The hike is easier than previous days as the elevation gain (1100 m to 1820 m) is gradual, especially if the climb to Hajla Mountain is skipped. With less days at hand one cannot experience the Peaks of the Balkans without rushing or leaving out one country.
Only in Montenegro and on a limited base mountain rescue service exist.
The best available commercial product for Montenegro and Kosovo is Garmins AdriaTOPO XL.
Weather is best in July September. You will walk mostly on footpaths and mule paths.
The high route is quite demanding but also rewarding, revealing views on the steep rocky mountains of Kollata, which are popular among climbers. These cookies do not store any personal information. This is an experience that can be combined with another seaside tour or similar activities. Meals as specified in the itinerary: dinner on Day 1; three meals on Days 2-8; breakfast and picnic lunch on Day 9; breakfast on Day 10.
Most of the time, the view of todays is very scenic with an amazing view of the Albanian Alps.
From Slovenia the mountain range runs first parallel to the Adriatic coast south, upon reaching Albania turns inland and abruptly ends in the flatlands of Kosovo. Natural and cultural heritage sights, people and tradition, landscapes with wild nature can all be found along the routes that run across these mountains. The quality of marking varies strongly and is completely missing in one part. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The German publisher Huber sells a dedicated Peaks of the Balkans map in 1:60.000 scale, it is suitable for planning a trip but not for navigation in the mountains.
The self-guided tours can be organized independently, however during the process there will be some issues hard to be tackled by someone without experience.
The Halo Trust based in Gjakova can supply more information and answer detailed questions http://www.halotrust.org/where-we-work/kosovo.
They end at the high alpine glacial scenery of the Eastern Alps, an area dotted with many a lake that consists of eroded primary rock that saw the dinosaurs come and go.
After the lunch break, the last station for the day will be the village of Babino Polje where we also spend the night. Currently red tape constitutes the largest hurdle for individuals to overcome.
Tirana is never, frankly, going to be a tourist hotspot, but for those with time to spare and looking to use it interestingly in Tirana I would warmly recommend Andi.
Baggage transfer if requested is often completed with horses or mules, those carry soft piece of luggage (no suitcases, only duffle and backpacks) from village to village. Pay attention as theres no indicator whether you are on the PoB or another route, the same standard is used on all paths.
If you have ever wonder to sail through the steep canyons, when waters runs throw, hiking back in the time in the heart of Alps and Accursed Mountains this tour brings it nearer to you. We leave the rocky massif of Kollata and make our way in the forest for a few hours.
It is required to name the location, date and TIME of crossing.
You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Dedicated restaurants exist only in few places but also if you are not a guest of the house you can enjoy a good meal at one of the lodges. The Bavarian Broadcast called them calf-sized giants, make sure that the owner is nearby to assure certain passage them when you approach a flock. You permit can then be picked up at the police station outside Plav after paying a fee.
After a demanding ascent, you will reach the village of Valbona.
It is worth comparing different guides and agencies, to narrow down the choice see which list the Peaks of the Balkans on their websites. At the moment there is no other way to address complaints, concerns or improvement suggestions other thanthe official Peaks of the Balkans website. A good orientation provide the summer holidays from 15.
We offer three packaged self-guided tours from 5 to 10 days. Discover this unexplore[], This tour provides a chance to climb the highest peak of 4 Balkan countries, Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania, and North Macedonia in less than a week. Most locals move to the meadows only from July to end of August when the weather is most stable and the low altitude meadows cant support their livestock.
Beware of bottlenecks along the route, where only one lodge is available this one can be quickly fully occupied by a larger group. Driving from Fierza to Valbona will needs around 45 minutes, passing through Bajram Curri, the municipally of the area.
Even if people refuse to accept continue to insist to pay something. The trip offers spectacular views into the wields parts of Balkans Peaks and Accursed Mountains of Albanian and Kosovo.
Why not also attempt one of the many peaks along the route or include a side trip into the amazing Grbaja and interesting Kelmend Region? Stay and share the meals with local people in the guesthouse and shepherds huts. Discover Albania offers guided tours in English and other languages on the Peaks of the Balkans route as well as other regions of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and in parts of Macedonia.
