Half day trip to the source of the Blue Eye Albania
The tour departs from the port of Saranda at 9 am. After meeting our guide, we take the road from Saranda to Gjirokastra, reaching our destination in about 40 minutes. Syri i Kalter, this is the name of the site in Albanian, is located right on the border between Vlora County and Gjirokastra County. To preserve its beauty, the Albanian authorities have protected this area, making it a national park which can be accessed by paying for a ticket (included in the tour price).
Once we arrive, we enter the dense vegetation, between paths and narrow streets. The immersion into the greenery precedes the arrival at the small lake formed by the source, a wonderful feeling! At the centre of the body of water a dark blue oval attracts our gaze. It is the point where spring waters emerge from the heart of the mountain. As you approach it you can better notice that the dark blue of the eye is due precisely to this huge hole, from which fresh water emerges. The dark depths of the water reaching up to the surface meets with the karst rock of the waters surface, giving life to fantastic and changing play of light that follow one another during the day. If you are wondering how deep the hole is, just know that there is still no answer to this question. The depth is still unknown, but some expeditions of divers have managed to go fifty metres deep.
Swimming in the spring waters, where the temperature is between 10 ° C and 14 ° C depending on the season, is a unique sensation, but its temperature is good.. For the less courageous, the satisfaction of visiting the area will still be well worth it. Here you can breathe in fresh, clean air, between old oaks and the scent of Mediterranean scrub. During the course of our trip we will have the opportunity to move around, through the dense network of paths that surround the site. We will be able to discover other even more exclusive and sheltered small springs and small caves. We will do it lulled by the coolness and sound of water that flows and drips from the rocks.
