8-Day Peaks of the Balkans

This was absolutely awesome trip. Starting with the communications with the head office and then the guides, everything was very well organized, very clear and nothing left to chance. We were lucky that we had a fantastic group of people in the group, and the 2 guides, Tesi and Donjeta made this hiking experience absolutely perfect. All our accommodations were better than we expected. We knew they would be rustic and shared, but the surrounding landscape made all these places special. Our guides made sure we all were satisfied and all questions were answered, they set our expectations accordingly for each place where we stayed. We had briefings every night after dinner to prepare for the next day hiking, that was very helpful. After our trip came to an end, we were very sad to say goodbyes. We loved Albania, the nature, the people, the hospitality. Looking forward to more trips. Thank you, Zbulo!

Absolutely phenomenal. Our tour guides, Tesi and Donjeta made the trip what it was. Not only are they serenely knowledgeable, but they are kind and empathetic. I’m so lucky to have been able to experience Albania and Montenegro, and I’m glad I did it through Zbulo.

A great holiday. Every aspect brilliant, communication, organisation, food and accommodation. Borh guides were experienced, helpful and provided us with lots of information about the area and the history.
The walking was in fantastic areas and was challenging but with the care of the guides, we all managed it.

Fantastic trip through the Peaks of the Balkans! It was great to see parts of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo that are off the beaten track. The alpine paths, views, flowers, and meadows were exactly what we were looking for. Our guides, Kreshnik and Daniel, were very competent, informative, friendly and fun. They patiently answered our questions and gave us much knowledge of the mountains, villages and paths and the history and culture of the surroundings. Hiking distances, climbs, stops, guest houses and meals were all excellent!

Great experience in an authentic natural setting that I fully recommend. The description matched the reality.
The two guides were excellent, experienced, attentive to everyone’s well-being, and always clear about the daily itinerary, what to expect in terms of difficulty, weather,… and safety instructions.
In addition to the daily hikes, I really appreciate the few cultural activities and the many local stories and historical insights.

It was an amazing trek. The trails, the scenery, the people we met along the way, the food, the logistics- and above all, the one and the only Donjeta !
She is a wonderful guide and a lovely person who organized everything in such a pleasant and perfect way. Everyone in our group fell in love with Doni.
Thank you for everything, and of course, a special thanks to Eda, who stayed in touch with me for months and took care of all the arrangements and adjustments.

It was a wonderful trip all around, one I can highly recommend. Our guide, Nedih, was incredibly organized and had so much to say about the country, its people, and its history. A truly lovely fellow. Everything was perfectly timed. The food was superb, and the accommodations were lovely. Everything was carefully and thoughtfully chosen. I felt safe and well cared for from the very first moment.

The hikes were not as challenging as expected, I say, a mid-30s person who runs 5-10 km once a week and otherwise only does day hikes lasting several hours on vacation.

This trip exceeded my expections on every level. Everything was so well organised from the route to the accommodation to the food to the transport.

The guides (Blend & Fidan) were amazing, they really brought the group together and were so knowledgeable about the landscape, the countries histories and no question was ever too much.

The accommodation was great, very laid back guest houses in the most amazing settings.
The food couldn’t have been better, always so much choice and lots of it.
The route was well chosen and the landscapes along the way were absolutely stunning.

I loved every minute of it, it turned out to be a very special and memorable trip! I would highly recommend.

Peaks of the Balkans was one of the best experiences of my life! Everyday was so different – there is so much beauty and great people and food along the way. Kreshnik and Roy were awesome! Thank you so much for not only taking care of us, but making everyday so much fun and sharing all your stories! +3

The Peaks of the Balkans (8 days) trip exceeded my expections on every level. Everything was so well organised from the route to the accommodation to the food to the transport. The guides (Blend & Fidan) were amazing, they really brought the group together and were so knowledgeable about the landscape, the countries histories and no question was ever too much. The accommodation was great, very laid back guest houses in the most amazing settings. The food couldn’t have been better, always so much choice and lots of it. The route was well chosen and the landscapes along the way were absolutely stunning. I loved every minute of it, it turned out to be a very special and memorable trip! I would highly recommend.

Extremely well researched, organised tour. Our guides were both very passionate about the country and the mountains and had an intimate knowledge of the route and prevailing conditions ( snow , creeks, clean water availability). Hosts at the remote guesthouses were very friendly and served excellent meals. The scenery was inspiring – it just seemed to get better and better every day – as were our 24/7 guides Blend and Fiden. The extra effort they made to ensure everyone in the group got the most they could out of the trip ( not just the hiking) was very special. All in all a great trip. Thank-you Zbulo.. Tim and Heather – Australia

I have done one of my best hiking trips Peaks of the Balkans after extensive search I went with Zbulo and I am happy with my choice the communication was fast and to the point very helpful and supportive, organization wise and accommodation was excellent and food was always delicious. Special thanks to our fabulous guides Kreshnik and Roy fun and knowledgeable the terrain was bit sketchy in the mountains yet they made sure we were always safe and may change plans for our safety. I enjoyed special yoga and stretching sessions with Roy in the morning ☺️and I am happy to be blessed with fun and harmonious group. Doing Peaks of the Balkans is a must, and Zbulo is your first choice🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 0:18 0:03 +18

Great organisation, great guide, great food, great hiking, great accomodation. It was just a perfect week. I was hesistating doing this trip in the month of May but I would definitly recommend doing so – conditions were just perfect.

Please consider to take everything with you as indicated on the packing list. However, I myself would rather not bring micro spikes, gaitors or a warm sleeping bag with me next time. But it all depends on the conditions and your personal judgment.

What a fantastic experience, in stunning surroundings, perfectly organised. Guides couldn’t do enough for us and were really informative about routes and history of the region. We had a fantastic group dynamic, fostered by great leadership from the guides. Food was plentiful and amazingly tasty . We never went hungry. I’ve done other trips were accommodation and food were adequate but basic. This was the opposite . Great food and decent basic accommodation, warm and clean with good facilities for their mountain locations . No stand out moments , as the whole week was a stand out moment. Do not hesitate to sign up !

Really great experience. I really recommend to anyone who likes hiking, nature and mountains. The Albanian Alps are a truly magical place. Guides were really nice people with great experience that ensured our safety and always made sure we are comfortable.

My trip with Zbulo for the 8 day trip of the Peaks of the Balkans was truly unforgettable. We were faced with adverse weather which meant that we needed to change the itinerary. Our guides, Kushtrim and Elena, were very communicative and upfront with the information. They ensured that we were still able to experience the most of the Peaks while staying safe. Kushtrim and Elena were a perfect balance of one another, maintaining a good pace for all. Kushtrim provided us with history and education of the Balkans, particularly Kosovo, Montenegro and Albania. As a man who lived through the communist power and break to independence, his special insight was passionate and knowledgeable. The experience was everything I wanted and more. 10/10 trip!

Before, during and after, Eda and Ricardo were also excellent to work with. Answering all my questions, as I had many because I was traveling from the States.

I will be leaving the Balkans with a full heart and cannot wait to come back to experience the welcoming hospitality, beautiful mountains and amazing people!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Leart and Donjeta were amazing and made the tour really enjoyable! I really enjoyed spending time with them and the entire group!

Leart and Donjeta were always prepared and organised, which made the trip run seamlessly – thanks to you both!!

Wonderful holiday. The hiking was hard enough to be a challenge but not so hard as to make it not enjoyable. Elena and Reni were excellent guides, catering to our very need, making sure we were well fed, well rested and comfortable. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Zbulo, from the initial booking to the holiday itself I couldn’t fault them. Albania and its people gave me such a warm welcome. Visit if you can.

Excellent service from beginning to end. So easy to book direct, emails were replied to quickly and no question was too much. On my trip 7 out of the 11 were solo travellers. All communication was excellent from where to meet to what was happening that day and the next. Elena and Reni were brilliant, nothing was too much trouble. The walking was great, pitched just right, hard enough to be a bit of a challenge but not so hard that it wasn’t enjoyable. Food was amazing, especially the blueberry cake! Accommodation was always comfortable and again the food was plentiful. Absolutely loved the region and would highly recommend Zbulo.

I had one of the best trips ever in Albania. The people were friendly and helpful, the food was excellent, home grown, organic, we never went hungry. I felt safe , the mountains and countryside were calming and restful and the cities , Tirana and Shkodër were vibrant and really good fun. This country has been through really challenging times politically and the people have suffered but still everyone I met was kind and I certainly did not feel like I was getting ripped of or scammed at any point. Go visit Albania 🇦🇱

(Translated by Google) The tour was fantastic. I felt really comfortable with the guides, and they were always considerate of everyone. If you needed anything, you could always go to them. The tour itself was beautiful, and the food was excellent. I highly recommend it and will definitely do another tour.

(Original)
Die Tour war grandios. Ich fühlte mich richtig wohl mit den Guides und sie nahmen immer Rücksicht auf alle. Wenn man was benötigte, konnte man jederzeit zu ihnen gehen. Die Tour selbst war wunderschön und das Essen top. Kann ich nur weiter empfehlen und werde sicher noch eine weitere Tour machen.

Awesome 8 days in the Peaks of the Balkans with a fab group of people. The tour organisation was spot on, the hikes were amazing, we stayed in some gorgeous spots, and our guides were super lovely people, who shared lots of info on the history and culture of the region, past and present. Highly recommend

A truly incredible hiking experience in the Albanian alps, experiencing the wonderful views and hospitality of the region.

Zbulo provide excellent guides who make this best off the peaks of the balkans trip really special, and an experience I would recommend to anyone!

A great experience. Knowledgeable guides and simple, decent food and accommodation. Some beautiful walking days. If you want to do the “original” peaks of the Balkans trail, or really stretch yourself on hiking, this might not be for you. But if you want a nice group trip with some good (and still challenging) walking, it’s good value and a really good time.

Thanks for all your help arranging and organising the trip. I am very glad I came!

I really liked everything about this trip. It was organised very smoothly and the guides always seemed to have a plan B and C. The itinerary was well chosen with distances which were doable and transportation to get to the best parts of the track. The food was good and plentiful and accommodation basic but agreeable.

To be absolutely avoided if you’re even slightly athletic!
If you’re looking to get started with hiking or if you’re over sixty, you might enjoy this trip—otherwise, give it a miss.
There’s not much walking involved (around 11 km per day), a lot of time is spent at the table with large quantities of food, and we stopped at cafés very frequently (sometimes every 45 minutes). During the hikes, breaks were enforced every 15 minutes. Clearly, the sense of freedom one usually finds in wide open spaces was very limited under these conditions.
The guide is a very good tour guide, but by no means a mountain guide.

I really enjoyed my Peaks of the Balkans trip. The trail covered varied terrain along forest paths and across mountain passes. A couple of bigger summits offered superb alpine views. The wild flowers in June were magnificent. Our guides, Blend and Kushtrim were excellent, demonstrating a detailed knowledge of the local environment and history. Highly recommended.

Kit list was excessive (at least from a northern European perspective). I took a sleeping bag just in case, but absolutely didn’t need it. Conditions overall were not at all cold, and guesthouses had adequate bedding.In fact the major risk is actually one of dehydration and heat exhaustion (sun cream, hat, sun hoodie much more important than extra jackets).

Amazing experience and very well organized! The guides did a great job, some accommodations were very special and overall suitable, the food was really good and mostly home made. Also communication before was great – so I can only recommend Zbulo!

Many thanks again to your team and your great guides Igli & Donart!

Breathtaking trek in the Balkans with knowledgeable guides, great company and some special guesthouses. A review of some of the itinerary to keep it an authentic experience of the area would make it perfect.

We would prefer walking longer distances each day for a medium to hard hike. The last day to blue eye was unnecessary and did not match the quality of the rest of the trip. Consider not staying at the hotel on the final day and heading straight to Tirana.

Erza and Daniel were exceptional guides. We had really poor rainy weather but they managed to get accurate forecasts in very remote areas and we were still able to hike every day. I have only marked 4 stars on accommodation as Doberdol is a very basic hut and we were upstairs it was very muddy and dark going to the toilet block. The food on the trip was excellent in all of the places we went to it kept us healthy and prepared to hike. I had a fantastic time and the trip far exceeded my expectations. You have a beautiful country and I will come back.

