€950
BACKPACKING ADVENTURE IN ACCURSED MOUNTAINS
The best way to experience the Accursed Mountains of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo is by hiking independently with a small group. This trip is designed to enjoy an unforgettable combination of natural beauty and the cultural richness of the Albanian Alps. The Accursed Mountain trail leads through one of the most remote and wild mountainous regions of the Western Balkans. By using shepherd paths and footways, the trail winds through high alpine mountains up to 2300m above sea level.
During this trek, we will most of the time sleep on the tents and that’s why we don’t need to exactly make a precis itinerary which we have to follow. Only on the first day, we will sleep in a guesthouse in Theth, the starting point of the trek. Having maps, GPS, and of course a guide with you, would be very much easy to organize the rest of the trip. On the Itinerary below, we will give you some highlights of the places we should hike through.
CAMPING & BACKPACKING ADVENTURE IN THE ACCURSED MOUNTAINS OF ALBANIA AND KOSOVO
Is this adventure for you?
This trek is suitable for keen trekkers who are prepared to put in some physical preparation. For the most part, our walks follow good shepherd trails yet the terrain can be very rocky in parts, winding through high alpine mountains. Most of the trails are not well-marked, but some are. However, having a very experienced mountain guide with you, should not concern you.
The average trek every day would be something between 17-23 Km with a cumulative elevation of 1300m maximum.
What's Included
Accommodation in guesthouses and tents, meals as written in the daily itinerary; group airport transfer and other transports required by the itinerary; all entrance fees; skilled tour leader.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Albania! Drive to Thethi National Park.
Meet and greet with the guide in Tirana International Airport, followed by a transfer to Shkodra, one of the oldest inhabited cities in Albania with a 2500-year-old history. We will introduce the city first then drive towards Theth, passing through the beautiful Valley of Boga. We will stop at Qafe Thore – the diagonal Pass, to enjoy the spectacular mountainous landscape unfolding in front of us. We will switch to a local van and drive downhill to a nice guesthouse in the village where we will stay overnight and enjoy a tasty homemade meal.
Drive: 3hrs; Accommodation in a guesthouse.
Day 2: Trek over Valbona pass
Today our trail heads towards spectacular Valbona Pass. It's not a particularly hard walk and is one that is attempted by many first-time mountain walkers. For the next couple of hours, the trail climbs slightly more steeply towards higher ground and we walk over Valbona Pass. Overnight in Kukaj hamlet.
Accommodation: Guesthouse
Trek: 18 km, 7-8 hours, elevation gain: 1140m; elevation loss: 940m.
Day 3: Spectacular hike from Kukaj to the Jezerca Lakes
This is an amazing trek. We start early in the morning from the guesthouse towards Stani i Rames, where we stop for coffee, tea and cold drinks. We climb up to a pass then a dramatic trail to the lakes. An amazing night to spend at the Buni i Jezerces. All camping gears and food will be transferred by a horse.
Accommodation: Camping
Trek: 10 km, 5-6 hours, elevation gain: 1040m; elevation loss: 660m.
Day 4: From the lakes towards Vuthaj Village
After breakfast, a short hike down to Vuthaj village in Montenegro. We cross the green border and sleep overnight in a guesthouse in Vusanje.
Trek: 10 km, 3-4 hours, elevation gain: 150m; elevation loss: 875m.
Day 5: Walk overlooking the spectacular of Karanfili's massif. Overnight in Lepushe
Enjoy waking up with a hot drink, then settle in for a hearty breakfast, snap a few last-minute photographs, then prepare for a short drive to Grbaja Valley. Our trek starts out with a gradual uphill passing through the forest and ultimately arriving at Vallushnica Peak, the first peak for today's hike. The views here are fantastic!
The last part of the trail passes across the ridge before the final ascent, Taljanka Peak, 2056m. Finding the perfect spot for a picnic lunch, we take time to soak in all of the beauty of this special spot. After lunch, we’ll descent down to Lepushe.
Trek: 12 km, 5-6 hours, elevation gain: 985m; elevation loss: 900m.
Day 6: Camping at Gropa e Koprishtit
After breakfast, we pack and hit the trail towards Theth. The trail is quite challenging as it goes in a very remote part of the Albanian Alps. We will camp in a spectacular spot surroundings by high mountains. All camping gears and food will transfer by a horse.
Trek: 9 km, 4-5 hours, elevation gain: 850m; elevation loss: 460m.
