Balkans High Trails and Culture Guided Hike

Meet your group and guide in Prishtina (time and location TBC) for your 1 hour transfer to the city of Peja (Pec) at the foothills of Prokljetije Mountains. There will be a walking tour to explore the town which is one of the oldest inhabited places in Kosovo and will include the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Orthodox monastery of Decani. Built between 1327 and 1335 this represents an exceptional fusion of Byzantine and Western medieval traditions. Transfer to our overnight accommodation close to the Montenegrin border.

Today's hike starts from our accommodation. Walking past picturesque glacial lakes we will reach the Jelenek pass (2272m) with a fantastic panoramic view of the border between Kosovo and Montenegro. A descent through the Ravna pass will take us to the first Montenegrin settlement - Babino Polje. After refreshments at a local house we will travel by jeep via Plav to Gusinje for our overnight stay. Dinner will be in a lovely restaurant next to a bubbling spring or at our accommodation. Distance 15.5km-9.6mi, +1020m/3346ft, -870m/2850ft

Today we walk in the footsteps of the early 20th century British traveller Edith Durham. It is a demanding day but offers a unique experience to cross the green border between Montenegro and Albania. A final steep descent leads us to the bottom of the Theth valley where jeeps will be waiting to take us to our guesthouse. A delicious dinner will be part of the experience tonight at our comfortable guesthouse. Distance 18km-11mi +850m/2788ft, -1250m/4100mi

Relax this morning and enjoy your breakfast on the terrace above the Theth valley. We will take a gentle walk to explore the valley and visit the highest waterfall in Albania with remains of settlements dating back to the Bronze Age. We'll continue to the village of Nyderlysa where we can take a swim in the pristine river before a lovely garden lunch in a typical restaurant where we can try the superb bbq fish or goat together with salads with local cheese. Distance 8km/5mi +200m/650ft -500m/1640ft

This morning we will walk from the Theth valley to the Valbona Valley. Packhorses will take our luggage as there is no road connection. Upon arrival in Valbona we will transfer to the small town of Bajram Curri where we will stay overnight. In the evening we'll have a delicious dinner in a local restaurant prepared by two charming sisters. Distance 14.5km/9mi, +1200m/3937ft, - 900m/2952ft

This morning we make an early start and transfer (1hr) to reach the ferry on Lake Koman. This is an artificial lake created by damming the Drin River in 1978. The boat ride takes 2 hours and passes through narrow passages and remote settlements only accessible by water. On completion of the boat trip we will transfer to the second biggest city in Albania, Shkoder. Lunch is a special treat in a gourmet restaurant showcasing local ingredients. After lunch there will be a city walk covering notable sites of the city including the photo collection of Marubi and the castle of Shkoder. Continue into Montenegro for our overnight stay in the fishing village of Virpazar in a comfortable hotel (total 2hrs transfer).

Again we start the day with a journey by boat from Virpazar on Lake Skadar (2hrs) to the village of Rijeka Crnojevica with its historic bridge. From here we transfer (20mins) to Cetinje for a city walk in the old royal capital of Montenegro, before a short ride to the starting point of our final walk down to the Bay of Kotor. This trail once connected the port of Kotor with the mountainous interior of Montenegro. Enjoy the fantastic views over the bay. On arrival at the old town of Kotor we will check into our hotel and enjoy a group farewell dinner. Distance 9km/5.6mi -900m/2950ft

After breakfast there will be a group airport transfer to Dubrovnik. Other locations such as Dubrovnik town centre, Podgorica (1.5hr) or Tivat (30mins) are on request and additional costs apply.