Hiking and mountains have started to become an asset for tourism in Kosovo. Kosovo has an almost century-long mountaineering tradition.
Understand
[edit]The central mountains are not very difficult to climb, but they make a good hiking trail. Their height ranges from 800-1200 m. The Mirusha River divides these mountains into two groups. The first is southwest of the central mountains and includes: Milanovi, Gajrak, Zatriq, Bajrak and Gremnik mountains. The second group consists of Carraleva, Goleshi, Berisha, Kosmaqi, Drenica, Qyqavica mountains. The fenced mountains are located near the border areas. They are more difficult to walk because of their steep paths and require a lot of experience and agility. The mountains that are in this group are: the eastern mountains of the Albanian alpine mountains, Hasi mountains, Pashtrik peak, Sharr mountain, Kortnik, the eastern mountains of Gallak, Kopaonik and Rogozna.
History
[edit]Recreational mountaineering has existed in Kosovo since around 1930, the year in which a group of friends climbed Mount Gjeravica in Peja. This is thought to be the first time a peak in Kosovo was scaled. Although people began to show interest after a while, many mountains were close to the border areas and people needed special permission to visit them because of that.
Mountain climbing increased greatly after the war, especially in 2003-2005. The vast majority of Kosovo's terrain is mountainous. Until a border demarcation between Kosovo and Macedonia was agreed to, Gjeravica Peak was the highest in Kosovo, at 2656 m above sea level. After the border demarcation, Rudoka, 2 m higher, garnered that title.
Climate
[edit]Kosovo has a continental climate, with warm, dry summers, cold snowy winters and rainy springs and autumns.
Mountaineering clubs
[edit]The Mountaineering Federation of Kosovo represents and protects the interests of mountaineering clubs from all over Kosovo and safeguards the protection, conservation, and access to the mountains.
Several guided hikes start from Pristina every Sunday by bus to various areas of Kosovo with various levels of difficulty offered by the mountaineering clubs. Destinations are listed on Wednesdays on their Facebook pages with reservation required. You may also show up at the bus without a guaranteed seat.
Every major town also has their own mountaineering clubs focusing on their area.
- 1 Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation of Kosovo (Federata e Bjeshkatarisë dhe Ngjitjes Sportive e Kosovës), Agim Ramadani 59 10000 Pristina, ☏ +383 44168273.
The Federation covers dozens of clubs with weekly activities for a small fee.
- Klubi Alpin Prishtina, Rr. Anton Harapi 58, Pristina, ☏ +383 44 312 744, [email protected]. Mountaineering club in the area going on regular hikes every Sunday. Dedicated guided hikes can also be provided by arrangement.
- Kosova Hiking Trips (Hiking Njeri), Rr Agim Ramadani A-3/9, Pristina, ☏ +383 44 312 744, [email protected]. Beni Islami (Hiking Njeri) is a figure of the hiking and skiing community in Kosovo. Hikes by Hiking Njeri go every Sunday in different areas of Kosovo.
- 2 Mountaineering Society Pashtriku (SHBA Pashtriku), Sylejman Hadum Aga nr. 101, Gjakova (Grand Bazaar), ☏ +383 44 246 769, [email protected]. hours by arrangement. Mountaineering club in the area going on regular hikes every Sunday. Dedicated guided hikes can also be provided by arrangement. €-€€ on Sundays open to all, call or email for dedicated tours.
- Klubi Alpin Podguri, Istog, ☏ +383 44224477, [email protected]. a mountaineering club based in Istog.
- SHBA Gjeravica. a mountaineering club established in 1928 based in Peja, in the shadow of the Accursed Mountains.
- SHBA Lybeteni Ferizaj. a mountaineering club established in Ferizaj.
- SHB Sharri, Rr Marin Barleti, Prizren, ☏ +38344 216 216, [email protected].
Another option is to hire individual guides through the Kosovo Tourist Guides Association.
- GUIDEKS (Kosovo Tourist Guides Association), Rexhep Mala 28A, 10000 Pristina, ☏ +383 49372639, +383 44128830, [email protected]. GUIDEKS is the Association of Tourist Guides of Kosovo and represents tourist guides of the cultural and natural profile of the country. The organization with a wide membership base promotes tourism through professional and certified tourist guides. GUIDEKS is also the national representative from Kosovo in the European Federation of Tourist Guide Associations FEG.
