The phrase “Peaks of the Balkans” is the “brand name” of a long-distance hiking trail developed from 2006 onwards. Extending for 192 kilometres, this Peaks of the Balkans trail connects Kosovo, Albania and Montenegro. It crosses the highest and wildest mountain ranges at the southern end of the Dinaric Alps.
The local descriptions for this region are “Prokletije” in Montenegro as well as Albania and “Koprivnik” in Kosovo. The parts of these mountains located in Albania are also known as the “Albanian Alps” or “Accursed Mountains”. The highest elevation in the area is Maja Jezercë at 2,694 m, which is located entirely in Albania.
A brief look at history
The southern Dinaric Alps are a part of the areas that were fought over during the Kosovo War. The hostilities ended in July 1999. The final battles of the war in Yugoslavia took place in 2001 in Macedonia where Albanian separatists had risen up. Five years later, the Peaks of the Balkans trail was developed and marketed as part of a project managed by the German Association for International Co-operation (GIZ). Before that, other types of effort had been made to bring the inhabitants of the neighbouring countries closer together. The “Balkans Peace Park Project” tried, for example, to re-open closed, old shepherds’ tracks and trade routes that crossed the borders. Since 2006, GIZ has been trying to develop mountain tourism in the Albanian valley village Theth, mainly by improving signposting and publishing maps and walking guide books. In 2013, the project was awarded the accolade “Tourism of Tomorrow”.
“Peaks of the Balkans”, as an anglophone name, has been chosen deliberately to emphasise the international character of the project and to raise awareness with Alpine Trekkers from all over the world of this little-known region. Tourism is designed to create an income for the local people, put a stop to mountainous regions being neglected and bring the countries closer based on common interests. Local tourist organisations and hiking clubs are working together with GIZ, which is driving the project with its patronage.
The region was inaccessible to foreigners until 20 years ago because of the political situation and a lack of infrastructure. A journey to this area is therefore still filled with adventure and original cultural experiences.
Mountains and landscape: Is travelling there worth it?
The fully signposted circular trail leads up to a height of 2,300 metres via old shepherds’ tracks and connecting paths between high-Alpine mountains. It crosses a great variety of breathtaking landscapes that keep offering views of high, rugged summits. Impressions encompass deep, green valleys and dense forests as well as extensive mountain pastures, clear mountain lakes, water falls and rivers as well as picturesque villages. This mountainous region is also home to very rich flora and fauna as well as an ancient mountain farming culture. In parts, this richness is protected by national parks like Prokletije National Park and Valbona National Park.
It’s also worth mentioning that “Peaks of the Balkans” is located away from well-trodden tourist paths. The isolated villages therefore offer authentic culture and hospitality. Hikers can spend the night in traditional inns and try authentic local dishes. There’s also a good chance of getting to know the hosts’ customs and traditions.
All in all, the initial question can be answered with a resounding yes: Travelling there is worth it! Even if, as we’ll see towards the end of the blog, getting there is a bit complicated, and an adventure in the Balkans even includes bureaucratic hurdles (more about that below).
Facts and figures of the Peaks of the Balkans trail
The entire Peaks of the Balkans trail takes about 10 to 15 days, depending on your speed and route. The lowest altitude of 670 metres is crossed close to Cerem, Albania, the highest of 2,290 metres between the Albanian Alpine pasture Dobёrdol and the Kosovan Alpine pasture Milishevc. The overall cumulative elevation gain is about 9,800 metres uphill and around 9,900 metres downhill.
This long-distance trail can be started in any of the three countries: Theth (Albania), Plav (Montenegro) and the spectacular Rugova Gorge (Kosovo) are the starting points and destinations chosen by travel operators. Based on good infrastructure, the starting point and destination chosen most often is Theth, a village in Albania booming with tourism. From there, the circular route usually travelled clockwise leads across the border to Vusanje, an idyllic valley village in Montenegro. Hikers then continue to Plav, a small town beautifully situated by a lake, and back into the mountains to Babino Polje. From there, the journey goes along the border ridge into Kosovo. Eventually, the trail returns to Albania via several mountain ridges, first down into the stunning Valbona Valley, then back to Theth via the no less stunning Valbona Pass.
The stages from one accommodation to the next can be very long so taking a good supply of water and food is highly recommended. Grocery shops can only be found in larger places like Plav or Valbonё.
What infrastructure and services are there?
There are various accommodation options, including mountain huts, guest houses, Alpine huts and camping grounds. The inhabitants of this 3-country region are often very hospitable. The accommodation variety ranges from traditional stone houses, also known as “Kulas”, to small mountain huts where local, home-made dishes are served. An often praised, authentic example of the latter is Dobёrdol Alpine pasture.
Possible places with accommodation during a classic clockwise trek are the following:
1. Theth, Albania; 2. Vusanje, Montenegro; 3. Plav, Montenegro; 4. Babino Polje, Montenegro; 5. Liqinat i Kuçishtёs, Kosovo; 6. Reka e Allagёs, Kosovo; 7. Milishevc, Kosovo; 8. Dobёrdol, Albania; 9. Çerem, Albania and 10. Valbonё, Albania.
In the season between May and October, booking in advance is highly recommended because a vacancy is not guaranteed otherwise.
The markers are white-red-white in Albania, red-white-red in Kosovo and a red circle with a white centre in Montenegro. The entire trail is signposted in this way, supplemented with occasional plaques with the green-white “Peaks of the Balkan” logo.
