Peaks of the Balkans Highlights - 7 Days
BalkansBalkans

Peaks of the Balkans Highlights - 7 Days

7 Days
Moderate to Challenging

Peaks of the Balkans Highlights - 7 Days

from $2,895 / person

Overview

Walk the finest sections of the Peaks of the Balkans Trail with experienced local guides, crossing the rugged borderlands of Albania and Montenegro deep in the Accursed Mountains. Old shepherd paths and former border routes lead through beech forest, flower-filled meadows and remote glacial valleys beneath jagged limestone peaks. This was once a tightly controlled frontier, and old bunkers, border stones and military posts still mark the way. Cross the celebrated Valbona Pass, walk into Montenegro over the Bor Pass and return to Albania through the wild Ropojana Valley. This itinerary also climbs part of the twin summits of Popadija and Taljanka above the dramatic Grbaja Valley. Nights are spent in a comfortable city hotel in Shkoder and small family-run mountain guesthouses, where the welcome is warm and the cooking is generous and home-made.

Highlights

  • Cross the Valbona Pass on the classic walk between Theth and Valbona National Parks
  • Follow old shepherd and border trails from Cerem and cross into Montenegro on foot over the Bor Pass, below Mt Kollata
  • Climb part of the twin summits of Popadija and Taljanka above the Grbaja Valley in Prokletije National Park
  • Walk the glacial Ropojana Valley and cross Peja Pass back into Theth
  • Spot old bunkers, border stones and former military posts from the years of the sealed communist border
  • Spend two nights each in Valbona and Vusanje in small family-run guesthouses
  • Sit down to home-cooked mountain dinners and picnic lunches on the trail

Itinerary

Day 1

Tirana to Shkoder

Your trip begins in Tirana with an afternoon group transfer north to Shkoder, the lively gateway to the Albanian Alps. The transfer leaves Tirana city centre at 2:00pm. Time permitting, we stop at Rozafa Castle on the way in, where the view takes in the city, the lake and the mountains you are about to walk into. Once you've checked in, wander Shkoder's pedestrian streets and the old merchant quarter. Get to know your guide and fellow walkers over dinner and run through the days ahead.

Accommodation

4-star Hotel in Shkoder

Meals

Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

4-star Hotel (2 nights), Guest House (4 nights)

Meals

6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 6 dinners

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • 4x4 transfer
  • Luggage Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Local Guide(s)
  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

Included Activities

  • Green Border Crossing Permit

How We Rate This Walk

4

Auswalk Walking Grade

Moderate to Challenging

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Regular hills and varied terrain. These walks involve more challenging sections. Regular walking beforehand is recommended.

View Fitness Guide

5

Days on the trail

9-12 km

Daily distance range

625-1125 m

Daily ascent range

6/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

Your accommodation starts and finishes in Shkoder, where you stay at a comfortable four-star hotel in the centre of the city. Its location makes it easy to explore the old streets and cafes on foot. In the mountains, you stay in small family-run guesthouses in Valbone and Vusanje, each well placed for the walks around it. These guesthouses are simpler than the city hotel, but their remote setting and the families who run them are a big part of what makes this trip special. Every room is private with an ensuite bathroom.

What You'll Eat

Breakfast is included every day, with a packed lunch on each walking day and dinner every night. In the mountain villages, you have breakfast and dinner at your guesthouse. The cooking is simple and generous: fresh breads, local cheeses, seasonal vegetables, salads, soups and hearty home-cooked dishes. On walking days your lunch is packed for the trail, so you can stop to eat wherever the view is best. In Shkoder, the trip opens and closes with dinner at local restaurants, where you get a taste of the city's more contemporary food scene. Please let us know about any dietary requirements in advance. Most can be catered for, although choice is more limited in the remote mountain villages.

More About This Trip

The tour begins in Tirana, Albania's capital, and Tirana International Airport is the easiest point of arrival. Join the afternoon group transfer from Tirana city centre at 2:00pm. From there you travel north by road to Shkoder, the gateway to the Albanian Alps, where your walking holiday starts. At the end of the trip, a group transfer takes you from Shkoder back to Tirana airport or the city centre. If you'd like more time in Albania, Shkoder, Tirana and the Albanian coast all make easy extensions before or after your walk.

