Most travellers focus on the classic Ring Road, but so many of Iceland’s most spectacular destinations are hidden beyond the main highway: deep in the colourful rhyolite mountains and volcanic deserts of the Highlands, tucked into remote fjords, and scattered along empty hiking trails that see al[...]
Aside from a handful of popular attractions close to the Ring Road, East Iceland (Austurland) remains blissfully off the main tourist route. With dramatic mountain ranges, charming fjord towns, hundreds of uncrowded hiking trails, and some of the most distinctive landscapes in the entire country, w[...]
From the dramatic rhyolite hills of the Highlands to the glaciated South Coast and vibrant canyonlands of the East Fjords, Iceland boasts some of the most jaw-dropping scenery anywhere in the world. And cut by thousands of kilometres of formal and informal trails, there’s no better way to experie[...]
More than half of the world’s Atlantic puffin population visits Iceland each summer, with an estimated 5 million breeding pairs returning to their nesting burrows between April and August. Nowhere else on Earth offers so many opportunities to observe puffins up close, whether that’s from access[...]
The Laugavegur Trail is Iceland's best multi-day hike, traversing an astonishing range of landscapes through the southern Highlands: from the marbled rhyolite mountains of Landmannalaugar, through steaming geothermal valleys and black volcanic deserts, all the way to the glacial rivers and moss-cov[...]
Traversing the remote borderlands of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo, Peaks of the Balkans is one of Europe’s newest and most spectacular long-distance hikes. Over the course of more than 200km, the trail winds through rugged limestone towers, glittering glacial lakes, remote shepherd settlements[...]
Peaks of the Balkans is a spectacular 2-week trekking route through the Accursed Mountains of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo, but unlike most other long-distance hikes that require a heavy pack full of camping gear, this trail is built around a network of charming family-run guesthouses. After[...]
Peaks of the Balkans is one of Europe’s most spectacular long-distance hikes, traversing more than 200km through the remote Accursed Mountains of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo. Although the trail is serviced by a fantastic network of local guesthouses that allows hikers to travel relatively lig[...]
The trail between Theth and Valbona is undoubtedly Albania’s most famous hike, linking the country’s two most beautiful mountain valleys via the spectacular Valbona Pass (1,795m). Before embarking on Peaks of the Balkans, we assumed this would be a highlight of the entire route— but this[...]
The penultimate day of this itinerary is perhaps the most spectacular of all, swapping the first 10km of the standard Peaks of the Balkans route for an extended exploration of the remote Great Valley of Lakes (Buni Jezercës) that includes one of the best summits in the region, Maja Bojës (2,461m)[...]
An undisputed highlight of Montenegro’s Prokletije National Park, the spectacular Three Peaks Loop lies just beyond the official Peaks of the Balkans route and features some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in the entire range. From Vusanje, it’s an easy side trip that absolutely shouldn[...]
Following a long ascent out of Plav, return to the heart of the Prokletije Mountains on a beautiful route between two broad summits, Bajrak (2,074m) and Bora (2,106m). With expansive views over the Ropojana Valley, this afternoon boasts some of the biggest mountain scenery on the official Peaks of[...]
More than half of the hikers we met in Babino Polje planned to skip this stage entirely with a transfer. Although it features a bit of road walking and lacks the dramatic scenery of some other days along the route, we still really enjoyed both the landscapes and the solitude through this quieter co[...]
After several days of traipsing through the quieter mountains of Kosovo, Day 7 returns to the grand alpine scenery that makes Peaks of the Balkans so memorable! Catching a transfer to avoid 13km of newly paved road, a well-defined trail climbs steadily to Jelenka Pass (2,272m), the highest point on[...]
Following the standard Peaks of the Balkans route between Rekë e Allagës and Drelaj, this is a short and rather uninspiring day on the trail— but there's ample time to detour up Hajla Peak and enjoy one of the finest ridgeline hikes in the Accursed Mountains! From Rekë e Allagës, ascend to[...]
The shortest day of Peaks of the Balkans ascends steeply to a high point above Milishevc, traverses a broad flowered meadow beneath Guri i Kuq, and then plunges a brutal 1,300m into Rugova Canyon within just a few hours. The standard route then continues along the road for 6km to reach Rekë e A[...]
After the challenge of summiting Gjeravica yesterday (and Zla Kolata a couple of days before that), Day 4 offers a relaxed journey through the scenic borderlands of Kosovo and Montenegro. Rejoining the standard Peaks of the Balkans route at Bogice Pass, the trail traverses a series of seven wildflo[...]
Deviating entirely from the standard Peaks of the Balkans route today, set your sights on Gjeravica (2,656m), the highest mountain in Kosovo and one of the most impressive summits in the Accursed Mountains. This is a spectacular backcountry trail boasting beautiful alpine scenery, and although it r[...]
After the huge effort of Day 1 and with another long summit day looming tomorrow, follow the traditional Peaks of the Balkans route into Dobërdol for a relaxed and undemanding half-day hike. The trail climbs gradually from Çerem across two international borders, crossing into Montenegro at Vranic[...]
Dive headfirst into Peaks of the Balkans on a challenging but truly spectacular first day in the Accursed Mountains! Climbing high above Valbona Valley to Prosllopit Pass, the route crosses the border to summit Zla Kolata (2,534m), the highest mountain in Montenegro, before traversing a wild limest[...]