The best walking holidays in Europe

Menu

Hiking In The Balkans

The best hiking and walking holidays in the Balkans

Rudolf Abraham
By Rudolf Abraham

For me, the Balkans was love at first sight – the landscapes, the food, the history, the people, that off-the-map feeling which you find so rarely in Europe.

I’ve been hiking in the mountains of southeast Europe for over 25 years, and am still drawn back to them year after year, whether to new routes or old favourites in Croatia or Macedonia, Montenegro or Albania, Kosovo and beyond.

There are some superb long distance hiking trails in the Balkans, several of which I’d include among my favourite walks anywhere in the world – yet for the most part, they are much less-known than routes in the Alps or the Pyrenees, and see far fewer visitors.

And there are a huge number and variety of day walks, from something like a stroll by Lake Skadar in Montenegro to long hikes on peaks such as 2,764m Korab on the border between Macedonia and Albania.

The more remote routes require a bit more confidence and experience than some of Europe’s better known mountain playgrounds – but this is at the same time one of their great draw-cards.

Where to go walking in the Balkans

Our experts' top picks

The best hikes and walks in the Balkans

Popular and lesser-known routes

Peaks of the Balkans
Balkans

Peaks of the Balkans

Rudolf Abraham
By Rudolf Abraham
  • Distance: 192km
  • Duration: 10 days
  • Start/end points: Plav or Vusanje (Montenegro), Theth or Valbona (Albania), Rekë e Allagës (Kosovo)
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Suitable for: Fit hikers with a sense of adventure

The Peaks of the Balkans is an 192km trans-border trek through the Prokletije Mountains, which form the boundary between Montenegro, Kosovo and Albania.

Rugged, wild and remote, the trail covers high mountain passes, secluded lakes and lush valleys. Accommodation and meals are provided by a scattering of village guesthouses, where the genuine warmth and hospitality is just as memorable as the jaw-dropping scenery.

From Vusanje, on the edge of Prokletije National Park in Montenegro, the route follows the Ropojana Valley, passing a seasonal lake and crossing into Albania.

A long, steady climb leads to the Pejë Pass, before dropping steeply to the village of Theth, set among lush orchards. From Theth, the route leads over the Valbona Pass, with stunning views on both sides, descending the Valbona Valley to Valbona.

Designed with a section of road-walking beyond Valbona, which most people skip with a short transfer, it’s more rewarding to ascend to the Prosllopit Pass.

The trail crosses back into Montenegro below the summit of Maja Kolata, the highest peak in Montenegro (by a smidgen), before returning to Albania.

Descending to Çeremi village, a long day leads to the summer settlement of Dobërdol, surrounded by high pastures beneath the tripartite border between Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo.

A steep climb from Dobërdol is followed by more border-hopping and broad, airy ridges, before dropping down to Milishevc in Kosovo.

The trail leads over another pass, following a less well marked route, down to Rugova Gorge. From Rekë e Allages, on the northern side of the gorge, the route leads to Drelaj, sometimes with a short transfer back onto the border ridge.

After a long descent to Babino Polje in Montenegro, the trail heads up to Lake Hrid, then down to Plav, the only place on the route remotely approaching the size of a town.

Following a 4WD track back up into the mountains, the trail crosses Vrh Bora, with spectacular views of the peaks above the Ropojana Valley, before looping back down to Vusanje.

Need to know

Obtaining a cross-border permit is mandatory for this route – you can apply for this yourself, but it’s more straightforward to get a local agency to do it for a small fee.

The trekking season is May to October – outside these months you can expect heavy snowfall, Alpine winter conditions and no visible trail.

High Scardus Trail
Macedonia

High Scardus Trail

Rudolf Abraham
By Rudolf Abraham
  • Distance: 376km
  • Duration: 16 days
  • Start point: Staro Selo (North Macedonia)
  • End point: Gorna Gorica (North Macedonia)
  • Difficulty: Strenuous

The High Scardus Trail (HST) is a new hiking route following the mountainous border between North Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania.

