With the Dolomites, Pyrenees and Swiss Alps being the most popular option for a lot of trekkers, I wanted to do the complete opposite — somewhere remote, quiet and one that meanders through charming villages and tranquil meadows.

The Peaks of the Balkans Trails in Europe stood out in every aspect — the 192km trail offers a glimpse of traditional Balkan culture and warm hospitality.

Stretching across Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo, the trek weaves through some of the most remote and unspoiled corners of the Balkans.

I was on a two months trip to the Balkans in May and June and to avoid the crazy summer tourist and beach crowd goers, it made sense to be in the mountains.

I couldn’t resist the allure of being up there even though it requires steep elevations of atleast 1,100 metres in elevation gain on a daily basis with 8 to 9 hours of walking.

This epic adventure involved immersing myself in diverse landscapes and the highlights were the peaks from Northern Albania all the way to peaks in the Kosovo and Montenegro region.

Trekking the Montenegrin side of the Accursed Mountains (Prokletije) in the Dinaric Alps was quite something — these jagged peaks are a bit foreboding and intimidating but surprisingly not very well known in the mountain world.

In fact, I am a bit hesitant to even write about this knowing that it’ll be popular before we all know it!

I loathe what mass tourism does to these places and turns each experience into a commercialized peak-conquering episode. Over here, it is the families and diverse history of the region that comes alive.

Some of the best memories during the treks were staying with families. The Peaks of Balkans trail was established in 2012 by a German development organisation as part of the peace project to bind war-torn countries in the most sustainable way.

Also Read: 10 Best Doable Mountains To Climb In The World

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So, what is the Peaks of Balkans in a nutshell?

some of the wild horses you’ll see on the peaks of balkans trail

The Peaks of Balkans is the first lengthy hiking trail to traverse the Western Balkans, an area where ancient tracks connect remote regions.

This remarkable expedition takes hikers through a series of villages, each separated by rigid borders and fortified by bunkers constructed over a span of two generations during the rule of communist regimes in Yugoslavia and Albania.

The region is still recovering from the scars of its wars — you’ll see bunkers, meet guesthouse owners who find it triggering when reminded of the war but are delighted to share their culture with you.

Self-guided or Guided?

we did the peaks of balkans completely self-guided

We went with the Balkan Natural Adventure Group for a self-guided tour who organised the logistics for us which includes the border permit crossings, GPX files transfers, emergency and accommodation and food in the mountains.

For approximately 500-600 euros per person, it includes all of this. Not knowing the terrain and dealing with multiple countries, we found this the best arrangement. If you want to go with a guide, it may cost up to 1,000 euros per person.

However, we met many people doing some parts of the trek on their own and applying border permits through Zbulo. Bear in mind that during summer season (July to August), it gets quite busy and you may need to apply in advance and book your accommodations as well. The best is to apply 14 days prior to your first crossing.

A lot of people end up traversing Albania and Montenegro but miss out on Kosovo and its history mainly due to some parts which have an asphalt road, but with a transfer (this can be easily arranged at your guesthouse) you can avoid and still make your way to this region!

I would also highly recommend getting the Peaks of the Balkans trail guidebook just for some inside information about the history, flora and fauna and a short summary of the terrain and any particular difficulties is given at the beginning of each stage.

Also Read: Zabljak & Durmitor National Park 3 Days Itinerary Montenegro + Why You Shouldn't Miss It

When is the best time to go?

Getting good weather is such a tricky thing with climate change. We had really rough weather in 2023 and we started in the middle of June where there was a lot of snow in some of the passes like Perslopit Pass and Gjeravica Peak making it quite a dangerous ascent.

In fact, in May 2023 two hikers died on the Valbona pass because of the snowy conditions. I would not recommend hiking this trail in May and the best time would probably be the middle of June onwards.

The best way is to check the weather. In 2022, it was unusually sunny and hot with very little rain but in 2023, it is the complete opposite, more rain and snow than usual.

Also Read: 19 Best Hikes in Europe: Wild, Offbeat and Trail-worthy

Peaks of Balkans Trails: The Route

Day 1: Hike Theth – Nderlyse - Theth

Distance: 19.8km (12.30 mi)
Maximal elevation: 500 m (1640 ft)
Where to stay: Polia Guesthouse / Guest House Rrashkadoli

Hiking in theth, the starting point for the peaks of balkans trek

The hiking trail officially starts from Theth but as part of the warm-up and exploratory day, we went to Grunas waterfall and the Blue eye of Theth in Nderlyse village.

I would highly recommend spending a few days in Theth if you have time.

The route from Shkoder to Theth took two hours and it is now a completely paved route. I suffered a little car sickness here and there due to the winding roads but it was my third time on this route.

