Hike ‘The Edge’ in Kosovo
Lynx. Bears. A 532.72 km2 national park. Two mountain peaks over 2500m high, and a camp on the edge of the ridgeline that connects them
Hike ‘The Edge’ in Kosovo
Lynx. Bears. A 532.72 km2 national park. Two mountain peaks over 2500m high, and a camp on the edge of the ridgeline that connects them
DURATION
3 nights
LOCATION
Kosovo
ANNUAL LEAVE
2 days off work
SEASON
May—Oct
GROUP SIZE
Up to 12 people
MEETING POINT
Pristina International Airport, Pristina
ACCOMMODATION
Hostel · Wild camping
DIFFICULTY
Challenging
Although not technically difficult, topping a number of peaks is bound to make you puff, so you should be in good shape.
Trek the spine-tingling ridgeline that connects two 2500m+ peaks in the remote Sharr Mountain National Park
Keep your peepers open for bear, lynx, wild boar and roe deer as you bag up to 4 challenging peaks in a single day
Visit this unspoilt country brimming with glacial lakes, alpine plateaus and dramatic limestone cliffs before the secret gets out
All our reviews are verified
We only invite travellers to leave a review if they have booked this trip with Much Better Adventures.
— Rosie, October 2022
Fantastic trip! I couldn't fault it - our host was amazing, friendly, knowledgeable and flexible depending on the groups needs. I would highly recommend Kosovo!
— Rowena, October 2022
A brilliant adventure! Meto is an excellent guide - very knowledgeable, fun and accommodating to everyone in the group. The hiking was fun and the food was delicious! Would highly recommend this trip for the incredible views and to meet like minded people.
— Jouke, October 2022
It was very nice to visit a lesser known part of Europe. The mountains are beautiful, and the hiking experience amazing. It was tough though, and I fully recommend to take the kit list more seriously than I did. It can be really cold, wet and windy, and sunny and hot a moment later. I do feel there is room for improvement on the logistics, and accommodation. But overall it was a fantastic trip and a great guide. One more tip: buy a SIM card at the airport, as free roaming does not apply in Kosovo.
— Jamie, July 2022
What an amazing trip! It was a really excellent way to be introduced to the gem of the Balkans. We packed a lot in, both culturally and in terms of hiking, really seeing the best of the country with a brilliant team of friends. Uta, our guide, was extremely professional and friendly. She was full of knowledge and really went out of her way to make our trip as fulfilling as possible. This is my first much better adventures trip, and it surpassed my expectations. I will definitely be booking again!
— Lexie, June 2022
Fantastic trip with the fabulous Meto as our guide. Excellent communication before and during our visit, everything very smoothly organised. Lots of immersion in the mountains with a bit of time before and after to explore Pristina and Prizren. There is no end to Meto's knowledge. Exceeded expectations on all levels.
— Ben, May 2022
Fantastic Trip, quantity of food could be improved. Altogether a good trip which I’d recommend to anyone. 👌
— Nic, May 2022
Great trip from start to finish, the hiking was the main reason for going but the cities were an added bonus, would definitely recommend this country. Go there before everyone realises how beautiful it is. Thanks Meto and team for a top weekend 👍🏻
— Dmitrijs, September 2019
People, guides and small city we visit after the trip were great.
— Anita, September 2019
The views and remoteness of the mountains were great.
— Matt, September 2019
The hosts were very hospitable, friendly and informative. It was a great way to see Kosovo, and the hiking was excellent (despite the unfortunately bad weather!)
Included
Guides
Local, certified and friendly English-speaking guides
Accommodation
Two nights in a hostel in Pristina and a night wild camping
Meals
All meals while on trek
Transfers
Both airport transfers and transfers to the Sharr Mountains
Equipment
Everything you need for camping will be sorted
Not Included
Flights to and from the meeting point
Personal expenses
Travel insurance
Some meals as described
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Pristina Airport
Arrive by 20:45 on Day 1
Ends
Pristina Airport
Depart by 19:00 on Day 4
Transfers
Your transfer will collect you at 20:45 on Day 1 and drop you back at the airport at 19:00 on Day 4. If you arrive outside of these times, your host can arrange a private transfer for an extra cost. Please see Optional Extras.
