Valbonë - Dobra Kolata / Kollata e Mirë

Access to starting point:
Valbonë Valley is located in the hard-to-reach northeastern part of Albania. The easiest access from the west is via a long, several-hour drive on a very winding and locally poor road from Shkodra through the towns of Pukë and Bajram Curri. Part of the route can be covered by ferry across Lake Komani (in this case, bypassing Pukë).

In Valbonë Valley lies the eponymous village. The starting point for the ascent is at the first left bend in Valbonë village. At this bend, the valley opens up nicely; we spot a huge torrent debris cone and several houses. At the bend, right of the road, there is a concrete bridge. Next to the bridge is a large wooden sign indicating the start of the trail. Park in the small parking area at the bend.

Route description:
Cross the river over the bridge, turn left after the bridge, then after 1 minute (ca 50 m) head right uphill among boulders (marked, clearly visible). Then follow the marks through partially overgrown, increasingly steep slopes, roughly northward. After 2:00 of steep ascent, reach a scenic balcony (ca 1500 m).

From there a couple more minutes to the trail junction. At the junction (no longer marked! but the post is still visible) take the right path (left leads to a viewpoint above Valbonë), which passes an abandoned pasture, leads through forest, then across steep barren slopes to another abandoned pasture (ca 1800 m). To here 1:15.

Follows a gentler section along several steps of a glacial valley, gaining just over 200 m elevation but considerable distance. After about 1:15 reach Preslopit saddle (2039 m).

The saddle lies on the Albania-Montenegro border. Here the path from Montenegro joins. The turnoff to the summit is not well marked.

To the summit another 1:30 of steep hiking awaits. The path runs on the Montenegrin side. Markings thus change to the familiar style (red circle with white dot; or just red line). From the saddle descend a few elevation meters to the Montenegrin side, then head right uphill. First view of Dobra Kolata summit. The trail leads gradually left into the summit cirque over ledges. Then zigzag elegantly through passages in the Dobra Kolata slopes to Dvojni prevoj saddle (saddle between Dobra and Zla Kolata). From there to the summit only about 15 minutes of pleasant ridge walking.

Ascents to neighboring Zla Kolata and slightly more distant Ravna Kolata are possible. Only the ascent to Dobra Kolata is marked.
The tour to Dobra Kolata is not technically demanding. It is, however, a long tour without reliable intermediate water sources. Path junctions at intersections are not visibly marked. The marking style changes three times. Due to all this, the tour is suitable for a well-trained mountaineer skilled in orientation.

Along the route: sedlo Preslopit / Qafa e Përsllopit (2039m), sedlo Dvojni prevoj / Qafa e Kollates (2430m)

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