Hiking on the Peaks of the Balkans

Welcome to the Balkans! We'll pick you up in Tirana or Podgorica (airport/city) for the two-hour transfer to Shkodra. Here you'll receive your materials (roadbook, map, phone, GPS), a tour briefing and answers to any remaining questions. Afterwards, the city invites you to stroll through the pedestrianised pedestrian street, lined with bourgeois townhouses reminiscent of the city's prestigious past. Immerse yourself in the city's Italian flair, join the bazaar buzz to buy dried fruits and other snacks, or delve into the past captured on film in the Marubi photo library. It's only a short taxi ride to visit Rozafa Castle and enjoy the fabulous views, a taster of the coming days' journey through the Albanian Alps. If you have more time, rent a bike (€5/day) and visit the lakeside villages of Shiroke and Zogaj, where you can eat fish and splash in the largest lake in the Balkans. For the more relaxed, enjoy an espresso with the locals or visit the craft shops before daylight fades. Choose one of the many restaurants for dinner and have a drink at a bar while you think about tomorrow's early start.

Hotel (example): Tradita

An early start is followed by a scenic drive through the Drin Gorges to Lake Komani (58 km/2 hours). The picturesque reservoir winds like a Norwegian fjord through steep rock walls and is the most attractive route into the Albanian Alps. You'll be surprised by the peculiar ferry that stops several times to pick up chatty locals from remote villages before arriving in Fierze (46km/3 hours). Continue by car into the highlands of Valbona National Park and stop for a light lunch in the small town of Bajram Curri. In the early afternoon you'll reach the Valbona Valley and its stone tower houses. The warm-up hike follows a crystal-clear stream through ancient beech forests teeming with the sweetest wild strawberries. Along the way, the brave stop to take a swim break by the icy river or a secluded pond. The rugged peaks towering high above you whet your appetite for tomorrow's trek into the highlands. Tonight, enjoy a delicious, hearty dinner and a well-deserved rest after this impressive introduction to the Cursed Mountains.

Hotel (example): Vila Dini

A 50-minute drive will take you to the remote village of Cerem. Here you'll start hiking over flower carpets towards the first border crossing. Enjoy the fruits of the forest, admire the colourful flora and breathtaking views of Mount Kolata (2,534 m). When you reach the edge of the deeply carved Gashi River gorge, follow the high altitude route through the nature reserve's coniferous forest and notice how much the relief changes as you move from the Western to the Eastern Alps. Here the hillsides are dotted with small alpine pastures and Balqin is just one of many where you can stop for coffee and raki. Your destination is the glacial valley of Doberdol (1,750 metres), where animals graze freely and time seems to be frozen. The locals still live in harmony with nature as mankind did many years ago. In this archaic place, the inner compass rests and the soul can get back on track. In the simple shepherd's huts, you give up some comfort in exchange for warm hospitality. After a home-cooked dinner, join the campfire to watch the stars and learn more about the seasonal lifestyle of the shepherds.

Hotel (example): Leonard Uka

Bidding farewell to your hosts, a steep ascent takes you out of the valley and up towards Mount Trekufiri (2,366 metres). Its peak forms the border triangle where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet at one point and offers sweeping views of the borderlands. The blueberry-lined trail continues into Montenegro, around Bogicevica Mountain (2,374 metres) and the hidden Hrid Lake. The tranquil pond reflects the mountains and is a habitat for salamanders, newts and fireflies. It is also surrounded by legends, according to which it is a fountain of youth and a meeting place for fairies on a full moon. At 1,900 metres above sea level, it's definitely a refreshing dip! The trail continues through dense, moss-covered pine forest towards a village of seasonal huts called ‘Katun’. Further down the dirt road, the sprawling settlement of Babino Polje appears. Here you'll stay on the edge of the wilderness in simple but very welcoming mountain huts, where your friendly hosts will introduce you to the highlights of traditional Montenegrin home cooking.

Hotel (example): Samel's Cottage

The Grbaja Valley is one of the most awe-inspiring in the Balkans. In the morning you'll be shuttled into the narrow valley between the karst towers of Karanfili (2,461 metres). Undoubtedly one of the most rugged and dramatic peaks in Prokletije, it's a mountaineer's dream. You ascend through a shady, fairytale beech forest and reach an alpine meadow surrounded by several peaks. The connected ridge allows you to enjoy a series of panoramic viewpoints, culminating in the two highest peaks Popadija and Taljanka (2,056 metres). From here, the enemy walls seem almost within reach and you can see across the border to the Kelmend region of Albania. From the top of the spine, a steep descent leads you back to the shady forest path where the balloon hike ends. Once back in the valley, you can choose one of the many biergartens where you can enjoy a cold drink. You'll be driven to the family-run guesthouse in Vusanje. Here, the nearby Grla waterfall invites you for an evening stroll, but the view from the veranda over the Cursed Mountains is just as beautiful.

Hotel (example): Vucetaj

Leaving Vusanje, you'll start hiking up the 26 kilometre long glacier-shaped Ropojana valley. At a pupil-shaped karst spring called Oko Skakavice, an icy river is fed by melting snow high in the mountains. Walking past Lake Gjeshtare, a weathered border stone is the only reminder of the once tightly sealed borders of former communist Albania. Once through the forest, the views become clear and a mountain-framed corridor opens up to a large alpine meadow dotted with shepherds' huts and an abandoned military post. You've almost reached the highest point of the route, below is a small lake and on the other side, the Peja Pass (1,711 metres), named after a town in Kosovo, marks the historical background of today's hiking route. A steep caravan path leads in serpentines into Theth, the valley in the heart of the Albanian Alps. When you reach the bottom of the valley, there is a local waterhole where you can ask the owner for a lift to his guesthouse. Alternatively, you can continue along the largely traffic-free road into the centre of the village.

Hotel (example): Pashko

Only a walk through the village and its lush green fields reveals the full extent of Theth. Visit the iconic church and delve into the history of ‘Kanun’ at the lock tower. ‘Kulla’ offered protection to those affected by the blood feud and is the place to learn about the former highland law book; it also marks the beginning of the trail to Nderlysaj. The trail follows water channels up to the Grunas waterfall, drops again to a cliff above the river and the 50 metre deep Grunas gorge. A well-used bridle path leads you along the river downstream to Nderlysaj. Arriving in the warm midday sun, the pond below and the glacial mills above invite you for a swim. The scenic drive over the Thorja Pass (1,630 metres) into the Boge Valley and along Lake Shkodra (2 hours) starts around 13:00-16:00. Change cars and collect your luggage for another 2.5-hour transfer to Tirana. The capital city represents the modern, very different side of Albania. End the day with dinner and a drink out in the chic ‘Blloku’ district as you reminisce about the past week of travelling and celebrate a memorable journey in the mountains.

Hotel (example): Vila 60

If time permits, Tirana invites you to explore the streets and sights on a stroll. Sip an espresso at one of the charming bars, watch the bustling morning stream and pick up special treats like edible souvenirs in the lively New Bazaar. Interested in learning more about the communist past? ‘Bunkart 2’ and “The House of Leaves” provide insights and are just a 5-minute walk from Tirana's main “Skanderbeg Square”. Your multi-faceted journey in Albania ends with a 40-minute transfer to the airport.