Peaks of the Balkans hiking guide: route map, stages & where to stay

The Peaks of the Balkans is a long-distance hiking trail that makes a loop through the Accursed Mountains (Prokletije, in Albanian Bjeshkët e Nemuna), the high limestone range where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet. The official route is 192 km long, climbs to about 2,300 m and is walked in 10 stages. It uses old shepherd paths and mule tracks, crosses the borders three times away from any checkpoint, and sleeps in family guesthouses in villages that are often lived in only in summer. It is waymarked in red and white, but parts are faint and very remote.

The route

This guide walks the loop anticlockwise from Theth in Albania, in the order of the official stage list. The first day crosses the Valbona pass (1,759 m) to the Valbonë valley. The trail then climbs over the Prosllopit pass to Çerem, follows the border to the summer village of Dobërdol, and crosses into Kosovo near the meeting point of the three countries to reach Milishevc. In Kosovo it drops to the Rugova valley at Reka e Allagës, goes through Drelaj to Kuçishtë, and climbs past the Rugova lakes and over the Jelenka pass into Montenegro at Babino Polje. From there it passes Lake Hrid on the way to the town of Plav, crosses the Bor ridge to Vusanje, and goes back into Albania over the Peja pass (Qafa e Pejës) to Theth.

This guide follows the route as mapped on OpenStreetMap, about 179 km, and splits it into 10 stages, about 17.9 km each. It is shorter than the official 192 km mainly because it takes the mountain path over the Prosllopit pass on stage 2 instead of the old road route, and a shorter line on stage 9. The total climb is about 10,000 m. The highest point is about 2,290 m on the border between Dobërdol and Milishevc, and the Jelenka pass on stage 7 is almost as high.

Highlights

• The Valbona pass: the classic day from Theth to Valbonë, with views into two of Albania's best-known mountain valleys
• Dobërdol and the three-country border: high pastures, shepherd huts and border pyramids where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet
• Rugova: Kosovo's mountain valley, with views of Gjeravica, the highest mountain in Kosovo, and the glacial lakes above Kuçishtë
• Lake Hrid: a mountain lake at more than 1,800 m in a strict nature reserve above Babino Polje
• Vusanje: a waterfall and the "Blue Eye" pool at the start of the valley that leads up to the Albanian border
• The Peja pass to Theth: the last climb, past an old border pyramid and bunker, with a view down the Theth valley

When to walk the Peaks of the Balkans

The usual season is mid-June to September. Before mid-June and late in September snow can lie on the passes, for example near the Valbona pass, and many guesthouses in the summer villages (Çerem, Dobërdol, Milishevc and the katuns) are closed outside the summer. July and August are the busiest months and can be hot in the valleys; afternoon thunderstorms are common. The official site gives June to October as the best time, but check that your guesthouses are open in October.

How many days do you need?

The 10 stages in this guide follow the official plan, and most hikers take 10 to 13 days. Some stages are long (stage 6 is 23 km, stage 9 about 22-27 km), so many people split them: for example at Rragam on stage 1, at Balqin on stage 3, at Rugova Camp on stage 5, in Drelaj on stage 6 or at a katun on stage 9. You can start in Theth, Plav or Peja. With less time, you can walk part of the loop, such as Theth to Valbonë, or Plav to Theth; you still need a permit for each border you cross.

Getting there and logistics

The nearest airports are Tirana and Podgorica; Pristina is the third option. Theth is reached by road from Shkodër, with minibuses in summer. Plav has buses from Podgorica, and Peja (Kosovo) has buses and trains from Pristina; taxis can take you from Peja to the trail in Rugova.

Border permits: you must apply in advance to the border police of each country to cross the green borders. You need three permits: into Kosovo (Dobërdol to Milishevc), into Montenegro (Kuçishtë to Babino Polje) and into Albania (Vusanje to Theth). The official site asks for at least 15 days' notice; apply 2 to 8 weeks before you start. Albania and Kosovo reply by email and charge nothing; Montenegro charges a small fee and you collect the stamped permit at the border police station outside Plav. Carry your passport and the permits. Local guesthouses and agencies can apply for you for a fee.

Nights are in family guesthouses (bujtina), kullas and shepherd huts, most with half board: dinner, a bed and breakfast, often with a packed lunch for a few euros more. In the summer villages there are only a few beds, so book ahead. Albania uses the lek and Kosovo and Montenegro the euro; guesthouses in the mountains take cash only, and the only reliable ATMs are in the towns. Camping outside organised sites is not allowed in Montenegro.

Difficulty

The official site rates the trail easy to moderate, but it needs good fitness and mountain experience. Most days climb and descend 600 to 1,300 m on rocky shepherd paths, and some sections are faint or unmarked, so carry a map or GPS track. The mountains are remote: there is no mobile signal in places and none of the three countries has a mountain rescue service like those in the Alps, so help can take many hours. Carry water treatment, a first-aid kit and warm, waterproof clothes, and keep away from the large dogs that guard the flocks. Hire a local guide if you are not used to finding your own way.

History

The Prokletije were for centuries a land of shepherds who moved their flocks between the valleys and the high pastures, and old paths such as the Lugu i Shkodrës pass linked Rugova with Shkodër. In the 20th century the borders closed: on the Albanian side you still pass border pyramids, bunkers and old military posts from the communist period. The Balkans Peace Park project worked to reopen these crossings, and the trail itself was developed by the tourism organisations and hiking clubs of the three countries with German development cooperation (GIZ). In 2011 the three countries agreed common cross-border procedures for hikers, and the Peaks of the Balkans opened as one of the few trails in the world that crosses three countries in one loop.