It’s incredibly wild and remote, taking in most of the Šar mountain range and Mt Korab, the fourth highest peak in the Balkans, as well as several national parks. Accommodation comes in the form of small village guesthouses, also offering meals, and mountain huts.

The High Scardus Trail is broken into three sections. The main section, described here, is an 11 day route stretching just under 300km across the Šar mountains and Mt Korab.

Further south there are two shorter sections requiring three days and two days respectively. The latter makes a crossing of Galičica National Park between Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa.

The HST starts northwest of Skopje and climbs up to the Ljuboten mountain hut, just below the main border ridge.

It follows the ridge southwest before dropping slightly on the Albanian side to Brezovica. The trail continues along the ridge, before dropping back into Albania, with a more significant loss in elevation, to reach Prevala.

Crossing back to the North Macedonian side, it skirts below Vrtop and descends slightly to Veshala. It then heads up the valley to gain the main ridge again and descends to Brod on the Albanian side.

The trail leads south from Brod, keeping to the Albanian side, before crossing the border ridge into North Macedonia again and entering Mavrovo National Park.

Back on the border ridge, the route makes a slight detour to climb Mt Korab, before there’s yet another switch to the Albanian side to reach Radomirë in Korab Koritnik Nature Park.

After following the Albanian side of the border ridge for a few more days, the trail descends to the village of Butushe in North Macedonia.

Need to know

The hiking season is from June to early October.

The HST requires two transfers to get between the three separate sections of the trail.

A cross-border permit is mandatory for this route, local agencies can arrange these for a small fee.

The trail is covered by a series of six excellent maps at 1:50,000, which are free to download.

There’s a big annual hike on Korab organised by a local mountaineering club in September.

Via Dinarica White Trail
Montenegro

Via Dinarica White Trail

Paul Bloomfield
By Paul Bloomfield
  • Difficulty: Strenuous
  • Duration: Three weeks+, or shorter segments
  • Accommodation: Guesthouses & mountain huts
  • Start/end point: Razdrto (Slovenia) / Valbone Valley (Albania)

Newly waymarked – and with sibling Green and Blue Trails on the way – this epic ‘mega trail’ through the Dinaric Alps links northern Albania with Slovenia via Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Croatia. Don’t expect polish; do expect rewarding and sometimes remote trekking.

The trail isn’t generally sold as a commercial thru-hike, but trekking specialists will organise self-guided or guided treks along different segments of the trail.

The Via Dinarica is actually three separate trails, with the main, so-called White Trail, following the spine of the Dinaric Alps as closely as possible. The Blue and Green trails follow lower routes and are less complete.

The White Trail, described here, through Bosnia and Hezegovina is the most developed so far, stretching a more modest 333km and taking around two weeks to complete.

Starting from Prisika on the Croatian border, the trail leads past Lake Buško with a fair amount of road walking. It passes through an area riddled with limestone caves, many that can be visited as detours.

After crossing Mt Vran, the trail leads through the beautiful landscape of Blidinje Nature Park and over Mt Čvrsnica, with its distinctive rock-eye known as Hajdučka vrata.

Next up, the trail crosses Prenj, a fabulous mountain area bristling with limestone peaks that requires at least two days.

Passing beside Lake Boračko, it follows the edge of the Rakitnica Canyon to reach the Ljuta Valley, then skirts the southern slopes of Mt Treskavica.

The final part of the White Trail in Bosnia is a two-stage hike across the beautiful landscape of Sutjeska National Park. Including Maglić, the highest mountain in Bosnia that can be climbed as a detour, the park features primeval forests, lush pastures and rocky peaks.

After some awe-inspiring views from the border ridge, the route drops down to Lake Trnovačko, set amongst the epic sprawl of mountains that is Montenegro.

Need to know

The hiking season for the White Trail through Bosnia and Herzegovina is June to October.

Bosnia and some parts of Croatia near the Bosnian border have areas with landmines. The trails on the Via Dinarica are perfectly safe, but it’s something you need to be aware of. Under no circumstances should you wander into areas where there are warning signs.

