Exploring a medieval site and hidden tourism gems by canoe
On Lake Vau Dejës, Shurdhah, a small island, rises quietly from the water, home to the ruins of the medieval city of Sarda. Archaeological excavations carried out in the 1960s revealed that, within its walls, Sarda contained at least seven churches, as it served as an episcopal seat until the 15th century.
What was once accessible only to archaeologists and the most determined travellers, who reached it by boat in organised groups, can now be explored by canoe or kayak, gliding across the still surface of the lake. Through the EU- supported project “Vau Dejës – as a Tourism Destination”, Jurgen Prenga now runs a canoe and kayak tourism initiative on the lakeshore where he grew up and has spent his life.
EU DELEGATION TO ALBANIA
Located in the village of Mlloja, near a guesthouse, a range of canoes and kayaks is ready to accompany tourists as they explore the lakeside area. “Visitors who comehere are drawn to experience-based tourism. They are looking for something authentic, genuine and peaceful. Exploring the lake by canoe or kayak has a special appeal, as many visitors prefer to discover it on their own terms rather than by following a structured guided tour,” he explains.
Before receiving the equipment, he was trained by the project to develop a business plan, learn safe canoeing practices and, eventually, acquire the first canoes and kayaks needed to get started. Nearly two years later, he is now the first person to offer this kind of service in the area, advising travellers not only on where to go, but also on the journey itself.
“Setting out on the lake by canoe is not something you do without preparation, because its calm surface can be deceptive. Beneath that stillness, the lake has a current of its own, and in certain stretches the wind can rise unexpectedly,” he stresses.
For those ready for the journey, the rewards are extraordinary. Roughly 700 to 800 metres from the shore in Mlloja lies Shurdhah Island and, about a kilometre further on, the Pigeons’ Cave, a site reachable only by water. “Layered with prehistoric markings and hieroglyphs hidden in near-total darkness, it requires a strong light to see them properly. If visitors approach quietly and then make a small sound near the entrance, the pigeons burst out from the shadows,” he says.
EU DELEGATION TO ALBANIA
The canoe and kayak initiative began as one man’s individual venture and has since grown into something larger. It is now a collaboration between local guides and Albania’s main tour operators, who are building more complex itineraries around this stretch of the Drin Valley. It has also helped create a local tourism value chain.
“It feeds into the local economy. A tourist who comes for canoeing also needs lunch and a place to stay; the restaurant buys from local farmers and the market, and steady demand gives farmers a reason to stay rather than seek work abroad.” As Prenga puts it, tourism is a value chain: the more it grows, the more it helps the area.
Visitors vary, from groups of young people to families. He meets them at the shore, checks their life jackets and walks them through the basics before they push off. As he speaks, a family of three approaches the shore, watching the water reflect an autumn sky.
The project “Vau Dejës – as a Tourism Destination” is not only about the lake. Through a dedicated website, visitors can find information on activities for adventure enthusiasts, including hiking, cycling, nature trails, and historical and cultural exploration. Ancient ruins, hospitality facilities and local traditions, as well as castles, churches, pine forests, rivers, old necropolises and lost civilisations, are presented through text and images, inviting visitors to choose their own route.
EU DELEGATION TO ALBANIA
During the implementation of the project, tourist information was improved, while support was also provided for capacity building in tourism services, hospitality, crafts, souvenirs and entrepreneurship.
Background information
“Vau Dejës – as a Tourism Destination” is an EU-supported project aimed at improving access to socio-economic development and employment opportunities for communities vulnerable to cannabis cultivation and trafficking in the Vau Dejës area. It worked on identifying, documenting and making use of explored and underexplored tourism potential, improving tourism information and signage for new itineraries, designing new tourist routes, producing promotional materials for tourism in Vau Dejës, and supporting the promotion and marketing of events to attract domestic and international tourists.