A brilliant well organised trip. Thank you to Erza and Daniel

I had an amazing time on the 8 day Peaks of the Balkans trek. It is a beautiful part of the world to explore. Some of the hikes can be tough but we were rewarded with stunning scenery. The organisation and communication from Zbulo was clear and prompt and everything worked seamlessly on our trip. Mendi our guide was great fun, keeping us happy and safe on the trails as well as giving us lots of Balkan history and stopping to pick the blueberries 🙂

I did two back to back trips with Zbulo and both were outstanding. The guides and hosts did everything they could to provide us with the best experience one could ask for!!

Nedhi, Diona and the hosts were all outstanding. All 12 of us agreed on that.

One suggestion: the 7-day Alps trip had two days in the same lodge. That allowed people more options than the point to point Balkans trip. Maybe doubling up once would allow for a day trip of their choice, a day to do laundry, catch up or recover from illness. On the Alps trip, say 10 of people got the 24-hour bug. If that had happened on Balkans, I don’t know how we would have made it

Highlight of my trip, everything was up to my expectations and I has a great time! Guides were super nice and experienced, the hikes were great, food and accomodations varied a little, some better than others, but all at least satisfactory. I always felt in good hands and I would definitely recommend them 🙂

(did the 8-day Peak of the Balkans hike in September 2024)

I recently went on the Peaks of the Balkans hiking tour with Zbulo. The guides Erza and Daniel were fantastic. Well informed and well organised. We were a group of 12 mixed nationals. The guides spoke perfect English. We stayed in local accommodation, sometimes very remote and simple but all comfortable. The food included in the tour was fresh and tasty and healthy I loved it. It rained every day but the guides had excellent weather information and we worked around it managing to complete all of the hikes. Albania and Montenegro are beautiful. I felt totally safe in all of the places. This trip by far exceeded my expectations. I will return when I can to see more of the area and would not hesitate to recommend the company and guides. Well done guys.

Trip of a lifetime! Zbulo listened to what we needed and worked with us to draft the perfect itinerary for a younger couple and an 80 year old man. The trip was incredibly smooth and we were taken care of from the very start until the very end. The value for the money is top notch! Guest houses were perfect, food was delicious and very easy to be a vegetarian. Everyone we met was friendly and the scenery was incredible!

Such a great trip thank you!

This was an amazing trek, Zbulo did a fantastic job organizing it (cars ready when needed to cover gaps in the hikes and to get to and from starting and end points), the guide was very knowledgeable, always ready to help out and just the perfect guide you want to have for a seven day hike. The scenery was gorgeous, the hikes at times strenuous, the food was abundant, the accommodations always clean.

I would repeat this experience again and again.

Very well designed, super guide, super comfortable accommodations, nice food in almost every guest house.

I should have booked the longest trek! I didn’t want it to come to an end!

I was expecting a little bit more challenging trekkings. I felt a little bit guilty when I wanted to hike a pick and the rest of the group had to wait for me… maybe it would be an idea to ask for trekking levels in advance to match all expectations. Or maybe have two guides so everybody is happy.

Blendy is super!!! He managed the group very well and helped a lot the people who had the F… virus. He also talks about culture, history… He is very reponsalbe and knows his rol very well. Thank you Blendy!!! ❤️

Can I come back!! 🥰

Absolutely loved our hike with Zbulo. We had the best hikes, everything was well organized and if something unexpected happened, it would always be solved well. The accommodations were beautiful and the food and hosts lovely. Igli and Tesi taught us a lot and did their best to make everything run smoothly. The heat made it a bit challenging sometimes, and I would definitely recommend a bit of training before going. Will not forget this adventure, thank you very much!

A big thanks!

All in all this was a lovely experience, but alot of preparation needs to take place in advance as alot of hill walking with steep gradients will take place. Terrain at times is rather rugged so walking sticks and a boots with a good ankle support is recomnended. In August we encountered 3 days of rain while the remaining days were rather hot.

Please instruct all lodging to provide hangers for drying clothes. Food should include a higher source of protein eg: beans and meat.

Great tour from booking to finish. Zbulo is very professional and was great providing information and clear from pickup all the way through. Our guides were so great. Positive attitudes, very competent people to have leading you through the mountains and just overall lovely and caring for the people they were leading. The mountains and trails were stunning and I loved having the simplicity of luggage transfer and being guided to just get out there and walk. Really great company I’d love to come back for other hikes with.

We had an amazing trip with Zbulo, and our guides Tesi and Igli! For 8 days, we hiked through the beautiful mountains of Albania and Montenegro and learned a lot about Albanian history and culture. Igli and Tesi made sure we got everything we needed, and even unexpected problems that were not their fault (like some of us getting sick) were handled very well! It is very clear to me that Zbulo and our guides put all their effort in making our trip incredibly memorable.

We were told in the beginning that the accommodations would sometimes be very basic, but I enjoyed them very much and was pleasantly surprised and often even blown away by them! It’s different from what you’re probably used to at home in terms of luxury, but I think that’s part of the experience and the charm. I slept well in all of them (do bring earplugs!), we had amazing views and great food and the hosts were very welcoming.

We were sometimes a bit scared during the bus transportations. Sometimes the drops are steep and there are not always fences on the side. Roads can also be very bumpy. But we got everywhere safely! 🙂

I really would recommend training before going on this hike, as it isn’t always the easiest. We don’t have mountains nor very high temperatures where we come from, so some of the ascending in the full blown heat was a bit challenging for me. If you have the chance, I’d recommend going during a season in which it’s a little bit colder than in August, if that’s possible. Nevertheless, the hikes were surely doable (even with these temperatures) if you are used to walking longer distances, and we did get the chance to sometimes pick the shorter route instead of the longer one for those of us who wanted to 🙂 Igli and Tesi made sure no one was left behind and no one was pushed beyond their limits. And also, if someone got accidentally injured or sick, they could get a transportation from one accommodation to the next accommodation and skip the next hike. Be aware though that, as Zbulo writes on their website, “there is no professional rescue services as you would find it in the Central European Alps”, so be careful, avoid poisonous snakes, try to not get sick, and listen to your guides 😉

This surely was one of the best trips I have been on! There’s something magical about spending so much time in nature with a really nice group of people in an area like this.

