The Balkan 3 Peaks Challenge

Marta Marinelli, raised in Italy’s serene Prosecco Hills, dreamt of global adventures, inspired by her father's travel stories. Her passion evolved into a career, backed by a decade of studies including degrees in international tourism and destination management. She’s worked in the adventure travel sector since 2012, living in Italy, the UK, and now sunny Portugal.

Over twenty years, Marta has explored over 55 countries, visiting remote areas like Ghana, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Haiti and Nepal’s Upper Mustang region. As a Senior Adventure Expansion Manager at Much Better Adventures, she focuses on creating life-changing experiences, ranging from multi-activity adventures, challenging treks, to ultimate adventures in iconic places. She loves the challenge of finding the best local adventure hosts around the world, collaborating on adventures that offer genuine immersion, pushing beyond the beaten path and working on exclusive itineraries that challenge your comfort zone.

What makes her tick? Enabling people to live adventure-rich lives while positively impacting and empowering local communities around the world, generating sustainable opportunities for both the host, guides, community, and the environment.

The tap water in the mountains is safe to drink. Please bring along your own reusable water bottle to fill up at the hotels and guesthouses to avoid buying single use plastic bottles.

During the trek you'll be trekking across the borders of Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Kosovo. Your host will collect a copy of your passport ahead of the trip and will apply for permits on your behalf, so there is no paperwork or applications for you to worry about.

There is generally no convenient way to store excess luggage on this trip. It may depend upon which hotel is booked in Tirana as some have limited space for luggage storage, which is not possible to reserve, and some don't at all. Please enquire with you host for more information.

For groups of up to eight people, there will be one lead guide. For groups of nine or more, there will also be an assistant guide.

In adverse weather conditions, it may not be safe to ascend the exposed peaks, especially Mt. Kollata. Your guide will monitor weather conditions and act accordingly.

In the event of unusually high amounts of snow in spring, you will not use crampons or ice picks on this non-technical trip and may divert routes instead. Your host will be in touch prior to departure and will let you know if any extreme weather is forecast. In the event of heavy snow, you may be advised to bring waterproof shoes, gaiters and walking microspikes.

The follow are contingency plans for parts of the itinerary that are most likely to be impacted if there is unseasonable adverse weather: Day 3: When the traverse behind Mt. Gjeravica is under heavy snowpack, you may transfer to another starting point and climb Mt. Trekufiri (2366m), the point where Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro meet. Day 5: If the Persllopit Pass is closed, you may take a transfer from Cerem to Valbona and aim to ascend Mt. Roshit (2524m). This is a return hike and can be shortened if needed but would adjust the hiking on this day to: 9.5hrs · 14km · 1450m up · 1450m down. Day 5: If the Persllopit Pass is open but the ascent of Mt. Kollata snow-covered and deemed too dangerous, the summit is skipped. This would mean the hiking on this day is adjusted to: 7hrs · 13km · 1075m up · 1125m down.

At Much Better Adventures, we work hard to accommodate dietary requirements and allergies so your trip is safe, inclusive and enjoyable. That said, options can vary by country, location and accommodation, and in some places options may be limited or unavailable. The information below has been provided by your host so you’re fully informed about what will be possible on your trip depending on your individual requirements. This information should be read carefully prior to your trip to ensure that you are adequately prepared for the situation ‘on the ground’.

Once you have booked on your trip, please fill out your passenger information form asap with any dietary requirements. Once you complete your passenger information, your dietary needs and any allergies are automatically shared with your host and, in turn, your guide. Please submit this as early as possible so they can plan accordingly and deliver the best experience. Please also remind your guide about your dietary requirements upon arrival, as mentioning these in person allows your guide to comprehend individual preferences and limitations as soon as you arrive.

BACKGROUND

Albanian mountain cuisine has improved a lot in recent years, but it’s still shaped by a long tradition of simple, resourceful cooking in a rugged landscape where communities historically grew only what the mountains allowed. As a result, meals remain hearty, rustic and limited in variety, relying on local, seasonal ingredients and the roots of ‘cucina povera’. Rural guesthouses, restaurants and hospitality providers that mainly serve a domestic audience are often unfamiliar with dietary restrictions and preferences, and special diets are not always well understood. While the food is wholesome and filling, travellers with specific dietary requirements should not expect a wide culinary range. It is also worth noting that fresh fruit can be hard to come by in the high alpine areas - this is because as soon as it ripens, it’s often snapped up to make raki, Albania’s homemade firewater.

SPECIAL DIETS

Vegetarian Vegetarian diets can be catered for on this trip, provided that your host is made aware in advance. However you should be aware that traditional Albanian dishes can be meat-centered, and vegetarian diets are not common in certain areas that this trip visits. Having said this, there are several traditional dishes that are vegetarian by default with meat usually served as a separate side dish. Vegetarian dishes are considered shared dishes and are generally served to the entire group. Vegetarians are often served the same meals as everyone else, minus the meat or fish.

