Lake Shkoder

Lake Shkoder, called Skadar on the Montenegrin side, covers between three and five hundred square kilometres depending on the season and is the largest lake in southern Europe, shallow, fed partly by karst springs from below and drained to the Adriatic by the Buna. About a third lies in Albania. Reed beds, floating vegetation and wet meadow fringe the southern shore, and the bird list is very substantial, with Dalmatian and white pelican, pygmy cormorant, herons, terns and large winter concentrations of duck. Villages along the Albanian shore, Shiroka and Zogaj, are strung between the water and the mountain, with fish restaurants and boat hire, and the Buna river and Rozafa castle stand at the outflow.

What you actually see

• The largest lake in southern Europe - shallow water fed partly from below.
• Pelicans and pygmy cormorants - the birds of the reed beds and open water.
• Shiroka and Zogaj - shore villages between the water and the mountain.
• The Buna outflow - the river draining the lake to the Adriatic.

When to go

April to June and September to October for birds and comfortable weather. A day. Boat trips run from Shiroka in season. Summer is hot and the birds are fewer; winter brings the largest duck flocks.

Honest expectations

There are no hides and birdwatching is from the shore or a boat, which needs a telescope. Boat operators vary and some run fast through the reeds. Litter along the shore is a problem. Water quality is affected by run-off.

Nearby

Shkoder and Rozafa castle are south-east; the Montenegrin border runs across the lake.