Category: Kosovo

Peaks of the Balkans, Day 7: Liqunat to Babino Polje

· 4 Comments ·

Peaks of the Balkans_Day 7_Title

Matt, 30 June 2017
Today’s hike revealed itself to us in three distinct segments that went from challenging to idyllic to frustrating, but all’s well that ends well. One’s perspective changes the moment you drop the pack for the last time, unlace the boots, peel off the socks and take a sip of cold Jelen, a beer new to us from Serbia by way of a Montenegro brewery. In addition, we are staying tonight at the luxurious and finely-appointed, by Balkan mountain standards, Triangle Wood House, run by Armand and Ardita, a young and friendly couple with an eye for style and a flare for novelty in the kitchen. But more about that later… (more…)

Peaks of the Balkans, Day 6: Reka e Allages to Drelaj

· Leave a comment ·

Peaks of the Balkans_Day 6_Title

Alison, June 2017
We wake up at 6, and I hobble out of the top bunk, throw on some clothes and go check on the laundry that we left outside last night. My intent is to move it into the sun for an hour or two while we pack up and eat breakfast, but I see that the sun has not crested the mountains yet. Uh oh, I think, wet clothes again! But everything is already more or less dry, except for our socks, which we can attach to the outside of our packs while we are hiking. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make your day! (more…)

Peaks of the Balkans, Day 5: Pejë Play Day

· Leave a comment ·

Peaks of the Balkans_Day 5_Title

Matt, 28 June 2017
We wake up “late” at 7:30 and take care of some internet business in the comfort of Villa Tygany before Marigona, our guide for the day, meets us to take us on a day tour of Pejë, a city of 125,000 inhabitants. We began by transferring our bags to a fancy hotel in the center of town where we have a big breakfast guaranteed to keep our growing hiker hunger at bay, at least for the next few hours while we explore the adventure capitol of Kosovo.  (more…)

Peaks of the Balkans, Day 4: Dobërdol to Bjeshka e Belegut

· Leave a comment ·

Peaks of the Balkans_Day 4_Title

Alison, June 2017
We wake up at 6 am in our little tree fort, and I go down the ladder to go to the bathroom and check on the laundry. Most of our clothes are still damp, so I leave them to dry for a little while longer and head on to the bathroom. The farm is surprisingly quiet, and the early morning light makes everything look extra serene. Can you imagine waking up to this view everyday? (more…)