GUIDED HIKING TOUR – Peaks of the Balkans

This 12-day hike takes you through three countries: Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro. We have optimized the tour to avoid some less scenic sections and included highlights such as Mt. Trekufiri, Mt. Hajla, the Taljanka peak in the Grebaja Valley, and the ferry crossing on Lake Koman, which we believe are particularly worth seeing.

Highlights

• Ferry crossing through the fjord-like landscape of Lake Komani (ticket included)
• Climb 4 unique peaks: Trekufiri, Hajla, Taljanka, and Popadija
• Extra high-altitude stage in Albania behind Montenegro’s highest peak
• More time for close contact with locals in mountain villages and shepherds‘ huts
• Breathtaking views of the Taljanka peak from the high ridges around the Grebaja Valley in Montenegro

Route & Altitude Details:

Day 01: Group transfer from Tirana to Shkodër (2:00 p.m.) – short briefing and dinner – hotel/private (-/-/D)

Welcome to the Balkans! You can join the group transfer in Tirana (city center, 2:00 p.m.) or later at TIA airport, no later than 3:00 p.m. In the afternoon, you will arrive in Shkodra and the centrally located hotel. If time permits, climb up to Rozafa Castle and enjoy the fantastic view, a foretaste of the upcoming days of travel through the Albanian Alps.

Afterwards, the city invites you to take a stroll through the pedestrian zone, lined with bourgeois townhouses that remind you of the city’s glorious past. Immerse yourself in the Italian flair of the city and mingle with the people at the bazaar to buy dried fruit and other snacks. After a delicious dinner, there will be time to discuss in detail what is planned for the next few days. However, don’t stay up too late, because tomorrow we will be heading into the mountains before sunrise!

Day 02: Transfer to Koman, ferry crossing to Fierze, hike to Valbona (7.5 km, 250 m ascent, 50 m descent) – guest house/shared room (breakfast/packed lunch/dinner)

An early start guarantees a beautiful drive through the Drin Gorges to Lake Komani. The picturesque reservoir winds its way through steep rock faces like a Norwegian fjord and is the most beautiful route into the Albanian Alps. We continue by car to the highlands of Valbona National Park, where we stop for a light lunch in the small town of Bajram Curri. In the early afternoon, you will reach the village of Valbona with its stone tower houses.

A warm-up hike takes you along a crystal-clear stream through ancient beech forests dotted with sweet strawberries. Along the way, you can take a break to swim in the ice-cold river or a secluded pond. The hike ends at the cozy guesthouse in upper Valbona. Tonight, you will enjoy a hearty, homemade meal and a well-deserved rest after this impressive introduction to the Accursed Mountains.

Day 03: Hike Valbone – Persllopit Pass – Cerem (approx. 8 hours – 14 km, 1200 m ascent, 950 m descent) – Guesthouse/shared room (B/LP/D)

After a short break, a delicious lunch, and a packed lunch, you will tackle the first and longest ascent of the hike with renewed energy. As you wind your way up the mountainside, you will be rewarded with a great view of the highest peaks of the Albanian Alps. The Persllopi Pass (2,039 m) marks the highest point of the day, and the border with Montenegro lies at the highest peak in the country, Mt. Kollata (2,534 m).

Passing a unique wind cave and through a karst labyrinth that requires sure-footedness, you return to Albania, experience some of the most spectacular panoramas, and meet shepherds on the way to the rather remote village of Cerem. With no cell phone reception or electricity, it is the last outpost before the real wilderness begins. If the weather does not allow you to cross the pass, you can take a shorter route through the Kollata Gorge to reach the simple guesthouse.

Day 04: Hike Cerem – Balqin – Doberdol (approx. 6 hours – 16 km, 1100 m ascent, 450 m descent) – Hut/shared room (B/LP/D)

The hike to the high-altitude border triangle takes you across carpets of flowers and, at times, through former Yugoslav territory. Along the way, you can snack on forest fruits, admire the flora and enjoy the breathtaking view of Kolata (2,534 m).

