How many days do you need for the Peaks of the Balkans?

Most people take 10 to 12 days, a stage a day, with a guesthouse every night. I walked 115 miles in six days, which meant long days of 17 to 25 miles.

Do you need a permit for the Peaks of the Balkans?

Yes, to cross the borders on the trail. It's free in Albania and Kosovo, and Montenegro charges EUR 6 per application plus EUR 3 per person (2026). Apply at least two weeks ahead, or pay a local operator to do it.

When is the best time to hike the Peaks of the Balkans?

Roughly mid-June to mid-September, when the guesthouses are open and the snow is gone. I went in late May 2026. The trails were empty, but the high passes were buried in snow and I didn't finish the loop.

Where do you sleep on the Peaks of the Balkans?

In guesthouses. Families in the villages rent beds and cook dinner and breakfast, and many pack lunch. I also camped twice when there was nowhere else to sleep that high up.

How do you get to the Peaks of the Balkans trail?

There's a way in from each country: buses from Pristina to Peja and the Rugova valley, from Podgorica to Plav, or minibuses from Shkodër to Theth and the Komani ferry toward Valbona. I flew into Pristina and started in Rugova.

The Peaks of the Balkans film: Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania

Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania · 6 days · 115 miles

Peaks of the Balkans Hiking Guide

6 days through Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania.

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A day page
A day map and elevation profile
At a glance
Border permits

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The route

My GPS recording of 6 days on a relief map. The numbers are where each day starts; the red dot is the finish. The full GPX files and the day maps come with the guide.

Relief map of the Peaks of the Balkans route: 6 days drawn in red with numbered day starts, labelled Shtupeq, Babino Polje and Valbona. — Map data: Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS · Glaciers, rivers & lakes © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a glance

Days: 6 days
Distance: 115 miles
Climbing: About 29,900 ft (9,110 m) up
Season: Guesthouse season is summer
Route: Shtupeq i Madh to Babino Polje

What's inside

All six days. Stats, time to allow, my notes, the trail, where to get off, a map with an elevation profile, and links to that day in both of my films.
My GPX files. My own recordings for each day, with waypoints for where I slept and ate, the passes and where I turned back, ready for AllTrails, Gaia GPS, Garmin or Organic Maps.
Border permits, explained. Which crossings need one, what Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro each ask for, the 2026 fees, and how to apply.
Guesthouses and getting there. Where I slept each night and how it was booked, plus the buses, minibuses and the Komani ferry from Pristina, Podgorica and Shkodër.
Early-season snow. What late May was really like on each pass, the 2026 snow report, and what to carry if you go before summer.
A 10-stage plan from my GPS. The usual loop from Theth, with my measured distances for each stage, and the part I didn't walk.
Food, water, cash and costs. Every place I found a meal, where the ATMs are (and aren't), and what I paid.
Before you go and a trip sheet. One page of year-to-year checks and a printable one-page summary of the whole trip.

About this trip

In late May 2026 I spent six days on the Peaks of the Balkans trail, from the Rugova valley in Kosovo through Montenegro and over to Theth and Valbona in Albania. It was so early in the season that the trails were empty but buried in snow, and on the last day I turned back from an icy pass. This guide has my GPS files, maps and notes for every day, plus the border permits, guesthouses, transport, cash and what it cost.

Watch the film on YouTube (33K views).

The Day 4, Qafa e Pejës to Valbona page from the Peaks of the Balkans Hiking Guide

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Qafa e Pejës to Valbona

The whole day page from the guide as a PDF, plus my camping packing list: the 42 things I carry, with a note on each. The PDF opens right away and both come by email. You'll also get my emails about new guides and trips, a few a year.

The details

Format: A 68-page PDF sized for a phone (A5, prints fine too) and a folder of GPX files, in one zip download.
Edition: 2027 season edition, updated September 2026.
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Payment: Secure checkout through Stripe, in your own currency. Tax is included in the price, except in the US and Canada, where any sales tax is added at checkout.
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Questions: Email kraig@kraigadams.com.

Questions

How many days do you need for the Peaks of the Balkans?: Most people take 10 to 12 days, a stage a day, with a guesthouse every night. I walked 115 miles in six days, which meant long days of 17 to 25 miles.
Do you need a permit for the Peaks of the Balkans?: Yes, to cross the borders on the trail. It's free in Albania and Kosovo, and Montenegro charges EUR 6 per application plus EUR 3 per person (2026). Apply at least two weeks ahead, or pay a local operator to do it.
When is the best time to hike the Peaks of the Balkans?: Roughly mid-June to mid-September, when the guesthouses are open and the snow is gone. I went in late May 2026. The trails were empty, but the high passes were buried in snow and I didn't finish the loop.
Where do you sleep on the Peaks of the Balkans?: In guesthouses. Families in the villages rent beds and cook dinner and breakfast, and many pack lunch. I also camped twice when there was nowhere else to sleep that high up.
How do you get to the Peaks of the Balkans trail?: There's a way in from each country: buses from Pristina to Peja and the Rugova valley, from Podgorica to Plav, or minibuses from Shkodër to Theth and the Komani ferry toward Valbona. I flew into Pristina and started in Rugova.