Travel options
There are regular flights to Pristina from major airports across the UK and Europe.
Day 1
Hostel · Same sex dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Wild camping · Twin or triple share
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Hostel · Same sex dorm
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Departure day
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
Your host will be able to give recommendations for eating out on the first night, and on the last night together you’ll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. You’ll have a choice from a few dishes, with extra orders and drinks payable separately.
While out hiking, the food will be simple camping food that you will be given to carry yourself. There's no chef as such on the trek, so everyone will get involved and help your guide(s) with the food preparation. Picnic lunches include a sandwich for each day (vegetarian or tuna), fruit and biscuits. You may want to also bring a few personal snacks.
Dinner will be simple camping food such as noodles, cooked over a gas stove at the campsite. Breakfast will be muesli with fruit. Food in Kosovo generally is Mediterranean with a strong Turkish and Albanian influence. Breakfasts are typically fresh bread and cheese, eggs or French toast. Lunches and dinners include savoury burek pies, hearty casseroles, spiced sausages, roasted lamb, stuffed peppers and fresh vegetables.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for - please just let your host know on booking.
What is the accommodation like?
Pristina
Your first and last night will be spent in a hostel in Pristina. This will usually be Hostel Tuba, which offers rooms with private bathrooms and is known for its excellent location and friendly service. There's also free WiFi, a bar, a shared lounge, and a garden.
Gushababa Camp
Your second night will be spent camping under the stars with stunning views of the mountain range when you unzip your 2 or 3 man tent in the morning.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, an optional private room and tent can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
Day 1
Meet your crew and eat out in Pristina
Arrive into Pristina just in time for a pre-trip briefing with your host. There's time for a late dinner with your fellow adventurers and relax into the Kosovan spirit.
Day 2
Hike 'The Edge'
Hiking
8hrs · 12km · 1420m up · 370m down
From Pristina, you'll be driven to the village of Prevalla where your hike into the Sharr and Bistra Mountains begins. Starting at 1500m you’ll hike along one of the most beautiful routes in Kosovo, following a 600-year-old trade route. Keep your eyes peeled for lynx and bear! You’ll hike Kosovo’s second highest peak, Bistra Peak (2650m) and pass the source of the Lumbardhi River which you probably admired from the arched footbridge on arrival in Prizren. With views of the Albanian Alps and Macedonia, you’ll continue your adventure as walk the ridgeline, known as The Edge. Weather permitting you’ll hike two to four of the range’s peaks including Bistra (2650m) and Guzhbaba (2589m). When you’ve bagged as many peaks as you can in a day, it’s back to the campsite at Gushababa - you’ll be camping close to the edge so have your camera ready for some stunning sunset shots.
Day 3
Two more peaks and then home
Hiking
6hrs · 15.5km · 870m up · 2050m down
Bag another belter today, as you hike two more peaks, stopping for a rest at a picturesque mountain lake at 2400m before pushing on to the summit. Journey back to Pristina, stopping in Prizren to share a local traditional meal and swap stories with your new hiking friends. From there, you’ll carry on to Pristina, where bed (or a local bar) is waiting.
Day 4
Time to take your weary legs home
Have a lazy start to the day and then enjoy a cultural tour around Pristina during the morning to take in some of the city highlights. The afternoon is free time to explore the city on your own, before heading back to the airport armed with some great stories and a pocketful of photos.
15% Off Outdoor Gear
In need of a few more items? All bookings receive a 15% discount on us to use at Cotswold Outdoor, Snow + Rock and Runner's Need.
What's included?
- Tent
- Sleeping bag & liner
- Roll mat
What do I need to bring?
- Day pack (35 litre +)
- Waterproof jacket and trousers
- Warm jacket or fleece
- Thin wicking baselayers (top and bottom)
- Additional upper body layers and trousers/shorts (not cotton)
- Hiking boots/shoes (worn-in, waterproof)
- Walking socks
- Warm hat and gloves
- Something to sleep in
- Sun protection
- Water bottle
- Head torch
- Pot, spoon and mug/cup to eat and drink from
Optional Private Room & Tent Upgrade
Payable Before Departure
Optional Private Room & Tent Upgrade
…
Single Room in Pristina
Payable Before Departure
Single Room in Pristina
…
Double/Twin Room in Pristina
Payable Before Departure
Double/Twin Room in Pristina
…
Private Airport Transfer
Payable Before Departure
Private Airport Transfer
… Per Person
We've crunched the numbers to work out the total carbon footprint of this trip, and plant enough trees to suck 2x as much back out the atmosphere.
