Why ‘Hiking Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro’ is my kind of holiday

I’m not particularly good at relaxing in the traditional sense. Give me a week beside a swimming pool and, lovely as it sounds, it probably won’t be long before I’m wondering which hill to climb instead. If these sound like your symptoms too, you might be an active relaxer - someone who switches off by getting outside, moving and seeing somewhere new.

It’s one of the reasons G Adventures’ Active style of travel speaks to me. And in particular, the 'Hiking in Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro’ trip.

Across nine days, we covered around 100km (62.1 mi), climbed a combined 4,740m (15551 ft) and descended another 4,942m (16213 ft) through spectacular scenery. There were sunny mountain passes, dramatic peaks, lush forests, remote guesthouses and more (delicious) food than I thought was possible to eat. It was challenging, occasionally unpredictable and incredibly social.

Albania before the hiking boots go on

Albania is changing quickly. Tourism is growing, the country is working towards EU membership and there is a noticeable sense of development underway. But, as you’ll learn from your CEO throughout the week, its relatively recent emergence from decades of communist isolation means infrastructure and tourism services can feel a few steps behind its European neighbours.

I’d recommend arriving a day or two early. The trip begins with an afternoon pickup at Tirana Airport, and connecting your entire holiday to a flight arriving shortly beforehand leaves little room for airline mishaps.

How difficult is the hiking?

Our first hiking day began with a drive towards Theth along dramatic switchbacks with jagged peaks rising around us. Then came the walking. Our route towards Valbona Pass followed a fairly simple principle: up.

Under blazing sunshine, we climbed through woodland and increasingly open terrain until eventually reaching the pass at 1,759m (5770 ft). After lunch came the equally important second part of mountain hiking: going all the way back down again. Setting the tone for the days to come.

G Adventures rates this trip ‘Physical Rating 4 — Demanding’, and having completed it, I think that’s fair. The individual hiking days ranged from around 11 to 19km (6.8 mi to 11.80 mi), but distance only tells part of the story. Across the week we climbed almost 4.75 vertical km (2.95 mi) and descended almost five (3.11 mi). On the longest days, we were out in the mountains for eight hours or more.

I wouldn’t let the numbers put you off, but I wouldn’t underestimate them either. You don’t need to be an elite athlete, and there’s nothing particularly heroic about walking up a hill. You do, however, need to arrive prepared for consecutive days of sustained hiking. And if you’re going in mid summer, hiking in the heat!

Three countries, one mountain range

One of the joys of this route is how often the landscape changes. On our second hiking day we travelled by 4x4 before climbing towards Dobërdol, moving between open trails and humid forest. A shady rest stop complete with tree swings and cold refreshments was particularly welcome before we eventually reached Bashkim Guesthouse, where a nearby waterfall provided the perfect place for a cold swim.

The next morning began with a long, steep climb towards one of the geographical highlights of the trip: the point where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet, offering extraordinary panoramic views across the Accursed Mountains. From there, we crossed high plateaus and ridges surrounded by colourful blue, yellow and purple wildflowers, with patches of snow still visible even in July. It felt like stepping into a world somewhere between The Sound of Music and The Lord of the Rings.

It’s also impossible to travel through this region without becoming curious about its history. These borders have shifted repeatedly, and the countries we were walking between have experienced kingdoms, occupation, fascism, communism, dictatorship and war within relatively recent history. Reminders occasionally appear on the trail itself, from memorials to old bunkers and former border infrastructure.

Then, just as we were getting comfortable, the heavens opened. The final stretch through the forest was completed in torrential rain and bellowing roars of thunder, and we arrived at our accommodation absolutely soaked. Fortunately, wet clothes and a table full of hot food are surprisingly effective ingredients for group bonding.

The people make the walking better

As expected, the social element became my favourite part of the trip. Spend hours walking beside someone and you get beyond small talk remarkably quickly. Conversations move around the group, snacks are shared, perfectly timed jokes, and encouragement becomes particularly valuable when the gradient heads in the wrong direction.