This is a high mountain walk, and the route is timed for the warmer months when the passes are open and shepherd families move up to the summer pastures. You walk through flower-filled meadows and shady beech forest, and on clear days the views from the high passes and ridges stretch across Albania and Montenegro. Mountain weather can change quickly, so your guide may adjust the route on the day to keep you on the safest and most rewarding line.

You follow old shepherd paths, former border routes and a historic caravan trail through the Accursed Mountains. Expect long climbs through beech forest and open alpine meadows to high passes and ridges, followed by steep descents, some in long zigzags. Underfoot, the trail changes from forest tracks and grassy pasture to open karst and rocky ground. The ascent to the summit ridge above Grbaja includes a steeper final section. Some days have a longer option for stronger walkers. Experienced local guides lead every walk and choose the best line across the ridges and viewpoints for the conditions. Good hiking boots and a solid base of walking fitness will help you enjoy the trail.

On walking days you carry only a daypack with water, your packed lunch and layers for changing mountain weather. Your main luggage travels ahead by vehicle and is waiting for you when you arrive at your next stop.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Notes

2028 itinerary & dates are subject to change.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Peaks of the Balkans is one of Europe's most spectacular and wild long-distance trails — a circular 192km route through the Accursed Mountains, crossing the borderlands of Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro. The trail was developed in 2010 as a sustainable tourism project, following ancient Ottoman mule paths through remote valleys, high alpine passes, glacial lakes, and traditional shepherd villages that feel largely untouched by the modern world. Auswalk offers two self-guided itineraries: a 7-day highlights version focused on the best sections of the trail, and an 8-day itinerary that includes a summit ascent of Kolata or Taljanka Peak.

A well-fitted, comfortable daypack of at least 30 litres is recommended, given the length and elevation of daily stages. Key items include a quality waterproof jacket and over-trousers, warm layers (temperatures drop quickly at altitude), sturdy mountain boots with ankle support, trekking poles (strongly recommended on this trail), at least 2 litres of water, snacks, sun protection, a personal first aid kit, your phone with GPS tracks loaded, and your border crossing permits. Many sections have no facilities between start and end points, so being self-sufficient for the day is important.

You'll be crossing three countries, each with its own currency situation. Albania uses the Albanian Lek (ALL), Kosovo uses the Euro (€), and Montenegro also uses the Euro. In practice, Euros are widely accepted across all three countries and are the most useful currency to carry. Card acceptance is limited in the remote mountain villages — carry sufficient cash to cover your stay. ATMs are available in larger towns but are not accessible on the trail itself.

The guesthouse hosts in this region are renowned for their exceptional hospitality — welcoming walkers is a deeply held tradition in Albanian and Balkan mountain culture. Tipping is not formally expected but is always warmly appreciated, particularly at family-run guesthouses where your hosts will have cooked your meals and gone out of their way to make you comfortable. A few Euros left at the end of a stay is a meaningful gesture.

The hospitality of the Albanian highlands is legendary — the tradition of welcoming travellers (known as besa) is deeply embedded in local culture and you will experience it at every guesthouse. Accept offers of food, coffee, and raki (the local spirit) graciously. When visiting villages, dress respectfully and be mindful that these are working communities, not tourist attractions. The region has a complex and relatively recent history — the borders you cross on this trail were tightly controlled or entirely closed for much of the 20th century, and the landscape still bears traces of that era in the form of abandoned military posts and bunkers. An openness and curiosity about the local history and culture will enrich the experience enormously.

Want to Know More?

The Balkans Experience

Wonder
Auswalk the ancient mule track over Valbona Pass, between Shala and Valbona valleys
Cross the triple-border point where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet following sections of the Via Dinarica White Trail
Explore Theth’s stone houses and remote guesthouses steeped in mountain hospitality
Wellness
Slow travel as you hike pack-free on rugged trails, with panoramic ridge and pass views
Peaceful retreats: revive each evening in cosy homestays with traditional Albanian dinners
Breathe deeply through wildflower meadows, glistening lakes and remote shepherd country
Nature
Hike away from the noise and crowds through remote and unspoiled landscapes
Discover untouched landscapes as you wander through the UNESCO-listed Gashi valley & alpine pastures
Pass ancient bunkers, glacial lakes and jagged peaks left gloriously untamed