Zbulo, Igli and Tesi, thank you so much. I will not forget this experience and absolutely recommend this trip to anyone who fancies adventure, who likes to learn new things, who enjoys connecting with people from different countries and cultures, who absolutely loves being outside and hiking in nature, and who is not afraid of a challenge sometimes! 🙂 Albania and Montenegro are absolutely beautiful and 100% worth a visit!

We took an 8 day Peak of the Balkans private tour. A younger couple and my 80 year old father. The team at Zbulo worked diligently with me to plan the itinerary and ensure my father had the trip of a lifetime. The hiking was gorgeous, the guest houses were comfortable and fun, and the food was delicious. Value for the money is unmatched!

This was an amazing trek, Zbulo did a fantastic job organizing it (cars ready when needed to cover gaps in the hikes and to get to and from starting and end points), the guide was very knowledgeable, always ready to help out and just the perfect guide you want to have for a seven-day hike. The scenery was gorgeous, the hikes at times strenuous, the food was abundant, the accommodations always clean. It was an outstanding experience.

I absolutely loved my trip, Peaks of the Balkans over eight days with Zbulo, led by Mend Z and Igli X. We were a group of 12 from a range of nationalities, from those in their twenties to late fifties, and it worked really well. Our guides were brilliant and were the reason the trip was so amazing. They were very different but complementary characters, with a huge range of knowledge about Albania, nature, history, culture – plus yoga, navigation, and a laid-back and fun attitude. They also both had serious mountain skills so we felt safe and cared for at all times. The walking was well-planned, achievable but with an appropriate level of challenge (walking poles highly recommended) and through an incredible range of spectacular landscapes. The transfers were well-organised and timely, and it was great to have our luggage carried so we could arrive at our destination and find it waiting for us. Apart from the first and last night in Shkodra, the accommodation was in a range of shared rooms – with up to 10 of us in a room on one night – so you need to be ok with little privacy and have a positive attitude towards being in a group and to a range of facilities (ie showers / toilets) – all were fine, but some were more basic than others. I went as a solo member of the group, as did two others, and I found it great – everyone was different but also able to chat, be quiet, be extrovert or be friendly at different levels. We got on well, with the guides able to facilitate positive group dynamics which personally I think is a really important skill!

Huge thanks to Igli and Mend for an unforgettable trip. I definitely want to come walking in Albania again with you both!

Highlight: This was an amazing trek, Zbulo did a fantastic job organizing it (cars ready when needed to cover gaps in the hikes and to get to and from starting and end points), the guide was very knowledgeable, always ready to help out and just the perfect guide you want to have for a seven-day hike. The scenery was gorgeous, the hikes at times strenuous, the food was abundant, the accommodations always clean. It was an outstanding experience.

Enjoyed a fabulous hike with Zbulo! on their Peaks of the Balkans hike. The small group size was great (we felt for those is massive groups!) and the guides were fantastic. Being with a local company felt like a really positive way to support the countries we were travelling in – esp as countries that are really working hard to promote tourism business to assist more remote communities to flourish. It also meant that any special arrangements like additional transport at the start and end of the hike were easily sorted. Couldn’t recommend the hike more highly as one that offers an exceptional variety of landscapes and culture, and couldn’t recommend Zbulo! more highly as a company to travel with. Thank you!

If you’re at the point of reading reviews, you’re obviously considering booking… DO IT! This was my first multi-day hiking trip and by contrast, there were also people in the group who were experienced hikers. The hike is challenging yet doable. The scenery and views are incredible, the itinerary was varied and well organised, the accommodation is basic, but has everything you need, food and hospitality was excellent (including catering to different diets and allergies in the group). We were in a group size of 7, coincidentally all women, a range of ages (16-40’s), mostly solo travellers and a really lovely and supportive group dynamic. Our guide, Mirjeta, was fantastic and I can’t recommend her strongly enough. She took great care of us, was really knowledgable, friendly, and kept the vibe high!

Hope you have as good of an experience as I did if you decide to go for it!

Thank you for a great experience!

Just finished a peaks of the Balkan Tour , everything being perfectly organized , every question before the start of the tour answered immediately, quick response to unforeseen events , great problem solving and foremost the best guide you can imagine , Mirjeta Shatri! That’s how you zbulo Albania

Wunderbare Erfahrung, tolle erfahrene Guides, beeindruckende Landschaft, eine super Wandertruppe. In landestypischen Unterkünften haben wir sehr viel Gastfreundschaft erfahren und stets gut gegessen. Die Reise war bestens organisiert.
Was will man mehr? Ich kann die Reise sehr empfehlen. Einfach ein Erlebnis.

😍 We enjoyed all the hikes with… Nik.

⛰️Nice views there were so many

👌With great support of… Renii

👾So we euro American freaks

🙏Are so grateful for guiding us through all these beautiful… Peaks ⛰️

1⃣ It was the first time on this Balkan track

💫 But beware Zbulo, we’ll be back!

Keep up the excellent work!!

Highly recommend this trip! The trek, the guides, the culture all exceeded expectations. The scenery was absolutely stunning and everything was very well organized. The guides went above and beyond to make sure the needs of the group were met throughout the trip.

I would add electrolytes and water filtration(this was only listed as optional, I believe) to the kit list.

A fantastic trip across Albania and Montenegro and through the fascinating and troubled history of the area. Beautiful scenery, excellent organization and amazing guides.

Thank you! The best group hiking trip I’ve ever been on. I’ll be back.

We LOVED our week-long hike in northern Albania, Monte Negro and even a bi of Kosovo. Beautiful terrain, great hiking, lovely small group of hikers from around the world and fabulous guides. Our guides were very thoughtful and planned our days well to minimize the impact of inclement weather and maximize tour opportunity to sip in the beauty of the Albanian Alps. What an experience! We really appreciated Zbulo and our guides, Kreshnik and Renni.

✒️ For our guides Nik & Renii ❤️
😍 We enjoyed all the hikes with… Nik.
⛰️Nice views there were so many
👌With great support of… Renii
👾🇪🇺🇺🇸So we euro American freaks
🙏Are so grateful for guiding us through all these beautiful… Peaks ⛰️
1⃣ It was the first time on this Balkan track
💫 But beware Zbulo, we’ll be back!

