goat are the primary predatory and browsing animals in the park. The park's forests are characterized by the predominance of different tree species, with beech, pine and oak. Notably, the most important tree species used to be Norway spruce; it is one of few regions in Albania where this species can be found.
Valbona Valley National Park was established in accordance with Decision of Council of Ministers number 102, dated 15 January 1996 in order to preserve the natural ecosystems and landscapes along with their vegetation and biodiversity communities and habitats.
Located within the park, the Gashi River is included into the UNESCO Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe. It is also part of the European Green Belt, which serves as a retreat for endangered and endemic species. The park applied also to join the EUROPARC Federation. Plantlife has recognised the park, as well as the Albanian Alps, as an Important Plant Area of international importance, because it supports great plant species. The region is part of the Emerald Network, the ecological network made up of Areas of Special Conservation Interest designated under the Bern Convention.
Valbonë Valley National Park encompassed some of the Albanian Alps, the southernmost continuation of the Dinaric Alps. It is situated entirely in Kukës County and lies mostly between latitudes 42° and 27° N and longitudes 19° and 53° E. The u-shaped valley of Valbona extends between Maja Jezercë, Maja e Kollatës, Maja Boshit and Maja e Hekurave. From the bridge of Shoshani until Fierzë, the valley passes through the Tropojë catchment and the hilly relief between Bujani and Tëplani. The park bordered the Prokletije National Park to the north, Gashi Nature Reserve to the east, Nikaj-Mërtur Regional Nature Park to the south and Theth National Park to the west.
Located within the Albanian Alps, the park's climate is characterized by cold winters and hot, dry summers, although at higher altitudes it is pleasantly fresh even in summer. Due to the close proximity to the Mediterranean Sea located in the west, the climate is also exposed to the influences of the Mediterranean climate as well as the Continental climate.
The coldest periods are from December to February, while the hottest from July to August. The park's minimal temperature ranges between −23.4 °C (−10.1 °F) — −16.1 °C (3.0 °F) in winter and its maximal temperature between 36.4 °C (97.5 °F) — 39–9 °C (102–48 °F) in summer. The average altitude of annual precipitation ranges between 2,700 millimetres (110 inches) and 3,000 millimetres (120 inches), with the higher levels occurring at high altitudes. At least 22% falls during spring, 8.7% in summer, 32.3% in autumn and 38% during winter. At higher altitudes, snowfall begins in October or November and accumulates through to March or April when the melt begins. Snow reaches a height of 1.5–5 m and lasts between 60 and 160 days.