9-Day Trek in the Balkans

Hi there, Here’s a recap of a trek through the Balkans covering three countries: Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. I was with a friend, and we didn’t do the full route (only one day in Kosovo). It was a wonderful trek through snow-capped mountains and vast flower-filled meadows, meeting incredibly welcoming people. At the end of the travel journal, I’ll share what I loved and what I liked less.

Day 1: Flight from Paris-Beauvais to Tirana with Wizz Air. Since Albania isn’t part of Europe when it comes to phone service (at least not yet! :-)), we had to buy a physical SIM card—otherwise, the bill would’ve been sky-high if we’d used our French plan! We got one from Vodafone AL at the airport. You can buy online before leaving with a virtual SIM (e-SIM) for compatible phones, so you don’t have to swap cards. But given the uncertainty about choosing a plan online, we preferred buying one directly at Tirana Airport. Cost: 31 € for 100 GB. That’s way too much—100 GB is overkill. For 40 GB, it’s 27 €, and the plan lasts 21 days. The price difference isn’t huge, and it was cheaper than online. This plan covers all the countries along the Balkan range. Money tip: All guesthouses and accommodations accept euros. The local currency in Albania is the LEK. In Montenegro, it’s the euro. Bank fees for withdrawing money from an ATM in Albania are pretty steep: 8 € for a withdrawal of 600–700 LEK (about 200 €)! So it’s better to withdraw cash (euros) in France. Oh, and we booked all our accommodations before leaving, but payment is always in cash. Budget around 400–500 € for 9 days of trekking.

Then, a transfer the same day to Shköder, about a 2-hour bus ride. Cost: 10 € per person. Tickets bought directly on the bus. We spent the night in Shköder at a very clean guesthouse, Open Doors B&B. It had a small balcony overlooking the city. I really liked Shköder, especially its pedestrian street lined with restaurants and lit up at night. It’s a great place to stroll and eat. The food isn’t expensive—two big salads and two beers: 14 € :-) . Fruit prices are also very reasonable: 3 € for a kilo of cherries, compared to 9–10 € in France. Religions coexist peacefully in these countries—Catholics and Muslims. From our balcony, my friend heard the call to prayer for the first time, coming from one of the city’s mosques.

Day 2: Bus ride to Theth, about 1,100 meters in elevation gain, the starting point for our hike the next day.

The trip took 2 hours and 40 minutes with a break in the middle. The bus was affordable, but taxis also make the trip—though they’re very expensive.



We slept in the heights of Theth at a new guesthouse, "Mountain Vista Shkafi," with an amazing view.

The family was adorable. The husband is a handyman and built almost everything himself. Their baby is named "Sky"—such a cute name, right? :-) Throughout the trek, I found the guesthouses very clean, and the hosts think of everything—no need to bring soap or shampoo; they provide it. Lunch in Theth at a traditional restaurant on the main road. We tried "Tave Dheu," an Albanian dish with beef, cabbage (very common), and cottage cheese. Delicious but not quite filling enough. For dessert, a honey cake that was perfectly moist—such a treat! Desserts like this are rare; sometimes they serve watermelon instead. We took a small private bus for 5 € to the "Blue Eye" parking lot, then walked for about 45 minutes to reach a stunning natural site—a kind of lagoon with incredibly blue water. The bravest can swim, but the water’s freezing!







That evening, we dined at "La Montagne Blanche"—excellent! A delightful mix of grilled meats with potatoes and grilled peppers. Some watermelon slices (which I’m not a fan of) and the famous Raki, a brandy served in Turkey and the Balkans! It was my first time drinking brandy "bottoms up." 😉

To be continued... 😉

Hello, I’ll be happily following your trek. I’ve already hiked in Montenegro and North Macedonia a long time ago (back in the Yugoslav era). Kosovo was at war then! (1982) It was impossible to enter at the time. More recently (2023), we hiked in Albania, mostly starting from Theth but also in the Osum Gorges and around the Përmet region (Gryka e Kazanit—Cauldron’s Neck—and Strëmbec). I loved Albania (my favorite in the Balkans). I would’ve loved to do the trek across all three countries (Montenegro/Kosovo/Albania), but with age (carrying a backpack), we had to give up😕

Thanks Jean-Michel,

I really loved Montenegro and the warm welcome from the locals. I didn’t visit the places you described, but I’d love to go back! :-)

Day 3: First long hike - Theth to Valbona, 1,100m+, 900m-, about 6h20 - 15km

We set off at 7:30 AM to arrive early enough in the evening to avoid a storm. Didn’t have breakfast beforehand (it’s possible to bring it along the way), but honestly, starting on an empty stomach wasn’t great :-). We preferred having it before leaving on the following days. Egg and tomato sandwiches, same meal for lunch, prepared by the hostel. It wasn’t the easiest hike to start with! The climb was pretty steep, but the route was really beautiful.

