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
What's Included?
Small Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 12 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
…
What's it like?
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 four 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
Key Information
Day 1
Meet your crew and eat out in Pristina
Arrive in Pristina and meet for a pre-trip briefing with your host. There's time to relax into the Kosovan spirit and enjoy a late dinner with your fellow adventurers.
Day 2
Hike 'The Edge'
Hiking
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 bears! You’ll hike up 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 you walk the ridgeline, known as The Edge. Weather permitting, you’ll hike two to four of the range’s peaks including Bistra and Guzhbaba (2589m). When you’ve bagged as many peaks as you can in a day, it’s back to camp – you’ll be pitching up close to The Edge, so have your camera ready for some stunning sunset shots.
Day 3
Two more peaks and then home
Hiking
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 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 before enjoying a cultural tour around Pristina during the morning, to take in some of the city's highlights. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city on your own, before heading back to the airport armed with some great stories and a pocketful of photos.
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
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
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).
Hiking the edge in Kosovo was a great trip. Our local guide, Meto, was fun and energetic and really understood the local history and culture of the region. Really good group dynamic, and overall super positive energy. Would definitely recommend to anyone wanting to explore this beautiful part of the world!
Excellent trip, would recommend and come back to Kosovo again. Meto, our guide, was a font of knowledge, organised everything and adapted the itinarary to each of the groups needs. We did so much in 3 days... seeing two cities, cultural tours, great local meals, climbing many peaks and camping in the mountains.
The mountains and area were stunning! The views are definitely worth those climbs. We were so lucky to have Meto as our guide. He really made sure that the different needs of the group members were catered for and was very adaptable. Meto went out of his way to find gluten free food for me (not easy in Kosovo!). He genuinely loves the outdoors and shared his passion for the beautiful mountains with the group. What an amazing, memorable long weekend - thank you to Meto and the great team of people we got to share the experience with.
Excellent hikes with amazing views across Kosovo and North Macedonia in great company
Would recommend for a lovely weekend break
Great hike (accompanied by very friendly shepherd dogs the entire time), amazing guides and breathtaking views - the Sharr mountains are simply gorgeous!
Great trip! The hikes were gorgeous and well-led by a very knowledgeable and fun guide, Meto. Everyone fell in love with Kosovar food (peppers, cheeses, breads…) and with all the adorable dogs that followed us everywhere. A wonderful way to see a different side of the Balkans.
Despite some unpredictable weather, this trip was very fun - the guide, Meto, was excellent and modified the schedule so that we got the most out of the experience. The cultural tour on the last day was fantastic as well.
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!
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.
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.
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!