Peaks of the Balkans (Day 5): Milishevc to Rekë e Allagës + Via Ferrata Shpellat
The shortest day of Peaks of the Balkans ascends steeply to a high point above Milishevc, traverses a broad flowered meadow beneath the Accursed Mountains, 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 Allagës, but we highly recommend replacing this uninspiring section of pavement with an exhilarating side trip to Via Ferrata Shpellat. This spectacular cabled climbing route transforms an otherwise modest day of hiking into one of the most memorable adventures of the entire trek!
This comprehensive guide to Day 5 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 5 overview
Stats are based on my Peaks of the Balkans adventure route, incorporating scenic detours, side-summits, and high variations to the standard trail wherever possible:
- trail time: 4hrs + 2.5hr via ferrata
- distance: 9km + 3km via ferrata
- elevation: 515m gain / 1340m loss + 300m via ferrata
- side summits & variations: Via Ferrata Shpellat in Rugova Canyon
Milishevc to high point (1hr)
The route begins by descending out of Milishevc for several minutes, continuing right along the wide dirt road you arrived on, before turning left at a rare sign-posted junction to follow a steep dirt path up the hillside.
The 400m ascent that follows is fairly relentless and occasionally difficult to follow through the grass (even with GPS, we managed to lose the trail several times). Fortunately, as long as you’re generally heading toward the low pass overhead, it’s difficult to go too far wrong.
Reach the unnamed pass and today’s high point at 2,130m after about 1hr of steady hiking from Milishevc.
High point to Lake Lumbardhit (30min)
Once you’ve topped out above Milishevc, the next 2.5km undulate pleasantly across flower-filled alpine meadows beneath Guri i Kuq, the highest summit within Rugova Canyon. This is easily the prettiest section of the day, offering compact views of the rolling mountains that surround the grassy plateau.
After about 30min of wrapping around the foothills of Guri i Kuq, there’s a tiny uphill burst to gain the ridge above a small green pond (rather generously labelled Lake Lumbardhit on the topo map), marking the beginning of the day’s enormous descent.
Lake Lumbardhit to Rugova Camp (2.5hrs)
Over a distance of just 4.5km, the trail loses more than 1,100m of elevation into Rugova Canyon, and there’s really no sugar-coating it: this descent is absolutely brutal. While it’s true that I’m particularly sensitive to downhill after my most recent knee surgery, even the 21-year-olds we met on the trail described this as painful, so suffice to say it will be no one’s favourite part of the day.
There are effectively four sections to this nightmarish descent, each dropping several hundred metres of elevation gain within a relatively short amount of horizontal distance.
The first of these sections follows a narrow trail through the forest, scraping past branches and through tightly packed trees on a reasonably well-worn dirt path. After rain, this section is particularly harrowing and we met several hikers who’d taken painful falls in the mud on wetter days, so be mindful of the slippery roots and rocks obscured by pine branches.
Eventually, the trail joins a rough, rocky road for several hundred metres of descent before transitioning onto a wider dirt road for the penultimate (and least distressing) section of downhill.
The network of roads in this area can be surprisingly confusing, with several unsigned junctions that are easy to miss, so keep a close eye on the GPS to make sure you’re following the correct route forward.
At approximately 1,280m elevation, the dirt road curves left. This is a slightly shorter route to connect with the paved road for those hiking all the way to Rekë e Allegës, but if you’re planning to stop at Rugova Camp for lunch, skip the road walk with a transfer, and/or tackle Via Ferrata Shpellat, continue straight ahead through the grassy field (pictured below) to join a forest trail.
The final descent to Rugova Camp follows a shaded path through the forest— arguably the steepest section and absolutely littered with dry leaves concealing slippery rocks and roots. Thankfully, the trail itself is now well-defined and easy to follow, contrary to what some older guidebooks suggest.
We practically cried out in relief as we stepped onto the pavement at midday, just 4hrs from Milishevc but with absolutely throbbing knees. Fortunately, hot food and cold beer at Rugova Camp provided a quick recovery!
Side quest: Via Ferrata Shpellat (2.5hrs)
After lunch at Rugova Camp (I highly recommend the penne carbonara, richly sauced with mushrooms and caramelised onions), there’s still plenty of time to tackle Via Ferrata Shpellat, a spectacular cabled climbing route high above Rugova Canyon.
