25 km away from Saranda town, near the traditional impressive stone built village of Musina, into a forest of hazelnuts, walnuts, cherries, pines and fir trees 177 meters above the sea level 18 springs come out the bottom of the earth and great a rare beauty the famous "Blue Eye", which is a geological phenomenon.
Because of its oval shaped form and of the water, which is coming out of the earth, deep blue in the center and the light blue at the sides it looks like a human eye. Nobody knows how deep it is. Divers who tried to reach the bottom because of the pressure of the water have managed to go only 45 meters deep. It has a rate of flow of 6 cubic meters of water per second and a water temperature of 13 Celsius degrees. Visitors throw a stone into the center of this spring, and after a while they see the same stone coming up again on the surface of it. This geological phenomenon is of tectonic origin. The water of it is believed to be a filtration from Drinos valley. These 18 springs provide water to "Bistrica" rive which is 25 km long and by an artificial channel built in 1958, its waters flow into the Ionian Sea.
In the area of the "Blue Eye" wild life is rich and varied too, wild animals exist, like the fox, the fowl, the reptiles and the marten. "Blue Eye" is Albania's small treasure. Visitors on a one-day organized trip can relax into its peaceful landscape. Next to a picturesque waterfall opposite the "Blue Eye" spring, there is a traditional wood and stone built restaurant you may enjoy Albania's snaps named "Raki".
Balcanic Park of Prespa
It has a surface of about 27.750 hectares and is situated at the cross border of Albania, Greece and Macedonia. It consists of both lakes Big Prespa and Small Prespa as well their reservoirs of water. This area is very rich in cultural values. Worth mentioning is the eremitic churches of Byzantine Age and the cave of Treni, located in the lake of Small Prespa.
Here are discovered settlements of the early age of bronze, where the castle of Trajan is among the largest prehistoric place of this district, build up in the 8th century BC and the church of Saint Mary built up in the island of Maligrad in 14th century. This region is considered of significant echo-tourism potential. Possible activities are: recreation, sportive fishing, gathering of medicinal plants, familiar tourism, bird watching, blue tourism, aquatic sports etc.
National Park of "Lugina e Valbones"
It has a surface of about 8.000 hectares and is situated 25-30 km in northwest of the city of Bajram Curri. It expands among high mountains and shows off a fantastic complexion of colors in every season, thus giving the image of a valley full of labyrinths and surprises. Its scientific, tourist and health recovering values are combined with a bio-diversity of national and international importance.Its rocky and attractive peaks, the sides covered with wood, the flow of brooks and river Valbona, viewed from above, create the image of a giant and marvelous crater as a small panorama of natural beauty. The nature of this park is full of varieties suitable for tourism, fishing, relaxation, amusing and mountain climbing as well as winter sports. In the inner part of the Park there are a lot of grottos and caves. The most eminent is the Cave of Dragobia, where lay the remains of Bajram Curri, a national hero
National Park of Thethi
Situated in the Albanian Alps, near Bjeshket e Namuna, 70 km far from Shkodra it has an area of about 2.630 hectares. Through this park flows the River of Thethi, which has an outpouring of about 1000-1300 l/sec. A very interesting natural monument is the waterfall of Grunasi, very charming and picturesque with its water falling from an altitude higher than 30 m. The park is known for its variety of habitats and vegetation. It is important because it represents the most populated area of lynx-lynx with about 50 principals specie this liable. There is a tendency of its inhabitants to move towards urbane areas, but during the summer season they return for their holidays, highlighting in this way their efforts for developing the familiar tourism.
Mount Dajti National Park
Situated at the eastern part of the capital it covers an area of about 3.300 hectares. The fauna here is abundant in varieties and impressive features. The park is the most important zone for such big mammals as wild pig, wolf, fox, rabbit, brown bear, wild cat etc. One-day visitors in particular frequent the Park. However, it offers a number of possible accommodation for the visitors. The types of activities to experience here are excursions, skiing, air sports, mountain climbing etc.
