A Fast & Soiled Information to the Peaks of the Balkans Path

For hikers of a superstitious bent, the prospect of trekking by way of the Balkan’s Accursed mountains could evoke greater than a bit of trepidation. And up till pretty not too long ago, this nervousness would have been wholly justified resulting from the truth that the area was one of the vital harmful areas on the planet. Nonetheless, because the flip of the millennium, the Balkans have undergone an unbelievable 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 means of shepherd’s paths and unpaved forestry roads, the entire circuit (there are a number of iterations) consists of 10 phases and may 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.

Gazing towards the village of Theth from just under Pejë Cross (Albania) (Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett).

(Word: The Peaks of the Balkans Path is without doubt one of the featured hikes in my sixth and newest e-book with Gestalten publications, Wanderlust Mediterranean (which was launched internationally final week). The e-book options 26 unbelievable 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 light-weight pack can do it in six or seven days. For these fascinated with a extra mellow schedule, together with a zero-day and a few aspect journeys, it might take as much as 12 or 13 days). 

Problem Degree: Average

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

Whole Elevation Achieve & 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 mission’s persevering with objectives are to foster a way of cross-border unity, help in defending the area’s wildlife, and assist native inhabitants create a sustainable type of eco-friendly earnings. 

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

Highlights:

• Dawn from Tromedja (“Three Border”) Peak.
• The magical karst panorama round Prosllopit Cross.
• Magnificent views from Pejë Cross and the next descent into Theth. The identical goes for Valbone Cross and its namesake valley. 
• Historic beech forests
• Sampling native delicacies within the villages alongside the route.
• The unbelievable hospitality of the Balkans folks.
• It’s not likely a spotlight, however one of the vital 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 under).

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

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

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

Getting There & Away:

• From a logistical perspective, Plav in Montenegro is essentially 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 each day departures. Essentially the most scenic alternative 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 most important 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 Cross (Albania)(Shelter – Tarptent Stratospire 2).

Planning Sources: 

• 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 e-book is offered in Kindle or paperback. For German audio system, I’ve heard good issues in regards to 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, probably the very best on-line useful resource is shoesyourpath.com. Run by a French couple named Quentin and Charlie, this glorious web site incorporates a great deal of logistical data (e.g., permits, journey, funds, lodging, and so on.), an in depth day-to-day diary, aspect journey strategies (particularly the magnificent Grebaje Valley), and a few superb images from their journey.

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

• Cell/Cell Cellphone Protection: On the time of writing, you’ll possible have protection in Plav, Theth, and (probably) among 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 acquire a cross-border allow. Whether or not strolling independently or with an organized group, essentially the most hassle-free approach of doing that is on-line by way of a good native tour operator. We used the Albanian-based Zbulo.org, which supplied fast and reasonably priced service (Word: It’s really useful to ship your utility no less than two weeks prematurely of departure).

Resupply & Water:

• Meals: Most meals alongside the Peaks of the Balkans Path may be procured on the route’s homestays/lodges. Tariffs typically embody hearty meals that encompass homegrown produce similar to 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. Concerning grocery shops, your greatest 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/Situations: 

• 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 way in which is marked by completely 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”) Mountain 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 putting karst topography, whereas passing by way of the Accursed Mountains, hikers will traverse glacially-sculpted valleys interspersed with a sequence 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 progress of the path, some locals have transformed rooms of their properties to accommodate hikers, in an effort to complement their seasonal farming and shepherding incomes. The lodgings are often easy however clear, and what they might lack in fashionable facilities, they make up for within the heat welcome of their hosts. Treating vacationers as honored visitors fairly than transitory strangers is nothing new to the folks 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 really codified into conventional Albanian legislation (Kanun).

Approaching the seasonal village of Dobërdol (Albania).

Alternate Routes:

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

2.  Kosovo Minimize-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 achieved by leaving the official route through 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 International locations) 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 Cross (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 visitors leaving Valbona (simply earlier than the turn-off to Prosllopit Cross).

Arriving at Prosllopit Cross.

Sleeping:

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

• The principle overnighting factors alongside the route are as follows (in a counter-clockwise route 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 apart from a few nights in Theth and Dobërdol.

Bashkimi Guesthouse in Dobërdol (Albania).

Notes & Musings:

Somber Remnants of Current Historical past

In the course of 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. Multiple hundred thousand of those small bunkers may 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 putting.

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

The Lock-in Tower of Theth

Aside from its well-known previous church, essentially the most notable human-made web site in Theth is the 400-year-old ‘lock-in’ tower (“Kulla” in Albanian). This double-storey stone constructing was as soon as a secure 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 “a watch for a watch” within the identify of honor. The fortified tower is now a museum. Opening hours are sporadic; if it’s closed while you arrive, people in neighboring properties 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-International locations Peak

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

“The views you must work for sometimes resonate essentially the most. Placing forth additional 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 a bit of 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 out there room and, inside 20 minutes, sat right down to what was a much-anticipated meal. Some pals who had beforehand hiked the path had spoken glowingly in regards to the high quality of meals on supply at Bashkimi. The fare included bottomless bowls of soup, contemporary 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 gobbling down some snacks, we donned our layers and headlamps and set off. The temps have been south of freezing (we have been mountain climbing 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 useless calm earlier than daybreak, we might clearly hear the yawns, rustling of plastic luggage, 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 approach 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 route. 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 wonderful place.”

Photograph Credit score – Kate “Swept Away” Pickett.

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