I actually spent a few days in Theth at Rrashkadoli guesthouse which is quite near the Theth-Valbone trail.

The best views from Theth are in my opinion from that guesthouse as it is away from the main town.

But if you want to congregate in a more convenient location where all hikers are then Polia Guesthouse is the right place.

I got my trekking poles for 20 euros from them and it was much needed on this trail where snow is expected.

Apart from the mountains and interesting Roman Catholic church and a modest ethnographic museum, Theth is a nice place to explore, soak in nature and get a great view of the Accursed Mountains.

We started as early as we could to get to Grunas waterfall which was stunningly beautiful — the waterfall comes from the western part of Boshi Peak in the Albanian Alps. From the waterfall, the path continues straight alongside of it and descends to Nderlyse village.

The weather was overcast and gloomy but not rainy and after a long trek we finally reached this glacial turquoise blue water stream with a great cafe overlooking it. This is a nice place to chill if you have no intentions of continuing to the blue eye of Theth.

It’s about 3.8km from this point towards the Blue Eye and it started to rain but we decided to just go ahead.

While it was really beautiful, the rain and cold was not such a great idea to go for a dip in these frigid temperatures.

On the way back some of us decided to follow the same trail, but I decided to walk back using the road, thinking it would be easier, when actually there was a steep climb that takes you all the way up. But we got a sweet view of the canyon and a group of hikers who offered us a ride back to Theth town.

Also Read: Theth National Park, Albania: The Ultimate Travel Guide to The Albanian Alps

Day 2: Hike Theth - Valbona

Distance: 16.4 km (10.50 mi)
Maximal elevation: 1854m (6082ft)
Where to stay: Kol Gjoni Guesthouse

This is the most iconic route throughout the entire Peaks of Balkans trails but truthfully I was a bit anxious about the weather conditions.

There were two trails going into Valbona, the Winter trail and Summer trail due to the amount of snow and the recent death of two hikers.

But as there was no snow, just really bad weather on the day of our trek, we didn’t see the two trails and followed the straightforward path towards Valbona.

There were so many hikers on this trail that it was not as remote or difficult as I had anticipated. The 17km track follows the path of an ancient mule track linking the tribal regions of Shala and Nikaj.

The beech and birch trees lined the entire route and it was a steady uphill towards the coffee bar.

It is simply unheard of to have cafes lined up in some of these trails — but on this pass, we came across a well-known cafe bar serving up some amazing honey and milk crepe cakes and the best mountain tea with honey.

The weather was bad, and with stops like this, it made hiking pretty luxurious! We continued our climb towards the Valbona pass and there were no signs of this rain stopping.

Mountain tea with honey, the countless cafes we came across

a feast of the food available in the mountains

A picture on the right warning of the closed trail and perhaps the place where the hikers fell?

After 40 minutes from the cafe, it gets narrower and steeper and a jaw-dropping view of the valley — in this cafe completely covered by clouds.

The peak was anti-climatic and quickly turn to sinister when we saw a yellow sign stating ‘caution’ and ‘trail is closed’ on the right indicating the path where the two hikers may have fallen.

We continued down to descend from Valbona pass until we found yet another cafe to seek shelter from this non-stop annoying rain.

It was so cold we huddled around a campfire, had some biscuits and hot tea. The owner couldn’t speak English but he gave us umbrellas, warmth and everything we could ask for on this rainy day.

After one hour of idling around, we continued our descent to Valbona with a gravelly river bed and 4wd track.

We saw busloads of tourists and knew civilisation was nearby but what took our breath away was the entire valley.

Day 3: Hike Valbona - Cerem

Distance: 15.5 km (9.63 mi)
Maximal elevation: 2039m (6689ft)
Where to stay: Guesthouse Afrimi

hiking from valbone to cerem along the peak of balkans trail

What can I say about Day 3? Perhaps, the most difficult day and dangerous route we decided on considering this was the third day of bad weather and constant rain.

After the Theth-Valbona hike, it gets far more remote and quiet as many trekkers opt to go in different directions.

There are two possible routes from Valbone to Cerem: the ‘low/official’ (valley) route and the spectacular, the ‘high/optional’ route via Presllopi Pass 2039m.

This trail is one of the steepest ones in the whole Peaks of the Balkans but it offers at the same time the most spectacular view of the Accursed Mountains featuring bare stone harsh peaks instead of pretty much opposite of the official section which mostly follows a tractor dirt road down the valley offering very little to see.

Ofcourse, we had to take the steep one and I am not sure why we did that?