Juliana Trail
Slovenia

Juliana Trail

Paul Bloomfield
By Paul Bloomfield
  • Distance: 270km extendable to 320km
  • Duration: 16–20 days
  • Start/end point: Kranjska Gora (Slovenia)
  • Difficulty: Moderate to easy

The Juliana Trail in Slovenia is a circular route through the Julian Alps, a memorable loop of the country’s highest and most famous mountain, Triglav.

The route was designed to encourage visitors to explore a wider area and reduce visitor numbers on Triglav itself. Although it doesn’t climb Triglav, it includes some less well-known areas and iconic spots like Bled.

There’s also an optional loop through Goriška Brda, one of Slovenia’s premier wine regions.

From Kranjska Gora, the Juliana heads east along the Sava Dolinka, with views of the Martuljek group, to Mojstrana and (less conventionally) the lesser-visited industrial town of Jesenice.

Near Begunje it passes the hilltop church of Sv Peter, then swings through the beautiful town of Radovljica.

Turning west the trail continues to Bled, with its much-photographed lake and island monastery, over the rugged Pokljuka plateau to Stara Fužina. On the shores of Lake Bohinj, Stara Fužina is one of the most beautiful spots in the Julian Alps and the usual trailhead for Triglav climbs.

From Lake Bohinj it heads east again to Bohinjska Bistrica, then south over the Vrh Bače Pass to follow the narrow Bača Valley, again well off the radar of most itineraries. There's a fantastic viewpoint at Senica, above the confluence of the Idrijca and Soča rivers, before the trail descends to Most na Soči.

Following the emerald green River Soča north to Tolmin and Kobarid, the stage between Kobarid and Bovec is particularly beautiful.

From Bovec, the trail heads north along the valley of the River Koritnica, less travelled than the route east along the Soča, to Log pod Mangartom, with stunning views of Mangart and Jalovec towering above the head of the valley.

Climbing to the Predel Pass, the trail drops into Italy, with an overnight stop in Tarvisio.

Finally it turns east, following an old narrow gauge railway line, now a cycling and walking trail, back to Kranjska Gora in Slovenia.

Need to know

Almost all stages are accessible by public transport – one of the main principles behind the trail – so it’s easy to pick off sections as day walks.

The hiking season is May to October (expect snow on the mountains until June).

Alpe Adria Trail
Austria

Alpe Adria Trail

Rudolf Abraham
By Rudolf Abraham
  • Distance: 750km
  • Duration: 43 days
  • Start point: Kaiser-Franz-Josef’s-Höhe (Austria)
  • End points: Muggia (Italy)
  • Difficulty: Moderate

The Alpe Adria Trail is a rewarding long-distance hiking route. It explores the varied landscapes, rich history and regional cuisine of the Austrian state of Carinthia, Slovenia, and Italy’s Friuli-Venezia Giulia region.

The route stretches from the foot of the Grossglockner (the highest mountain in the Eastern Alps) to the shore of the Adriatic near Trieste.

It takes in the mountain scenery of the Hohe Tauern, the Nockberge and the Julian Alps, passing through towns and villages, not to mention two outstanding wine regions.

If you haven’t got a month and a half free to walk the whole thing, the AAT can easily be split into two or three more manageable sections. There is also a one-week loop at the centre of the trail which dips into all three countries.

From Kaiser-Franz-Josef’s-Höhe, with its view of the Grossglockner and the Pasterze Glacier, the Alpe Adria Trail follows the Mölltal for several days. It travels along the valley floor, climbs across rugged tops on its eastern side and plunges through the Rabischschlucht and Groppensteinschlucht gorges.

After around 11 days, getting you suitably warmed up, the route leads across the Nockberge, a rugged group of mountains, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and highlight of the route.

The AAT spends several days among the Nockberge, dropping down to villages and guesthouses for overnight stops. It then meanders through the Carinthian lake region, passing Ossiacher See, Wörthersee and Faaker See.

