Kosovo Hiking Tour Rugova Canyon & Hajla Peak (4 days)

Experience the Rugova Gorge near Peja & the Accursed Mountains on a 4-day tour from Peja in Kosovo including accommodation, meals and private transfers.

Peja Wander Tour Via Ferrata & Rugova Canyon

Start/End                                Peja, Kosovo

Duration                                 4 Days

Difficulty                                Moderate

Best time                                 June -Oct.

per person                              € 225,00

(2 people)

per person                              € 190,00

(from 4 people)

Highlights

Peja – Stroll through the picturesque town centre and experience local highlights such as the 13th century Peja Monastery, the Peja Ethnological Museum, the old Peja Bazaar and the White Drin River (Drini i Bardhe)

Rugova Canyon – With a length of 25 km and a depth of 1,000 metres, the canyon is considered one of the deepest and longest canyons in Europe.

Hajla Peak – Experience the iconic ridge of Hajla off the beaten track, on the border between Kosovo and Montenegro

Mountain Lakes – Be mesmerised by the unique atmosphere of Lake Liqenat and Drelaj

Viewpoints – Enjoy breathtaking views of the highest mountains in Kosovo – Gjeravica Peak & Guri Kuq

Culinary – Discover the unique cuisine of Kosovo and be impressed by the hospitality of the locals in the mountains.

Route

  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Pispili is an Albanian dish that consists of cornbread filled with leeks and feta cheese.
  • Kulinarisches, Albanien
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour
  • Rugova Canyon & Via Ferrata Peja Wander Tour

Included

✓ 1 Overnight Stay: Hotel in a Double Room

✓ 2 Overnight Stay: Guest House in Double Room

✓ All transfers in private vehicles

✓ our GPS files for the hikes on day 2 and 3

✓ Meals: 3×breakfast, 2×lunch, 2×dinner

Important

What you should bring

Good to know

  • The maximum difference in altitude on the hike on day 3 is 900 m↑.

Standard of Accommodations

  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Verpflegung auf der Wanderung Theth-Valbona
  • Abendessen im Gästehaus in Teth auf der Wanderung Theth-Valbona
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon
  • Rugova Canyon

Itinerary

Experience the breathtaking landscape of the Rugova Canyon and the Accursed Mountains (Prokletije) on a 4-day self-guided hiking tour from Peja in Kosovo. All transfers in private vehicles as well as accommodation and catering in guest houses are included.

On day 1, you will make your way to Peja. Your double room in the hotel will be at your disposal from 15:00. Use the day to visit the Patriarchal Monastery of Peja, to explore the old bazaar or to visit the banks of the Drini i Bardhe (White Drin) river at the canyon entrance. You are welcome to leave your extra luggage at the hotel for the tour and pick it up when you return. We recommend only taking a daypack with you.

At 10:00 a.m. after breakfast, you will leave Peja and be picked up at your accommodation to take a private transfer to the village of Pepaj (approx. 1-hour drive). Enjoy the view of the wild canyon and waterfalls along the way. A marked hiking trail over the Gjoni Pass will take you to your guest house within an hour’s hike, where you can refresh yourself and take a lunch break.

Then start the ascent to the famous Hajla ridge using our GPS files (approx. 3-4 hours there and back). Enjoy the view of the peaks of the Rugova Gorge, the Sharr Mountains and the mountain ranges in Montenegro. Depending on the time of year and with a bit of luck, you may even spot an edelweiss. On your return, you will enjoy a sumptuous, traditional dinner at the guest house. The owner is a nature photographer and passionate hiker and can tell you more about the region. (driving time approx. 1h, walking time approx. 5h, 860 m↑, 700 m↓, 12 km) 1×(B/L/D)

On day 3, you will already wake up in the Accursed Mountains. After a hearty breakfast, you take the same or an alternative path back to Pepaj. Your driver will be waiting for you at 9.00 am to take you to the other side of the gorge to the village of Kuqishte. You start your GPS and begin today’s hike through pine forests to reach the picturesque Liqenat Lake after about 1.5 hours, where the borderline between Kosovo and Montenegro runs through a small section of the lake. The lake is ideal for swimming. There are plenty of blueberries and other wild berries along the way. Along forest paths and across the meadows of Drelaj, you will reach Lake Drelaj, a glacial lake that dries up in summer. If you are lucky, you will have the opportunity to swim in the clear, cold water. Continuing over the Shkodra Pass, you will see the highest peak in Kosovo, the Gjeravica (2656 m). With views of small shepherds‘ huts, the path leads back down into the valley of Milishevc to the guest house. (driving time approx. 45 min, walking time approx. 6 h, 900 m↑, 1100 m↓, 12 km) 1×(B/L/D)

Day 4 begins with a hearty breakfast in the guesthouse. You will then leave Milishevc behind you at 11:00 am. A private transfer in a four-wheel drive vehicle will take you off-road back to Peja (16km), where you will arrive at around 13:00. 1×(B)

For those thirsty for more, we recommend booking an optional activity such as Zip Line (25 EUR/person) or Via Ferrata (30 EUR/person).

Via Ferrata

What our clients say:

Eine tolle Wanderung in einem tollen Land! Und natürlich super Organisation, Danke an Dirk! Beim nächsten Mal dann den ganzen Peak of the Balkans Trail!! :)

Christoph, München

Wir haben die 3-tägige Wandertour nach Valbona & Theth gebucht. Die Buchung lief sehr pragmatisch und völlig unkompliziert, vielen Dank dafür. Die Unterkünfte einwandfrei und absolut empfehlenswert. Wir können alles zu 100 % weiterempfehlen.

Uwe, Hamburg

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Your travel expert
Your travel expertDirk Pohlers
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Hinweise und häufige Fragen

The hikes usually last between five and six hours per day, so previous hiking experience is an advantage, but not necessary for those who are in very good shape. During the hikes, participants must carry their own day pack.

Yes, the tour can easily be booked just a few days in advance.

The tour starts for you in Peja from the hotel/guest house. You are welcome to leave the rest of your luggage that you don’t need during the hike at the hotel in Peja and take it back with you on your return.

The Rugova Gorge is located in the Accursed Mountains (Prokletije), just north-west of the town of Peja in Kosovo. Peja is a medium-sized town surrounded by Mountains. Trains run from Prishtina to Peja twice a day. There is also a bus every hour from Prishtina (main bus station) via Prizren to Peja. We can also organise a private transfer Pristina <-> Peja for 60 EUR per vehicle (max 3 persons).

This hiking trail is characterised by leisurely descents and ascents. The route leads over a relief that represents alpine terrain with steep slopes, river valleys carved into the mountain, rocky peaks, mountain pine belts etc. However, the paths chosen are mostly easy to walk on and safe.

The food in this part of the world is something you will look forward to at the end of every day. The food is freshly prepared in the traditional way and has a mix of Balkan, Turkish and European influences. In the guest houses, breakfast is simple, home-baked bread with locally grown vegetables, dairy products and eggs. For dinner there are salads, traditional soups, meat dishes, vegetables and pies. The guesthouses also provide you with a packed lunch, which often includes a sandwich with cheese and vegetables. Vegetarians and diets are not a problem as the host families can offer alternatives. Remember to take your water bottle with you to refill it on the way. You can get water from water sources along the way or from the taps in the guesthouses, as this is also drinkable water. However, if you are concerned about drinking untreated water, we recommend that you take water purification tablets with you.

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