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Osumi Canyon & Bogovë Waterfall Hike

Would rather run the canyon on the water? See the rafting and tubing version →

5.063 Google reviewsDay trip from Berat

Not everybody wants to be in a raft, and the Osum canyon is worth seeing without one. This day works it from the land: the viewpoints along the rim where the drop opens up under your feet, and a walk down into a section of the gorge where you can get to the riverbed and the pools.

Itinerary

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

  1. 08:30

    Pickup in Berat

    Collected from your accommodation and south up the Osum valley.

  2. 10:00

    The canyon rim

    Two viewpoints along the top with the drop opening up below. Unfenced in places, so we keep the group together.

  3. 11:00

    Down into the gorge

    A path drops to the riverbed at one of the few places it can. An hour inside the canyon walls with time to swim in the pools.

  4. 13:00

    Lunch in the village

    A family house in Bogovë. Fixed menu, garden vegetables, home-cured cheese, bread from the oven.

  5. 14:30

    Walk to the waterfall

    Thirty minutes up through chestnut woods to the fall and its pool. Swim if you can stand 8 degrees.

  6. 16:30

    Back to Berat

    Dropped at your accommodation around 17:30.

Experience & Highlights

  • Canyon rim viewpoints over the full 150-metre drop
  • A walk down into the gorge to the riverbed
  • The Bogovë waterfall and its cold green pool
  • Village lunch, fixed menu, whatever is in season
  • No paddling and no wetsuit required

Full Description

The second half goes to Bogovë. A track climbs from the village through chestnut and oak for about thirty minutes to a waterfall that comes over a lip of rock into a round green pool. The water comes out of the mountain at something close to 8 degrees and swimming in it is a decision you make once and then talk about afterwards.

Lunch is in the village, at a house that does a fixed menu of whatever is in season. This is a slower day than the rafting trip and a lot of people prefer it.

What's included

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off in Berat
  • Air-conditioned transport
  • English-speaking hiking guide
  • Village lunch with soft drinks
  • Bottled water

Not included

  • Alcoholic drinks
  • Towels and swimwear
  • Gratuities

Good to know

  • Total walking is about two and a half hours over the day, on rough paths with some loose rock. Proper shoes, not sandals.
  • The rim viewpoints are unfenced. Not suitable for small children who will not hold a hand.
  • The Bogovë pool sits at around 8 degrees year-round. Bring a towel and decide when you get there.
  • Runs April through October. In spring the waterfall is at its fullest and the path can be muddy.

Good questions, honest answers

Can you see Osumi Canyon without rafting?

Yes, and this is the trip that does it. There are rim viewpoints along the top with the full drop below, and one place where a path goes down to the riverbed so you can walk inside the walls for an hour. You miss the 26-kilometre descent, which is what the raft is for.

How cold is the Bogovë waterfall pool?

Around 8 degrees, because the water comes straight out of the mountain rather than running any distance in the sun. People do swim. Most last under a minute and are pleased with themselves for the rest of the day.

How hard is the walk to the Bogovë waterfall?

About thirty minutes each way on a woodland track with a steady climb and some loose stone. It is not technical and there is no exposure, but it is uphill and it needs shoes with grip rather than sandals.

Plan the rest of your trip

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