Peaks of the Balkans Trail, trekking the | wandelgids

Handzaam gidsje met alle info die je nodig hebt om deze bijzondere LAW te kunnen lopen: routebeschrijvingen, kaarten, praktische info voor onderweg en leuke wetenswaardigheden.

Guidebook to the Peaks of the Balkans Trail, a 192km trek through Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. The route, which can comfortably be completed in less than a fortnight, is waymarked and covers terrain between 670m and 2300m in altitude, taking in remote valleys, dramatic mountain passes, stunning scenery and villages untouched by time.

Seasons
The trekking season begins May/June and finishes in October, with June-August the driest months. Wildflowers bloom in June. Snow-patches may linger until June/July.

Centres
Theth (Albania), Valbona (Albania), Çeremi (Albania), Dobërdol (Albania), Milishevc (Kosovo), Rekë e Allagës (Kosovo), Drelaj (Kosovo), Babino polje (Montenegro), Plav (Montenegro), Vusanje (Montenegro)

Difficulty
Moderate fitness is required, though the walking itself is not difficult. The trail passes through some remote areas.

Must See
Four beautiful national parks: Prokletije (in Montenegro), Thethi and Valbona Valley (in Albania) and Rugova Valley (in Kosovo); birdlife, plants and butterflies; warm Balkans hospitality

A guidebook to trekking the Peaks of the Balkans Trail. Passing through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro, the 183km circular route can be completed in around a fortnight. The walking itself is not difficult, although the route passes through some remote areas and demands a moderate level of fitness.

The route is presented anti-clockwise from Theth (Albania) in 10 stages of between 10 and 28km. Also included are a handful of optional detours to climb neighbouring peaks and visit local sites of interest.

1:50,000 mapping and elevation profile provided for each stage
Everything you need to plan a successful trip: how to get to the route, when to go, what to take, and information on cross-border permits
Accommodation listings included
Geology, history, plants and wildlife
Language notes and glossary

May 2024

When to hike - snow warning if hiking before June (p29)
While the 'When to hike' section mentions the presence of snow on parts of the trail until June, and on higher parts of the trail until July, I think it's worth emphasising this further. Areas where you are almost certain to encounter snow before June include the Valbona Pass, the Prosllopit Pass and the Pejë Pass, crossed on stages 1, 2 and 10 respectively, and possibly other areas. Under such conditions, crossing these otherwise easy passes can be more precarious, and possibly dangerous in particular if the snow is hard packed or frozen. If you're considering hiking the Peaks of the Balkans before June - for example in late May