Is the Albanian SH36 road unpaved?

Is the Albanian SH36 road unpaved?

Albania, europe

Length

54.7 km

Elevation

1,147 m

Difficulty

extreme

Best Season

Year-round

Alright, adventure seekers, listen up! If you're heading to northeastern Albania and craving a drive to remember (or maybe forget!), check out SH36, snaking between Lezhé and Dibër counties. Fair warning: "road" is a generous term here. Let's just say the pavement plays hide-and-seek.

This 54.7 km (34-mile) route connects Muhurr to Burrel (or Burreli, if you’re feeling fancy). Budget around two hours to soak it all in – and trust me, you’ll want to stop.

SH36 throws down the gauntlet with over 40 hairpin turns and some serious cliffside exposure. Reaching 1,147m (3,763ft) high, the narrow sections and lack of guardrails will definitely get your pulse racing. Not for the faint of heart!

While technically open to all vehicles, a high-clearance 4x4 is your best bet. Seriously, attempting this in your average sedan might leave you stranded… or at least wishing you had a different ride. But the views? Totally worth the nail-biting journey!

Share this road

Road Details

Country
Albania
Continent
europe
Length
54.7 km
Max Elevation
1,147 m
Difficulty
extreme

Related Roads in europe

Col de Portehard

Col de Porte

🇫🇷 France

Okay, picture this: you're cruising through the stunning Alpes-Maritimes in southeastern France, heading for the Col de Porte. This mountain pass sits pretty high up at 1,060 meters (3,477 feet)! The road to the top, known as the D73, is paved, but be warned—it's seen better days and can be a bit rough. It's also quite narrow and packs a punch with some seriously steep sections. But hey, the views along the way are totally worth it, right?

A memorable road trip to Verva Pass in the Alpsmoderate

A memorable road trip to Verva Pass in the Alps

🇮🇹 Italy

Passo di Verva is a seriously impressive high mountain pass sitting at 2,301m (7,549ft) in the Province of Sondrio, up in Lombardy, Italy's northeastern corner near the Swiss border. It's part of the Livigno Range in the Central Eastern Alps, nestled around the charming village of Livigno. Here's the thing—this isn't your typical paved mountain road. The 13.4km (8.32 miles) route runs north-south from Strada Statale 301 near San Carlo down to Eita, and it's entirely unpaved the whole way. You'll need either a sturdy mountain bike or a serious 4x4 to tackle it, as regular cars aren't allowed. Expect rocky terrain, steep gradients, and a gravel surface that keeps things challenging right up to the summit. If you're into Transalp biking, you already know this pass is legendary—it's the go-to crossing between Val Viola and the Valtellina. Just remember that winter shuts this place down completely. Plan your adventure for the warmer months if you want to experience one of the Alps' most thrilling mountain crossings.

Where is Gorges des Gats?moderate

Where is Gorges des Gats?

🇫🇷 France

Okay, road trip fans, listen up! You HAVE to check out Gorges des Gats in the Drôme department of France. This isn't just a road; it's an experience. We're talking a 10.2 km (6.33 mile) stretch of pure adrenaline, carved right into the side of a mountain! This beauty, known as the D539 or Route Joseph Reynaud, runs between Châtillon-en-Diois and Glandage, and, yeah, it's paved. But don't think that means it's a cakewalk! Parts of it are so narrow that passing another car is pretty much impossible. Seriously, this road requires your full attention, especially with its 15 rock tunnels! But trust me, the views are worth it. The gorge itself, carved out by the Ruisseau des Gats river, is stunning. Plus, the area is famous for its underground caves, some of which you can actually explore. So, if you're up for a challenging drive with incredible scenery, Gorges des Gats needs to be on your bucket list. Just maybe, you know, drive carefully.

A939 is one of Scotland's top roadsmoderate

A939 is one of Scotland's top roads

🇬🇧 Scotland

Okay, picture this: The A939, aka Lecht Road or Old Military Road, snaking through the Scottish Highlands—seriously, one of the UK's best drives! We're talking super-steep sections here, with gradients hitting a wild 20%. Nestled in Cairngorms National Park, this gem stretches for about 60 miles (96 km) from Nairn, right on the Moray Coast, down to Ballater in Aberdeenshire. This baby's paved and boasts a killer layout – think graceful curves mixed with rollercoaster-like hills. For a good chunk of the way, it follows the old military road built after the Jacobite rising. Back in the day, this was an important route carved out by William Caulfield, a British Army officer who was responsible for hundreds of miles of roads. Perched high in the Grampian Mountains, it peaks at Lecht Pass, a lofty 2,119 feet (646m) above sea level – one of the highest roads around! Usually, it's open year-round, but watch out for winter closures due to gnarly weather. It's often the first road in Britain to get snowed under between Cock Bridge and Tomintoul. You'll climb Dava Moor, Bridge of Brown, Lecht Pass, and Gairnshiel Summit. Budget about 1.5 to 2 hours to drive it straight through. And trust me, it's worth it: it's bumpy, twisty, and often has zero cell service, but the scenery is epic. It's smack-dab in the middle of nowhere: bare landscapes, endless mountain views, sheep chilling in the fields, and you might even spot some deer! It's a must-drive. It's got that classic Scotland scenery and barely any traffic because most folks stick to the highway next to the park.