A Quick & Dirty Guide to the Peaks of the Balkans Trail

For hikers of a superstitious bent, the prospect of trekking by way of the Balkan’s Accursed mountains could evoke greater than just a little trepidation. And up till pretty not too long ago, this nervousness would have been wholly justified as a result of the truth that the area was probably the most harmful areas on the earth. Nonetheless, because the flip of the millennium, the Balkans have undergone an unimaginable transformation. What was as soon as a no-go zone has now begun to open its doorways to vacationers, together with backpackers desperate to expertise its long-hidden pure wonders on foot.  

The Peaks of the Balkans Path is a 192 km (119 mi) loop hike that passes by way of the spectacular borderlands of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Linking collectively characterful mountain villages by the use of shepherd’s paths and unpaved forestry roads, the whole circuit (there are a number of iterations) consists of 10 levels and could be tackled independently or as a part of an organized group. I hiked the Peaks of the Balkans Path with Kate “Swept Away” Pickett within the fall of 2023, as a part of an prolonged journey within the Balkans area and Greece.

(Word: The Peaks of the Balkans Path is without doubt one of the featured hikes in my sixth and newest guide with Gestalten publications, Wanderlust Mediterranean (which was launched internationally final week). The guide options 26 unimaginable hikes from across the Mediterranean area, together with day journeys, multi-day classics, and multi-month thru-hikes). 

At a Look:

Distance:  192 km (119 mi) 

Common Length:  10 days (Word: Stronger hikers carrying a lightweight pack can do it in six or seven days. For these fascinated by a extra mellow schedule, together with a zero-day and a few aspect journeys, it may take as much as 12 or 13 days). 

Issue Degree: Reasonable

Start/End: The Peaks of the Balkans is a loop hike that may be began and completed in numerous places. The most well-liked (and best to entry) are Theth (Albania), Pejë (Kosovo), and Plav (Montenegro).

Whole Elevation Acquire & Loss: 12,020 m (39,436 ft)

Origins: The Peaks of the Balkans Path was established in 2012 by way of a joint effort of the German improvement company GIZ and native and nationwide motion teams. The undertaking’s persevering with objectives are to foster a way of cross-border unity, help in defending the area’s natural world, and assist native inhabitants create a sustainable type of eco-friendly revenue. 

Overview map of the Peaks of the Balkans Path (Photograph from the Peaks of the Balkans Web site – See Planning beneath).

Highlights:

Dawn from Tromedja (“Three Border”) Peak.
The magical karst panorama round Prosllopit Go.
Magnificent views from Pejë Go and the next descent into Theth. The identical goes for Valbone Go and its namesake valley. 
Historical beech forests
Sampling native delicacies within the villages alongside the route.
The unimaginable hospitality of the Balkans individuals.
It’s probably not a spotlight, however probably the most affecting features of the hike was the juxtaposition between dramatic pure magnificence and the remnants of the area’s current somber historical past (See Notes & Musings beneath).

Vast-ranging vistas from the summit of Tromedja (“Three Nations”) Peak (2,366 m/7,762 ft).

Wandering by way of stunning karst panorama on the best way to Prosllopit Go (Albania).

Starting the descent to the village of Vusanje (Montenegro).

Getting There & Away:

From a logistical perspective, Plav in Montenegro is probably the most easy beginning and ending level. From the nationwide capital of Podgorica, it’s slightly below 4 hours’ journey by bus, and there are 4 every day departures. Probably the most scenic selection is arguably the mountain village of Theth in Albania. It’s a 2.5-hour bus experience from Shkodër (Albania) and one other 90 minutes from Podgorica.

Plav (Montenegro) is the largest city on the Peaks of the Balkans Path.

The emblematic church of Theth (Kisha e Thethit in Albanian).

Season:

Late Might to early October. Wildflowers are at their peak in June, August is the warmest month, and fall colours start in early October, which additionally historically heralds the primary snowfalls.

Wild campsite on the climb to Prosllopit Go (Albania)(Shelter – Tarptent Stratospire 2).

Planning Assets: 

Guidebooks: Trekking the Peaks of the Balkans Path (Cicerone Press) by Rudolf Abraham has an in depth abstract of the hike, together with trekking notes, fundamental maps, aspect journey strategies, distance and time estimates, and logistical info. The guide is accessible in Kindle or paperback. For German audio system, I’ve heard good issues concerning the Peaks of the Balkans Information by Max Bosse and Kathrin Bosse-Steinweg.

On-line: The Peaks of the Balkan Path’s official web site is a stable place to begin in your analysis. The location features a stage-by-stage breakdown and a few helpful planning info. On the time of writing, presumably one of the best on-line useful resource is shoesyourpath.com. Run by a French couple named Quentin and Charlie, this glorious website comprises a great deal of logistical information (e.g., permits, journey, funds, lodging, and so forth.), an in depth day-to-day diary, aspect journey strategies (particularly the magnificent Grebaje Valley), and a few wonderful images from their journey.

