Peaks of the Balkans, the Montenegrin section through Prokletije

Peaks of the Balkans is one of those routes people plan whole trips around. It links Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo through the Prokletije mountains, the Accursed Mountains, and in Montenegro it crosses the municipalities of Plav and Gusinje. The national tourist board mentions it as the challenging trail waiting in the massif, alongside the Via Dinarica. Here I cover the Montenegrin section and, above all, the paperwork for crossing the border, which is what raises the most questions. The stages and distances come from the trail’s own website.

The terrain

Prokletije forms Montenegro’s natural border with Albania and Kosovo, at the southern end of the Dinaric Alps. It has upwards of twenty peaks over 2,500 m, according to the national tourist board, including the country’s highest, Zla Kolata, which the national park puts at 2,534 m. The peaks rise above two valleys, Grbaja and Ropojana, with lakes, waterfalls and prehistoric rock carvings. It’s proper high-mountain country, with big climbs and quiet paths outside summer.

Ten stages and 192 km

The trail’s website gives 192 km in ten stages, walked in 10 to 13 days depending on fitness. It’s a loop, so you can start in Theth (Albania), Plav or Peja (Kosovo), and it runs from 670 m near Çerem to 2,290 m on the saddle between Dobërdol and Milishevc. It’s rated easy to moderate, yet you need to be fit and properly equipped, and the waymarked route crosses empty uplands, which is why the trail’s own website advises walking it with a group or a guide.

The Montenegrin section is three and a half stages. From Kuçishtë (Kosovo) you drop to Babino Polje in 15.8 km, topping out at 2,276 m. Babino Polje to Plav, via Lake Hrid and Bajrovica katun, is 20.3 km and 7 to 8 hours. The toughest is Plav to Vusanje, 27.4 km and 10 to 11 hours, climbing Bor peak at 2,106 m, which the site suggests splitting with a night at Kolenovica katun. And Vusanje to Theth, heading into Albania, is 21.4 km and about 8 hours. With only three or four days, I’d walk Babino Polje to Vusanje, which stays inside Montenegro and needs no border permit.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Plav for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.

Plav and Gusinje, the bases

The tourist board says most routes into Prokletije start from Plav, beside Lake Plav. Gusinje, a few kilometres on, is the gateway to the valleys, and the park’s visitor centre can tell you about mountain routes and put you in touch with local guides. Entry to Prokletije National Park costs €3 per person per day, and a park guide costs €40 for four hours or €80 for eight.

The border crossing permit

This is the part you can’t improvise. The national tourist board publishes the procedure for routes that cross the border away from official crossing points, and Prokletije is on its list along with Hajla, Ljubišnja, Kamena Gora, Maglić and Orjen. Applications go to the border police, for one person or a whole group, delivered by hand, post or fax. You fill in the “Request” form, add a passport copy, and each walker pays €2 to apply and €3 once it’s granted. You get the reply by post or collect it in person.

There’s one wrinkle worth knowing. The annex says the application goes to the police of the country you’re entering, while the general page refers to the country you’re leaving. I’d send it to both, so you’re not left at the border without a permit. No lead time is published, so I wouldn’t leave it to the last week. If you’re continuing into Albania or Kosovo, check their own entry rules too, which each country sets. Montenegro sits outside Schengen, so nights on its side of the trail don’t use up your Schengen allowance. The official road crossings and what’s needed at each are in my guide to border crossings in Montenegro.

So you do not lose the morning at the ticket office, browse tickets and tours in Plav on GetYourGuide.

When to go and how to prepare

The national tourist board gives summer as the best time for trekking in Prokletije, and warns that snow can still catch you out then. It recommends going with others and a licensed guide, and trek organisers include accommodation, a licensed guide and transport. Bring proper boots, layers and your documents, since you’ll be crossing borders. In an emergency, dial 112. If you’d like a taster first, Lake Hridsko is an hour’s walk from Babino Polje. And if you’ve brought a bike, the park suggests pedalling between Gusinje and Ropojana, 23 km in all with the return, and there are more routes in my guide to cycling in Montenegro.

If you are staying the night, see the best hotel deals in Plav for your dates: the well-placed rooms go fast.