Kosovo is located in the center point of the Balkan Peninsula (south-east of Europe) encased by Montenegro toward the west, Serbia toward the north and east, North Macedonia toward the south-east, and Albania toward the south-west.
67% of the country is mountainous and hilly. In the southern and south-eastern edge, there are Sharr Mountains. The Accursed Mountains (Albanian Alps) command the western edge. This area is viewed as among the most inaccessible mountain range in Europe and the wildest range on the Balkan Peninsula.
Hiking in Kosovo is a great activity if you are planning an adventurous and active holiday.
Below you can find 5 useful tips about hiking in Kosovo:
Hiking in Kosovo – Yes, it’s safe
Kosovo has had a rough history, and because of that, people have refrained to go there. However, nowadays, Kosovo is very safe, especially from a tourist perspective and the risk of crime is very low. The people are generally very friendly, welcoming and proud of their country and culture.
And I am saying it again, for maybe the 100th time, YES IT IS SAFE.
You cannot reach hiking destinations at all by public transport
Public transportation in Kosovo is not one of the bests in the world. It is great for using it between the main cities, but when you come to hiking destinations, I wouldn’t prefer it at all! Try renting a car instead.
People in villages usually don’t speak English
In the capital of Kosovo, Prishtina a lot of people can speak English and you can easily go around only by speaking English but going in other zones of Kosovo, not everyone is speaking English (maybe no one). In some parts near the Sharr Mountains (near Brezovica, Prevalle, Lubinje, Dragash), Serbian works as well.
Trails are not very well signed
Not all trails have signs, and people here are not a lot into hiking, so a lot of them may not know for the trails. The locals, who may know, don’t speak English. So, prepare everything before getting into this trip. Don’t forget to take a map, compass and maybe an electronic map – App. I regularly use wikiloc and there you can find a lot of trails all around Kosovo. Get it here: Wikiloc.
If you don’t feel confident about this, try hiring a guide in advance.
Research for the best hikes
Since Kosovo has a lot of destinations, you need to create a plan of what do you want to see and which mountains you want to hike. Check Top 7 outdoor destinations in Kosovo.
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