Descending from Valbone Go into its namesake valley (Albania).

Cell/Cell Cellphone Protection: On the time of writing, you’ll probably have protection in Plav, Theth, and (presumably) a few of the excessive factors. Many of the guesthouses alongside the route have Wifi.

Permits: The Peaks of the Balkans path crosses backward and forwards between Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Earlier than setting out, aspiring thru-hikers might want to receive a cross-border allow. Whether or not strolling independently or with an organized group, probably the most hassle-free method of doing that is on-line by way of a good native tour operator. We used the Albanian-based Zbulo.org, which offered fast and reasonably priced service (Word: It’s really helpful to ship your software no less than two weeks upfront of departure).

Resupply & Water:

Meals: Most meals alongside the Peaks of the Balkans Path could be procured on the route’s homestays/lodges. Tariffs usually embody hearty meals that include homegrown produce reminiscent of cured meats, bread, cheese, yogurt, and greens. Dinner is typically washed down by beneficiant servings of the native firewater rakija, a power-packed fruit brandy discovered all through the area. Relating to grocery shops, your finest choices are in Plav and Theth; the previous has a far wider vary of decisions at extra reasonably priced costs.

Water: Potable water can at all times be obtained on the villages alongside the route. In between settlements, hikers ought to filter or deal with water as a result of prevalence of grazing animals alongside a lot of the path.

A hearty second breakfast of home made bread, peppers with a decadent quantity of churned cream, espresso, and a large mound of scrumptious fries (Grla Restaurant in Vusanje, Montenegro)(Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett).

Kujtim Gocaj Guesthouse within the village of Çerem presents hearty meals, together with lodging.

Route/Circumstances: 

The Path: From a distance perspective, the Peaks of the Balkans Path is break up pretty evenly between Montenegro, Albania, and Kosovo. The path traverses some distant areas, linking collectively small villages by way of mountain paths and little-used forestry roads. The best way is marked by totally different variations of purple and white markers, together with the occasional “Peaks of the Balkans” signal.

Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett.

Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett.

The Terrain: The Prokletije (“Accursed”) Mountains constitutes the southernmost part of the Dinaric Alps, a mountain vary that stretches roughly 700 km (435 mi) from Italy within the northwest to Albania within the southeast. Notable for its hanging karst topography, whereas passing by way of the Accursed Mountains, hikers will traverse glacially-sculpted valleys interspersed with a collection of excessive passes, rugged limestone peaks, crystal-clear tarns and lakes, sinkholes, and yawning caves. 

A Historical past of Hospitality: The Peaks of the Balkans Path presents hikers an insider’s perspective on the area’s conventional pastoral life. Because of the appearance and development of the path, some locals have transformed rooms of their houses to accommodate hikers, with a purpose to complement their seasonal farming and shepherding incomes. The lodgings are often easy however clear, and what they might lack in trendy facilities, they make up for within the heat welcome of their hosts. Treating vacationers as honored company relatively than transitory strangers is nothing new to the individuals of the Accursed Mountains. Hospitality has at all times been an integral a part of native tradition, and such is its significance that it was truly codified into conventional Albanian legislation (Kanun).

Approaching the seasonal village of Dobërdol (Albania).

Alternate Routes:

1. Valbona to Ceremi by way of Prosllopit Go – Although longer and more difficult than the “official” lowland route by way of the Ceremi River, the path over Prosllopit Go is without doubt one of the scenic highlights of the Peaks of the Balkans and not-to-be-missed.

2.  Kosovo Reduce-Off Choices: The whole Peaks of the Balkans Path takes round 10 days to finish. The most well-liked alternate routes – which shave off round two or three days or 20-30 p.c of the path – bypass a lot of the Kosovo part (a few of which is routed alongside paved roads). That is often completed by leaving the official route throughout the Stage 4 part between Dobërdol (Albania) and Milishevc (Kosovo). The principal departure factors are as follows:

A. The saddle just under the summit of Tromedja (Three Nations) Peak. From there it’s 5 km (3.1 mi) WNW to rejoin the primary path at a junction simply above Lake Hrid (Montenegro);

B. Round 6 km (3.7 mi) north of the Tri-Peaks saddle near Roshkodol Go (Kosovo). From this level, it’s only one.3 mi (2.1 km) to rejoin the primary path, positioned simply west of the small village of Babino Polje (Montenegro).

C. The village of Milishevc (Kosovo), from which hikers can stroll simply over 5 km (3.1 mi) due west to reconnect with the primary path at a signed junction on the Kosovo/Montenegro border ridge. 

Peak hour site visitors leaving Valbona (simply earlier than the turn-off to Prosllopit Go).

Arriving at Prosllopit Go.

