Following a long ascent out of Plav, return to the heart of the Prokletije Mountains on a beautiful route between two broad summits, Bajrak and Bora. With expansive views over the Ropojana Valley, this afternoon boasts some of the biggest mountain scenery on the entire Peaks of the Balkans trail!
Many of the hikers we met in Babino Polje transferred directly to Vusanje via the Grebaje Valley, skipping both yesterday’s route via Hrid Lake and today’s hike entirely— but after seeing the view from Bora Peak, we honestly can’t understand why (particularly given that you can still explore the Grebaje Valley from Vusanje on Day 10 of this itinerary)!
Rather than avoiding this stage altogether, it’s possible to shorten the initial ascent from Plav by taking a transfer to the trailhead near Feratovića Katun, eliminating 9km of road walking and around 700m of elevation gain through the forest. In our opinion, this strikes the perfect balance between efficiency and experience, cutting out the least interesting section while preserving everything that makes this one of the most impressive days on the trail.
This comprehensive guide to Day 9 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 9 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: 7hrs (or 5hrs with transfer to Feratovića Katun)
- distance: 22km (or 13km with transfer to Feratovića Katun)
- elevation: 1300m gain / 1190m loss (or 600m gain with transfer to Feratovića Katun)
Plav to Bajrak Peak (3hrs)
Following a paved road out of Plav and leaving civilisation behind for another few days, join a rough 4WD track that climbs steadily for 9km through the forests of Karaula Mountain. Largely below the treeline, this section is pleasantly shaded but offers little in the way of scenery.
Perhaps more appealingly, this entirety of this road-walking section can be skipped by arranging a 4WD jeep transfer from Plav— at 50€, it’s certainly not cheap, but it does allow more time to enjoy the spectacular scenery later in the day! The easiest way to organise this is through Agron at Triangle Woodhouse in Babino Polje.
Whether hiking or driving, you will be stopped at some point along the road above Plav to pay an entrance fee for Prokletije National Park (3€ per person). I’ve noted where we were stopped on my GPS track, but this may vary day to day.
At around 1,600m of elevation (approximately 2hrs from Plav or right where the 4WD transfer drops you off), a well-defined trail branches off to the right, climbing gradually through the trees and gaining about 250m before emerging into an open meadow after roughly 35min.
Continue through the meadow towards Feratovića Katun, a picturesque summer settlement teeming with goats, horses, and enormous, fluffy livestock guardian dogs. Just beyond the river, a steep trail climbs up to the right, aiming for the grassy summit ridge of Maja Bajrak.
Once out of the trees, it’s a sweaty 20min huff straight up the mountainside on a steep but well-defined trail, gaining another 300m to a panoramic ridgeline overlooking Lake Plav. Some guidebooks describe this section as faint and loose, but we found the trail obvious and in excellent condition.
A few minutes farther on, reach Bajrak Peak (2,074m), where the first truly expansive views of the day open towards Bora Peak and the dramatic summits surrounding the Ropojana Valley. After days of fairly modest scenery, it’s amazing to be back in the heart of the Accursed Mountains— and it only gets better from here!
Bajrak to Bora Peak (30min)
An undulating, conversational trail follows the ridgeline north towards the day’s high point at Vrh Bora (2,106m), with every step revealing broader views across the surrounding mountains.
To the west, the distinctive summit of Zla Kolata and snowy Prosllopit Pass are clearly visible, while to the east, the jagged peaks surrounding the Ropojana and Grebaje Valleys dominate the skyline. This was easily one of our favourite sections of the entire hike, and we found ourselves stopping constantly to photograph the scenery unfolding in every direction.
Once at the broad, grassy summit of Bora Peak, there’s heaps of room to spread out in solitude on the grass or even a rocky perch a few minutes farther along the trail. Spend time to soak in this view properly before moving on, as it’s an easy 2hrs descending into Vusanje from here.
Bora Peak to Vusanje (2hrs)
Beyond Bora Peak, the trail continues further along the ridgeline before descending right into a remarkable karst landscape reminiscent of the terrain crossed between Prosllopit and Borit Passes—and at their closest point, today’s route passes within only a few hundred metres of the high variant on Day 1, offering a fascinating sense of perspective on just how much ground you’ve covered since leaving Valbona.
After around an hour of descent, the trail transitions onto a steep rocky road (at approximately 1,600m elevation) and eventually onto a paved road for the final 2km into Vusanje.
Nestled beneath some of the highest and most dramatic peaks in the Accursed Mountains, Vusanje occupies one of the most spectacular settings of any village on Peaks of the Balkans. The soaring limestone walls surrounding the Ropojana Valley create an incredible backdrop, building anticipation for some of the best days of hiking still to come!
Nights 9 & 10: Guesthouse Vucetaj
Guesthouse Vucetaj sits near the river in Vusanje and just behind a large yellow family home, offering a mix of private rooms, cottages, and dormitory accommodation. Full board costs 35€ per person, and between the spectacular setting, varied dinner spread, and warm hospitality, this was one of the best stays of our entire trip!
For the purposes of this itinerary, you should spend two nights at Guesthouse Vucetaj and use the second day to explore the nearby Grebaje Valley on the spectacular Three Peaks Loop. The owner’s son can provide transfers to and from the trailhead in Katun Maja Karanfil, making the logistics incredibly easy, and this is an area that you absolutely can’t miss while hiking through Montenegro! See more info about Day 10 in this post.
It’s also possible to spend Night 9 directly at Katun Maja Karanfil (we stayed here on a previous road trip through Montenegro and it’s lovely), returning to Vusanje on Night 10 to position yourself for an early start toward the Great Valley of Lakes the following morning.
>>> Contact Guesthouse Vucetaj on WhatsApp to reserve a room (+382 69 419 680)
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 via Bora Peak
- 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