Day 7: Continue the trek towards Theth. Drive to Shkoder
Early in the morning we hit the dramatic trail towards Theth. The path passes along the craggiest part of the Alpet Shqipёtare Mountains. Almost the entire hike is surrounded by steep mountains with stunning views. This itinerary allows us a glance into the region’s past when it was a forbidden zone during the Communist era. A border military post, some bunkers, and the border crossing pyramid sign still remains by the crossing.
After a coffee break in Theth, we drive to Shkoder. Our amazing trek ends up in Shkoder.
Trek: 14 km, 6-7 hours, elevation gain: 750m; elevation loss: 1160m.
Note: The tour is possible only after 20 of July till the end of September. In order to guarantee the departure, requires the minimum of 4 pax.
Meet your guide
Adnan B.
Adnan has guided throughout the Accursed Mountains for more than 6 summers, enjoying many personal adventures. Living his dream as an adventure guide, he enjoys hiking and having the opportunity to share the knowledge about mountains, history, 99’s Kosovo war, his life as a shepherd, and his love of this region with guests.
GEAR LIST
The following checklist has been created to help you choose your clothing and gear for this trip. Try to keep the weight of your equipment to a minimum. Feel free to give us a call at 00383-49-601-007 if you have any questions regarding the gear list.
REQUIRED
- Good walking shoes
- Day pack (35L – 65L)
- Sleeping bags
- Tent
- Sunhat
- Sunglasses
- Sun cream
- Fleece Gloves
- Fleece Hat
- Fleece Jacket or Sweater
- Underwear
- Rain jacket
- Warm fleece jacket or jumper
- Rain pants
- Long Sleeve Shirts (Synthetic, Lightweight)
- Trekking trousers
- Warm fleece jacket or jumper
- Anti-bacterial hand gel
- Personal First Aid Kit/Medications (Lightweight)
- 2 x 1-liter water bottle
- Insect spray
- Water purification tablets
- (Water is provided, but very often this is from local wells or mountain streams and is not chlorinated. If you are concerned about drinking untreated water, we suggest you bring a supply of water treatment tablets.)
OPTIONAL
- Flashlight or Headlamp
- Trekking Poles
- Shorts
- Trainers or sandals
- Bandana
- Liner Socks (Synthetic)
- Shoes for Travel and Free Time
- Casual Clothing for Travel and Town Wear (Lightweight, Easily Washable)
- Spare laces
- Luggage Tags and Locks
- Pen-knife
- Camera and Accessories
- Ear Plugs
- Reading and Writing Materials
- Small Binoculars
- Whistle
- Reusable cloth bag for shopping (to avoid plastic bags)
HOLIDAY INFORMATION
What's Included
- English-speaking local guide
- Group airport transfers
- All accommodation
- Meals
- All land transport required by the itinerary
- All entrance fees
- Luggage transport
What's not included
- Airline tickets
- Travel insurance
- Visas
- Airport taxes
- Tips for local staff
- Alcoholic beverages or soft drinks
- Items of a personal sort
- Airport transfers other than group transfers
Consider as you book up
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Airline Tickets (Confirmation and Itinerary) & Passport
The unit of currency in Albania is the Lek (ALL). However, the Euro is accepted. The unit of currency in Kosovo and Montenegro is the Euro. Note: Buying Lek is possible only in Albania
ATM Availability
- Tirane & Shkoder
- Deçan & Prizren
LOCAL TIME: Time zone: GMT +1
ELECTRICITY: Electric supply and plugs: 220V, 50 Hz, two-pin round plugs.
BOOKS
- Western Balkans - Lonely Planet
- The Accursed Mountains - Robert Carver
- Broken April - Ismail Kadare
- High Albania - Edith Durham
USEFUL CONTACTS
Montenegro Emergency numbers
- 92 Police; 94 Medical emergency
- United States Consulate, Podgorica: +382 20 410 500
- Canadian Embassy, Belgrade, Serbia (also responsible for Montenegro): +381 11 306 3000
- Australian Embassy, Belgrade, Serbia (also responsible for Montenegro): +381 11 330 3400
- British Consulate, Podgorica: +382 81 205 460
- Podgorica International Airport: +382 0 20 444 244
Albania Emergency numbers
- 129 Police; 127 Ambulance
- Embassy of United States: +355 4 224 7285
- British Embassy: +355 4 223 4973
- Consulate of Canada to the Republic of Albania, Tirana: +355 4 225 7274
- Tirana International Airport: +355 42 381 800
Kosovo Emergency numbers
- 112 Police; 94 Ambulance
- British Embassy: +383 38 254 700
- U.S. Embassy: +383 38 59 59 3000
- German Embassy: +383 38 254 500
- Pristina International Airport: +383 38 501 502 12 14