Sleeping:

Tenting is feasible, however most hikers use homestay lodging in villages alongside the route. 

The primary overnighting factors alongside the route are as follows (in a counter-clockwise course starting in Theth): Theth (Albania), Valbona (Albania), Cermi (Albania), Dobërdol (Albania), Milishevc (Kosovo), Reka e Allagёs (Kosovo), Drelaj/Restaurant Te Liqeni (Kosovo), Babino polje (Montenegro), Plav (Montenegro), and Vusanje (Montenegro).

Our Expertise?: We wild camped except for a few nights in Theth and Dobërdol.

Bashkimi Guesthouse in Dobërdol (Albania).

Notes & Musings:

Somber Remnants of Current Historical past

Through the Peaks of the Balkans Path hikers will encounter common reminders of the area’s war-torn previous within the type of deserted guard towers, cemeteries, and concrete-domed pillboxes positioned on high of lonely mountain passes. A couple of hundred thousand of those small bunkers could be discovered all through the picturesque Albanian countryside, all of which have been constructed on the behest of the Communist dictator Enver Hoxha between the Sixties and Eighties. The juxtaposition between pure magnificence and somber historical past is hanging.

Concrete-domed pillbox on the Peaks of the Balkans Path.

The Lock-in Tower of Theth

Aside from its well-known previous church, probably the most notable human-made website in Theth is the 400-year-old ‘lock-in’ tower (“Kulla” in Albanian). This double-storey stone constructing was as soon as a protected haven for locals engaged in blood feuds with neighboring clans. It was in these spartan confines that an individual who was marked for retribution would spend weeks (and even months) in hiding. Lengthy a part of conventional Albanian tradition, blood feuds (“gjakmarrja” in Albanian) have been a social or familial obligation through which an individual was entitled to “an eye fixed for an eye fixed” within the identify of honor. The fortified tower is now a museum. Opening hours are sporadic; if it’s closed whenever you arrive, people in neighboring houses will open it upon request.

The Kulla of Theth.

Inside of the Kulla in Theth (Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett).

Dawn from Tri-Nations Peak

The next story is from the “Creator’s Anecdote” part of the Peaks of the Balkans Path in Wanderlust Mediterranean: 

“The views it’s a must to work for sometimes resonate probably the most. Placing forth further effort makes the reward simply that little bit sweeter. That was exactly the case when Kate and I ascended Tromedja Peak (2,366 m/7,762 ft), the famed mountain that straddles the border of Montenegro, Kosovo, and Albania. 

The earlier night, we arrived late into the distant settlement of Dobërdol (Albania). We have been hungry and just a little weary on the finish of a protracted, chilly, and moist day on path. Upon reaching the charming alpine hamlet, we made a beeline for the Bashkimi Guesthouse. There, we managed to obtain the final obtainable room and, inside 20 minutes, sat right down to what was a much-anticipated meal. Some mates who had beforehand hiked the path had spoken glowingly concerning the high quality of meals on provide at Bashkimi. The fare included bottomless bowls of soup, recent backyard salad, tasty potatoes, and a scrumptious savory pie by the identify of Byrek, an Albanian staple that consisted of spinach and feta between skinny layers of phyllo. After a stable two hours of feasting, we waddled again to our room and referred to as it an evening. 

The next morning, we rose earlier than 5 am. After brewing espresso and gorging down some snacks, we donned our layers and headlamps and set off. The temps have been south of freezing (we have been mountaineering in early October), and apparently, we have been the one ones up and about. Quickly after leaving the guesthouse, we handed a lone tent on the village outskirts. The inhabitants have been simply waking, and within the lifeless calm earlier than daybreak, we may clearly hear the yawns, rustling of plastic baggage, and one of many campers colorfully exclaiming, “It’s #*!#@* freezing on the market! I’m going again to sleep.”

Persevering with on, the going was extraordinarily steep, and the “path” was something however clear within the pitch darkness. Nonetheless, Kate and I huffed and puffed our method up the slope and located ourselves on the height’s shoulder some 40 minutes after leaving the guesthouse. After one other 20 minutes of scrambling, we have been on the summit, simply in time to gaze east to see the solar’s emergence over the peaks of the Balkans. The 360-degree panorama was a jaw-dropper in each course. Soaking within the soothing heat of the morning rays, we sat down and loved a second breakfast of cereal and powdered milk. Out within the wilderness, even the best of meals style nice. We had this magnificent mountain high all to ourselves, and we couldn’t assist however assume how lucky we have been to be welcoming in a brand new day from such a gorgeous place.”

Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett.

Disclosure: This submit comprises some affiliate hyperlinks, which implies ‘The Climbing Life’ receives a small fee if you are going to buy an merchandise after clicking on one of many hyperlinks. This comes at no further value to the reader and helps to help the web site in its persevering with aim of making high quality content material for backpackers and hikers.