Peaks of the Balkans Guided Tour 8 Days guided Trip from Albania

We will leave Tirana at 5:00 am to drive toward the Koman Lake where the ferry departs at 9:00 am to the other side of the lake, Fierza. Since 1985, this manmade lake is the only way how locals who live in the surroundings are connected to the modern world.
Driving from Fierza to Valbona will take around 45 minutes, passing through Bajram Curri, the municipality of the area. Lunch break in Valbona and hiking in Kukaj, a very remote area in Valbona Valley where we will have the opportunity to observe the local lifestyle.

The day starts early. We leave the Valbona Valley to head toward a more remote village, hidden in between the mountains. Cerem is well known for its blackberries.
The trail meanders along with the pine forests in a very remote area. After a few hours of a hike, we will reach the highest peak of the trail 2030m. Could there be a better place for a picnic lunch?
We continue our trip by entering the Montenegrian border and hiking for a few kilometers along the  Zla Kolata, the highest peak of Montenegro. Re-entering the Albanian border and through the Bori Pass, we will reach the village of Cerem where we will spend the night.

Trail lenght: 13 Km
Elevation Gain: 1090 m
Elevation Loss: 870 m

Located in-between high peaks Doberdol has been for centuries a shepherd’s summer camp, where they bring their cattle for 4-5 months per year.
Today’s hike is relatively easy and leads us mainly through forests. We leave the rocky massif of Kollata and make our way through the forest for a few hours. We are briefly crossing the border to Montenegro, to return again to the Albanian side, walking on the side of a former military base. Picnic lunch and coffee break in a remote cafe.
On the next kilometers to Doberdol, the terrain is mainly flat and through the patches of the beech forest.
Dinner and Overnight in a basic guesthouse in Doberdol.

The Lenght of Trail: 15 Km
Elevation Gain: 790 m
Elevation Loss: 440 m

Our next destination will be Malishevc. Located in Kosovo, it is known for its amazing nature and natural spring lakes. The fourth-day trail takes around 7-8 hours of walking on a 13 kilometers path.
The trip offers spectacular views of the wildest parts of the mountains of Albania and Kosovo.
Picnic lunch on the way and overnight in Kosovo.

Trail lenght: 13 Km
Elevation Gain: 920 m
Elevation Loss: 980 m

Hiking from Kosovo to Montenegro we walk through plenty of history and legends, very common for this region. The trek of this day is relatively short and passes through an area with plenty of glacial lakes and water streams. After the lunch break, the last station for the day will be the village of Babino Polje where we will also spend the night.
Trail lenght: 11.4 Km
Elevation Gain: 570 m
Elevation Loss: 750 m

After leaving the guesthouse, we walk to the Lake of Hrid, known also as the “The Lake of Good Luck”, for a cold and refreshing morning shower. According to an old legend, swimming in its icy cold waters brings good luck in marriage. To be proved! Most of the time, today’s view of the Albanian Alps is very scenic.
Afternoon break near the Lake of Plav. The next destination for the day will be a local transfer to Vusanje.
Accommodation in a traditional guesthouse in Vusanje and dinner.
Trail length: 21 Km
Elevation Gain: 710 m
Elevation Loss: 1150 m

Today’s hike is around 20 kilometers long with an uphill of 1050 meters. We will walk in between the steep mountains, where back then was the military border between Communist Albania and Yugoslavia. We will face plenty of concrete bunkers, the most common Albanian souvenir from the past.
The view is breathtaking. Below our feet will be Theth, a village with a lot of history and culture. Its symbol, the “Lock in Tower” is a live proof of the past and history. Overnight in Theth.

Trail length: 20 Km
Elevation Gain: 1050 m
Elevation Loss: 1100m

After breakfast at the guesthouse, the Gurnas Waterfall will be the next attraction. Around 45 minutes walk from the center of the village we pass through most of the village into a soft hilly terrain.
Leaving Theth behind and driving for around 3 hours we will reach Shkoder, the biggest city of the Albanian North. Free time in Shkoder and return to Tirana in the evening.