Perhaps because the adventure company said it was perfectly safe and fine despite bad weather, and we thought just maybe the weather gods may be kinder on third day and the sun may come out.

The first part of the ascent was a steep uphill trail in the direction of the cell phone antenna.

It was a continuous uphill slog in the rain with a variety of scenery from deep green birch and beech forests to open meadows and sharp rocky mountains.

There was no hint of snow, just lots of greenery and vegetation which became more lush and vibrant in the rain. As we trekked deeper into the mountains, the terrain changed really quickly.

The rocky terrain and jagged peaks covered in snow felt like we have landed in cursed territory which befits the name Accursed Mountains.

Persllopi Pass is also a cross-point from where taking a sharp right turn it’s possible to climb the Zla Kollata Peak (2,535m) which is the highest peak in Montenegro.

At the pass, there is a detour to Kolata Peak but that adds another 500 metres.

But we couldn’t think of climbing another peak when we couldn’t even find the trail as it was covered in snow.

With a lot of self-talk and trying not to have a mental breakdown, we climbed over some craggily mountains to find the right trail.

The rain was whipping into my face which I shield as I look up to see where the trail might go. Stopping to take a breather was out of the question as we had to move fast to keep our bodies warm.

Apparently my 33-degree lifestyle — going from temperature-controlled home to the mountains hadn’t exactly readied my brain and body for any type of weather especially rain and cold.

I was feeling the kind of cold that travels up your extremities and into the center of your core.

As we got out of the snowfields, the terrain changed to muddy fields and by this time we were running down like our life depended on this.

completely soaked in the rain but trying to embrace it

the wonderful family at afrimi guesthouse

Arriving at Afrimi guesthouse with a wonderful Muslim family was perhaps the highlight of this trip!

We huddled over some tea and biscuits at the family’s heated dining area in the dark with no electricity. The generators are switched on usually after 8pm.

We were glad to leave the bitterly cold climate and have the warmth and protection of a wonderful family, cozy dining area, and hot tea. Simple luxuries which we thought we’d never experience after being in a panic zone up in the mountains.

Day 4: Hike Cerem - Doberdol

Distance: 16.8 km (10.43 mi)
Maximal elevation: 1920 m (6299 ft)
Where to stay: Guesthouse Leonardi

field of buttercups enroute to doberdol from cerem

A quick scan of the terrain before beginning our trek, we knew that today’s trek would be relatively easier than the pass we had encountered.

There’s no sign of sunshine today as well — it was pouring the whole way through. Our trek starts on a 4wd muddy track but quickly changes to fields of daisy flowers with the mountains behind us.

We paused to take it all in and wonder when would this bad weather end. As the rain got heavier, we were happy to seek shelter in this cafe that served hot vegetable soup and homemade bread and cheese with mountain tea.

albanian tea with honey - i am in heaven!

The owner’s son spoke perfect English and told us his stories of how he hated working in the UK and was happy to be back in the mountains and help his family through this little homely cafe stop.

He loves the mountains and also said there’s no mountain rescue here — but if anything happens they can arrange a helicopter that will come here in 2 hours for any emergencies.

Apparently, it is free and covered by the government.

Now I don’t know how free it is for shivering tourists but pretty sure it would involve some kind of $$$! I wasn’t going to bail ofcourse but it’s good to know what options are available in these remote places.

It was a steady climb as we headed towards Doberdol.

We were told in our route notes that among these settlements there is the picturesque village of Balqinë which offers a breathtaking scenic panorama on Lumi Gashit valley which is under UNESCO protection based on Natural World Heritage list in 2017.

In this settlement, villagers usually offer lunch, milk, soft drinks and homemade yogurt with blueberries.

With fog and mist covered in this entire valley, it was hard to make out the views for what was written in our notes.

It wasn’t blueberry season as well until July and August so we continued our journey towards this valley called Doberdol.

Doberdol settlement is situated at approximately 1800m of altitude which is connected to the nearest villages or towns only by small 4x4 tracks. The village is situated below the three-border point between Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro and has several guesthouses.

dinner feast at leonardi guesthouse in doberdol

huddling at the dry room with the star of the evening, neyla

As soon as we reached Leonardi Guesthouse, a 11-year-old girl named Neyla welcomed us in the most perfect English.

She was chatty and spent the entire evening talking to us, convincing us to be a muse for her make-up videos and talking non-stop about this amazing summer party that she’s going to throw the next day for all guests.

She is also pretty popular in Albania and a journalist had hiked all the way here to interview her. In between conversations, she was juggling calls from hikers for room bookings as the season opens up.

We were beyon delighted to be here for an extra day in Doberdol the next day and the best were how easy it was to meet hikers from everywhere across the world — there were a lot of hikers from Germany and France!

