Ruga e Cukalit

When it is getting hot in summer, you want to look for short hikes that can be combined with interesting approaches and still offer a great outdoor experience. Cukalit is one of such experiences.

Mali i Cukalit is the major mountain to the East of Shkodra and north of the Vau i Dejës lake and dam. It has two summits. Maja e Cukalit is the summit seen from almost Shkodra and the coastal plains (see wikiloc #7262943). Maja e Muleqithit is more to the west, not directly visible, but 14 Meter higher (see wikiloc #7263044). The two summits are separated by a high altitude grassy valley called Fusha e Liqenit - indicating that it used to be a place of a lake. This is our destination.

Our strategy was to drive to the Fushe arriving in the afternoon, climbing Maja e Cukalit in the evening, camping in the fresh mountain air, and climbing Maja e Muleqithit in the morning of the next day.

Ruga e Cukalit is a long road, about 35 kilometers from Shkodra. Follow the road in the direction of the Kir valley, which is the back road to Thethi. Near the village of Drisht, turn off from the main asphalt road and cross the Kir River near Ura e Mesit, a beautiful old bridge with several arches and natural plunge-pools. From here, it is still 25 kilometers to the Fushe near the top of Cukalit.

The road is solidly built, but has a few exposed spots. A high clearance vehicle is definitely needed after waypoint 03, which is the fork to Muri i Turkut village. The road is very rocky, and movement will be slow. Estimate 2 hours for the trip from Ura e Mesit to the trailhead. The road is used mainly by timber trucks and the few farming families that still live on the mountain. There are no minibuses.