Destinations
[edit]Accursed Mountains
[edit]The Accursed Mountains (Albanian: Bjeshkët e Nemuna; Serbo-Croatian: Prokletije / Проклетије, pronounced [prɔklɛ̌tijɛ]; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps , is a mountain range in coastal Southeast Europe adjacent to the Adriatic Sea. It is the southernmost subrange of the 1,000-km-long (621 mi) Dinaric Alps range (Dinarides), extending from northern Albania to western Kosovo and northeastern Montenegro. Maja Jezercë, standing at 2,694 m (8,839 ft), is the highest point of the Accursed Mountains and of all Dinaric Alps, and the fifth highest peak in Albania. The range includes the mountain Kolata, which, at 2,534 m (8,314 ft), is the tallest mountain in Montenegro. The range also includes the mountain Gjeravica, which, at 2,656 m (8,714 ft), is the second tallest mountain in Kosovo. One of the southernmost glacial masses in Europe was discovered in the Albanian part of the range in 2009.
Peaks of the Balkans
[edit]Peaks of the Balkans (POB) is the first lengthy hiking trail to traverse the Western Balkans, an area where ancient tracks connect remote regions. The epic walk passes through villages, separated by strict borders and fortified by bunkers that were built over two generations when communist regimes controlled Yugoslavia and Albania. Winding through meadows, mountain peaks, lakes, and woodlands, this is one of the most diverse walking trails in the world. The views and the trails transform, switching from rocky paths and bare peaks to meadows rich with flowers and plants, where nature has been left to run wild. In stark comparison to Western Europe, where the grass is not cut, and the land is left alone for nature to follow its course.
There is a map for Peaks of the Balkans and you can find it on Amazon and at the Visitor Center in Peje or Plav.
Also, there are numerous books published for Peaks of the Balkans, which again you can find on Amazon or at the Visitor Center in Peje.
The best time to hike the Peaks of the Balkans is June to September. However, October and mid-May may be possible. In the winter there are only some parts of the hike that are open and where you can find accommodation.
You do not necessarily need a guide, especially if you are an experienced hiker, but it is recommended. However, the guide is always good to have, not only to show you the way but also help you deal with accommodation, to get deeper into local traditions and help you understand more about the culture. In guided tours, you will be able to have flexibility as the guide will deal with possible changes and adjustments that may arise.
The groups are accompanied by a professional English-speaking local guide. There are numerous companies that offer both guided and self-guided tours.
The sleeping arrangements are in guest houses, shared rooms with shower and food. Cleat sheets and towels. Most of the guest houses are clean and proper. In some places you can find hotels and private rooms. The most advanced location is the city of Peja Kosovo and the most remote is Doberdol.
For more information about Peaks of the Balkans, direct to POB website.
Sharr Mountains
[edit]A mountain range in Southeast Europe, stretching across southern Kosovo, northwestern North Macedonia, and northeastern Albania. The range has over 30 peaks over 2,500 m high, 70 above the 2,000 m and includes protected areas like the Sharr Mountains National Park in Kosovo.
The mountains were once called Scardus in ancient times. The name Sharr may come from the Albanian word for "saw," describing their jagged peaks. The range also has historical significance, with references to it as "Milk Mountain" due to its pastoral traditions. The mountain borders extend from the city of Prizren, following the two rivers of the Prizrenska Bistrica and the Lepenac. In the east, it passes by the town of Kaçanik through the Kaçanik Gorge and into North Macedonia via the Polog Valley. The border passes near the Vardar spring called Vrutok and enters near the Mavrovo Valley. There the Radika river separates the mountain massif from the higher Mount Korab. After that, the border is mounting, reaching the point of junction of three state borders: Kosovo, North Macedonia and Albania. The border now follows the road to the small, mountainous, town of Restelica, the rivers of Globocica, Plava and the White Drin and finally reaches the city of Prizren. Tito Vrv (Maja e Titos) is the highest peak in Sharr Mountains
662 species of diatoms, 1260 species of vascular plants, more than 260 species of moss, 500 fungi and 160 lichens are known on Sharr Mountain. The forests found in the park are broad-leaved, coniferous and mixed. About 75% of them are pure forests, consisting of one type of tree, mostly beech or oak. In addition to them, there are also other species such as: fir, chestnut, spruce, mountain maple, hornbeam and species with endemic and relic importance such as the Macedonian pine, the mountain pine, the mountain maple, etc.
Sharr Mountain is home to a great variety of invertebrates, and 56 species of molluscs and nearly 300 species of false scorpions, spiders and crustaceans have been recorded. So far, a total of 1847 species of insects are known, of which more than 900 species of butterflies, and 160 species of beetles.
5 species of fish have been confirmed in the freshwater habitats, including the Macedonian and Californian trout. In these habitats there are 11 species of amphibians and 17 species of reptiles. This represents 78.5% of amphibian species and 47% of reptile species from the total number of species at the national level.
Among vertebrates, the richest group represented by the largest number of species is that of birds, which are represented by 128 species. Various birds of prey are present, such as: golden eagle, griffon vulture, Egyptian vulture, peregrine falcon, etc. A total of 51 species of mammals are represented, such as brown bear, Eurasian (Balkan) lynx, wild cat, otter, wild boar, chamois, roe deer, wolf, red fox, badger and some species of martens.
The Sharr Mountain area is characterized by more than 100 springs and 20 river basins, including their main watercourses and tributaries, as well as many glacial lakes. The main river basins are the basins of the Dufska, Vrutnička, Jelovjanska, Kamenjska, Uliverička and the Pena River, and they all flow into the Vardar River. Larger glacial lakes are Bozovačko, White Lake, Bogovinjsko, Karanikolicko, Krivoshiško and Black Lake. Most of the rivers descend steeply, and some of them (Belovishka, Vratnichka, Krivoshijska, Leshnička and Bogovinjska) form impressive waterfalls.
Already in the period of the seventies, the rivers of the Sar Mountain were used for the production of electricity through the water collection system called "Waters of Sara". This system collects water from a large number of rivers and transports it to the Mavrovo reservoir and to the Vrutok, Raven and Vrben hydropower plants. This infrastructure provides about 12% of the electricity in RN Macedonia and in the event of a complete power outage, it can be produced based only on the flow of water.
The relief of Sharr Mountain is varied, mainly due to its geological diversity. The mountains are characterized by a large number of peaks with an altitude of more than 2000 meters. The glacial and fluvial relief has created an area characterized by a high density of valleys and gorges, short valleys cut into limestone, quartzite and granitoid rock.
The geological structure of Sharr Mountain is dominated by Paleozoic metamorphic rocks with a low degree of resistance, which also affected the relief features of this mountain. In some places, metamorphites (quartzites, marbles) can be observed that appear in the relief itself (eg Leshnica). Elsewhere there are outcrops of harder granitoid rocks. Carbonate rocks occur on about 11% of the mountain's surface and are affected by karstification.
In terms of morphometric characteristics, the mountain stretches for a length of 75 km, at an altitude between 470 m in Polog Valley and 2747 m on Titov Vrv peak, mainly in a northeast-south-southwest-south direction.
One of the main morphological elements of Sharr Mountain is the developed fluvial relief. There are many V-shaped valleys formed by intense vertical incision and there are numerous gorges, some with short canyon segments cut into very solid rocks (limestones, quartzites, granitoids). Some valleys have a fluvio-glacial character. Due to the large height difference between the mountains to the Polog Valley, the longitudinal fall of the rivers is significant, creating rivers characterized by numerous rapids and waterfalls. So far, the entrances of about 10 caves and several sinkholes have been recorded, mainly in the limestones of the Pena Valley.
Shala e Bajgorës
[edit]Located between the cities of Mitrovica and Podujeva, it is defined by a beautiful rugged mountainous terrain. It has stunning natural scenery, which is ideal for hiking and nature lovers.
Forests and lowland
[edit]Outside Prishtina, Gërmia Park is a forested area offering great hikes for the capital.
Mirusha Waterfalls in Klina, central Kosovo, offers stunning waterfalls easily accessible and an exciting hike along its cascading falls.