I recently got the chance to visit the Cave of Pellumbas, also known as the Black Cave. Located just 27 kilometres southeast of Tirana, Albania, it makes a perfect day trip. I’ve been lucky enough to go spelunking in some incredible caves, but there was a combination of things about this one that I’m still wrapping my head around.
The entrance of the Cave of Pellumbas in Albania, now with a platform for stability and an informative plaque for visitors to reference
Its Size
For a long time, folk wisdom about the cave was that it was endless. In reality, though, from front to back, it measures 360 metres long, 10 to 15 metres in width and 15 to 45 metres in height. I had read a little about the cave before I visited, but the numbers don’t prepare you for the enormity of it once you’re inside. Voices echo like bat sonar off the cavernous walls.
Its History
Considered one of Albania’s many great archaeological treasures, the cave has received a good deal of research attention from the Tirana Archaeological Institute, as well as scientists from Italian universities. They have unearthed the remains of an ancient species of cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) that date back to 10,000 to 400,000 BC. They have also found traces of human activity from the Middle Paleolithic period, which spanned from 300,000 to 30,000 years ago. Evidence from the entrance of the cave suggests that these early humans were utilising the flint-sharpening and fire technology that developed at the time.
Albania native Endrit Necaj is dwarfed by one of Pellumbas cave's many stalagmites. Local lore surrounds some of their unique shapes.
The geological history of the place is also hard to fathom. I saw giant stalactites and stalagmites, but my little human brain couldn’t quite absorb how long it actually took for them to form. The average growth rate of a stalactite is 0.13 mm per year. The formations in this cave are several metres in length and even width. I tried to imagine the time involved, but then I stopped and just admired their phantasmagorical beauty.
How Much Work Has Been Invested in It
As we approached the well-marked trailhead leading to the cave, we were greeted by Behar Duqi, the local village guide and guardian of the cave. He collects the small entrance fee of 100 lek (about US$1) and offers to accompany visitors on the hike from the village to the cave. As we approached the cave, it was evident that forces were at work. Bilingual signs mark the way and warn against littering, guardrails line steep edges, steps ease along the steeper inclines and benches punctuate the trail at the finest viewpoints. The trail is impressively tourism-ready.
Immeasurable time, energy and care have been poured into the details of the trail to the cave, such as this hand-illustrated signage in both English and Albanian.
Who was behind this massive effort? With funding from the Dutch Embassy in Albania, the Outdoor Albania Association does ongoing work to make the cave accessible to tourists and to protect the area from degradation. The association, through its projects in Pellumbas, Vuno and other sites, has been clearing the path toward a more sustainable tourism future in Albania. This means tourism that places an emphasis on the natural and cultural assets of Albania, preserving these endowments over time rather than threatening them.
How Unnoticed It Has Gone
It is a wonder how an excursion this good is still so far off the radar. None of the many independent travellers I met in Albania had even heard of it. While Outdoor Albania offers a guided day tour, it has received little attention. The In Your Pocket guidebook does mention it, but Lonely Planet does not. Behar Duqi says that the cave received only about 100-200 visitors during the entire summer high season of 2010. Both foreigners and Albanians are missing out! Where is everyone?
Basking in the view from the mouth of the Cave of Pellumbas, Albania
The cave’s web presence is also weak. Several of the top search results were actually posts written by my friend Lieke Van Leeuwen, although by modifying my search to include the character ‘ë’ for the correct local spelling – Pëllumbas – a few more informative pages came up. Outdoor Albania Association also maintains a bilingual website about the caves and Pellumbas appears in an index site of caves.
The View
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Hi Cynthia, nice post! Good to know that myself and five other friends were part of the only 100-200 visitors who did the hike to the Pellumbas cave the summer of 2010 … and just like you, we were all amazed by this hike! The views are breathtaking indeed. We pretty much did everything you did with one addition. After the hike, we went down the valley to lake Erzen for a swim and camping! That was a great experience and something I would recommend to anyone else who is considering this hike. To get to the river, first you need to had back to the main village of Pellumbas. Before getting to the village, by the olive trees, you can go back down the valley and that will lead you to the water. The water is cold and not recommended for the faint hearted (or non-swimmers
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Lucky! I know that the OAA is planning on more trail building from the cave to the river. Sounds beautiful on a hot summer day =)
Here is another useful link about this cave and the work being done by the Outdoor Albania Association: http://on.fb.me/eOKzZX
Hi Cynthia,
Great post, thanks! We are already taking measurements to continue the path from the cave right down to the river and back to the village, along the river side! So hopefully next time you’ll be around, you can do this hike!
Meanwhile I also did a website training on search-engine optimization, i hope to put this new knowledge in to practice soon! Hope you’re good and happy! Take care!
Celeste (OAA)