A fantastic and well paced hike through these amazing peaks. Group size was perfect and a good mix of people. Guides were professional, passionate and accommodating to the different levels of fitness and pace of walking. Accommodation and food were generally excellent for the price.

It was my first organised trek after many self-guided. It was surprisingly good.

One small remark – it’s better to explain in advance some local traditions. Example – not bring your own bottle of wine to the table in the guest house but drink it in other place.

Our hiking holiday organised through Zbulo was a very special experience. Despite its rapid growth in popularity North Albania still feels relatively unspoilt. If you enjoy walking surrounded by towering mountains, forests of moss-covered beech trees and swimming in icy streams then this is the place to be. Our walking and travel itinerary was prepared by Zbulo. They organised our transport, accommodation and board. We were very happy with everything they organised, noting that in such a remote area food is limited to what’s available locally. We opted to have a guide and having him was a highlight of our trip. He gave great advice on the hikes and answered our endless questions. He was invaluable on those occasions when we needed an Albanian speaker as intermediary. Our guide also tailored some walks to suit our group’s particular circumstances.

We did a 7 day trip walking through the Accursed Mountains in September 2023. Zbulo provided and excellent guide, Blendy, who engaged with our group very well as well as managed many of the day to day logistics issues. The combination of Zbulo working with us to select the walks, making all the logistics arrangements and then Blendy making the final adjustments as he got to know us, we had a magnificent trip full of nature, scenery and history.

Zbulo offers a perfect all-round service for those who want to experience the hospitality of Albanians, the food in Kosovo and the raki in Montenegro.
I was there the second time, both times we were looked after by wonderful guides who took care of all the needs of the group at all times.
If you are interested in the PoB trail and don’t want to go alone, do the trail with Zbulo, it’s worth it.

We had a great 5-day hiking tour with tour guide Nik. Nik knew all the trails in the Albanian Alps and was able to adapt the tour to our hiking skills. He shared his large knowledge about Albanian’s nature, culture and history. With his sympathetic nature, he created a good atmosphere during the hikes and let it feel like hiking with a good old friend. I totally recommend to go on tour with him. Thank you, Nik for this great experience.

We went on an 8-day Peaks of the Balkans trek starting and finishing in Shkoder. Transfers to Tirana airport/city were included. We also had 2 extra nights in a lovely quiet comfortable hotel (Vila 60) in the centre of Tirana, also arranged by Zbulo.
The guides, Mendy and Tesi, looked after us superbly – nothing was too much trouble for them, even when diarrhoea and/or vomiting struck almost everyone at one time or another. Mendy is a mine of information on Albanian history and culture.
The walks were of varying length and severity each day and took us into some wonderful and spectacular scenery – crossing into Montenegro and (briefly) Kosovo too. We stayed either in guest houses or various grades of ‘shepherd’s huts’ – more like camping pods. The only poor accommodation was in Doberdol where the toilets and showers were dubious at best.
The food was plentiful – in fact usually too much was provided. Sometimes the ubiquitous cucumber, tomato and roasted peppers felt a little repetitive, but there were always nutritious and interesting options.
All in all a fascinating introduction to Albania life – perhaps in danger of swamped by tourism.

EDIT: We just returned from our Hidden Valley trek with Zbulo. 10/10!!! Do not hesitate, book this trip. You will not regret it. We had an incredible week with our group and our fantastic guide. The trail is extremely well kept, the views are beautiful, and every detail is considered. The food was tasty, and our homestays were so cozy. A trip of a lifetime for us.

I haven’t traveled with Zbulo yet, however I am consistently impressed with their communication and service in the booking process. Ricardo is so helpful, answers all of your questions, and is quick to respond. They are flexible and accommodating and we are looking forward to our trek with Zbulo!

The landscapes, the weather, the blue berries, the good mix of people. Learning about the culture and history of the region.

This is one of the best hiking trips I have done. You need a good level of fitness but the guides were patient catered to the varied paces of our group. The group size was perfect.

We really liked having two guides with the flexibility to go at different paces and accommodate the different people in the group, that was a huge plus. All of the hiking was spectacular we loved it.

Don’t got to Dobordoll. But otherwise everything was great and would recommend

The stay in doberdol was incredible (despite the storm) and that view as you came up the hill into the valley was incredible. The feeling of isolation but then the comfort of the guesthouse were a wonderful combination.

Bring chlorine tablets just in case.

Take some extra snacks- the dinners are really plentiful but it’s good to have snacks to add to your lunch.

There are showers in all locations as well as electricity. In most places there is also WiFi.

This was an amazing tour!!! I am definitely coming back.The hikes, the food, and meeting the people in our group, from all over the world, have made this hiking experience stand out so much!!
I was so lucky to have had Nedih and Adriatik as my guides. Thanks to them, I not only got to hike beautiful, scenic mountains but also learned so much about the Balkans. Nedih was so kind and kept us on schedule with a calm, warm attitude. Adriatik was always full of great energy and kept us informed and intrigued with his knowledgeable tours. I was able to ask as many questions about the history of the Balkans without feeling reserved. Adriatik was always passionate about sharing his history and culture. I will highly recommend Zbulo to my hiking friends back home. Next year, I plan to return with my best friend to share this wonderful experience and continue discovering peaks in the Balkans. Thank you.

I think the highlight was going to the highest peak on day 3 to the Three Peaks Border, I believe that was from Valbonia (where the horses took our luggage) to Doberdol. What I liked about that day was the variety; steep trek to the top, slow decent through meadows, jumping from huge rock to huge rock, and finally meandering through a forest in the rain. Other highlights included walking on the ridge on one day and crossing the forbidden bridge above the Blue Eye. There were so many highlights it would be hard to choose just one…so I haven’t 😉

I would tell them that it is a difficult but worthy trek. I have learned that not everyone is a hiker and that no matter how worthwhile the views for me, a person has to be physically and mentally prepared for the hard work it takes to climb the peaks to enjoy the vistas. I feel very fortunate to have climbed the Peaks of the Balkans and hope that it will be preserved for others to enjoy it, too.

