Being a traveler, requires energy. Being a survival kind of traveler, requires great courage and deep knowledge. You can’t get that in a week or in a month, but you need years of practice and a determined character. That’s why we were so curious to know about this brave explorer, who unlike most of our previous guests, is the one who risks the most.
He is living an adventurous life challenging himself in the woods and mountains, trying his survival limits and what he does best is ‘never giving up’! He practices survival travel and bushcraft in Albanian Alps and other locations and seems that he can’t stay away from nature for too long. He is sharing his activities on Instagram and on his Youtube Channel. Can he survive in the woods? Can he light a fire? Can he camp in the snow? You will find below the answers of these and much more, so go grab a cup of tea, because it will last a while.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Meet Erind Zalli!
1. What makes a boy like you take uncomfortable trips across the Alps, many times even dangerous?
In my case the word “uncomfortable trips” does not fit my point of view, given that I already have a lifestyle in the mountains. Not many people understand the feeling that the mountain or nature gives you when you become part of it. When I am in the mountains I see the miracle that lies ahead and when I am in the city I think about that miracle that I can see up there (far) and this makes me not think at all about the difficulties or the “uncomfortable trips”. Anyway, with the experience I have created in mountain activities, it’s easier for me to manage any kind of difficulties that I may encounter.
2. What does your survival bag contain, the basic items you take with you on a trip?
You reminded me of a saying that is very important “The number one rule of survival is to be prepared for the worst that can happen “. Before starting a mountain trip, it is very important to have in my bag a good organization of things where I divide them into sectors such as:
-Camping items (tents, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow)
-Clothing, based on the weather, they are the layers that make a good isolation of the body against different atmospheric conditions: Base layer, Middle layers, Out layers. So in the clothing part will be: mountain shoes, 2-3 pairs of socks, mountain pants, suitable blouses, underneath jacket, goretex jacket, 3 pairs of gloves (one spare if wet and one pair for Inside the tent), hood.
-First aid which includes various medications, thermal blankets, etc.
-Food planned in detail
-Emergency food
All of these are organized in small sections according to the sectors, so that at the moment you need to know where they are and don’t waste much time.
3. Do you maintain a diet or special care of your health to be able to make these trips?
Walking in the mountains requires the body to be fit, not too fit nor chubby, but in a normal physical condition. I usually try to maintain an average weight. Of course I choose the right food, organic one and the place where I live gives me more opportunity to have these types of foods. To be mentioned, I do not smoke and I don’t consume alcohol.
4. Have you ever risked your life in your adventures? How was the situation?
Yes, of course.
In March 2018 I had returned from America and I had been a while I didn’t practice climbing. I came to Tropoja. I decided to try solo climbing this mountain peak in Valbona (Maja e Madhe – 2625 m high, northeast wall climbing), so I started without any safety measures and without the necessary partner to be technically supported.
I prepared myself psychologically for one month until I decided to realize this special climb. Solo climbing is the most difficult climbing style in terms of mountaineering.
I made a 2 days plan! 1 day approach to the climbing site, camping and the next day climbing.
I woke up at 5am with alpine pickaxes (ice axes) in my hands and with the claws on my leg I continued to be caught in the ice. When I came up from the middle of the way, I was tired, my thighs were numb, I was hungry. I looked at the valley below the Valbona and wondered what I was doing there. Reading a lot of literature about climbing and mountains I had often come across a word “panic”. I tried not to fall into that. Then I was trying to convince myself that I would make it but I would never repeat this kind of challenge again. It took 5 hours climbing until I reached the top. I sat on the top, full of snow and saw the whole Valbona Valley and said to myself “I am very happy and the mountain forgave me.”
5. Your instagram profile mentions a term: bushcraft. Can you explain to our readers its meaning?
Bushcraft is an activity that I have read a lot about and I have practiced several times. It means living in the wild in a primitive way where you can build a primitive shelter, you can create a beautiful camp and fire, different ways to cook in the camp and you can also use the opportunities given by the surrounding nature to spend one or several beautiful days. This is also great for meditations. In many schools around the world, children learn some of the skills of these activities that we know as Scouts.
6. In which mountains or high peaks did you camp and which of them stands out as the most beautiful experience?
I slept on some peaks as well as on the shoulder of the peaks. The best experiences were in Maja e Thate (Dry Peak) in Valbona, Maja e Jezerces, Maja e Arapit.
7. What are the perfect places in Albania to practice bushcraft traveling?
The ideal places for this activity are the places that have the wildest nature “Gashi River” Kardhiq in Gjirokastra (I heard it is quite wild). Usually it is enough for a place to have good forests, a river or lake nearby.
8. Could you light a fire with natural materials in the forest?
I could. It’s enough to have patience and know what you are doing. I have read a lot about this skill but I haven’t actually tried it yet.
9. Can you survive in the wild?
Our mountains are not that large and every valley leads you somewhere. There’s a saying in the community of explorers: If you are getting lost in the Amazon, follow the river and it will lead you to civilization. I have tried some skills in our mountains such as how to filter polluted water, which flowers can be eaten and what are their nutritional values such as pine needles, radish flowers, sheep flowers that we call plants that they can give you energy and vitamins in case of survival.
10. What is your favorite food on those beautiful, warm nights at camping?
You can enjoy any kind of food when you are near the fire, but the one I like is the dried meat. When boiled, I can even use the liquid to cook pasta too. Sometimes even grilled vegetables are a good option.
11. Favorite climbing: in winter in the snow or in summer under the sun?
Kadaif or baklava! It is more difficult in winter, but still more beautiful. The fatigue and the cold don’t allow you to enjoy it to the maximum. It is easier in summer because the day is longer.
12. Favorite sleep outdoors: in winter or in summer?
I do not sleep so comfortably in the mountains either way so I don’t have the luxury to choose. It is important to sleep at least 6 hours even when it’s not so good. However, after a few days in the mountains you get used to it. So I’d choose to sleep in summer.
13. If you get lost and get stuck in a forest for 7 days and have no food with you, how will you survive?
As soon as you realize that you are lost in the mountains or you are stuck, you have to know some priority things:
1- Don’t panic (when you panic, you lose concentration and do everything wrong, it makes you spend energy and it doesn’t help)
2- Build a shelter (the shelter serves very well against atmospheric conditions and for physical protection)
3- Check the amount of water you have (consider the opportunities to find more water, the less physical activity the less water we consume)
4- Check the amount of food you have (manage your food well in order to be physically and mentally focused)
5- Light a fire (serves for heating, drying clothes in case of rain, to boil water and make it drinkable, to protect you against possible wildlife dangers)
14. How has this kind of life affected you so far?
My life in the mountains has been and is very good and beautiful. It has had a very positive impact both in terms of health as well as spiritually and financially given that I am a mountain tour guide and organize various tours in the Albanian Alps. A perfect combination would be 4 days in the mountains and 3 in the city. This way you can have a quality life.
15. To whom do you recommend such a life? Does it make you stronger and more practical in everyday life?
I recommend it to everyone after the age of 25, after achieving a status in their life such as education and intellectual training and like to approach to the places near the mountains. The mountain strengthens the character, regulates the mental and health condition, makes you more practical with life and a humble person.
16. Which are your 3 dream destinations you want to visit one day?
Alaska, Patagonia and Pakistan
17. The moment to say the most important thing: what is the secret to a quality life in your opinion!
Live with the mountains!
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Safe travels! 🙂