What are the 10 stages of the Peaks of the Balkans, day by day?

Distances and times differ between guidebooks, signposts and GPS tracks, sometimes by 10–20 %. The figures below are approximate ranges for the standard route, walked anticlockwise from Theth. Plan with your own GPX track and add time for breaks and photos.

Overview of all stages

#	Stage	Distance	Time	Character
1	Theth → Valbonë	14–17 km	6–7 h	Steep climb to the Valbona Pass (± 1,800 m), long descent
2	Valbonë → Çerem	14–16 km	6–7 h	Forest and pastures, quiet border area
3	Çerem → Dobërdol	13–15 km	5–6 h	Up to the Dobërdol plateau and its summer huts
4	Dobërdol → Milishevc	13–15 km	5–6 h	Into Kosovo along the border ridge; Gjeravica nearby
5	Milishevc → Rekë e Allagës	15–19 km	6–7 h	High pastures, then down towards the Rugova area
6	Rekë e Allagës → Drelaj	13–15 km	5–6 h	Rugova highlands and villages
7	Drelaj → Babino Polje	18–22 km	7–8 h	Long day; into Montenegro over Hajla’s flanks
8	Babino Polje → Plav	16–21 km	6–7 h	Via Hrid Lake, one of the prettiest spots on the trail
9	Plav → Vusanje	16–22 km	6–8 h	Via Bor peak and the Grebaje side valleys
10	Vusanje → Theth	17–21 km	7–8 h	Ropojana valley, Peja Pass (± 1,700 m), steep descent to Theth
	Total	± 192 km	10 days	± 9,800 m of ascent

Stage 1: Theth → Valbonë

The most famous day and the busiest. From Theth you climb about 1,000 m through beech forest to the Valbona Pass, then descend into the Valbonë valley. There is a café hut near the pass in summer. In early summer snow can block the pass; in 2026 the summer path was closed until late May because of heavy snow. Read the full stage guide.

Stages 2–3: Valbonë → Çerem → Dobërdol

Quieter days near the Albania–Kosovo border. Çerem is a small summer settlement; Dobërdol is a wide plateau where shepherds spend the summer and offer simple beds and meals.

Stages 4–6: through Kosovo

You cross into Kosovo on the high ridge near the three-country point. Waymarking in Kosovo is less consistent than elsewhere, so a GPX track matters most here. Milishevc, Rekë e Allagës and Drelaj have guesthouses; Peja is a short drive away if you need a town.

Stages 7–9: Montenegro

Stage 7 is one of the longest days. Stage 8 passes Hrid Lake (Hridsko jezero), a glacial lake surrounded by pines. Plav is the only real town on the route, with shops and an ATM. Stage 9 takes you to Vusanje, the gateway to the Grlja waterfall and the Ropojana valley.

Stage 10: Vusanje → Theth

Through the Ropojana valley, back into Albania over the Peja Pass and down the steep path to Theth. Long, but one of the most spectacular days.

Shortening the route

If you have 5–7 days, the most popular choice is to walk stages 1, 3, 4, 8 and 10 and use local transfers in between. That is roughly what The Balkan Trail does in its five hiking days, with the permits and transfers arranged. See also guided or self-guided.

Sources

Peaks of the Balkans – official site, Prokletije National Park, Montenegro, Zbulo.