Hiking the Balkans

Upon arrival in the capital Pristina we meet our local guide and are driven to the mountain town Peja. After we have checked in at the hotel we head out on an exciting Via Ferrata in Rugova Canyon. Here we have planned a slightly easier route and a slightly more challenging route that you can choose between. Both options will be with a certified Via Ferrata guide. If you want a slightly more relaxed start to the trip you can spend the day exploring the historical neighborhoods on your own. We meet again in the evening for a nice welcome dinner.

Today's hike starts with an early breakfast before the mountain trip begins. This is a relatively long trip that crosses the border between Kosovo and Montenegro. We walk through beautiful mountain areas with many water sources, glacial water, and mountain passes with fantastic views. After passing the lakes, we gradually ascend to Lugu i Shkodrёs; A very beautiful landscape. It is called the "Shkodra Pass" because it lies along an ancient trail that connected this area to the city of Shkodra in Albania. After refueling with some lunch, we continue towards the border to Montenegro and further down to a remote village in Montenegro, Babino Polje, where we will stay overnight.

After breakfast, we head out on a trip towards the beautiful lake Hrid Jezero for a cooling swim in the middle of the forest. Then we continue to a viewpoint with fantastic views of the surrounding landscape. Here we enjoy a picnic lunch in picturesque surroundings surrounded by many beech trees. Today's route takes us mostly through beautiful old-growth forests with panoramic views of Prokletije and the Albanian Alps in the distance. Upon arrival in Plav, there will be time for a walk through the town, a visit by the lake, or to relax at the guesthouse, before we gather for dinner.

In the morning we get delicious hot drinks and a hearty breakfast. Before we start today's trip, we get a short drive to the Grbaja Valley. The trip starts upwards through the forest, and eventually we come up to Vallushnica Peak, the first peak on today's trip. The view here is fantastic! We continue further on a trail, across a ridge, before we will climb Taljanka Peak (2056 m). We find a nice place for a picnic lunch and take time to enjoy the beauty of this special place. After lunch we walk down the valley where we are picked up and driven back to the village of Vusanje.

Today's hike starts with a short drive to the Zastan Valley. From Zastan we follow the steep trail gradually upwards in the forest, and it is around 3 km to the first lake. The fantastic glacial lakes of Jezerca are some of the finest the Albanian Alps have to offer. After spending some time by the lakes, we continue further up to a new pass along a fantastic trail with dramatic views of the alps. When we arrive at the Shelega Pass, approx. 2100 m, we walk downwards while enjoying the views towards the Valbona Valley in front of us.

The trip connecting the two remote summer villages Cerem and Doberdol is a highlight of the Peaks of the Balkans route. It is the highest accommodation on the trip, and arguably one of the most isolated. After breakfast, we leave Çerem and the Kollata massif behind us and hike slowly upwards in the forest for a couple of hours. Today's trip is a relatively long trip with many meters of elevation up and down. We walk a good deal in the forest, but still with great views towards the surrounding mountains. We briefly cross the border into Montenegro before we are back in Albania again and encounter the ruins of the old military border post. Furthermore, we take a picnic break in the village of Balqin, which is used by shepherds in the summer season. After a hearty lunch and coffee break, we continue walking along a mostly flat, scenic trail through sections of beech forest. Finally we arrive at remote and idyllic Doberdol where we check in at the guesthouse for the night.

The last day of the trip goes from Doberdol via Gjeravica Summit (2656 m) to Gropa Erenikut and then to Pristina. This is Kosovo's capital and Europe's youngest capital. Depending on the conditions and the guide's recommendation, we can also choose to hike up to the point where the three country borders meet. Gjeravica is the highest peak in Kosovo and is definitely worth hiking up. On today's trip we pass two beautiful glacial lakes, Heart Lake and Big Lake of Gjeravica. Once finished with the mountain trip, we are transported a total of 2,5 hours to Prishtina. Here we check in at a hotel and gather in the evening for a nice farewell dinner.

Depending on flight times, we might have time for a short walk into the city to explore the culture and history of Pristina, Europe's youngest capital. We are transported to the airport to travel back to Norway, waving goodbye to our new travel companions.