The road trip to Petrela

We left Tirana in the afternoon to be able to experience this moment during sunset. We took the secondary road Tirana-Elbasan, or you can take the highway and take the turn to Mullet. There are two ways to go to Zipline Albania. You can stop at the Zipline terminal on the secondary road opposite the ‘Octopad’ restaurant. Or take the Petrela road, and stop right at the mountain station where your ride starts. It’s very easy to spot where to stop on the left, as all the Zipline logo ads exist.

Parking at the terminal station is recommended, as parking is guaranteed and it is easier for you to take the car back home when you finish the ride. After the ride you will find a Zipline Albania car that takes you back up to Petrela, to the ride’s starting point.

Preparing before the ride

When you arrive at the departure station, the staff will put on your harness and instruct you for the entire ride. Please read carefully all the rules before departure. If you have any health problems you should talk to the staff. Other rules include tying your hair and removing accessories, cell phones, and keys that you may lose during the ride. It is good to wear sneakers and no hats as they can fall off too. However, the staff will assist you with everything so that you do not lose anything during the ride. The main message they give you is not to be afraid. The only thing that can scare you a little is the wind which can turn you on the descent where the speed is higher, but then everything stabilizes when the initial speed decreases until you reach the destination.

Flight

Fear is human, and for someone who has never done something like this, while looking down to the river, the height of the hill, and the distance to the arriving destination, it is normal to be afraid. But as soon as they secure you well and when the staff makes it easier by explaining everything

And as soon as the staff asks: Are you ready? You nod your head and the rope is released. You are in the air; you are flying like a bird. It descends like a parachute into such a beautiful, green valley. Petrela Castle rises on the side, as if guaranteeing more security and protection. As you look down you notice the beautiful green hills, and the valley of Erzen and the small red roof houses. It feels like a dream. You don’t fear anymore. It’s like the time has stopped for a moment. You can shout as loud as you want and release all the negative energies. And you’re about to arrive at the final destination as you notice the staff waving to you and taking pictures. And finally you reach the station.

Wow, I did it!  I can’t believe I did this. This flight was wholesome! After this amazing experience, you want to do it again. The friendly staff asks you about the whole experience as they help you take off your harness. – How did you feel, were you afraid?

Safe and for all ages

It seems like a sport for young people, but it’s so safe that everyone should try it at least once. The staff told us that the oldest one was 85 years old and the youngest was a 10 years old boy. There’s an age and weight restriction, not only because of the normal fear of a child not having a parent nearby, but also the light body weight, which can cause the wind to rotate the body several times as it flies. And the body weight must be more than 35 kg.

About Zipline Albania

It’s so amazing that we don’t have to travel far to do this experience, it’s just half an hour from Tirana. The founders are Albanian engineers, educated in the west Europe. They came back in Albania and invested creating an amazing attraction in Albania. These guys wanted to bring something different to our Tirana, giving value to the tourism of the capital. It took them 5 years to build this, they studied the area and Petrela has the amazing views and it’s easily accessible.

Spent two hours of your week to fully charge yourself with energy. The ticket price is very reasonable for such an experience, only 15 euro/person.

What else you can do in Petrela

The Zipline is very accessible; there are public buses going to the surrounding villages, including Petrela, Mullet, and beyond. You can visit Petrela Castle (Skanderbeg built for his sister Mamica). The castle has a traditional restaurant, amazing food, and a beautiful interior. A little further, in front of Petrela, for all culture lovers, is the Castle of Persqop, the ruins, but with a story to tell, an ancient city of the IV century.

The area offers not only the Erzeni River, which during summer people prefer to sunbathe at the so-called Mamica beach near the Illuminatum restaurant, but there are also a large number of agritourism farms. There are also a large number of pools and resorts where you can spend your time. Zipline Albania has added value to the capital and the area surrounding Petrela.