The Balkan 3 Peaks Challenge

This was a fantastic trip, a fun challenge but definitely manageable if you’ve got some hiking experience. The 3 peaks are all different experiences and the days are varied. As a vegetarian who doesn’t eat eggs, food was plentiful. Our guides Blendi and Tesi were both lovely, they went above and beyond to ensure everyone had a great time. The ferry ride and lunch on the last day were both also above expectations and a brilliant way to finish the trip. 100% recommend.

We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Both of the guides -Mirjeta and Albanor - were excellent. The group worked really well together and there was a great mix of looking out for each other and having fun. The landscapes were amazing and we felt lucky to have had the opportunity to see them. Mirjeta was really lovely and her enthusiasm for and love of the region was very infectious.

Had a fab time, would definitely recommend! Incredible views across all the days and the restaurant for lunch after the ferry ride was a particular highlight. I would encourage people to take the difficulty seriously whilst all of the group were able to complete all the climbs many were experienced runners, hikers or had good fitness levels. Additionally walking poles I would list as strongly recommended but not essential to help take the strain on some of the descents.

Beautiful mountains with a great group and a really knowledgeable guide.

Trip is face paced with a lot of transfers so bring lots of energy!

Amazing views all week - go while this area is still relatively quiet as it's developing quickly. Everything about the trip was good - the plan, the guides, the food and the different styles of accommodation.

A really great experience in a lesser travelled part of Europe. The nature, scenery and views were incredible. The hikes were physically demanding in parts with some steep ascents and descents, the hot weather in August also adding to the difficulty. But overall challenging but enjoyable 😊 We were well fed and looked after throughout the entire trip. Bring cash both Lek and Euros (the smaller the notes the better), as opportunities for ATMs and card payments are very limited.

This trip was amazing, I travel a lot and this was easily one of, if not the best trip I have been on. Our guides Mirjeta and Noli were amazing guides and even better people! I would 10/10 recommend people to explore the Balkans, the region is an underrated gem for any adventure lover - I hope to visit this region again someday!

We had a brilliant time! A holiday that exceeded our expectations in so many ways. Fabulous guides, lovely group, amazing routes and big delicious dinners in comfortable accommodation at the end of the day.

HIS TRIP IS AWESOME. I like to think of myself as quite a well seasoned hiker, I love hiking abroad and have been to the himalayas ect however this trip filled my mountain needs and hiking expectations perfectly! Just the right amount of challenging and what an experience to hike between 4 countries and 3 peaks! The views and scenery are unreal. Our local guides were amazing as was the accommodation and the food, both better than I expected! I can't complain about this trip! Amazing!

Fantastic trip is a fantastic location with fantastic guides! Each day's hike wasn't super strenuous, but when 4 days were done back to back and in the hot sun, it was a lot. Food was simple and delicious. The restaurants the last day were incredible.

My first holiday with MBA and I'll definitely be doing more! This was a really great holiday. It was physically tough but not too tough - enough to feel tired at the end of the day but not completely exhausted. The mountains are absolutely stunning - the highlight for me was the view from the top of Montenegro - mountains forever! The food was good and lots of it (I'm vegetarian and this was fine) but definitely good to take snack bars from home as there's nowhere to buy stuff like that. The accommodation was all really nice and the guides were great. We had two guides which was good as previous reviews mentioned they only had one, but we definitely needed two due to large range of walking speed within the group. In summary, this is a great holiday if you like hiking in the mountains and fancy going somewhere a bit different. Great to see mountain life that hasn't changed for centuries and so much cheaper than the french/Swiss Alps etc.

I loved this trip! The scenery is absolutely stunning and virtually untouched. The accommodation in local guesthouses was very comfortable and the food provided was delicious. Our guides Deni and Adriatik were great, very knowledgeable about the local area and made sure everyone was catered for. They made this trip all the more special. Bring warm clothing for evenings as it can get chilly!

Good discovery of the country but doing the different peaks (a good theme in itself) involves a bit too much travel by minivan to go from region to region

It was a nice challenge with the opportunity to hike on the different countries borders!

Completed Balkan Three Peaks in the end of August and it was one of the best trips for me so far. Great experience lead by fantastic guides Deni and Tesi. Challenging but certainly achievable. Unfortunately we couldn't reach the summit of the last peak due to the weather but plenty of other highlights along the way. Very well organised which must have been difficult due to the logistics. Can certainly recommend

Great trip; amazing views and lovely hikes (challenging but fun!).

Fun trip overall with great like minded people. Would recommend improving the trip with more than one guide (though our guide was awesome) when more than 10 people.

The trip was great, our guide Mirjeta was amazing, the group dynamic was cool :)

The trip was fantastic, very well organised and excellent guides

Excellent trip through stunning landscapes, very enjoyable group dynamic, accommodation was always welcoming and food in the evening plentiful, there were some very long walking days, although we only did 2 of the 3 peaks due to snow the alternative 3rd highest peak we did in Montenegro was probably the most challenging of the week. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for good few day hiking.

We had a wonderful trip in the Balkans in late July 2023. Fabulous weather, perhaps some days a bit hot but overall it was glorious with amazing views and lots of water consumed. Blend led us up all of the 3 peaks but with a group of 14 I'd suggest that another guide would make the trip (for both the group and the lead guide) optimal. I'd also suggest bringing plenty of snacks as there really are very few opportunities to stock up along the way. The food provided is basic with definitely enough carbs to fuel the hikes (very little meat though which I missed). The accommodation in Kosovo (the Happy Hotel) we all loved - amazing food there! The ferry ride across the lake on day 5 is absolute bliss - we were even treated to some local entertainment! It's definitely a tough few days on the mountains but 100% worth the effort!

Wonderful trip, really tough and challenging but the reward is to see a beautiful part of the world that very few people get to see

I absolutely loved the trip on the whole. We visited some amazing, beautiful places and did some tough, challenging hikes. Our group got on really well and our guide was excellent. I do have some things that I feel could be improved for future -

1. The website said 'cash for tips' only, and our guide said we would not need much cash. However, we needed cash most days for additional food and drinks during the hikes, and all drinks during the evening. I wish we had taken more cash.

2. The website also explained the types of dinner and wine was included in the dinner listing, so I'd assumed wine with dinner was included. However this was not (and we didn't have enough cash as above to buy it!)

3. Some of the lunches were far too small. Snacks were listed as an optional item to bring with us on the trip, and places to buy more snacks were limited once we started hiking. From the hotel we were given one small sandwich and we hiked for 10 hours! We were all very, very hungry on this day in particular. Generally I found the lunch options limited.

4. I think there should have been 2 guides on this trip for a group of our size. The guide we did have was very good, but he could not stay aware of what was happening at the back of the group.

5. Our guide also hadn't done a couple of the routes before. He led us very well and it didn't affect anything, but as someone who gets a bit nervous on rockier paths I would have felt safer with someone who knew the mountains very well. Again, a second guide would have helped with this.

On the whole I absolutely loved the trip and I would do it again - hopefully this review helps people in future!

I took part in trip in June 2023. The group dynamic was amazing and everyone was very supportive. The hikes were challenging but truly a memorable experience. Our group was fortunate wirh Wodnerful weather.

If you decide to do this trip, make sure to pack extra cash because you’ll need it for snacks and extra food along the way. I would advise $10 - $20 as the food is tasty but the amount given doesn’t match energy you’ll burn each day.

An amazing week in a remote, wild and incredibly beautiful setting. I would definitely recommend this experience

This was my 8th trip with MBA! From the Annapurna massif to the road to Petra, I have been impressed with all of the tours I have booked with MBA, and now I am proud to add the Balkans to the list! What a fantastic and beautiful trip!

With the intention to conquer all three peaks, we only managed to hit two, Mt Korab (Albania/North Macedonia) and Mt Gjeravica (Kosovo). Unfortunately, due to the high levels of ice and snow, we had to miss out on Mt Zla Kolata (Montenegro) but managed to tackle the challenging Mt Rosi (third highest peak in Montenegro).

I believe the Balkans are truly underrated and should be classified as a top destination for all keen trekkers and hikers. With friendly locals, delicious cuisines and constantly surrounded by magnificent sceneries, it goes to show that you can find pure joy and satisfaction in the most unlikely places of the world.

With that said, I do believe there are a few things that can be improved on, in order to enhance the experience for future trips:

1. Need of an additional tour guide. With a group of 14 individuals, it is difficult to manage and I believe another tour guide will help. On trips as challenging as this one, not all the hikers are at the same level, leading some to be slower than others. There were times when during the day hikes, the slower hikers got left behind and had to catch up, making them feel somewhat invisible and left out.
2. Food is fuel and when trekking, you burn a lot of calories. On some days, I believe there wasn't enough food for the lunches and needs to be addressed. A better and much larger range needs to be provided.
3. Transportation was a slight issue. We took many different buses to and from the trails and it would be great to have a dedicated bus driver and vehicle throughout the whole trip.
4. Lastly, during the hiking days, the tour guide's concept of time was off-putting. Such as, when saying "20 minutes to the summit" actually turned out to be an hour, it can be mentally exhausting and slightly frustrating. However, this was the first time he was leading this group on the trip, so I will give him the benefit of the doubt. He was a brilliant and happy tour guide.

So in a nutshell, the trip was great, but I urge you not to underestimate how challenging this trip can be. Tackling three peaks over 2500m in a span of 4 days is no joke and requires serious strength, both mentally and physically. Be sure to come prepared, hyped up and ready for the amazing challenge that lays ahead!

The Balkan 3 Peaks Challenge was truly exceptional. The hiking routes are breathtaking and along untouched, pristine environments. The communication, organisation and group dynamics were excellent with a fantastic mix of personalities. Blend, our guide, was excellent - informative, patient, and friendly. The 4 days of hiking are difficult but accessible to anyone with experience hiking in uneven terrain with elements of scrambling. A good level of fitness is required. The only improvement I could suggest would be for an additional guide, as a single guide is unusual for a group of 14 in case there are difficulties with more than one participant. Overall, an excellent adventure, and one I would recommend to all.

What an absolutely fantastic trip! Everything about this week was absolutely exceptional, from the scenery, the food, and the people to the organisation of all the logistics. Myself and my wife booked the trip as we love active holidays and this certainly was that. We tacked on an extra day in Tirana before the trip to get to know Albania a bit before heading out to the country and mountains. It is a stunning city with a really vibrant bar and restaurant scene and all the people we met were lovely and hospitable.

Onto the trip proper and our guide, Mirijeta, was great from the start. She was really clear with communications on where to meet and what to expect throughout the holiday. We were also amazingly lucky to have a group of really enthusiastic, fun and engaging people tackling these mountains with us.

The weather didn't quite play ball, so we only managed one of the planned peaks but other mountains were not hard to come by and we still tackled some challenging hikes to other accessible peaks. Absolutely none of them disappointed, the scenery is absolutely stunning and the accommodation in all of the locations were superb and each was memorable for various great reasons.

Food was superb throughout, with loads of fresh produce and hearty carb-heavy meals. I managed to put weight on during this holiday despite the walking!

This is the second trip we have done with MBA and it was brilliant. I fell in love with Albania and will be going back as soon as possible but the best thing about the trip was the people we met both as part of the group but also every step along the way. Everyone is welcoming and hospitable and they want you to have a good time. I recommend doing this trip before the country starts to boom with tourism as it rightly should.

I trekked with a fantastic group of people and made many good memories along the journey. The mountain accommodation is simple but sufficient whilst the Hotels in Gjakova and Tirana are outstanding. The food across the entire trip was plentiful and delicious with lots of local produce. Our June departure was hit with rain and snow in the peaks which unfortunately led to summiting only one of the three peaks. I believe that in the right weather conditions this trip would be outstanding in so many categories!

I really enjoyed The Balkan 3 Peaks Challenge with MBA. It has everything you want from a holiday - gorgeous scenery, challenging hikes, welcoming hosts, good food and excellent company! I highly recommend this trip, it's very well-organised, and Albania and Kosovo are well worth a visit, I will definitely come back