The Peaks of the Balkans

To generate income for local people, stop the abandonment of the mountain areas of Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania and bring these parts of the region closer together, national and local tourism organisations and mountaineering clubs joined forces with German Development Cooperation to develop the “Peaks of the Balkans” region as a single mountain tourism destination. Building a cross-border hiking trail, one of the few in the world, created a shared basis for further development.

The cross-border “Peaks of the Balkans” trail leads through one of the most remote and wildest mountain regions of the Western Balkans. Following shepherds’ paths and footpaths, it winds through high alpine mountains up to 2,300 metres above sea level, through breathtaking scenery – from green valleys to crystal-clear mountain lakes, waterfalls, rivers and remote, picturesque mountain villages where time seems to have stood still. All in all, a “hidden treasure” for nature lovers and hikers. Until twenty years ago the region was almost inaccessible to visitors, which makes hiking across the mountains of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro an authentic cultural experience and adventure.