Paulesh to Baldushk

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Paulesh to Baldushk

Summary: This trail is a variant of a trail we took a few years earlier (backroad from Petrele to Elbasan). That time, we rated the trail as difficult, and this is even a little harder. The dirt road between Paulesh and Garunjë has suffered badly, and from Garunjë we took the option of going to Cacabezë. From there, the road winds down into the Zllihma valley and eventually continues to Baldushk, from which there is asphalt.

The difficult stretches are short. We suggest not to attempt the trail when it rains, or after a long rainy period, as some potentially muddy stretches may get you stuck for a while.

Nevertheless - a fabulous alternative for those who tire of the thrills of the asphalt road connecting Tirana and Elbasan, and have a 4WD and some time to spare.

Maximum altitude:	601 meter
Minimum altitude:	68 meter
Cumulative height:	726 meter down
Cumulative length:	35 kilometer
Difficulty	difficult
Time:	2.5 hours
Date of this record	May 2013
Download GPS info:	Paulesh to Baldushk

General location and approach: West of the Tirana - Elbasan asphalt road

Other Information: Be prepared - you are unlikely to meet other traffic

The 4WD trail starts in the village of Paulesh and heads for Garunje, which is on the slopes of Kodra e Xhanivet - the mountain in the center of middle of the image.

In Cacabezë, we orient towards the west. Views open up to the Vrap mountains (see separate 4WD trail and climb)

From Cacabezë (which belongs to Elbasan region) to the next village (in Tirana region), the trail is not well maintained.

View to Mali i Gallushit, also a worthwhile hike

The trail down from the mountain is mostly rocky

View into the Zhllima valley and the Vrap mountains. Baldushk is to the right.

The road is not recommend after long rains

Down in the Zllima valley. Even though the thrill of the heights is gone, it doesn't mean one doesn't has to pay attention

GPS and trailmaps: The map and trailinformation is generated by , based on GPS information collected from the actual hike. Waypoints can be downloaded to a GPS device from Wikiloc. If necessary, use GPSBabel to convert GPS data to different formats. For more hike descriptions by Palmtreetreeproduction, browse this website or visit Wikiloc and search for "Palmtreeproduction". You may also find nearby trails from other authors.

Google Earth: You may also view the trail in 3D when viewing it in Google Earth, which you need to have installed on your computer. The 3D perspective allows a good preview of gradients, steepness, possible views and is generally helpful when planning a trip.