The slopes are dotted with alpine pastures where you can rest and meet the shepherds over coffee and raki. In the glacier-formed valley of Doberdol (1,750 m), the animals roam freely on the pastures and time seems to stand still. The locals still live in harmony with nature, as people did many years ago. In the simple shepherds‘ huts, you will forego comfort for one night in exchange for warm hospitality. The family will prepare meals and you will learn more about the seasonal lifestyle of the shepherds around the campfire.

Day 05: Hike Doberdol – Roshkodol Pass – Milishevc (approx. 5 hours – 12.5 km, 550 m ascent, 525 m descent) – Guest house/shared room (B/LP/D)

After saying goodbye to your hosts, you will climb out of the valley to Mount Tromedja/Trekufiri (2,366 m), while the huts and herds of Doberdol become smaller with every step you take. At the summit, the borders of three countries merge into a sweeping panorama of the lonely border areas.

To the left lies the evergreen Babino Polje in Montenegro, while to the right, Kosovo’s highest peak, Gjeravica (2,656 m), plunges abruptly from the heights of the Dinaric Alps into the Dukagjin Plain. You cross the Roshkodoli Pass and begin your descent to Milishevc, a remote summer village nestled in a peaceful pine forest.

The simple wooden mountain huts, typical of the country’s mountain villages, offer refreshments, hot meals, comfort, and a well-deserved break after a long day.

Day 06: Hike Milishevc – Rugova – Reka Allages (approx. 5 hours – 9 km, 500 m ascent, 1250 m descent) – Guesthouse/shared room (B/LP/D)

The Lumbardhi ridge (2,130 m) is the last obstacle separating Milishevc from the Rugova Gorge. The barely visible path from the Alps up to the ridge is rewarded with a great view of the surrounding mountains. Hidden behind the ridge, extensive pastures surround the artesian pond at the foot of Red Rock Mountain (Guri i Kuq, 2,522 m).

Behind this sea of grass, the mountain plunges deep into the Rugova Gorge. On the other side, the Hajla ridge promises us a panoramic hike tomorrow. A sometimes very steep path leads through a gorge and old forests to the bottom of the gorge. Here we take a break to have a drink and, weather permitting, go for a swim.

At the end of the day, a short transfer on a bumpy road takes you to your friendly hosts in Reka e Allages.

Day 07: Reka Alleges – Mt. Hajla (optional) – Drelaj (approx. 4-8 hours – 10-13 km, 525-1250 m ascent, 525-1300 m descent) – Guest house/shared room (B/LP/D)

Across meadows and along the blueberry trail, we make our way briskly through a dense pine forest to the foot of Mount Hajla (2,403 m). From the top of the 300 m high cliff, there is a great view far into the neighboring country and the town of Rozaje. The ascent is optional, and your guide will help you decide whether you should join in. You can also choose to keep the day short (<5 hours). Daydream, read a book, or admire the surrounding flora instead. Nowhere else are the chances of discovering rare plants such as edelweiss or the Albanian lily as high as here!

From the foot of the mountain, the route continues at high altitude along a now disused road to the highest of the thirteen Rugova villages, Pepaj. As you hike through a rocky gorge surrounded by tall pine trees, you will have several opportunities to catch a glimpse of the picturesque village of Drelaj. At the accommodation, you will be treated to another delicious dinner while the family prepares the campfire in the garden.

Day 08: Hike Drelaj – Liqenat – Babino Polje (approx. 8 hours – 15 km, 11550 m ascent, 1050 m descent) – Guesthouse/shared room (B/LP/D)

After a 30-minute drive to the starting point, you will walk through an idyllic pine forest to the large emerald green Lake Liqenat (1,850 m). Its shores are home to rich alpine flora, and above it lies the highest point of the official “Peaks of the Balkans” route, the Jelenka Pass (2,272 m). Passing a second lake, you then tackle the long ascent to the pass.

