shelter near Hridsko jezero (Stage 8)
When to hike
The hiking season on the Peaks of the Balkans Trail begins in May or June, with the latter bringing more settled weather and milder temperatures – although you can still expect snow patches in June, or until July in higher areas. Wildflowers are at their most spectacular in June. July is statistically the driest month, followed by August and June – but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for possible rain or thunderstorms during these months, just as at any other time of year. August is the hottest month. By September snowfields have dried up, and with them possibly some springs; nights will be getting cooler and you can expect frost. In October the landscape turns to beautiful autumn colours, and the first snowfall arrives sometime this month, which generally marks the end of the trekking season in Prokletije.
Getting there and around
Since the Peaks of the Balkans Trail is a circular route, it is possible to start or finish the route in Montenegro, Kosovo or Albania – meaning a flight to Podgorica, Pristina or Tirana, and continuing to a trailhead by local bus from there. On balance, at least if arriving from the UK, cheaper flights and more direct onward transport to the Trail favour flying to Podgorica or Pristina. (See later in this section for advantages/disadvantages of the different possible places to start/finish hiking the Trail.) See Appendix A for a list of useful contacts.
Visas
UK passport holders can enter Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro as a tourist without a visa and stay for a period of 90 days, as can most other EU passport holders including Dutch, French and German nationals. Similarly, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders do not need a visa to enter Montenegro, Albania or Kosovo as a tourist, and can stay for up to 90 days. Other passport holders should check visa requirements through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of each of the three countries through which the Peaks of the Balkans Trail passes:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Albania: www.punetejashtme.gov.al
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kosovo: www.mfa-ks.net
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Montenegro: www.mvpei.gov.me
(Select the English-language option and look for consular services/affairs.)
The above three websites are also the place to find the addresses and contact details of foreign diplomatic missions (ie consulates and embassies) in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro. Make a note of these before you travel.
Note however that the Peaks of the Balkans Trail is in a sensitive border area and you must obtain a cross-border permit before hiking the route (see ‘Cross-border permits’).
Katun Bajrović, a summer settlement above Babino polje, Montenegro (Stage 8)
Flights to Podgorica (Montenegro)
Ryanair (www.ryanair.com) fly direct from the UK to the Montenegrin capital, Podgorica, twice a week. From Podgorica you can either continue by bus to Plav (in Montenegro) and start hiking from there, or continue by bus and ferry via Skhodër to Theth or Valbona (both in Albania), and begin your trek there.
Podgorica
Podgorica Airport (www.montenegroairports.com, called Golubovci) is around 15km south of the Montenegrin capital. There’s no airport shuttle bus, so it’s best to get a taxi (tel +382 (0)69 949 197; www.taxi-travel.me) to Podgorica bus station or your hotel, which shouldn’t cost more than €10–€15. (You can get a local bus on the Podgorica–Bar route, but you need to walk from the airport terminal down to the main road and flag down the bus there – and there’s no guarantee it will stop if already full.)
The main bus station (Trg Golootočkih žrtava 1, Podgorica; tel +382 (0)20 620 430; www.busterminal.me) is a 15min walk southeast from the downtown area and Trg Republika, across the River Morača, or a 10min walk southeast from the old clock tower (Sahat Kula) and the old town.
If you’re planning, or need, to stop in Podgorica for a night or more at the start or end of your trek, Hotel Terminus is good, clean and better value than most accommodation in the Montenegrin capital, and is located right next to the bus station (www.terminushotel.me). Pod Volat (Trg Vojvode Bećir Bega Osmanagića, Podgorica) is a good-value restaurant serving a wide range of local dishes, next to the old clock tower (Sahat Kula) – a 10min walk northwest from the bus station.
Podgorica airport is actually almost as close to Lake Skadar National Park as it is to Podgorica, so staying in Virpazar (from where there are buses to Podgorica) is another possibility, with some kayaking or a wine tour thrown in for good measure – contact Undiscovered Montenegro for accommodation in Virpazar or tours in the Lake Skadar region (www.undiscoveredmontenegro.com).
Podgorica to Plav
Around five buses a day make the 4hr journey from Podgorica bus station to Plav. Buses do sometimes fill up, so it’s worth buying your ticket as soon as you get to the bus station. Bus times from Podgorica can be found at www.busterminal.me/timetable.
View across Lake Plav towards the mouth of the Ropojana Valley (Stage 8)
Podgorica to Theth or Valbona
By public transport, this is a less direct route than Podgorica–Plav. There are two buses a day from Podgorica to Skhodër in Albania (journey time 90mins, timetables at www.busterminal.me/timetable), from where you can take another bus along the steep road to Theth (journey time 2hrs 30mins, usually departing early in the morning). Alternatively – and more scenically – take a bus from Skhodër to Koman (2hrs), from where you can take the ferry across Lake Koman, following the flooded course of the River Drin (timetables at komanilakeferry.com/newsite and www.komanilake.com/ferry-transport) – this ferry ride being the main reason for following this route. Of the two ferry operators, Berisha and Mario Molla, the latter offers the advantage of including ferry and connecting minibus services in one single booking. Otherwise, from Fierze where the ferry arrives at the north end of the lake, take a minibus to Bajram Curri (minibuses meet the ferry, as do taxis so make sure you know which one you’re getting by asking the fare); and from there, a minibus to Valbona (one service daily, journey time 45mins) – otherwise, a taxi from Bajram Curri to Valbona will cost around €25. Valbona is scattered along the valley for several kilometres, so let the bus/taxi driver know the name of the guesthouse you’re staying at to make sure you get dropped off nearby.
Other routes
Slightly less conveniently for the Peaks of the Balkans Trail but handy if you plan to spend some time on the Montenegrin coast, Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) fly direct from the UK to Tivat, as do Norwegian (www.norwegian.com). From Tivat airport get a bus or taxi to Kotor, followed by a bus to Podgorica, and continue as above.
Flights to Pristina (Kosovo)
Germania (www.flygermania.com) flies direct from London to Pristina in Kosovo