Gjallica
2,485 m
Albania
Also known as Гялица, Γκιάλιτσα, +4Also known as
Гялица · Γκιάλιτσα · Maja e Gjallicës · Гьяликес · Mali i Gjallicës · Mali i Gjalicës
- Elevation
- 2,485 m
- Prominence
- 737 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: T2 (hikr (from the 1,735 m camp))
The waymarked Kukësi Trails route up the pyramid that towers over Kukës: from the village spring in Brekije (1,235 m) through oak forest to the summer shepherds' settlement of Stanet e Bicajve, past the Red Spring (Kroi i Kuq) and up bare slopes and the summit ridge to 2,486 m. About 7 hours round trip.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 7.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,316 m
- −55 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 2,485 m
- Time Up
- 5h 25m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 43m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Brekije (Breki) is 21 km from Kukës: take the Shishtavec road and turn off at about km 18; the last 3 km are unpaved but drivable. The trail starts at the spring in the village centre (1,235 m), crosses fields and farmland for about 1 km, then climbs through oak forest for about 2.5 km to the alpine meadows of Stanet e Bicajve at about 1,750–1,800 m, where herders from the Bicaj area spend the summer with their flocks. A little higher is Kroi i Kuq (the Red Spring, about 1,900 m), which flows in all seasons and is the last reliable water. A narrow, rough road reaches close to the spring and a small café serves food and drinks there. From the spring the path climbs about 1 km up Gjallica's bare slope to a meadow known as Laku or Podina at about 2,100 m, then continues up the slopes and the sharp summit crest to the top (2,486 m), which drops steeply to the Vanave gorge on the north-east side. Allow about 7 hours for the round trip. A shorter alternative is to drive with a 4WD from Kolesjan on the Kukës–Peshkopi road (about 700 m) up a rough road to a camp area at about 1,735 m, from where the summit is about 2 hours and 720 m of ascent away (hikr, T2). Descend by the ascent route.
Start
Brekije1,226 m
- None documented to Brekije. Kukës is linked to Tirana by motorway; from Kukës a taxi to Brekije is 21 km.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brekije → Gjallica | 7.3 | 1,316 | 55 | 5h 25m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Brekije1,226 m
Start at the spring in the village centre
- Feature: Kroi i Kuq1,839 m
Red Spring; flows all year
- Summit: Gjallica2,485 m
Key Passages
- Oak forest above Brekije
- Stanet e Bicajve shepherds' meadows
- Kroi i Kuq spring
- Summit crest above the Vanave gorge
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 60%Overview
The great limestone pyramid (2,486 m) that towers over Kukës in north-east Albania, rising more than 2,000 m above the Drin and Lumë valleys. A long but straightforward walk on shepherds' paths from Brekije, with views to Korab, Koritnik and the Albanian Alps.
Gjallica (Gjallica e Lumës) stands at the north-eastern end of the Korab range, about 8 km south-east of Kukës, between the Kukës basin and the Shishtavec plateau. To the north-east the Vanave gorge of the Lumë river separates it from Koritnik, and to the south-west the Bicaj canyon cuts it off from Kolesjan. Seen from the west it forms an almost perfect pyramid, and around most of its perimeter it rises more than 2,000 m from base to summit, which makes it one of the most striking mountains in Albania.
The mountain is built mainly of Triassic limestone with older metamorphic rocks. Beech and pine forests cover parts of the north-western slopes, while the eastern side is alpine pasture, used in summer by herders from Bicaj, Shtiqën and other villages who move their flocks up to seasonal settlements (stane) such as Stanet e Bicajve. The summit crest drops steeply to the Vanave gorge; the summit keeps snow long into spring.
The usual ascent is the waymarked Kukësi Trails route from the village of Brekije (1,235 m), past the all-season Red Spring (Kroi i Kuq), taking about 7 hours round trip. With a 4WD, rough roads lead much higher, and many longer traditional routes come up from the villages of the Lumë plain.
Climbing Notes
A fit walker needs no technical skills in summer: allow about 7 hours for the round trip from Brekije with about 1,250 m of ascent, or about 2 hours up from the 4WD-accessible camp area at about 1,735 m above Kolesjan. Water is available at the Brekije spring and at Kroi i Kuq (about 1,900 m), but not above. In spring the upper mountain is snow-covered and an ice axe and crampons are needed. Kukës has hotels and is linked to Tirana by motorway, so the peak can be done as a day trip from Kukës; camping near the high camp area is also possible. In summer, shepherds and their dogs live on the upper pastures.
History
The mountain is mentioned as 'Mali i Galijes' in the first half of the 17th century. Villages around it celebrate the Festa e Gjalicës, a midsummer festival held on the Thursday nearest 6 August, especially in Shtiqën. Below the mountain, beside the Vanave gorge, stand the remains of a Chinese-built copper smelter from the communist era.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; snow-covered
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Winter conditions
- Apr
- Snowcap persists; winter skills needed
- May
- Snow on the upper mountain
- Jun
- Late snow patches possible; shepherds arrive
- Aug
- Festa e Gjalicës on the Thursday nearest 6 August
- Oct
- Shorter days; first snow possible
- Nov
- Snow likely high up
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Kukës
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
- Car to Brekije: from Kukës take the Shishtavec road, turn off at about km 18; the last 3 km to the village (21 km from Kukës) are unpaved but drivable
- 4WD to the high camp area: turn off the Kukës–Peshkopi road at Kolesjan (about 700 m) and follow a rough road about 1,000 m higher; do not miss the sharp left turn to the camp area or you end up in Shishtavec
- Kukës is linked to Tirana by the motorway (with tunnel) and to Kosovo
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness