Trek the Balkans Climb the highest peaks of Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia

Join us on a beautiful secret European trek following Our challenge is to conquer the three of highest the peaks of the Balkans through four countries. peaks in the heart of the Balkans - Kosovo, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia. There is a bewitching allure about these Alpine mountains at the heart of this far-flung region. Think We start our adventure in welcoming Kosovo with towering peaks and jagged ridges, pristine valleys and its rich traditions and simple lifestyle. Kosovo is a green meadows strewn with wild berries. Think true undiscovered gem where we conquer Mt. forests and shards of limestone. Gjeravica (2656m), its highest peak and the second highest in the Dinaric Alps range. This mountain area links communities and settlements – opening ‘minds and borders’ by From Kosovo, we cross-borders through wild and bringing tourism and local mountain guides and local remote landscapes into Montenegro to summit innkeepers together after past conflicts in the area. Mt. Zla Kolata (2534m).

We are welcomed as guests into remote villages and We finish our epic adventure by summiting shepherds homes and get to witness cultures and Albania and Macedonia’s highest peak – Mt. Korab traditions which have been preserved in this (2751m), which rises high above the border. mountain region for centuries. Detailed itinerary

Day 1: London to Pristina, Kosovo Day 2: Trek Mt. Gjeravica - Doberdol Day 3: Trek Doberdol - Cerem Our adventure starts when we meet our 18km trek – 915m ascent/980m descent 15km trek – 1025m ascent/449m descent guides and transfer to the Kosovon city of Max elevation 2656m Max elevation 1920m Peja. A short 1 hour transfer takes us to the start After breakfast our trek continues through of our trek, where we climb up to the lush pastures with wonderful and remote With the stunning Rugova mountains all highest peak of Kosovo – Mt. Gjervica mountain scenery. We pass shepherd around, Peja (known as Peć in Serbian) is 2656m and then cross over the border into villages only inhabited during the summer. an extraordinary cultural amalgam, and a Albania. main gateway to the Peaks of the Balkans. We pass through the village of Balqin, part With a Turkish-style bazaar at its heart, The border is now unpatrolled, but during of the Gashi valley with its protected Peja is bisected by the rushing river Lumi the communist regime was one of the glacial lakes and Sulbica plateau. The Bardhi, where there is a laid-back most protected and controlled borders of Gashi woodlands are also under UNESCO ambience amid the cafés and restaurants the Cold War. protection as part of the Primeval Beech which line it’s banks. Cultural gems include Forests of the Carpathians and the Ancient the Quashi mosque and the orthodox We trek through two shepherd villages in Beech Forests of Germany, which now Patriarchate of Peć monastery with its two different countries. Two valleys, which stretches over 12 countries: Albania, frescoes and gold chandeliers. share the same culture and language but Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, which were disconnected by political Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Tonight we stay in a hotel and will have a borders. We hike pass two glacial lakes and Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine. trek briefing from our local guides before reach one of the most isolated corners of dinner. Europe: no mobile network, no electricity Overnight in Cerem village in shared and no roads. guesthouses (with electricity). Dinner will be eaten together. We stay overnight, off-grid , in the very basic village of Doberdol in a number of different local guesthouses, but all come together for dinner around one fire. Detailed itinerary

Day 4: Cerem – Valbona, Montenegro Day 5: Transfer to Rodimore, Sharr Day 6: Continued… 20km trek – 1400m ascent/900m mountains, Albania We will be met and transferred to our descent Today we have a beautiful mountain hotel in Pristina. Tonight we celebrate our Max elevation 2582m transfer through Kosovo. We stop for achievements with a traditional dinner. Our trek today takes us to the summit lunch and a visit in the city of Prizren, of Mt. Zla Kolata peak, the highest known for its mixed Ottoman culture, Day 7: Departure peak of Montenegro. This trail has only typical of this area. Early and short transfer to Pristina recently opened and allows us to hike Airport. into Montenegro from Albania. This is We stay overnight in the village of the toughest climb on the whole trek, Radomire and prepare for our final © Ultimate Challenges with steep rocky sections, but is summit challenge. This itinerary is complex and subject to known as one of the best hikes in the change Peaks of the Balkans . Day 6: Mt Korab 2765m, Albania/Macedonia Challenge grade We end our days trek in the village of 17km trek – 1400m ascent/1400 Moderate to tough Valbona which is the biggest village in descent the Valbona National Park. We stay Max elevation 2764m Best time of year overnight in a hotel. An early start today! It’s a strenuous June – end of Sept day and tough climb. We pass shepherd huts and trek over a mix of rocky trails and soft meadows. We reach the summit for a picnic lunch and continue the trek the same way back down.