The best time of the year is the summer between June and October. While residual snow may make the journey harder during June, in July and August, it can become very hot, in the valley villages on the south side in particular. That is where the southern sun known in Mediterranean latitudes can shine with burning intensity.
Where can I find all the information I need for planning?
Peaksofthebalkans.com is the trail’s own, clear and user-friendly website. This is where all the information required for planning and organising can be found (in English; can be translated into German with the relevant browser extension). This site includes, for example, the GPS data of many waypoints as well as good descriptions of the individual stages (hover over “Trail description” with the cursor to open up a drop-down menu with the individual stages that you can click on). The GPS data (UTM) specified for the different sections is divided into waypoint number, UTM co-ordinates and altitude (example – starting point at the bridge in Theth: Waypoint 1, UTM 34T399041 4694459, 716 m).
How difficult is the trail?
The difficulty technically only includes the levels “easy” and “moderate”. On sections rated as “easy”, there are slight ascents on comfortable paths and orientation is possible without a map. On “moderately difficult” sections, the marked path features significant inclines and a certain risk of falling in some areas. Basic orientation skills and surefootedness are key here.
The only difficult sections are on optional summit routes and side paths. The trail may not be signposted there and can sometimes be difficult or impossible to recognise. In addition to a good sense of orientation, the terrain may require the skill to assess difficulties and hazards. Heavily exposed sections can require a head for heights, experience and familiarity with Alpine equipment.
Simply based on its length of 190 kilometres, the Peaks of the Balkans trail requires good physical fitness and reliable mountaineering equipment (e.g. walking boots, waterproof and weatherproof clothing, a head torch, GPS, a first-aid kit and a mobile phone). Even though it’s fully signposted, it leads through uninhabited, isolated mountain regions at over 2,000 metres. Hikers must be prepared for changing weather conditions and take enough food and water.
Those who lack experience and/or don’t want to deal with the necessary planning in advance should hike the trail with experienced guides and/or an organised group. Guides familiar with the area who have been trained by the German Alpine Club are available to accompany individuals and groups. Their contact details can be found on the official website.
What variations are there?
Besides the Peaks of the Balkans trail, there are many other trails and paths in the southern Dinaric Alps which are marked in maps and sometimes signposted. That’s why you can explore any part of the long-distance trail separately as well, go on a little detour, climb a summit or take a short-cut. This type of option is great if you don’t have much time or if you want to discover individual spectacular parts of the mountains in more detail. Or if you want to stay in just one country to avoid formalities at the border. There is a whole host of attractive destinations like the popular Zla Kolata summit (2,535 m, Montenegro’s highest mountain), the stunning Buni Jezerce mountain lakes (Albania) or the strange bunkers with which the former dictator Enver Hoxha “decorated” the whole of Albania. We will look at these and other highlights from this border triangle in another blog more closely soon.
What kind of formalities do I have to comply with?
At their borders, the Balkan countries will check everyone coming in and leaving. That means Alpine Trekkers on this long-distance trail will have to put up with some bureaucracy. Crossing a green border in the mountains, for example, is only allowed with a permit granted in advance (border crossing permits). To receive such a permit, the process has to be started at least two weeks before the journey. When filling in the forms, the exact dates and locations of the border crossing must be known. Permits can be organised via websites in German or English, for example. Those who don’t fancy this type of effort can join a tour where the travel company or agency will take care of the formalities.
Those who are neither fans of paperwork nor of organised tours can travel to the individual countries separately and go on routes without border crossings. You’ll “only” need your passport for this and your driving licence as well as the car registration if you travel by car. For Albania, you will also need what is known as the green insurance card that proves the car has been insured. A little bit of patience is also handy because traffic at the border crossings can stack up. It would be a shame to miss out on the Balkan mountains altogether because the landscape and culture are quite an experience.
How do I get to the “Peaks of the Balkans” trail?
The quick and easy choice is arrival by plane at one of the three capital cities – Tirana (Albania), Podgorica (Montenegro) or Prishtinë (Kosovo). A passport valid for at least 6 months suffices for this. From these capital cities, the onward journey into the mountains will take several hours, often on narrow, bumpy mountain roads.
Those who make their own way by public transport should plan for an additional day to reach one of the valley villages Theth (Albania), Vusanje (Montenegro) or Reka e Allagës (Kosovo). In terms of time and logistical effort, arriving from Kosovo via the little town Pejë at the foot of the mountains and the Rugova Gorge (where the long-distance trail crosses the road about 15 km beyond Pejë) is the easiest option.
From Podgorica, a relatively good, direct road which is spectacular from a landscape perspective leads to Vusanje – but through Albania, meaning two borders crossings. A road solely in Montenegro will take you along a very narrow and bumpy mountain road. The road to Theth can be reached quickly from Podgorica and Tirana and is in a good condition. However, it features a lot of narrow passages that may force dangerous manoeuvres when there is a lot of traffic in the summer.
Literature and maps
At the moment, there is only one German-language walking guide book:
Rother Wanderführer Peaks of the Balkans: Albanien, Kosovo und Montenegro. Dreiländerrundweg und Tageswanderungen.
Kompass will soon publish another guide for this fascinating area.
“Peaks of the Balkans, Prokletje Wanderkarte 1:60.000”, Huber Verlag, created in co-operation with the German GIZ and local tourist information offices; available in specialised shops or online
“Peaks of the Balkans 1:60000: cross border hiking Albania – Kosovo – Montenegro”, published by the Peaks of the Balkans Project, available on Amazon