We had a great group who were good fun and mostly fit so we kept up a good pace. The guides were great to talk to, informative and added immensely to the experience of the trip.The food was mostly outstanding. The walks were sometimes challenging, which I like and went through stunning landscapes. I personally loved the meadows and wild flowers.

I have already mentioned the tour to several people who will probably join you next year. The tour was very well organised, good value and a great experience.

What an amazing week affff :’) Accursed mountains… for some reason they have that name, it will be hard, tiring, but it will be worth every step and every sweat. I already want to go back again! With so many highlights and indescribable landscapes! The Mt. Trekufiri was one of my favourite at 2,366mt, also the beautiful Hrid Lake, the amount of butterflies and ladybugs like I’ve never seen, the sound of the birds everywhere, the mountain views, the shelters where we sleep in the middle of the mountain just perfect! Thanks Zbulo, it was wonderful!

“Somewhere on your journey don’t forget to turn around and enjoy the view.”

All in all a successful trip. Two different but brilliant guides, lots of super scenery, great hospitality, good food all the way with plenty of beer, wine and raki. It was a really great experience for me.

Kushtrim and Kreshnik were terrific guides, never tired, professional on the walks, not too fast for those with older legs, like me, great at passing on their knowledge in a wide variety of areas: local knowledge/tour management, personal acquaintances in the entire hiking area and absolute mine of information about so many aspects of the history and life of Albania.
It was a really great experience for me.

Thank you to you for organising everything for a wonderful tour in Albania and Montenegro.
I look forward to being with you again in the Albanian mountains some time in the future.

From the fantastic scenery to the wonderful hosts and guides, it was a not to be forgotten experience. Mountains, meadows, rocks, and forests greet you at every turn. Photos of the trip seem unbelievable. An added bonus, as a vegetarian, was the food; it far surpassed my expectations with fresh fruit and vegetables at each meal. The guides at Zbulo! were knowledgeable, accommodating, and fun! The trip was truly extraordinary and highly recommended for hiking enthusiasts.

Truly an exceptional experience. The guide was amazing and really knew her stuff, always felt safe and she organised everything perfectly.

The food and accommodation at each stop exceeded my expectations. The countries are absolutely stunning and will definitely be coming back again.

Being able to interact with the locals and explore areas of Albania that even i as an ethnic Albanian myself had no idea even existed!

Do not even hesitate. The tour is worth itself 5X over. The mountain peaks you will visit are nothing short of breathtaking and combined with the accommodations and food make for a wonderful experience you simply can’t find anywhere else in Europe

A phenomenal experience. Our guides Mendi and Blend were truly wonderful and helped make my trip to this beautiful part of the world even more special. Everything is very well organised and the hospitality and food is excellent. If you’re considering using Zbulo or going to the Albanian Alps then don’t hesitate – you won’t regret it.

So much more than a trek in a mountainous area. A journey through modern history and an insight into the hardships faced by the people of Albania . A view of contrasts, from Tirana, a typical European city, through to the simplest homes and lives in the mountains. We got the opportunity to meet amazing people and experience their culture and hospitality. Usually we’d have organised our own trek and done it on our own but our amazing young guide Mirjeta was an inspiration. Without her we’d never have seen or understood what we did. And not to forget the great service from Ricardo and the team who pulled together our bespoke tour for a group of friends (and holding it together through the Covid years).

Doni and Nedih were simply fantastic guides and provided an unparalleled experience. Couldn’t recommend the experience enough. Despite several days of heavy rain both guides were able to direct the group in an apt manner and combined with the lovely accommodations and amazing food made for a simply
Incredible experience through and through. Don’t think twice about booking this trip!

The fantastic hospitality and food. The warmth and knowledge of our guides. The stunning views, particularly on the days ascending the 3 border summit and in the Grbaja Valley.

Go for it – you won’t regret it! Make sure you have a good level of fitness and some experience hill/mountain walking as some members of our group struggled and probably didn’t get the most out of the trip.

I did the 8 days version of the Peaks of the Balkans this summer. This was my third trip with Zbulo. I can only speak high of this trip and the agency. Accommodation is well chosen, food is excellent , transport is always on time and the hikes have superb views. Everything is very well organised. I can never get tired of the Balkans!

We did a custom 5D/4N Peaks of the Balkans hike with Zbulo at the end of August. While most of the trails are well-marked and you could do a lot of the hiking self-guided with the aid of a GPS, we were glad we did it guided. It took the stress off and we were in excellent hands. Our guide, Mirjeta, was not only knowledgeable about the mountains but shared a lot of great insights as a young person who lives in the region – she was outstanding. The accommodations were comfortable and got less rustic with each night. Communication before the hike was excellent. If you’re looking to do a guided POB tour, Zbulo is the way to go!

Our fantastic guides. Deni has an incredible knowledge of the area. Erind had wonderful patience with the slower members of the group. Both were great additions to our group and we really enjoyed spending time with them

This trip exceeded our expectations in every way.

The terrain is beautiful and varied.

The food is better than expected and the quantities are very generous.

The people are very friendly.

We were very happy to have guides to help with navigation and local knowledge.

Oh the guides for sure, the fact that there was lots of food is great as usually this is a problem with a big group of males!The option to do additional peaks is also really great to have and allows everyone to enjoy the trip at their own level.

Expect zero phone signal and bring warm clothes for the evening. Marking a down jacket as optional is a bit misleading I think.

The guides knowledge and storytelling was fantastic. Also both guides were great fun in the evenings at the accommodation. Getting to interact with the local sheppards in the mountainous villages was amazing and having plenty of pit stops to cool off with a swim was great in the summer heat.

Also the views were spectacular.

Go for it 100%. You wont regret a minute of it and you’re in the best of hands.

Lake swim, ferry boat ride and the superb views after walking up

Amazing informative guides, having two guides allowed walking to suit all. Definitely carry swimming gear as these opportunities were frequent. July was a little hot for walking next time we would choose June or September

The different landscapes. Each day with its own characteristics.

Since there is no obvious space where to write something about our guide Mirjeta Shatri, I’ll use this box.

Mirjeta is fantastic. Professional, calm, friendly, decisive when necessary but always in a polite way. She knows how to keep the group together and uses humor and little jokes to clear the air. She has friendly words for and little talks with each individual member of the group and looks after their needs and wellbeing in a natural way.

