Grunas Waterfall is a beauty, cascading 25m over towering cliff walls forming a crystal clear pool at the base. Taking a plunge in the icy blue water is a must do and even if you’re cold water averse, you’ll probably manage here as the water is shallow throughout the majority of the pool.
The walk to reach the waterfall is gorgeous with stunning mountain views and as it’s relatively short, it makes a great first introduction to the little village of Theth.
Here’s what to expect from the walk and swimming in the falls.
The walk to Grunas Waterfall
The stats
Distance: 1.7km each way
Elevation gain: 140m
Difficulty: Easy - moderate
Trailhead: Rruga Nikigjonaj, Theth
Summary: There are various routes you can use to reach Grunas Waterfall and in this guide we’re sharing the easiest. There is a slightly shorter route but it involves a short section of very steep loose terrain so it’s not as easy as the route we took.
If you don’t have a car or you fancy a longer walk you can also begin the hike in Theth village which adds on approximately 1.2km each way.
Following our route you will walk on a well formed gravel path for the majority of the way. It’s a mix of flat track and some ascending, with the steepest 250m being the final climb to the main waterfall pool. This section is on rocks and rubble and therefore requires a bit of care on the way back down.
Starting the trail
From the trailhead on Rruga Nikigjonaj you follow the signposted track downhill into the small forest.
It’s a bit rubbly but it’s only 50m before you arrive at the little wooden bridge with exceptional views of a deep canyon.
The water here is ice blue, but it’s best viewed early or late in the day (unless it’s overcast), otherwise the glare from the sun is so strong you don’t see it particularly well.
From the bridge, you will begin heading uphill and the path splits. I think both trails lead to the same point but we took the sharp right which was a decent enough track.
After a couple of hundred metres the path will flatten and you will pass the remains of a small prehistoric settlement.
The views get special
From this point, 220m into the walk, the views are really spectacular. You’re surrounded by towering mountains and the smooth gravel path means you don’t need to watch your feet and you can really take it all in.
Roughly 340m into the track you need to follow the gravel path as it curves left. You’ll soon reach some dry stone walls and your first view of Grunas Waterfall.
It looks good from here but it definitely feels way more powerful when you get up close.
When you reach the pylon, roughly 635m into the trail, take the right fork. The path will begin ascending but gently. Just under 300m later make a hard right onto the narrow path leading uphill.
It’s still a gradual climb at this point and the mountain views continue to be utterly sublime until you reach the forest, 1.3km into the walk.
You will see a few different trails which branch right as you climb up through the forest.
These lead to small cascade pools on the lower reaches of the waterfall. None are swimmable, but you can definitely take a plunge and they are much quieter than the main waterfall pool.
The final rocky ascent
The final 250m of the climb up to the waterfall is the steepest and on a rough track. Gone is the smooth gravel and in its place you’ll find a rocky tree rooty path.
It’s not slippery on the way up but requires a bit more care on the way back down - or it did for me anyway, most people hopped down it without a second thought!
There is no set path up this section of track, there are often a couple of different ways you could go, so you just choose the route that looks easiest to you. And though it’s rocky, it’s not really a scramble and there is no exposure so if you’re ok with rocky terrain you won’t have any trouble.
You’ll reach the pool at the base of the upper falls just over 1.6km after leaving the car park.
Swimming at Grunas Waterfall
No photos I’d seen of Grunas Falls prepared me for just how stunning it is in real life. The setting between the towering cliff walls is majestic and the blue pool at the base only adds to the beauty.
The spray created a permanent rainbow on the right side of the waterfall (only visible when standing on the right side).
To cross over to the right side you need to rock hop and the wet rocks can be a bit slippery, but they are well spaced and not too wobbly!
In terms of swimming, the pool has a number of large rocks inside it which means you can plunge or have a bit of a float but you can’t really swim.
The water is cold but not as cold as the Blue Eye, though most people still only had a quick dip. It’s a glorious place to cool off and looking up at the waterfall from inside the pool is an experience not to be missed!
To return the same way or to make a circuit
You can make a circuit by crossing the creek to the right side of the falls and heading up the steep dirt path. Even if you want to return the same way it’s worth heading about 30 seconds up the trail to get a great view of the waterfall from a higher vantage point.
Grunas Waterfall from a few metres up the path on the right side of the creek
From here the path forks and we started along the right fork (with your back to the waterfall) but it’s very steep, narrow and loose.
We were behind someone who went on all fours hanging on to the tree branches and I quickly decided it wasn’t for me. I think it would be much better to use this path as an ascent route which will be much less slippery.
We personally turned and went back the same way but I think I would have been ok if going uphill.
Crowds at Grunas Waterfall
Although by far the quieter of Theth’s two major waterfalls (the other being the Blue Eye) Grunas Waterfall is still a busy place. For context we visited on a weekday in June. We thought it might be quiet in the late afternoon so arrived at about 4.15pm but it was still very busy (a minimum of 30 people at any one time).
We stayed until almost 6pm but it never got quieter, probably in part due to the fact it retains the full sun late into the day so it remained very warm. Though people don’t spend much time in the water, most will sit on the rocks around the outside of the pool for many hours.
We drove past the trailhead for the falls in the morning and it was much quieter so I think morning would be the best bet if you’re hoping to have a quiet experience.
Getting to the trailhead for Grunas Waterfall
To follow our route (or to take the shorter steeper route) you can park at the lay-bys beside the trailhead on Rruga Nikigjonaj, you can see the exact location on Google maps here. It does get very busy so you may need to park further away from the trailhead if visiting in peak season. You can also walk from Theth village if you don’t mind a longer hike.
Where to stay in Theth
We stayed in Xhovani Zelna which is right by the entrance to the Blue Eye, surrounded by mountains and the stunning blue river. You actually have your breakfast right beside the main pool at Vaskat Nderlysaj.
It was an ideal location for us wanting to get an early start on the walk to the Blue Eye. Unfortunately the rooms are very small, noisy and pretty bare bones.
The reviews are excellent so maybe we got unlucky with the noise issue, but for us it wasn't the quiet location we were hoping for.
You can see the latest reviews and availability by clicking the button below.
I did have my eye on Hotel Thethi which looked good on paper but we haven't seen it personally. Bujtina Terthorja and Villa Prelatheth get excellent reviews so it's also worth looking at those too.
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