With my wife being vegetarian Andi also had to adjust his normal tour. The best time to hike the Peaks of the Balkans route is from mid-June to mid-September. You should prepare accordingly and consider to take a (hut) sleeping bag or adapt the route to fit personal comfort expectations. As remote those valleys may appear, they always been at the crossroads of nations, on caravan routes which are still in use travellers reached them and occupants such as Romans and Ottomans left their traces. He did this superbly by combining his food / walking tour with a nice cookery class, which worked really well and enabled us to sample his family made wine at 10.00am in the morning! Do not hesitage to give us a call.
Take in regard the local conditions, somebody with asphalt access and car should receive a different reward then in a remote pasture in the mountains. The path passes along the craggiest part of the Accursed Mountains or Prokletije (Albanian Alps), which was a forbidden zone during the Communist era, so nature is entirely preserved. At the starting points you can find high-class hotels and B&Bs, within the mountains mostly simple lodges that offer dorm rooms and full board.
You will be hiking again between two shepherds villages in two different countries, sharing the same traditions and language.
Be prepared to encounter plenty of snow and to find accommodation closed if you disembark earlier. You can read his Mail on Sunday article here.
Located in the Kosovo territory, it is known for its amazing nature and natural spring lakes. Mostly the dog will approach quickly and furiously bark but then keep distance, stay calm and if necessary use your sticks and stones to chase them off, even the gesture of throwing things can help.
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Today you will do one of Albanias most iconic hikes from Theth (728 m) over the Valbona Pass (1759 m) to the town of Valbona (995 m) in the heart of the eponymous national park. Below our feet will be Theth, a village with a lot of history and culture. Most of the time you will be on your own or rely on the local population. Bread and locale produce like milk, yoghurt, cheese, honey and raki can be purchased from the shepherds or villages. This Peaks of the Balkans trail offers to its participants the chance to get lost in the wildest paradise of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Height lines are difficult to read and accommodation noted where it doesnt exist, one trusts in the entrepreneurship of the local community.
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Accommodation in a traditional guesthouse in Vusanje and dinner. After paying this tax at a local bank or post office within Montenegro you can, equipped with the payment slip, collect your permit at the border police station outside of Plav.
Average walking time per day is at 6-7h relatively high, those preferring shorter walks should adapt the route accordingly.
From central Europe travel either overland along the former autoput (Yugoslav Autobahn) via Salzburg, Villach, Ljubljana, Zagreb, Belgrade and Novi Pazar to reach Kosovo and the interior of Montenegro or choose the more scenic but probably slower route from Slovenia along the coast through Bosnia.
Fantastic food, stunning scenery, great walks - this had it all. Due to local customs hosts usually wont accept direct payments, it is common practice to either give the money straight to the children, indicate that it is meant for them or leave it unseen when you are leaving. We are briefly crossing the border to Montenegro, to return again in the Albanian side, walking on the side of a former military base. A free and good base map exist for Albania and can be downloaded from bunkertrails.org, open source maps currently lack too many details. Dubrovnik, the Pearl of the Adriatic, the Fjord-like Bay of Kotor, Ohrid in Macedonia or the uncrowded pristine beaches of the Albanian Riviera can be included in a journey. Good value and excellent service. Great service and day.
People in the mountains, especially in Albania, live from pastoral farming and in transhumance. Then the slopes are covered in blueberries and woods full of forest fruit.
Read more. The fourth-day trail takes around 7-8 hours of walk-in a 13 kilometers long path. For your own safety you should make sure that your guide takes care of the necessary cross border permits. Companies have deals with guest houses from whom they take better prices than you can find online. Peaks of the Balkans is a demanding trail where you are expected to walk 7 to 8 hours a day on average. When you book with an account, you will be able to track your payment status, track the confirmation and you can also rate the tour after you finished the tour.
We think that it is important that guests make a small contribution but it is also important not to exaggerate. 