Theth to Valbona on foot, without a guide
The Theth–Valbona pass is the best-known walk in the Albanian Alps, and for good reason. It is one long day, about 17 kilometres with roughly 1,000 metres of climb, and the trail is marked well enough that you do not need a guide if you can read a map and the weather is clear.
Getting to Theth is the real adventure. The minibus from Shkodër leaves early, fills up fast, and the last stretch of road is still rough despite years of promises. Book a bed in Theth the day before and tell the guesthouse which minibus you are on; they will usually confirm the pickup point.
On the trail itself: start before eight, carry two litres of water, and do not trust the cafe at the pass to be open outside July and August. The descent into Valbona is longer than it looks and hard on the knees.
From Valbona the next morning, the Komani lake ferry back towards Shkodër is the right way to close the loop. It is slow, which is the point.