Day 5: Doberdol - Gjeravica Peak - Doberdol

Distance: 19km (11.80 mi)
Maximal elevation: 2656m (8714ft)
Where to stay: Guesthouse Leonardi

on the way to ali peja pass at the border of kosovo and albania

risky section, crossing snow at most parts

the gjeravica peak was completely shrouded in mist

This was supposed to be a rest day or a day for those who wanted to reach the highest mountain peak of Kosovo, Gjeravica (2656 m), and the second highest peak of the Accursed Mountains, coming just after Jezerca Peak (2694 m).

But I was a bit torn, I read reports of how there’s a lot of snow on Gjeravica Peak with some climbers needing rescue as a blizzard broke through.

I wasn’t sure I was ready for another tough day so some of us went ahead and we decided to cross over to Kosovo from Albania to the Ali Peja Pass and maybe the lake.

The pass itself offers breathtaking panoramic views of all three countries. From this point, you could continue to the lake but it still required multiple snow crossings and I didn’t want to continue further ahead.

evening campfire to mark the start of summer at leonardi guesthouse

We decided to go back and try to make it to Gashi Lake enroute to our guesthouse near Doberdol pass but even then the conditions didn’t look very good so we backtracked and went pack to the guesthouse to chill, get entertained by Neyla the 11-year-old as she prepared for the evening parties and participated in some TikTok videos.

It was the first chill afternoon in the valley with amazing blue skies, and green rolling hills with a stream that runs through the village.

Honestly, the landscapes were similar to the Himalayas in India and the main difference are these cute A-frame houses in the valley and the few guesthouses that have been built in recent years as tourism in the valley is on the rise.

Day 6: Doberdol - Milisevc

Distance: 17.6 km (10.95 mi)
Maximum elevation: 2250m (7381ft)
Where to stay: Guesthouse Lojza

forget me not, that’s the actual name of the flower

We’re quite excited to begin hiking as the weather has been amazing but the first part is a steep uphill climb through some marshy valley that proves to be tough in the heat.

There are a lot more hikers than usual and I try to take a break in between to enjoy the views but my group was pretty far ahead and we ended up on the wrong side of the pass and completely missing the ‘Three Border Peak’ which is at 2,170m.

To backtrack, we climbed another boulder and came across a shed where some of us decided to go up to the peak.

After idling around, we continued our way to join the Dinarica trail. This section offered spectacular views in all directions where it crossed through different passes among which are Bogice Pass, Belegu Pass and Roshkodoli pass.

There were a lot of mountain biking signs as well as we ventured further into flower fields. But what took our breath away were the houses as we entered Roshkodol settlement.

There were mountain streams, large variety of flowers, cute A-frame houses and coniferous trees. We were officially in Kosovo region.

Unsure of the language, we tried speaking in a mix of Albanian and serbian as we greeted people from the valley. There were cows, wooden houses with tall large trees and beams of light penetrating through the valley.

The last bit to our guesthouse was a constant uphill but staying in Lojza was really special and perhaps the best food that we ever had. A mix of risotto, mash potatoes, peppers and tomatoes.

fancy a chess game? with the host at lojza guesthouse in kosovo

The living room was the perfect place to have conversations at night and play chess with the owner.

Zeki, the owner told us about stories around the area and his passion for paragliding in the mountains. We briefly spoke about the war but it was clear he didn’t want to talk about it.

Day 7: Milisevc - Babino Polje

Distance: 12.5 km (7.76 mi)
Maximal elevation: 2155 m (7070 ft)
Where to stay: HRID Eco Mountaineering Village

how green does this village look? at babino polje

With its serene ambiance and minimal exertion, our trek to the quaint Montenegrin hamlet in Babino Polje proved to be the most tranquil and effortless among all the paths we explored.

We traversed through a picturesque pine forest, encountering occasional obstacles in the form of fallen trees that demanded some agile maneuvering. When we weren’t hiking, we were sitting atop windswept meadows and peaks.

However, the true beauty of this trek unfolded as we stumbled upon expansive meadows and breathtaking vistas of the majestic mountains. We lingered and savored the experience by rollling around at the fields.

We were told Babino Polje is famous for its original dairy products and cuisine.

The village is just approx. 13 km from the Plav town. There were countless cabins that we came across and if I had my way, I would love to come back and spend the entire afternoon reading next to a stream.