The summit invites you to take a break, with breathtaking views of the mountains above Plav, Theth, and Valbona. Behind you, shepherds from Roshkodol gather berries, and you are surrounded by peaks over 2,500 m. The path to the Ravno Brdo Pass (2,178 m) is almost flat, offering wonderful therapeutic hiking and good views. The last pass proves to be a great vantage point for the rugged peaks ahead and the lush green valley of Babino Polje below. Here you will spend the night on the edge of the wilderness in simple but very inviting mountain huts, where friendly hosts will introduce you to the highlights of traditional Montenegrin home cooking.

Day 09: Drive to the Grebaja Valley, circular hike to the Talkjanka summit, Vusanje (approx. 6.5 hours – 12 km, 950 m ascent, 950 m descent) – guest house/shared room (B/LP/D)

The Grbaja Valley is one of the most impressive in the Balkans. In the morning, you will drive into the narrow valley nestled between the karst towers of Karanfili (2,461 m). This mountain is probably one of the most rugged and dramatic peaks in the Prokletije Mountains and a dream destination for many mountaineers. As you ascend through a shady, fairytale beech forest, you will come to an alpine meadow surrounded by several peaks. On the connecting ridge trail, you can enjoy a series of viewpoints that culminate in the two highest peaks, Popadija and Taljanka (2,056 m).

From the summit of the ridge, a steep descent leads back to the shady forest path, where the hike ends. A transfer takes you to the family-run guesthouse in Vusanje. Here, the nearby Grla waterfall invites you to take an evening stroll, while the view of the Cursed Mountains from the veranda is just as beautiful.

Day 10: Hike Vusanje – Peja Pass – Theth (approx. 8 hours – 16.5 km, 1050 m ascent, 1000 m descent) – Guesthouse/shared room (B/LP/D)

We drive up the Ropojana Valley, which was formed by a 26 km long glacier, and stop at a pupil-shaped karst spring, where an ice-cold river rises from the snowmelt high in the mountains. The trail continues past a dried-up lake, shepherds‘ huts, and an abandoned military post into the heart of the Albanian Alps. Here, the dog’s tooth of Mount Arapi (2,217 m) towers high above Thethi National Park, forming the highest wall in the Balkans.

Once we reach the Peja Pass (1,711 m), your guide will decide whether the summit can be attempted. Those who decide not to attempt the challenging summit, which is only suitable for experienced and sure-footed hikers, can rest at the pass or begin the descent on their own. A steep, well-trodden caravan trail leads to a local watering hole, followed by a short drive to a guesthouse in the center of the lively village.

Day 11: Hike Theth – Nderlyse, transfer to Shkodër (approx. 2 hours – 8 km, 150 m ascent, 400 m descent) – hotel/private (B/LP/D)

In Theth, you can visit the famous church and tower (Kulla), which offered protection to men threatened by blood feuds. It is the perfect place to immerse yourself in the history of the “Kanun” and learn more about the former legal system of the highlands. This is also where the hiking trail to Nderlysaj begins. Along water channels, you climb up to the famous Grunas waterfall and then hike down to the quieter hamlet of Nderlysa, where you can enjoy a hearty lunch.

You can continue the hike to the karst spring “Blue Eye” Theth or alternatively stay on site and spend a relaxing afternoon swimming among the glacier-formed rock formations. In the late afternoon, you will drive back to Shkodra (75 km/2 hrs) via the picturesque Thore Pass (1,630 m).

Day 12: Transfer to Tirana (airport) – Departure – (B/-/-)

After breakfast, you can stroll through the pedestrian zone and perhaps buy a few souvenirs. You can join the group transfer to Tirana (airport or city). Those who wish to extend their trip can explore the city, visit the nearby beaches in Velipoja and Ulcinj (Montenegro), experience the modern side of Albania in the capital Tirana, or enjoy a beach vacation on the Albanian Riviera.

Included in the price:

• All accommodation in double or shared rooms: 2x hotel, 8x guest house, 1x hut
• All transfers as specified in the itinerary in private vehicles
• Three meals per day, starting with dinner on the day of arrival and ending with breakfast on the day of departure.
• Border permits
• Luggage transport between hiking stages
• Group transfer from/to Tirana on arrival & departure
• English-speaking local hiking guide

Not included in the price:

Drinks, flights