Well organised. Well balanced hikes, each day completely different: terrain, landscapes. Warm welcomes at each guesthouse. The feeling of being a guest rather than a client.

The nature and the landscapes – it was fantastic.

The feeling of beeing away from daily traffic, wifi and mobiles.

The size of the group – 12 participants + 2 guides – means that the participants necessarily have to deal with each other, socially and practically etc., which in my opinion is very essential in af tour like this (in stead of a larger group).

A fantastic tour – if you do not need 5 star hotels.

Very well organiced from Zbulo – transport, accomodation and meals

Good infomation and service before the tour – and a very useful homepage with practical hints etc.

It is no problem to be “single” – especially because of the limited size of the group and the accomodation in common rooms (some places)

The 3 long walks of the trip were fantastic (day 4,5,6). The views on these walks were fabulous. These walks are very well selected from the Peaks of the Balkans. I really liked spending the night in Dobredol, millions of stars and peacefullness at this remote location. I also loved Adriatic’s stories. Luts of fun.

Fantastic experience on the 9 day Balkan peaks tour with the guides Deni and Erind. Both are extremely knowledgeable about the area, with any questions, from local history to the botany of the local area, answered in great detail. They were always very helpful and great fun to have around in the accommodation. You are in safe hands with these guys.

The scenery is obviously spectacular and worth the trips for the dreamy ice cold swims alone. The remote nature of certain stages adds a level of atmosphere that is hard to imagine being matched anywhere else. Has to be on the bucket list.
Just be careful with the Raki.

The group was perfect mixture of ages and gender. Both guides help us to improve trust and friendship to each other. The hikes were amazing. Over night at Bashkims place , hiking Doberdol! Two stormy/rainy peaks 💪 we did it. Two highlights were also our guides. Two respectful, smart, happy guides who love mountains and history of the region. We felt very safe and welcome all the time! Thank you Zbulo!

Take your best Raincoats with you! The rest : you need the half of it 😂 ( I really hat small luggage…)

I absolutely loved the trip, and it’s hard to identify a highlight! The hospitality of everyone was incredible. The food exceeded expectations everywhere we went. I really loved the guesthouses and feeling like we had an authentic Albanian experience. I loved learning about a variety of things such as nature, history and people. I loved our Guides, I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’m so sad it’s over!

I came to this tour with no expectations, I was just happy and excited to be doing this walk and meeting a new group of people. I think if you can have that mindset then you will be so impressed with your overall experience. This trip is designed so you do the highlights of the Balkans, meaning you get the skip the more ‘boring’ parts (I.e walking on long stretches of road) which leaves more time for socialising and exploring the better bits! I met some wonderful people and I’m very grateful for that. There are obvious benefits to doing your own trip or going privately, such as being able to walk at your own pace etc, but I would say the benefits of doing a tour like this greatly outweigh doing it by yourself. It is great value for money and you barely have to spend anything more than what you pay for the trip. Can’t recommend highly enough!

The best hiking trail we’ve done so far! The nature is so divers and when you feel it can’t get any more beautiful, it actually does 😉 you see green mountains, rocky mountains, forest, lakes, rivers, valleys.. We did the hike end of September and everything was wonderfully coloured in autumn colours (red, gold, orange..). 6 days of hiking is a lot, but the programme is nicely balanced and we felt good every morning to start again. But this also had to do with our most amazing guide Adriatik and the other hikers in the group. We made some friends there on those mountains, and had the best time! Would definitely recommend this! And also the group-guided option, the money you spent more is so worth it! Your guide (I mean, ours did) can help you connect with the local people, who are so nice, can explain the culture and history of the area and can literally help you get up and down the mountains if you have any trouble 🙂

We had a super experience. Menduh and Mirjeta guided us during our 7 day Peaks of the Balkan hike. Everything was well organised and free of stress. The hikes are beautifull and a lot of knowledge of the surroundings is shared trough the guides.

This is a good organisation with professional guides.

We completed an 8 day Peaks of the Balkans hiking trip with Zbulo and our wonderful guide Alfred. My husband and I are strong hikers and we’re delighted and challenged by the terrain. The landscape was varied and beautiful, the guest house stays lovely, the home made and grown food delicious (I am a vegetarian and loved every meal), and the warmth of the Albanian people humbling. We can’t thank Ricardo and Zbulo enough for planning a seamless experience, and Alfred for his great camaraderie, professionalism, and kindness. We give this trip a 10 out of 10, and would recommend it to all who seek adventure, beauty, and a moving experience.

Very well organized trip with good accomodation and always great food. With Mehndi and Mirjeta we had professional guides who knew the routes very well and provided us with detailed information about the area. They were able to create a good group atmosphere and made sure everyone felt at their ease, be it on the hike or in the accomodation. Highly recommended.

We, 2 adults with 2 children (16, 13) just got back from the “8 day Peaks of the Balkans” organized by Zbulo.

The tour gave the “best-of” the area. We had long and challenging hikes, but the plan skipped some parts to give time for others, some not even part of the “official” peaks hike. Our guide (Alfred) was everything you could hope for from a guide – friendly, organized, highly knowledgeable, trustworthy, nature-loving and patriotic. Everything was completely smooth, including non-trivial logistics such as horses carrying our luggage from point-to-point. We stayed at guest houses, which were selected based on prior experiece of the guide (and probably other Zbulo team members). Although I’ve done quite a bit of hiking worldwide, this was my first time with my son on such a hike (my friend + son as well), so having someone dependable who really knew the hikes like our guide was a blessing and releaved the natural initial anxiety we had.

The inteaction with the back-office was also impeccable – from day 1 we got immediate responses, which were clear and fair. During the trip, the interaction (payments, help with covid testing, pick-ups/drop offs) were also perfect.

Thanks a lot to the Zbulo team for a fantastic holiday!!!

In July I did the guided tour organized by Zbulo and I can only recommend it!
Everything was perfectly organised. Zbulo was very responsive and Ricardo kindly answered all my questions, trek related or not. On this matter, a special thanks to the driver Dori, who was super helpful !
The selection of hotels & guesthouses was great, amazing locations in the middle of the mountains and good homemade food.
Our guide, Adriatik, was considerate and adapted the trip to our desires/physical abilities, not to mention all the interesting discussions we had during the week.