Vegan Vegan diets are very difficult to cater for on this trip. While your host will do their best to meet these requirements, please be aware that the required produce and ingredients are not abundant in this destination, and you may find the food provided repetitive. Traditional Albanian dishes are meat-centered, and vegan diets are not common in certain areas that this trip visits. Whilst it is possible to follow a Vegan diet on this trip, you need to be aware that options are very limited, lack protein and can be quite repetitive. Without dairy and eggs, breakfast and picnic lunches are limited to bread and raw vegetables. Dinners are satisfactory in the majority of places, but the accommodation hosts may require your input/guidance. Please bring calorie-dense and protein-rich supplements from home - snacks and items such as peanut butter etc - to supplement the meals and ensure you have enough fuel for the adventure.

Kosher Fully certified Kosher kitchens and supervision are rare and usually cannot be guaranteed. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

Halal Certified Halal supply varies by destination and can not be guaranteed on this trip. Vegetarian or vegan options can often be the most reliable alternative if this is acceptable to you. Please read the related sections above.

INTOLERANCES

Gluten Free (for Coeliac, please see Allergies section below) Gluten-free diets are difficult to cater for on this trip. While your host will do their best to meet these requirements, please be aware that the required produce and ingredients are not abundant in this destination, and you may find the food provided repetitive. At breakfast and for picnic lunches, fried doughs (such as petulla, pancakes) and bread are the staple foods. Gluten-free alternatives beyond the occasional dense and dry corn/maize bread are virtually unknown/unavailable so please do bring plenty of your favourite snacks or food supplements from home to ensure that you always have enough fuel for your adventure.

Lactose Free Lactose-free diets are difficult to cater for on this trip. While your host will do their best to meet these requirements, please be aware that alternative products are not available in this destination, and you may find the picnics provided somewhat limited. As cheese is a staple at breakfast and lunch, we recommend bringing your favourite snacks or supplements from home. Please also see the notes text on the vegan diet above.

ALLERGIES

Our host has confirmed that provision for certain mild and severe or life threatening food allergies on this trip may be unreliable. Please get in touch with our CX team prior to booking to discuss whether your requirements can be accommodated safely on this trip. This will allow us to carefully consider the sensitivity and severity of your allergy, the available provision on the trip and the accessibility of medical care should a reaction occur. Your safety is always our top priority. Please note that when travelling overseas, local ingredients, food preparation methods and labelling standards may vary, particularly in remote areas. It is also worth noting that any allergies may result in more limited options and repetitive provision in some areas. Whilst your guide will help communicate dietary requirements where possible, customers remain responsible for managing their own allergies during the trip.

Sure can! Over 70% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.

Our team of Adventure Hunters co-create exclusive adventures which are run by highly vetted, specialist hosts. The trip is run by our trusted host partner in the destination. We only work with independent, local, in-destination experts who know the very best places to explore and how to stay safe. Read more information about the local teams we partner with. You’ll be introduced to the host straight after making a booking via the Much Better Adventures platform.

Much Better Adventures refer to the UK Government’s official travel advice when designing trips and monitoring trip operations. We recommend that all customers are familiar with the practical information provided on the Government’s FCDO website, where current travel advice can be found by searching for the applicable destination(s).

For customers joining this trip from other international destinations – please also read the official travel advice applicable to your country of residence/origin, as this may differ.

We recommend checking out the country-specific information and also talking to a travel nurse.

We automatically convert prices from the local currency that a host receives to your chosen currency. We update our exchange rates on a daily basis so this does mean that prices displayed on the site are subject to currency fluctuations, which is why you may see them change over time.

If you wish to change the currency you pay in, head to the bottom of the page.

All of our group adventures are specially designed for adults to enjoy as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. You must be over 18 to join one of our trips.

You're always in good company on one of our adventures.

Our trips are typically made up of a mixture of solo travellers and small groups of 2 or 3 friends, with most in their 30s-50s.

Our sociable adventures are solo-friendly by design and naturally attract outdoorsy people with a shared mindset; a love for adventure, a desire to push themselves and meet awesome, like-minded people along the way. Check out our Community Values – a shared code to make sure that everyone's experience is safe, inclusive and brilliantly unforgettable.

It’s this camaraderie that has so often turned a great adventure into a life-changing one.

Don't just take our word for it:

• 95% of people rate the group dynamics on our trips 5/5
• 90% of people recommend joining a trip to make new friends
• 75% of people have met people on our trips that they would now consider friends

See here for more info about the Much Better Adventures tribe.

Departures are scheduled throughout the summer season only (Jun-Sep). Typical summer weather conditions in this part of the Balkans are dry, clear and warm during the daytime, with the temperature dropping at night or as you climb higher to the summits. However, rainfall and thunderstorms are common throughout the summer season, so do bring your wet weather gear!

You may encounter some snow on altitudes above 1800m until the end of June, especially on northern-facing slopes. Your guides monitor the conditions in order to stay prepared and share information with your group before you set out on your trek, in case any changes to the route are required – please see the FAQ below on 'Plan B'.