There are naturally different abilities within any hiking group. Some people thrive on the climbs; others find descents easier. On day five, an optional summit hike from a mountain hut offered an additional steep kilometre and roughly 400m (1,312 ft) of climbing for anyone whose legs were still feeling cooperative. Others sensibly stayed behind with a drink.

By evening, the conversations continue around the dinner table. Shared accommodation won’t be for everyone, but I’d encourage people not to dismiss it automatically. Our guesthouses were generally far more comfortable than the words ‘mountain guesthouse’ might suggest, and communal spaces became part of the experience.

Tomato, cucumber, feta. Repeat.

Another thing I appreciated was having all our food included. On a ‘normal’ holiday I love finding restaurants, but after spending all day hiking, the knowledge that the three main meals are already sorted is a genuine luxury.

The food is hearty, local and plentiful. Burek is a popular staple, alongside soups, grilled sausages, chicken, fresh vegetables and some excellent desserts. There were subtle differences as we moved between the three countries, although one combination proved impressively resistant to international borders: tomato, cucumber and feta. Our group started joking about its regular appearance, but we were delighted to have some fibre on the mountain. Mountain food exists primarily to refuel hungry hikers, and it did that job very well.

Sometimes the weather writes the itinerary

Mountain itineraries require flexibility, and a minor spout of bad weather meant our planned route on day five had to change. Rather than heading out regardless, we had a slower morning while the conditions improved, crossed from Kosovo into Montenegro by vehicle and tackled an alternative trail.

I think that’s an important expectation to set. The itinerary tells you what a trip aims to do; the mountains ultimately decide what’s safe to do. It’s also a healthy reminder to ensure you pay attention to the packing list, which includes warm and waterproof layers (even for summer)!

For me, that highlighted one of the biggest advantages of travelling this route with G Adventures. Organising a multi-day hiking holiday independently can be complicated enough without suddenly needing to arrange transfers, remote accommodation and hiking routes across international borders because a storm has arrived.

There is something wonderfully relaxing about somebody else dealing with that. Turn up, listen to your CEO and do as you’re told, in the nicest possible way.

Kosovo offers a breather

Not every day involves marching over a mountain pass. Our time in Kosovo included a welcome rest day, starting with a bumpy 4x4 journey into Peja, a city whose claims to fame include being part of Dua Lipa’s ancestry. We explored its old town, learned about traditional industries and crafts and enjoyed local kebab.

Later came a cave complete with bats, stalactites and stalagmites, followed by a waterfall and an extraordinary lunch before heading back towards the mountains. It gave our legs some recovery time while adding cultural context to the trip.

Saving the best until last

Our final hike began near Oko Skakavice, or ‘The Eye’, an unfathomably blue lake in a tranquil setting, before heading through Montenegro’s Ropojana Valley and eventually crossing back into Albania towards Theth.

For me, the best scenery really was saved until last. After a steady climb, the route rolled through an enormous glacial valley surrounded by jagged peaks before beginning a seemingly endless descent. Eventually, Theth came back into view and our route had almost closed the loop.

Our final evening in Shkodër took us to ‘Taste House’ for one of the most memorable meals of the trip: 22 courses representing different regions, histories and culinary traditions from across Albania, each introduced by our host. It was quite the finale. And yes, tomato and cucumber still made an appearance.

Why I’d do it all again

This trip reinforced why Active travel suits me so well. The physical challenge is part of it, but it’s also about where walking takes you and the people you end up sharing those places with.

Could you organise a hiking route through Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro yourself? Absolutely. But some of these guesthouses are difficult to find or contact, transport requires coordination, trail information isn’t always abundant and, as we discovered, sometimes the weather throws your carefully planned itinerary out of the window. Having someone else take care of those details meant I could concentrate on enjoying the reason I was there in the first place.

Come prepared and pack well. In all my reminiscing, I forgot to even mention that luggage transfers are included on this trip! Your legs will thank you. For active relaxers, put this one on your list.

Follow in Tom's footsteps on 'Hiking Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro'