SH21 is a spectacular high mountain road located in the northern part of Albania. The road climbs up the defiant Thore Pass.
The road is located in Shkodër County, in the northwestern tip of the country, within the Theth National Park.
The road is 55.5km (34.4 miles) long, running west-east from Koplik, the capital of the Malësi e Madhe District, to Theth, in Shkodër District. Theth is a small village within Shkodër County, Albania.
The road was built in 1936. Surrounded by outstanding natural beauty, the road was fully paved in September 2021.
Set high in the Albanian Alps, on the northwestern tip of the country, the road tops out at Thore Pass, the highest point of the road at 1,691m (5,547ft) above sea level. It is usually impassable from November to May.
The road is pretty challenging and hairy. It is narrow, though, with a few turnouts in the newly paved section. It features steep sections, hitting a 15% maximum gradient through some of the ramps. It’s narrow with high drops. Nothing too bad if you have no fear of heights. Avoid Sunday afternoons.
Pic: Rrustem Haradinaj *Mulosmani*