Peaks of the Balkans 2025

Arrive in Shkoder and check-in at the hotel. Meet the guide and group for a briefing from 19:00 to 20:00.

Nearby airports include Podgorica and Tirana (1.5 hrs), Tivat (2.5 hrs), Prishtina (3.5 hrs), and Skopje (4.5 hrs).

The transfer from the airport and back can be provided on demand.

Distance: 16.4 km (10.50 mi)

Uphill cumulative: 1175m (3855ft)

Downhill cumulative: 940m (3080ft)

Minimal elevation: 730m (2390ft)

Maximal elevation: 1854m (6082ft)

On this hike, you will have a real taste of the Accursed Mountains and the Peaks of the Balkans Trail. It’s a diverse hike bookended with mountain villages and filled with picturesque views. You will walk through meadows, woodland, rocky terrain, and crests and see the most southern glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. This trail has very few tourists, despite its highlights-filled experience.

Cultural Note: Valbona is a Muslim-majority valley with some Catholics who migrated from Theth. There is a legend that the village was founded by an orphan who moved there from Vuthaj/Vusanje, in present-day Montenegro.

Distance: 15.5 km (9.63 mi)

Uphill cumulative: 1215m (3986ft)

Downhill cumulative: 1005m (3300ft)

Minimal elevation: 1215m (3985ft)

Maximal elevation: 2039m (6689ft)

This trail will take you to the Montenegrin border and the country’s highest peak, Kollata e Keqe. For a strong group, the peak can be included in the itinerary. Adding the peak would make this the highest and longest hike of the trip. (to add the peak in the hike, we need advance notice.)

Balkan Natural Adventure has included this diversion from the classic Peaks of the Balkans trail in order to avoid walking on gravelly, dusty tractor roads. From the highest point of the hike, you will see mountain ranges extending to all three countries.

Cultural note: Cerem is a small village, largely abandoned, and at the moment is populated only during the summertime by shepherds. During the winter, the village is empty due to the poor conditions, and the road that connects the village with Valbone is blocked by snow.

Distance: 16.8 km (10.43 mi)

Uphill cumulative: 1100m (3608ft)

Downhill cumulative: 520m (1706ft)

Minimal elevation: 1180m (3871ft)

Maximal elevation: 1920m (6299ft)

After two days of mixed hiking in diverse environments, this track will be dominated by greenery. The entire hike to Doberdol will expose you to the abundant flora of the region that fills the pastures. Villagers on the way will offer their natural products but also other drinks and refreshments. Two makeshift cafes under a canopy of trees give a unique charm to this trail. The scenery will also be filled with sheep, goats, cows, and horses that support the local economy. On this trail, you will pass by some of the oldest woodlands in the world.

Cultural note: Gashi Valley starts in this region. The woodlands have been under UNESCO protection since 2017 as part of the Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians. The woodlands are also part of the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany that now stretch over 12 countries.

Distance: 14.7 km (9.13 mi)

Uphill cumulative: 430m (1410ft)

Downhill cumulative: 685m (2247ft)

Minimal elevation: 1509m (4950ft)

Maximal elevation: 2160m (7086ft)

From Doberdol (Albania), you will start a shorter hike to the village of Babino Polje in Montenegro. On the way, you will climb the three border peaks, literarily stepping in three countries within 15 minutes. After this, you will walk along the borderline between Kosovo and Montenegro. The hike can be extended to go through a mountain peak called Maja e Qenit, which will take some 2 kilometers of walking with a view of the Kosovo Mountains. After this, you will end in Babino Polje.

Distance: 17.8 km (11.06 mi)

Uphill cumulative: 922m (3024 ft)

Downhill cumulative: 1323m (4340 ft)

Minimal elevation: 730m (2395 ft)

Maximal elevation: 1740m (5705 ft)

From Vusanje you will begin the hike back to the historic Albanian village of Theth. The path passes along the craggiest part of the Accursed Mountains, which was a forbidden zone during the Communist era. The hike will start in direction of Ropojane valley with the rocky gullies on both sides. The valley is quite long and it mainly follows the 4WD track for about 6.5km until it meets the Ropojane Lake which is rarely filled with water, depending on the amount of snow in the previous winter. Therefore, a car transfer can be arranged to cover this whole section.

In addition to the dramatic cliffs that form the backdrop for the day’s hike, you will also see a military bunker and the old border crossing signs as you hike into Albania. The hike goes through Ropojane Lake, which also marks the border between the two countries. This hike is the rockiest one of the whole trip. It provides numerous mountains, meadows, and valley views. You will end in Theth to close the loop. After a short rest, you will be transferred to your hotel in Shkodra for the night. (Sleepover included)