Well-deserved break





Arrival at Valbona Pass with an amazing view. This section of the trek is more touristy, so there were quite a few people at the summit.

The descent was very long and ended with a long stretch of road.







This last part wasn’t the most pleasant. Watch out—roadworks and sidewalks too, with some loose cobblestones lying around. Ouch, ouch, ouch if you step on one, especially in sandals later on :-). We arrived at 4:00 PM at "Bujtina Arturi", another well-chosen hostel with a warm welcome.





In the end, the storm hit during the night, with very heavy rain.

Day 4: Second hike from Valbona to Çerem via the valley, 592m+, 369m-, 4h30, 11km

There are two possible routes: via the valley or via the Prosllopit Pass. We chose the first, easier one because, on the one hand, the previous day had really tired us out, and on the other, the weather was very uncertain—overcast with the peaks largely covered in snow patches (we’d be crossing a lot of those later). The second route via the Prosllopit Pass is generally only recommended in good weather. Other, more experienced hikers ended up taking this much longer and quite challenging path.

We set off at 7:30 AM after taking the time to have a proper breakfast: sausages, tomatoes, bread, cheese (feta), and an omelette. Feta is served at every meal here—morning, noon, and night! Try it instead of butter with jam; I found it really tasty. We also had a great herbal tea, but the café au lait was more than strange. We crossed through incredibly varied and beautiful landscapes. It was a fantastic day where we took the time to walk, look around, observe, read, and soak in the natural beauty.







We often came across small, well-kept cemeteries, as well as others that were more neglected and isolated, likely family plots. What surprised us were the photos of the deceased—sometimes very large—displayed on the headstones.









The hike ends with a long stony road leading to Çerem, which isn’t really a village but more of an isolated stop along the Balkan trail. There’s no shortage of accommodation. Our welcome at today’s guesthouse, "Kujtim Gocaj," was a bit disappointing. I usually like chatting with our hosts and exchanging a few words, but here, nothing. We learned nothing about them. The place itself is very charming, though—a lovely round "cabin" for the kitchen and very comfortable lodgings in brand-new chalets (though with zero soundproofing). They were spotlessly clean (almost too clean, if you ask me—the overpowering fabric softener smell gave it away).





Pasta soup and fresh raw vegetables (tomatoes, red onions, red cabbage, white cabbage) are a staple of meals in Albania. Really refreshing.

Day 5: third hike Çerem - Doberdöll, 1030m+, 440m-, 6h40, 9.6 miles

I always give an approximate duration, but we don’t walk fast. So we try to set off early enough. 😉 We hit the trail at 8:00 AM after a delicious breakfast (with an Albanian cake whose name I don’t know and the famous herbal tea). The path starts with a long track that gradually reveals the Prosllopit Pass behind us. We pass a few "isolated" campers. Here in the Balkans, it’s not the GR20 :-), camping seems to be allowed everywhere—we also saw lots of extinguished campfires. Then we cross stunning meadows, forests, snow patches... Absolutely gorgeous!















We arrive at the isolated alpine village of Doberdöll, where many horses roam freely. They’re pretty wild—I couldn’t get close to a single one...



The "Bashkimi" refuge is large and... packed. It’s best to book ahead. This time, we won’t have any "real" contact with our hosts. It’s like a "factory" (okay, I’m exaggerating a bit 🙂), it’s all about turnover.



It’s a really nice place to sleep. It’s quite chilly outside—we’re at 1744m altitude. Dinner was a bit (too) cozy: byrek, raw veggies, marinated eggplant and peppers, white bean soup, and the famous feta. After all those miles, we hit the sack pretty early—9:00 PM, 10:00 PM at the latest.

I always include an approximate duration, but we don’t walk fast. So we try to leave early enough.

Hiking shouldn’t be confused with a sporting feat—at least, that’s how I see it. Personally, I like taking the time to observe, to feel nature, to take breaks... For 1000m of elevation gain and over 15km, that’s completely reasonable.

We arrive at the isolated alpine village, Doberdöll,

Isn’t that still in Albania or very close to the border? Kosovo or North Macedonia? How does crossing the borders work? From what I remember, accommodation prices in Albania have risen considerably. I checked for this year—it’s not cheap! Three years ago in Theth, we had a very comfortable place for 40 €, and it was easy to find something for less.