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 Vranica Pass (1,630m) before re-entering Albania at Aljuci Pass (1,920m), the high point of the day. From here, it’s a rolling descent all the way into tonight’s remote summer settlement.
Since much of the route follows roads and gentle trails rather than dramatic mountain terrain, views are somewhat more restrained today, but it’s a great opportunity to recharge before another big push on Day 3. There’s also the opportunity to enjoy a local lunch and cold beers about halfway along the trail!
This comprehensive guide to Day 2 of Peaks of the Balkans contains detailed section times, route recommendations, adventurous side trips, and heaps of insider tips— use it to plan your hike & then refer back on the trail so you always know what to expect!
>>> Read my Peaks of the Balkans hiking guide for the full 12-day adventure itinerary
Peaks of the Balkans: Day 2 overview
- trail time: 5hrs
- distance: 17km
- elevation: 1130m gain / 515m loss
*Trail times reflect the time we spent hiking, excluding extended breaks where we removed our backpacks to eat lunch, swim in alpine lakes, or otherwise luxuriate along the trail. These figures are best used to understand realistic hiking times between major waypoints, but we definitely recommend building in 1-2hrs of additional daily leisure time to properly enjoy the route!
Çerem to Vranica Pass (1.5hrs)
The first 6km of the day gains nearly 500m of elevation along a dirt and gravel road climbing steadily above Çerem toward Vranica Pass (1,630m). When we hiked this section in June 2026, the road was undergoing major construction works and appeared likely to be fully paved in the near future.
Vranica Pass is marked by a sign just alongside the road, and the route turns right here to continue towards Aljuci on a forested trail.
Vranica Pass to Aljuci Pass (1hr)
Vranica Pass marks a short-lived border crossing from Albania into Montenegro, and from here, the route connects with a dirt trail that climbs gradually for less than an hour up to the day’s high point at Aljuci Pass (1,920m)— where you’ll cross back into Albania for the remainder of the day.
A small wooden shelter sits at the pass, complete with a wonderfully blurry Peaks of the Balkans map, offering nice (if not wildly spectacular) views across the surrounding valleys.
Aljuci Pass to Dobërdol (2.5hrs)
The trail begins a gentle undulating traverse toward Dobërdol, and around 45min beyond Aljuci Pass, the route passes directly through Balquin, a small summer settlement. We highly recommend popping into Balçina Sali Osmani, a rustic guesthouse offering fresh bread, local cheese, homemade soup, and cold beers. The food is excellent and the views are superb!
From Balquin, it’s approximately 6km and less than 2hrs to Dobërdol. The trail remains easy and scenic, traversing open pastureland beneath the surrounding peaks before descending into one of the most remote settlements on the entire Peaks of the Balkans route.
Occupied only during the summer grazing season, Dobërdol consists of several shepherd huts and guesthouses spread across a broad alpine valley near the tri-border where Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo meet. Surrounded by mountains on all sides and inaccessible by public road, it feels wonderfully isolated and atmospheric!
Night 2: Guesthouse Bashkimi
Like all accommodation in Dobërdol, Guesthouse Bashkimi is rustic but full of character. The property offers tiny private cabins (30€ per person with half-board), and a small block of shared bathrooms with squat toilets and hot showers a short walk away. Our room was located at the end of a row, boasting wonderful views over the valley and surrounding mountains— request this when you make your booking!
Electricity is available only during the evening (approximately 6–11pm), and amazingly, wifi is also available around the common building during these same times— remember to check the weather report at dinner for conditions that may affect tomorrow’s summit. We’d heard that it gets cold here, but our bed was piled with soft blankets and we both slept comfortably (until our 5am alarm for Gjeravica).
>>> Contact Guesthouse Bashkimi on Facebook to reserve a room
For more information on guesthouses, check out this post: Peaks of the Balkans guesthouses: what to expect & how to book (+ best 2026 guesthouses)
Read all of my Peaks of the Balkans posts
- start here >>> Peaks of the Balkans hiking guide & 12-day itinerary
- accommodation >>> best guesthouses on Peaks of the Balkans & what to expect
- Day 1: Valbona to Çerem via Prosllopit Pass + Zla Kolata summit
- Day 2: Çerem to Dobërdol
- Day 3: Dobërdol to Gacaferi via Gjeravica summit
- Day 4: Gacaferi to Milishevc via Zavoj Pass
- Day 5: Milishevc to Rekë e Allagës + Via Ferrata Shpellat
- Day 6: Rekë e Allagës to Drelaj via Hajla summit
- Day 7: Drelaj to Babino Polje
- Day 8: Babino Polje to Plav
- Day 9: Plav to Vusanje via Bora Peak
- Day 10: Three Peaks Loop, Prokletije National Park
- Day 11: Vusanje to Theth via Buni Jezercës + Maja Bojës summit
- Day 12: Theth to Valbona
- navigate confidently on & off the trail >>> Peaks of the Balkans GPS map
- essential gear >>> Peaks of the Balkans packing list