There are actually five beautifully bolted via ferrata routes in Rugova Canyon, and four of these are accessible independently— but unless you’re willing to haul specialised equipment along the entire 200km hiking route for this single occasion, it makes far more sense to go with a local guide who can provide all necessary gear, transportation, and a wealth of information about the region!
>>> Check out my detailed intro to via ferrata guide if this is your first foray!
We organised a private tour up Via Ferrata Shpellat with Balkan Natural Adventure (70€ for 2 people) and they were extremely flexible with our schedule. Plus, were able to pay our guide a bit extra to pick us in the canyon and drop us back to our guesthouse in Rekë e Allagës, which simplified the logistics massively (and avoided any hiking on the pavement)!
The adventure takes about 2.5hrs, most of which is spent ascending 300m on an exhilarating route that culminates beside a massive limestone cave from which the via ferrata takes its name (“Shpellat” means cave in Albanian).
Even having tackled dozens of via ferrata in the Italian Dolomites, Slovenia, Peru, and Argentina over the years, I’d honestly rank this among the most exhilarating and unique!
After descending back to the road on a dirt hiking trail, it’s a 30min drive deeper into Rugova Canyon to reach Rekë e Allagës. Starting around 1pm, you can comfortably expect to arrive at your guesthouse between 4–5pm with plenty of time to shower, relax, and enjoy dinner.
Alternative: Rugova Camp to Rekë e Allagës (2hrs)
The standard route continues from Rugova Camp for about 20min to the bridged river crossing, and then onwards another 1.5hrs to the small settlement of Rekë e Allagës above the Rugova Valley.
Uneventful by all accounts, this road was recently paved all the way to Rekë e Allagës, making the 6km slog even less appealing. Although we met plenty of hikers who walked this section of road, you certainly wouldn’t be missing anything by arranging a transfer instead!
And to that end, if you don’t fancy the via ferrata but also don’t want to hike 6km on a paved road, you can organise a transfer from Rugova Camp to Rekë e Allagës for about 30€ per car (and it should be easy to find other hikers to share the cost). Contact the reliable team at Outdoor Kosovo on WhatsApp to reserve a transfer (+383 49 168 566).
💸 RESUPPLYING IN PEJA, KOSOVO
Located about 45min from Rekë e Allagës, the small city of Peja is the first real opportunity to restock snacks, cash, and other supplies since beginning Peaks of the Balkans in Valbona— and the next opportunity won’t come until Plav on Day 8.
For those doing the via ferrata, it’s an easy 5min detour into Peja, and our guide happily ran us out here as part of the transport we’d already paid for. We also met some hikers who organised a transfer between Rugova Camp and Peja specifically to get more cash, but you can expect to pay at least 30€ for the 1hr-return trip.
If you only need snacks and drinks, the easiest option is Plan Market, located about 1.5km down the road from Rugova Camp (20min walk). For anything more substantial, Peja has supermarkets, pharmacies, ATMs, bakeries, and other services clustered around the town centre.
Night 5: Ariu Guesthouse
Family-run Ariu Guesthouse provides a warm and welcoming base in Rekë e Allagës. Although English is limited, the owner Mustaf speaks German (thankfully so does James), and even when I had to communicate through elaborate charades, we found the hospitality exceptional throughout our stay. They even did a load of washing for us!
Accommodation consists of a mix of private rooms with shared bathrooms and dorm-style rooms with single beds, all priced at 35€ per person full board (couples are given preference for private rooms). Dinner was truly excellent and lunches follow the usual Peaks of the Balkans formula of bread, cheese, and simple sandwich supplies, all included in the nightly rate.
>>> Contact Ariu Guesthouse on WhatsApp to reserve a room (+383 49 867 098)
For more information on what to expect in the guesthouses on Peaks of the Balkans, check out this post: Peaks of the Balkans guesthouses: where to stay & what to expect
Read more about Peaks of the Balkans
- start here >>> Peaks of the Balkans hiking guide & 12-day itinerary
- 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
- 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
- Day 10: Three Peaks Loop
- Day 11: Vusanje to Theth via Great Valley of Lakes + 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
