Peaks of the Balkans Trail Highlights
STARTING POINT
Theth
FINISH POINT
Theth
DURATION
5 days / 4 nights
SEASON
From June to October
TECHNICAL LEVEL
FITNESS LEVEL
TOUR TYPE
Inn-to-Inn
PRICE
From 390€/person
- Cross the breathtaking Valbona Pass, with sweeping views of Albania’s highest mountain ranges
- Stay in charming, remote villages like Theth and Valbonë
- Hike between Albania and Montenegro
- Conquer the trail’s challenging ascents while exploring the heart of the Accursed Mountains.
- Relax in rustic guesthouses, enjoying simple, hearty meals after long days of trekking
- Experience the true wilderness of the Balkans in one of Europe’s last wild frontiers
Self-guided
INCLUDED IN PRICE
What to Bring to the Tour
This five-day journey through the heart of the Albanian and Montenegrin Alps is the perfect introduction to the Peaks of the Balkans for those short on time but craving a real adventure. It’s a chance to explore one of Europe’s last true wildernesses, where untouched landscapes offer a rare glimpse into life in the Balkans.
The trail takes you from the picturesque village of Theth, nestled in a lush valley surrounded by jagged peaks, across the iconic Valbona Pass into the Valbonë Valley.
You’ll explore rugged terrain, crossing high-altitude meadows, passing crystal-clear streams, and traversing mountain passes with sweeping views of Albania and Montenegro.
Throughout the journey, you’ll stay in simple, rustic guesthouses, allowing for an authentic mountain experience. The huts and lodges provide comfort and warmth after long days on the trail. Although remote, the hike is well-supported, and we take care of your bookings, including accommodation and the necessary permits for cross-border travel.
While the trail is physically challenging with its long distances and big elevation changes, it doesn’t require technical climbing skills. That makes it an ideal adventure for those looking to push their limits while enjoying the breathtaking beauty of the Accursed Mountains.
To make your experience even smoother, we handle all the logistics for you, from securing border permits to arranging guesthouse stays and providing detailed route notes. Our support ensures that even in the remote wilderness, you're never alone.
The Peaks of the Balkans offers an adventure that’s as challenging as it is rewarding, with unforgettable views, pristine nature, and a rich cultural experience across Albania and Montenegro.
And if you wish to challenge yourself more, you can always walk the entire trail!
Map
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course. We aim to make your decision as easy as possible. Therefore, we crafted several selections targeted at particular groups of hikers – Best for Beginners, Best for Advanced Hikers, Mountain Hikes, Pilgrimages, Classic Treks, etc.
If you remain unsure and overwhelmed, you can fill out this form or book a call with us, and we can help you directly.
Number of people
A fantastic 3 day self guided Hut to Hut hike around Triglav National Park in Slovenia. We experienced a full range of weather which made it an unforgettable trip. The organisation and back up support with GPS maps etc was excellent. Hut staff were friendly and very happy to give advice and suggestions on the routes and directions. Would recommend.
My friend and I went with Triglav Tours for a 3 day, 2 night hike this summer and had the most amazing time!! Our guide, Bine, was awesome and had lots of cool facts to share about the area we were hiking. Additionally, my friend and I had not completed such a technical hike before and the guide and other guests were very patient with us and encouraging, ensuring we felt safe the entire time. The overnights were also such a fun way to get to know Bine, the other guests, and other hikers as well. Cannot recommend Triglav tours enough!!!
I arranged a six-day/five-night trip with Hut to Hut Slovenia. It's the first time I've gone with a tour organizer and I can say it went really well. In the past I've arranged huts myself and it is a huge hassle figuring out how to make the bookings, if the bookings actually exist, and what good/viable routes might be. Having this all sort was, at least to me, totally worth it. The routing is via Ride with GPS, which was great. I'd recommend bringing 1:25,000 scale paper maps as a backup, just in case. The huts themselves differ wildly. Some are really rustic with, ahem, interesting toilet facilities. One was accessible by road and thus had showers, a long menu, and even espresso. All will have some sort of food, but you might only have two options for dinner (one with meat, one vegetarian). The cuisine in the Slovenian huts leans strongly to stews and goulashes with minimal fresh vegetables and/or fruit. Certainly good and hearty but pretty much everyone I talked to said the food was better in the Italian and Austrian huts. Some huts are cash only, some take cards (but the card reader might be down). A 1.5 litre bottle of water is about 6 euro, so if you have a beer with dinner and also buy lunch you need to carry about 25-30 euro per day in cash (assuming you have a booking that includes breakfast). Of the six days of hiking, four were ridiculously spectacular, with the highlight being sunrise from Mt Stol. Getting up to the high mountains, though, can be crazy steep, with switchbacks only sparsely used. Descents are similarly tough, and you have to watch every step. For the first time ever I used trekking poles and my knees thank me. Two days were a bit of a slog, but this is probably unavoidable getting up to or down from the high terrain. Would I do something like this again? Yes, absolutely! But next time it will probably be the Dolomites.
We had a lovely hike today with our guide Klemen. He personalized the tour on our needs and interests, so that we saw places we wouldn't without his experience. The hike was a little bit slippery after the rain from the last days and it went a lot upwards, but it was totally worth it! Thanks again :)
Self-Guided
On a self-guided tour, you explore a destination independently, following a pre-planned route and itinerary without a guide but with all necessary information and accommodation bookings provided in advance.
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HANDPICKED ADVENTURES
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VALUE YOUR TIME
SELF-GUIDED TRAVEL
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