Peaks of the Balkans Trail Tour Self Guided 5-10 Days

Transfers

All transfers are in private vehicles, either by minibus, car or 4×4, depending on road conditions. We can organise a private transfer for you from Tirana airport to Shkoder (€80), just write this in the booking form comments or reply to the booking confirmation.

Alternatively, there are also buses from Tirana or Podgorica:

Tirana airport to Shkoder: departure times are 11:15, 12:45, 17:30 and 20:10 directly from Tirana airport. A bus ticket costs 1,000 Albanian lek (10 euros) and you pay in cash on the bus. The bus journey from Tirana airport to Shkoder takes about 2 hours.

Podgorica (Flixbus): Departure times are 09:00 (June to October) and 16:00 (all year round) from the bus station in the city. A bus ticket costs 12 euros. The bus journey from Podgorica to Shkoder takes approx. 1.5 hours.

Food & water

The food in this part of the world will be something you will eagerly anticipate at the end of each day. The dishes are freshly prepared in the traditional way and are characterised by a mixture of Balkan, Turkish and European influences. In guesthouses, you will be served homemade bread with locally grown vegetables, dairy products and eggs. Dinner includes traditional soups, meat dishes, vegetables, and cakes. The guesthouses also prepare a packed lunch for you every day – often consisting of a sandwich with cheese, fruit, or vegetables.

Vegetarians and other diets are no problem, as the host families can offer alternatives. However, the choice is sometimes simple and limited.

Bring your own water bottle to fill up on the hike. You can get water from mountain streams or tap water in guesthouses, both of which are of drinking water quality. If you are worried about drinking untreated water, we recommend taking water purification tablets with you.

Accommodation

During the trek, you will stay in simple lodge-style guesthouses with functional bathroom facilities. The rooms usually accommodate two to five people per room, and it may be necessary for male and female participants to share a room, unless otherwise stated on request, although this is not possible in every guesthouse and depends on the availability of rooms on the day.

Bed linen and blankets, towels, shampoo, and other basic items are provided by the guesthouses. However, we recommend packing a travelling towel and a hut sleeping bag just in case. It can be very chilly in the mountain village of Doberdol.

If you have more luggage with you than you need for the hike, it can be left at the hotel in Shkoder during the multi-day hike and picked up again on your return.

Private rooms

Possible for an extra charge, but very limited availability. Our 7-day Peaks of the Balkans Tour guarantees you will stay in private rooms only.

Terrain during the hikes, navigation

This hiking trail is characterised by many descents and ascents. The route leads across 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.

For navigation, you will receive either GPS files that can be downloaded to your own navigation device or alternatively links to routes stored in our app (these can be viewed offline after downloading, you do not need an internet connection in the mountains, only the GPS of your mobile phone must be active).

Time zone

GMT +1

Languages

Albanian in Kosovo and Albania, Serbian/Montenegrin in Montenegro. Many people speak English in large cities, but this is often not the case in remote areas. Some people also speak German due to the large diaspora in German-speaking countries.

Power supply and plugs

220V, 50 Hz, two-pin round plug (as in Germany). In most villages, the guesthouses have solar panels, which means that hot water is available and electrical appliances can be charged. In some villages or on the mountain there is also mobile phone reception. Especially in Valbona and Theth you can count on a very good mobile phone network.

Currency

Euro (EUR) in Kosovo and Montenegro, Lek in Albania, but Euros are also often accepted there. ATMs are available in Shkoder (Albania), Peja (Kosovo), Plav (Montenegro) and Gjakova (Kosovo).

Visa requirements

German, Swiss, and Austrian citizens can enter Albania without a visa. All you need is an identity card or a passport that is valid for at least 3 months.

Packing list:

• Sturdy (ankle-high) hiking boots
• A comfortable second pair of shoes or sandals
• Hat or other form of sun protection, in addition to sun cream and glasses
• Light rainwear (95% of rain falls in winter)
• Warm fleece jumper & hiking trousers as the nights are cold even in summer
• 2 litres of water equipment
• Day rucksack 25-40 litres
• Swimwear/shorts (optional, but recommended)

Booking and cancellation conditions

Following your reservation, a deposit of 20% of the booking price is due by bank transfer, the remaining amount is then simply due up to 4 weeks before the start of your tour. In the event of cancellation, the deposit is non-refundable.