Overview
This walking holiday is a unique opportunity to explore one of the European continent’s last unexplored corners and hidden treasures. The Via Dinarica trails offer spectacular views, rugged peaks, glacial lakes, rich history and cultural diversity.
The Via Dinarica is an international mega walking trail stretching from Albania to Slovenia. The main part of the trail slices diagonally from south-east to the northwest, naturally following the Dinaric Alps’ main ridge, running parallel to the Adriatic coast.
The walking holiday includes a climb to the top of Mount Gjeravica (the highest mountain in Kosovo), where you will have magnificent views of Montenegro and Albania. The itinerary also includes a visit to Peja, one of the country’s oldest and most historic cities. The accommodation varies between a 3-star hotel in town and basic family-run guesthouses in the mountains. All accommodation is hand-picked by The Natural Adventure.
- Glacial Lakes of Accursed Mountains
- Mount Gjeravica
- The historic town of Peja
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Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Pristina/Peja
Arrive at Pristina Airport. Private transfer to the historic city of Peja. Depending on arrival time, we will select a few stops to visit the natural and cultural landmarks of Kosovo, including UNESCO heritage Orthodox Monasteries or a cascade of beautiful waterfalls.
- Overnight in Hotel Camp Karagaq or similar
Day 2: Podi Jakupit – Reka e Allages | 12km
A short transfer brings you to the small shepherd settlement of Podi Jakupit. The hiking trail continues through a pine tree forest and reaches a cross-border point between Kosovo and Montenegro. You finish the day at Reka Allages, a typical mountain shepherd village where there are several guesthouses that can offer nice accommodations and delicious food.
- Walking for the day: 12km, ↑335m ↓825m
- Overnight in Guesthouse Ariu or similar
Day 3: Reka e Allages – Mount Hajla – Dramadol – Boge | 16km
The first part of this section will follow the same route of the first day. The trail is well marked and meanders slightly uphill through a small meadow until it reaches the tree line just above it. After 5km along the ridge the trail crosses through the second peak, Mount Dramadol (2120m), from which heads toward the next one, Mount Hajla Shkrelit (2011). From this point the trail starts to go downwards to the Qafa Dasmoreve pass, it turns sharp left and follows the path to Boge. Boge village is located in the Rugova Region, in the Albanian Alps. From Boge, there will be a short car transfer to the village of Kuqishte.
- Walking for the day: 16km, ↑1,200m ↓1,035m
- Overnight in Guri Kuq Guesthouse or similar
Day 4: Kuqishte – Milisevc | 12km
Today you reach the Jelenka Pass 2,275m with the prominent outcrop just below. The Pass offers a breathtaking view from where all the surrounding peaks and valleys are visible. Beyond the pass the trail mainly continues along the border line between Kosovo and Montenegro, crossing the border line at different places until it reaches the small swamp where the path definitely enters Kosovo country and reaches the Milishevc plateau.
- Walking for the day: 12km, ↑1005m ↓745m
- Overnight in Guesthouse Lojza or similar
Day 5: Milisevc – Babino Polje | 16km
The hike today will lead you through some of the least trodden trails in the Accursed Mountains in Kosovo, and will join the classic Peaks of the Balkans trail in the section Kuqishte- Babino Polje. This section is the least visited in the whole trail giving you a sense of isolation where the mountains will be all yours. When the day is over, you will reach Babino Polje, a typical Montenegrin shepherd village which is famous for its original dairy products and cuisine.
- Walking for the day: 12,5km, ↑610m ↓775m
- Overnight in Eco Lodge Hrid or similar
Day 6: Babino Polje – Doberdol | 13km
Today you will be crossing the border from Montenegro to Albania. You will start a shorter hike from Babino Polje to the village of Doberdol. No far from your starting point you will reach Bogicevica Katun offering a magnificent view toward Babino Polje valley and its surrounding pine tree forests. Both Bogicevica Katun and Babino Polje are inhabited by the Montenegrin Bosniak Muslim community speaking south Slavic. From here the trail joins with Via Dinarica trail, crossing through different passes where amongst them it is also Bogicevica Pass. You will end the hike in Doberdol, where the host of the guesthouse will be waiting for you.
- Walking for the day:13km, ↑745m ↓450m
- Overnight in Guesthouse Leonardi or similar
Day 7: Gjeravica – Kosovo’s Highest Mountain (2,656 m) | 16km
Today’s walk will take you to the highest mountain in Kosovo and the second highest in the Dinaric Alps and the Accursed Mountains (2,656m). The trail to the top is rugged, but there are beautiful views through pastures and meadows toward the mountain’s top. You can also see parts of the Accursed Mountain Range sprawling over the Albanian and Montenegrin borders. The way down from the peak is moderately steep and crosses aside twin lakes of Gjeravica South-East and ends up in the seasonal shepherd settlement of Gropa Erenikut, where a car will be waiting for you to take you back to Peja.
- Walking for the day: 16km, ↑1,018m ↓1,091m
- Overnight in Hotel Camp Karagaq or similar
Day 8: Transfer to Prishtina / Departure
After breakfast, a transfer will take you to Pristina airport or city centre.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodations on this tour include a mix of 3-star hotels, guesthouses and a mountain hut. They have been carefully selected for their location, atmosphere, cuisine and unique services. Rooms in the guesthouses and in a mountain hut are shared.
Click to view default hotels
Hotels are subject to availability. In case a hotel is fully booked for your desired dates, we will replace it with a property of equal standard. We will provide full accommodation details upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included, and lunches and dinners in the mountains (5 lunches and 5 dinners), on Day 7 breakfast and packed lunch is included. In towns, lunch and dinner are available either from the restaurant in your hotel or from restaurants located nearby.
Difficulty and terrain
Appropriate for regular walkers. Requires a reasonable level of fitness. The trip covers an average of 6-7h of hiking per day. The average daily elevation gain is 950m (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from June until October. The weather is best in July – September. The flexibility of self guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your holiday on any date in the season. The climate is temperate continental. It is influenced both by the colder air coming from the north and the warmer breeze from the Mediterranean. Depending on location and altitude, temperatures vary, but generally, in the June-September period, the daily averages are 20 – 25 C. Summer and autumn are pleasant with cool nights and occasional rain. High summer daytime temperatures are rarely too hot as even though temperatures can occasionally reach 30 C, the mountains and forests remain cooler, dropping at night to 12-18 C. The region is recognized as having some of the purest air in Europe.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
Our recommended airport for this tour is Pristina.
Arrival and departure transfers are included from/to Pristina airport.
Inclusions
Included
- Accommodation in 3-star hotels in towns (2 nights), 2 breakfasts included
- Accommodation in shared rooms in simple guesthouses and a mountain hut (5 nights), 6 lunches and 5 dinners included
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions, road notes and maps (electronic copy + one printed copy per party)
- Luggage transfers: one piece up to 15kg in soft bags only (limited by luggage transport on horse, take a duffel or rucksack, hard cases are not suitable)
- All internal ground transfers as listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare
- 3 lunches and 3 dinners
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- A supplement applies to members of a group who require a single room
- This holiday is NOT available for solo travellers
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