Also Read: 8 Wildly-Epic Hiking Trails in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

Day 8: Transfer to Gerbaja Valley. Hike Taljanka Peak. Back to Vusanje

Distance: 9.2 km (5.71 mi)
Maximal Elevation 2057m (6748ft)
Where to stay: Vucetaj Guesthouse / Guest House Dedushi

a view of the accursed mountains aka Prokletije — the highlight of this route

we had to climb multiple peaks to get a view of this - the karanfil mountains in the backdrop

Grebaje Valley us set in the heart of Prokletije (Accursed Mountains) and known to be a hiking paradise located in southwest Montenegro.

Our guesthouse transferred us to the starting point where we began hiking through this green beech forest — it was stiflingly hot and we were glad that it was shaded throughout the entire time.

But the constant uphill was draining. As we traversed deeper into the forest, the sunlight filtered through the dense canopy above, casting ethereal patterns upon the forest floor.

We were heading towards the Maja Vajushes/Taljanka (2057 m) and Popadija (2030 m) peaks.

From our route notes, we gathered that the trail also offered the opportunity to cross the border from Montenegro to Albania which was heavily guarded for 50 years during the Communist Era.

After 2.6km, we walked along the ridge top and upwards climbing towards Tajlanka Peak. You could see the jagged Karanfili peaks in the distance along this grassy ridge.

It offers the best views of the Accursed Mountains and the dramatic ridges along the way.

We spotted a lot of people carrying their toddlers and wondered how they managed as the multiple up and downs on this peak with loose scree can be a bit nerve-wracking.

We made a whole loop until we reached to the same forest section — the downhill sections never seemed to end and our transfer was ready to pick us up as we head towards Vusanje.

Day 9: Hike Vusanje – Theth

Distance: 23.1km (14.35 mi)
Maximal elevation: 1740m (5705 ft)
Where to stay: Stay in Theth: Polia Guesthouse / Guest House Rrashkadoli

hiking from vusanje to theth — the longest part among the peaks of balkans

The last stage of the Peak of Balkans trail and quite possibly the longest out of all the treks we did. Starting from Vusanje village, we traversed a rocky bed until we arrived at the Ropojana Lake.

The lake was formed from the melting snow in spring and the flat plateau was carved from a huge glacier long ago.

We continued on further and were very exposed from the late Jun sun. Perhaps the hottest from all the other days considering how exposed we were and not at a super high altitude.

After 7.3km, you’ll come across bunkers which offers a glance on the forbidden areas during the Communist Era.

You’ll notice a border military post, a bunker and a pyramid marker which still remain after all these years.

After some time we arrive at a wide open meadow, called Fusha Runices — we were very much looking for this stop as few blog posts did mention we could try their fresh milk and cheese but the huts look abandon and quite possibly open open in July and August.

That was a bummer since it was quite dry but we continued our journey and came across more bunkers, a sign that we are getting closer to Albania.

If you must know by now that the 173,000 bunkers were built during the Hoxhaist government led by the Leader Enver Hoxha from the 1960s to the 1980s in anticipation of an invasion from the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, Greece and NATO.

a typical bunker as you trek towards albania

That never happened and these bunkers are still very much abandoned and all over the country. There was a light wind blowing through as we made our way to Peje pass and Lake Pejes offering a spectacular view of the valley.

We saw a lot more hikers who were coming from Theth and everyone talked about their steep ascent which we would be attempting on our way down.

At this point there is an additional trail (Right turn) which goes to the the top of Harapit Peak (2218m), also known as “Albanian Matterhorn'' but there’s still a lot of snow and looking at it from far was adequate for me.

It was finally time to descend and the trek was coming to a bittersweet end. I was super anxious about this drop as it was incredibly rocky and slippery.

The hiking sticks were helpful but after passing through steep downhills, I was certain I could manage it. This long 3.3km was forever and we were already excited and thinking of all the food and drinks we can have.

We finally arrived in Theth and waited to get back to Shkodra. But a lot of people do end up chilling in Theth. I had spend a few days here prior to the trek and it was time for me to head on towards Tirana.

But to sum up: there can never quite be a trek like this which was the perfect example of slow travel.

There’s a sense of enigma when it comes to the Balkans — nobody knows about the history, the cultures, the people and the cuisine and slow travelling through staggering peaks, delicious cuisine and flower fields is the best way to visit this region.

There have been numerous articles emphasising the merits of leisurely train travel as the ultimate method for exploring Europe.

However, I contend that trekking surpasses the experience of being confined to a train, as it profoundly stimulates your senses and offers a more enriching journey.

Which app you should use?

You could use AllTrails, Mapy.cz and/or OsmAnd for the best offline maps. Read my post on the best hiking apps for you to choose from.

Got any questions? Feel free to comment below.

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Hiking The Peaks of The Balkans Trail: Along the Accursed Mountains (Self-Guided)