The year · October is underlined
| Region | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Llogara Pass |
Dated facts · every figure carries the day it was checked
| What | Value | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| The tunnel | About 6 km under the pass, opened 5 July 2024; Dukat to Palasë in 7 to 8 minutes instead of about 30 over the top | 2026-10-01 · Shqiptarja.com, the Llogara tunnel opens (5 July 2024) |
| The pass road in winter | Can close for snow and ice; on 8 January 2026 it was shut and traffic for Himarë went through the tunnel | 2026-10-01 · Albeu.com, Llogara pass closed by snow, traffic through the tunnel (8 January 2026) |
Getting there
car, bus. The SH8 climbs over the pass between Vlorë and the Riviera. Since 5 July 2024 a tunnel of about 6 km below it carries through traffic, so the drive over the top is a choice rather than the route. The pass road can close for snow and ice, as it did on 8 January 2026, when traffic went through the tunnel instead.
Parking: Laybys and a café car park at the top; nothing formal on the switchbacks.
Photography
Best light: golden, sunset.
The pass looks west over the sea, so it is an afternoon and sunset position and the pines below the road give the descent its scale. Note that the Pashaliman naval base sits on the same coast to the north and is a serious enforcement zone. Check drone requirements with the AAC before travelling.
Drone: not confirmed. Albania's registration requirement is reported differently by every secondary source, so verify with the AAC before you fly.
Llogara is the drive of the country, and since July 2024 it is an optional one. The old SH8 climbs out of the Vlorë plain into black pine forest, crosses the pass, and then falls to the Riviera in a set of switchbacks with the whole coast laid out below them. The tunnel underneath does the same journey in a few minutes and shows you none of it.
That changes how to use it. Nobody has to cross the pass to reach the Riviera any more, so the question is when the view is worth the climb: in January the air can be clear enough to see the length of the coast from a layby you will have to yourself, though snow and ice can shut the pass road for a day, and the tunnel stays open when it does.
The park at the top is a walking area in its own right, best in April to June and September and October, when the coast below is either too early or too late for the beach.