After three weeks, the trail takes a breathtaking ridge walk crossing into Slovenia to arrive in Kranjska Gora, a bustling ski resort which is one of the gateways to Triglav National Park.

After crossing the dramatic Vršič Pass, the AAT descends into the Soča Valley which it follows for several days. This section along the River Soča, with its stunning gorge and the little town of Bovec, is another highlight.

Beyond Tolmin, the trail leaves the Soča and crosses the border into Italy, arriving at the historical, UNESCO-listed, Cividale del Friuli.

After winding through the Collio wine region (Italy) and the Brda wine region (Slovenia), the AAT leads along the Italian coast. Skittering across the edge of the Karst region, it dips back into Slovenia one last time to visit the Lipica horse stud.

The route finishes at Muggia, on the shore of the Adriatic.

Need to know

Accommodation (and baggage transfers, if required) can be booked through the Alpe Adria Trail Booking Centre.

The trail app includes detailed maps, which are best downloaded before you travel, so you can use them offline.

The hiking season is April to October (expect snow on the mountains until June), although the lower parts on the coast can be explored all year.

Albania Alps Valbonia Theth2

Valbona in the Albanian Alps

Planning a Balkans walking holiday

Everything you wish you'd known before you booked

Finding paths less trodden

The Balkans draw a fraction of the visitors of Europe’s big hiking destinations in the Alps and Pyrenees. That said, this corner of Europe isn’t immune to the tourism industry’s preference to market what’s already popular rather than its lesser-known places. When you browse Balkan hiking trips you’ll generally find the Peaks of the Balkans stealing the limelight. It’s well earned publicity for an impressive project, but it’s far from the Balkans’ only long distance hiking trail.

If you’re looking for a multi-day, long-distance trail, consider the High Scardus Trail – along with the Peaks of the Balkans, it’s one of my absolute favourites: it’s unbelievably beautiful and almost entirely empty of other hikers. Alternatively consider hiking in Galichica National Park between lakes Ohrid and Prespa in North Macedonia, or the Zagoria Valley in southern Albania.

Hiking & walking holiday types

The Balkans have a few treks that follow ‘official’ long-distance trails, such as the Peaks of the Balkans, the High Scardus Trail and the Via Dinarica, with overnight stays in traditional village homestays. These are sold either as a self-guided (private) walking holiday, or an escorted (group) tour.

Escorted hiking tours are straightforward; you’ll be accompanied by a guide the entire time with a small group of other hikers following a fixed itinerary (and pace!) You’ll find group tours for the Via Dinarica and Peaks of the Balkans widely marketed online.

On self-guided walking holidays you’ll be hiking alone, the daily itinerary will be customised to suit your pace, each night’s accommodation will be pre-booked, and (usually) you’ll have baggage transfers to ferry your luggage from one homestay to the next.

Self-guided walking is fine in the Balkans (it’s been my choice for over 25 years) but you need to be a little more confident and self-reliant than a self-guided trip in some of Europe’s better-known hiking areas. A good local tour operator should provide a handheld GPS unit, a phone loaded with a local SIM card, and plenty of detailed info on each route, so you’ll be extremely well looked after.

Also common in the Balkans are “centre-based” walking holidays, where you’ll do either self-guided or guided hikes in one or more locations. There will be road transfers between each location and the itinerary may be interspersed with other non-walking activities and rest days.

The precise format of the tour is not always made clear on the operators’ websites: be sure to check what you’re signing up for before booking.

If you go with an organised tour, I’d recommend you pick one of the many excellent local operators who really know the area – this will give you a vastly more in-depth, rewarding and authentic experience, as well as putting money into the local economy. They know all the great village homestays and their guides know their local areas like the backs of their hands.

Balkans walking holidays FAQs

Your questions, our expert answers

Question

When is the best time to go hiking in the Balkans?

Answer

The main hiking season in the Balkans runs from June to October. July and August are hottest, with the potential for afternoon storms. September tends to be more settled. Wildflowers are at their most colourful in June.

Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Can you trek in the low season?

Answer

Definitely. You can come slightly earlier or later than the main hiking season but expect lingering snow patches in the early season, and increased chances of rain later in the season. (I’ve hiked in Montenegro in what is generally the wettest month, November, and I can confirm that the potential for getting absolutely soaked is quite high!) Winters in the mountains of the Balkans are bitterly cold with plenty of snow, so you need to come suitably equipped.

Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Can you personally recommend your favourite hike?

Answer

Trying to recommend my favourite hike in the Balkans is a bit like asking me to pick my favourite French cheese or bottle of wine – there are just so many hikes in the Balkans for which I have vivid, unforgettable memories. All of the hikes listed above are personal favourites, though it’s the trans-border trails which hold a particularly special place in my hiking hall of fame.

Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Are hiking trails well marked in the Balkans?

Answer

Hiking trails in Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Romania – at least those in well-visited areas like national parks – are generally very well marked with trail blazes and signposts. In areas which are less visited, trail markings may well have faded.

Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Do I need a permit to hike in the Balkans?

Answer

For cross-border trails like the Peaks of the Balkans and the High Scardus Trail, yes, you need to apply for cross-border permits before your hike. You can do this yourself, or (easier) there are several local tour operators who will do it for you for a very reasonable fee.


Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Is wild camping allowed in the Balkans?

Answer

Wild camping is allowed in many mountain areas of the Balkans (there’s no problem camping on the Peaks of the Balkans trail for example), though not in some national parks (for example in Croatia). Just remember, if you’re camping – leave no trace. These special places should remain as beautifully untouched for the next hiker, and no one is going to come and clean up after you.


Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Is it easy to find drinking water while hiking in the Balkans?

Answer

Many mountain areas in the Balkans are karst, meaning there’s often little or no surface water – this is true for Croatia and Montenegro, and much of the Peaks of the Balkans for example. There are springs, some of which are reliable throughout the hiking season, others less so. In any case I carry a metal flask, as well as one or more collapsible water ‘pouches’ for days when water is more scarce and I need to carry more with me, as well as a water filter. I always carry a small water filter on hikes in the Balkans (and most other places actually) – a Peak Series Collapsible Squeeze Filter from LifeStraw, to be precise. This weighs next to nothing, takes up hardly any space in my pack, and means I can collect water pretty much wherever I find it along the trail. In any case, avoid buying plastic bottled water – many of the plastic bottles will otherwise inevitably end up in landfill.


Rudolf Abraham
Answered by Rudolf Abraham
Question

Are wild animals a problem while walking in Europe?

Answer

Though wolves and bears roam the wilder expanses of Europe’s highlands, you’re unlikely to encounter one. What you might come across, though, are shepherds’ dogs bred and trained to ferociously defend livestock against predators – and human interlopers – particularly in the Carpathians, Balkans and Caucasus. I’ve suffered unnerving canine encounters in Bulgaria and North Macedonia, where I was thankful to have experienced local guides – also my trusty walking poles. (While we’re talking animal hazards, tick-removal tools are must-packs, too.)

Paul Bloomfield
Answered by Paul Bloomfield

About the author

Hiking In The Balkans

Rudolf Abraham

Rudolf Abraham is an award-winning travel journalist, photographer and guidebook author. He writes on trekking and hiking for National Geographic, the BBC, Cicerone, DK Eyewitness, Bradt Guides, among many others.

Other guides you might like

Why Horizon Guides?

Impartial guidebooks

Impartial travel guides

Our guides are written by the leading experts in their destinations. We never take payment for positive coverage so you can count on us for impartial travel advice.

Expert itineraries

Expert itineraries

Suggested itineraries and routes to help you scratch beneath the surface, avoid the tourist traps, and plan an authentic, responsible and enjoyable journey.

Specialist advice

Specialist advice

Get friendly, expert travel advice and custom itineraries from some of the world's best tour operators, with no spam, pressure or commitment to book.