{"id":4153,"date":"2026-09-30T13:28:32","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T13:28:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/?p=4153"},"modified":"2026-09-30T14:58:16","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T14:58:16","slug":"wandering-through-the-buna-nature-reserve-in-albania-velipoje","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uzisibalkaninak.com\/index.php\/en\/2026\/09\/30\/wandering-through-the-buna-nature-reserve-in-albania-velipoje\/","title":{"rendered":"Wandering through the Buna Nature Reserve in Albania \u2013 Velipoj\u00eb"},"content":{"rendered":"

I decided to make the most of my day off in the Albanian town of Shkod\u00ebr by exploring a nearby nature reserve on the Adriatic coast and, whilst I was at it, visiting the village of Velipoj\u00eb, which is rapidly developing as a tourist destination.<\/p>\n

*Nature Reserve*<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Buna\u2013Velipoj\u00eb Nature Reserve is one of the most striking and ecologically best-preserved treasures of north-western Albania. It covers an area of more than 23,000 hectares and brings together the fresh waters of the River Buna, which flows into the Adriatic Sea at this very spot and along which the border between Montenegro and Albania runs; the salt waters of the Adriatic Sea; the sand dunes; and the wetland ecosystems of the Vilun Lagoon.<\/p>\n

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The nature reserve is situated approximately 30 km south-west of the town of Shkod\u00ebr. I managed to park in front of the Velipoj\u00eb village police station and, having stocked up on drinking water, set off to explore the nature reserve.<\/p>\n

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For the first 2 kilometres, I walked through a beautiful mixed forest and it didn\u2019t feel at all as though I was so close to the sea. At the end of this section, there is a tall birdwatching tower, which is well worth a look. It\u2019s not even possible to climb to the top, as four wooden steps are missing from the upper section, creating a gap of over 2 metres and posing a significant risk of falling a depth of around 10 metres. It\u2019s a real shame that this structure has been so neglected. After all, this area is home to hundreds of species of migratory birds, and it would certainly be a wonderful experience to be able to observe them undisturbed from here.<\/p>\n

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From the viewpoint, I walked another 2 km through the forest and suddenly found myself in an open space. Imagine a completely deserted, beautiful sandy beach several hundred metres wide with very fine sand. The first thing that catches your eye is the countless number of shells of various sizes and colors. In fact, I even collected a few kilos of them \u263a.<\/p>\n

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If I\u2019d turned right on the beach, I\u2019d have reached the mouth of the River Buna after about 300 metres. However, I decided to turn left and try to walk as far as possible along the beach barefoot on my way back. And I didn\u2019t regret it \u263a.<\/p>\n