Abigail Ang

this has been one of the most incredible and memorable experiences of my life. the landscapes of the balkans were more beautiful and wild than i had anticipated, yet the trails were also largely well-maintained. while some of the accommodations lack certain comforts of home (hot water, nutritious food), they largely made up for it with hospitality and stunning views.

choosing to do this trek with zbulo meant that i could switch off my brain for the most part and not struggle with logistical stresses and language barriers, freeing up more energy for me to enjoy more of what the balkans had to offer. the zbulo concierge staff were great, answering my questions promptly and clearly so that expectations were properly aligned.

it was also such a pleasure to spend 12 days with my guides igli and fidan who facilitated the trip logistics with a finesse that only comes with deep thoughtfulness and experience. the combination of their complementary personalities and strengths also made for a good guiding pair.

igli was knowledgeable and conscientious. he made sure that the itinerary ran smoothly and we had many insightful conversations about sociocultural perspectives. fidan was warm, socially astute and brought good energy to the group. he was very attuned to the varying physical abilities and social dynamics and made efforts to accommodate imbalances. both were extremely professional and caring. as a solo female traveller in my 20s, i felt very safe and assured with them as my guides.

hiking with local guides also gave us more chances to converse with locals and learn more about the region – its complexities and struggles in the past and present. this is great for anyone who wants to immerse themselves not only in natural alpine beauty but also in the lived experiences of ordinary albanians.

if i could give some tips to anyone planning to do this trek, it would be to prepare extra snacks/meal provisions (peanut butter, dried fruits and nuts, canned fish, jerky, muesli bars) and bring clothes for a wide range of temperatures, even in the summer.

meal offerings can be very repetitive and low in protein (which is to be expected of such locales), and there weren’t opportunities for resupply during the trail (except occasional junk food like candy bars and chips). i found that all the extra nutritious food i brought came in very handy and comforting amidst the modest circumstances.

temperatures can also fluctuate drastically at higher or lower elevations. i went in august and was glad to have brought my down jacket, nanopuff vest and wool thermals in addition to more light summer attire.