Lake Shkodra and River Buna, Ramsar site in Albania

Lake Shkodra and River Buna form a water system shared by Albania and Montenegro, with the lake covering about 370 square kilometres and the Buna flowing out of it toward the Adriatic. The Albanian shore is shallow and fringed with reed beds, while the Buna cuts a winding channel past willows and sandbars. The Ramsar site covers roughly 20,000 hectares of open water, marsh and wet meadow.

Lake Shkodra and the Buna have been a trade route since antiquity: Illyrian tribes, then Romans and Byzantines, used the lake and its outflow to move goods between the Adriatic and the interior. In the Middle Ages the Buna marked the border between Venetian and Ottoman lands, and the lake's fisheries were regulated by local statutes. The 1858 Battle of Shkodra was fought near the Buna's banks.

The lake and river have shaped how people in this area live and work for generations, with fishing and water-based activities woven into daily routines. The shores serve as gathering points where boats moor and the community's connection to the water remains visible in everyday life.

Access to the shores is possible from several points, particularly from Shkodër, where you can reach the water easily. The best time to visit is during mild weather when paths are dry and walking is more comfortable.

The area is home to over 250 bird species, many using it as a resting point during migration, making it excellent for spotting rare water birds. This draws birders and nature watchers who come hoping to observe unusual species they cannot find elsewhere.