What's the number?
It works out on average at 64kg of CO2 emissions per person, including all local transport, accommodation, food, activities, guides, staff and office operations.
The only thing it doesn’t include right now is flights and travel to the destination. We do make an overall estimate across all our customers separately, but as we don’t book flights, have customers from all corners of the world, and no way of reliably knowing their travel plans, we simply can’t include an individual number in the figure on display here. We’ve got a goal for 2022 to fix that, so that when you book, there is a way to measure and mitigate the carbon emitted by your flight too.
But what does the number mean?
Yep, hard to picture eh? To give you an idea:
- Driving 1000miles/1609km would be approx. 281kg of CO2 in an average car (or 140.5kg per person if there was 2 of you in it).
- A return economy class flight London - New York would be approx. 1,619kg (1.66 tonnes) per person.
- 10 trees in a temperate forest are estimated to remove approx. 250kg of CO2 from the air in a period of 5-10 years.
What are we doing about it?
Our trips are relatively low-carbon by design, and we're working with all our hosts to develop long term carbon reduction plans. For every person booked with us since 2016 we’re planting enough trees to suck at least 2x more carbon out the atmosphere than is emitted by their trips. All native trees, as part of amazing projects that are re-foresting degraded land, tackling the biodiversity crisis and supporting local communities at the same time. We go further than that too, also funding re-wilding projects worldwide to help protect important keystone species from extinction. See the reforestation and re-wilding schemes we support. See our carbon action plan.
Want to know more?
Amazingly, no international travel company has ever publicly published their carbon measurements before, as far as we know. We believe that must change, quickly. So we’re openly sharing the method we used in the hope that other companies will be able to more easily follow suit and build on what we've done so far. You'll find it all here.
You should be in good shape. Although not technically difficult, hiking the ridge and topping a number of peaks is bound to make you puff so some strong walking legs will go a long way.
Sure can! Over 50% of our travellers travel solo, it’s a great way to meet like-minded people.
The Sharr Mountains are pretty similar to most European mountain climates, cold and snowy in the winter and sunny and pleasant in the summer.
We recommend going on this trip between May and September when daytime temperatures in Pristina average between 21-27°C and days are usually in the region of 10-17°C in the mountains. It gets cool at night with the potential for temperatures to hover only a few degrees above freezing, so make sure you pack some warm clothing too.
Like any mountain, be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. Although the summers are generally nice and warm, the rain can set in without a moments notice, so do pack accordingly. A layering system is essential in the mountains.
Yes you can leave any luggage you don't want to take on the hike at the hostel where you stay on the first and last night of the trip.
Our recommended travel insurance provider is Campbell Irvine.
Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our adventures. Your insurance should include adequate protection for overseas medical treatment, evacuation/repatriation, your baggage and equipment and the specific activities involved on your adventure.
Your insurance policy should also include specific Covid-19 cover, including cancellation and curtailment cover if you, your travel companion or a close relative are diagnosed with Covid-19.
We fully endorse Campbell Irvine as their insurance offers all of the above, so get in touch with them or call on 020 7938 1734 to get your insurance sorted. We suggest that you book travel insurance as soon as you book your adventure, just to cover you for any last minute life changes. We know you’re an active lot and injuries do happen!
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 (18+) as we want these adventures to bring together outdoorsy people who are truly like-minded. Children can be accommodated on some private departures.
You're in good company. Our adventures are typically made up of a mix of solo travellers and small groups of two or three friends who simply love adventure, pushing themselves and meeting awesome like-minded people. See here for more info about our lovely bunch of Much Better Adventurers.
Want to book a private trip? Just tap ‘Private Group’ in the dates and prices tab.
Your trip is led by carefully curated local hosts and expert guides. See here for more info about the guides we work with.
Full Financial Protection
Your money is safe. Every booking is fully financially protected.
Pay In Installments
You can choose to pay for this trip in as many installments as you like, with no interest or fees.