In the end, I had a wonderful time during the week in the Peak of the Balkans and I am now thinking about my next trek destination 🙂

We signed up for the “8-day Peaks of the Balkans” organized by Zbulo. The trip was beyond our expectation.
To begin with before and after we signed up, Ricardo (One of the owners, a guy from Germany) was very responsive, and answered any question that came up.
All through our stay, we had a very knowledgeable, considerate and responsible guide named Adriatic. Everything went according to plan.
We got a lot of help from Zbulo even after the hike ended to get to the air port with Covid tests done. A special thanks to the driver Dorjan.
We joined people from other places in the world and that was a special experience.
Thank you so much Zbulo, for a great experience.

Fantastic trip to the Balkans. It was very clear that Drini and Erint put a significant amount of effort above and beyond to make the trip a fantastic success. Their efforts are very much appreciated. As a first time lone traveler, I was a little apprehensive, but I needn’t have worried. The organisation was fantastic, whilst still being fluid to our needs. The interaction with the locals was incredibly warming, gracious and very special. The scenery was stunning in all directions at all times (even when it rained!). At times the hikes were challenging, but the guides were accommodating to the abilities of the group. Swimming in Theth and climbing Mt Harapit were two particular highlights for me. These experiences both challenged and inspired me. Thank you team for organising a great week.

Fantastic trip to the Balkans. It was very clear that Drini and Erint put a significant amount of effort above and beyond to make the trip a fantastic success. Their efforts are very much appreciated. As a first time lone traveler, I was a little apprehensive, but I needn’t have worried. The organisation was fantastic, whilst still being fluid to our needs. The interaction with the locals was incredibly warming, gracious and very special. The scenery was stunning in all directions at all times (even when it rained!). At times the hikes were challenging, but the guides were accommodating to the abilities of the group. Swimming in Theth and climbing Mt Harapit were two particular highlights for me. These experiences both challenged and inspired me. Thank you team for organising a great week.

Most of the time Drini was a perfectly fine guide, social and with a lot of knowledge to share. At some moments, however, he can be quite intense, stubborn and frankly a bit rude. I’m sure all of this is not intentional from his side, and as said, most of the time there wasn’t a problem . Guide 1 (Erenik):5/5 & Guide 2 (Drini): 2/5

Zbulo -Discover Albania put together a fabulous week for our group of six intrepid 50ish travelers. We were three couples and one lovely young guide, Ina. She trooped us up and down and then up and down again and again. Along the way, we ate what the locals ate, drank local beer and consumed wild blueberries along the way! We couldn’t of asked for a better week. You definitely need to be in good shape, but if you are and you adore mountains – I recommend booking with Discover Albania. 🙂

This tour was very well planned from beginning to end. They also tailored it to our specific needs ( 2 people had to leave 2 days early, so they arranged transfer to hotel etc. but we didn’t have to miss a day of hiking!). All we had to do was follow our guide, Ina, wherever she led. Which often led to patches of blueberries, wild raspberries or strawberries. It was a great week. Despite the sometimes tough walks – it was thrilling to be up in the mountains with the quiet, sheep and stars. WE loved it and are going to do another trip with Zbulo. Sally & John Bentley Benson, Paris, France.

This tour was very well planned from beginning to end. They also tailored it to our specific needs ( 2 people had to leave 2 days early, so they arranged transfer to hotel etc. but we didn’t have to miss a day of hiking!). All we had to do was follow our guide, Ina, wherever she led. Which often led to patches of blueberries, wild raspberries or strawberries. It was a great week. Despite the sometimes tough walks – it was thrilling to be up in the mountains with the quiet, sheep and stars. WE loved it and are going to do another trip with Zbulo. Sally & John Bentley Benson, Paris, France.

I had an excellent experience planning a guided hike for two people. Zbulo had excellent communication, seamless planning and arranged a competent guide.

I appreciated the quick responses to all my questions. It expedited coming up with a route that suited our needs. I suggest clicking on the chat icon that pops up on the site. I talked directly with Ricardo, gave him some information about our hiking abilities (my friend (62) is a strong hiker and I’m (69) VERY slow but sturdy). Ricardo quickly sent an itinerary that suited our time frame.

Zbulo’s responsibility is putting together time intensive trips. They arranged visas, transports, luggage transports (two were by horse) and the guesthouses. The guesthouses were clean with hospitable hosts.The food was good and plentiful

Our guide, Adriatiq, knew the trail well.The lack of signage would have made it difficult for us to do the hike without a guide. We did meet people who hiked with a GPS arranged through Zbulo. I was confident that our guide had the skills to deal with any potential problems.He made my trip more enjoyable knowing that he’d be able to arrange assistance.There’s quite an amazing network of communication.

Hiking in the Balkans is not for all hikers. I think Zbulo has a good idea in suggesting to people to know and be able to assess their own capabilities. The hikes are very challenging. At the same time, the whole experience, thanks to Zbulo, made my hiking in the Balkans beyond memorable.

Mit meiner Frau zusammen (Schweizer, berggängig, gut trainiert, Alter um die 60) wagten wir uns in diese für uns völlig unbekannte Ecke Europas. Fazit: es hat sich 100%ig gelohnt! Grossartige, wilde, schroffe, einsame Bergwelt. Herzliche Menschen. Der brillante Reiseführer Ricardo Fahrig (fit, kompetent, aufmerksam), der prächtig mit seinem jungen, sympathischen Nachwuchskollegen Aledon harmonierte. Perfektes Zusammenspiel der Transfers (Pferde, Jeeps, Busse) und sehr gute Kombination der Übernachtungsangebote.

An excellent week of walking around the Peaks of the Balkans. The guide was excellent, and so was the organisation and route organised by Zbulo. Everything went smoothly, including all the airport transfers. A big thanks for a lovely holiday.

We did a 9 days Trek Peaks of the balkans, from the beginning it was well organized and our guide Mario was very nice and professional. We stayed with local families which were so friendly, food was great, the hikes and landscapes very diverse. I totally recommend to discover this amazing part of Albania with Zbulo