Peaks of the Balkans Trail Stage 3 Çerem to Dobërdol (2023)

Just before Çerem (Albania), I camped and hiked through valleys, forests, and breathtaking vistas towards Dobërdol. At Çerem, you reach the lowest point of the entire route before ascending again to 1800 meters above sea level.

The original Dutch version is available here

Çerem

I camped in the valley before Çerem. Both Çerem and Dobërdol are picturesque shepherd villages where people only live in the summer and graze their sheep. In winter, there can be up to 4 meters of snow. This green valley is dotted with several isolated barns. When I passed by, there was no one around. Along the way, I also passed through beautiful alpine meadows where orchids and hairy rattle flowers can be found. Both plants are rare in the Netherlands and orchids are a protected plant species.

Mark and Lotte

In the valley near Çerem, I met two Dutch hikers. The woman was from the Venlo area, and they were also hiking this trail. They had camped a bit further ahead and had actually wanted to camp where I had set up my tent. They had previously done multi-day hikes in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. For instance, they spent 5 days trekking in the north of Georgia and 2 days in the south. They mentioned that in the Middle Ages, different families had built towers to fight against each other. They were encouraged by family members to go hiking, and he had invited her to Georgia, which apparently turned out well. They also shared an anecdote about the border guards. During their friend’s trip, they had encountered problems with the border crossing permits; something was not right. The solution was to offer cigarettes to the border guards. So, for emergencies, they now carried cigarettes, even though neither of them smoked.

Guesthouse Kujtim Gocaj

On the way, we stopped at the guesthouse to buy a packed lunch for Mark and Lotte, and I had a cup of Turkish coffee. The lunch package cost 15 euros there, and they didn’t have to pay anything for the coffee. I also spoke with an Amsterdammer who was hiking parts of the trail, but it wasn’t clear if he was following the original route. He shared a story about encountering a bear. While walking through the forest, he suddenly came across a bear. It startled him, and he initially didn’t want to tell the story again, but he did so voluntarily. There was also a German couple present, and the woman had fallen and had a wound above her eye that didn’t look good. I think it had become infected. After finishing my coffee, I continued my journey. Following the owner’s advice, we took the route above Çerem. The original route goes through the village, but he was certain that we should go up. It was indeed a beautiful dirt road.

Border Police at Vranica Pass

At the Vranica Pass, there were several border guards from Montenegro. They had just arrived in a Landrover Defender and had a quad bike with them. They asked us where we were headed, and the answer was towards Albania, which was fine. We asked them in English if they had heard anything about bears, but they understood “beer” instead. Apparently, that was more interesting than a bear.

Aljuci Pass

I walked a bit together with Mark and Lotte, and we stopped at the Aljuci Pass to enjoy the view. I also spoke with a guide from Kosovo, who mentioned that his brother lived in Germany but couldn’t visit due to visa issues. Germany had put Kosovo on a list that made it difficult to travel from Kosovo to Germany. He enjoyed showing people from all over the world his own country. He hoped that next year he could visit his brother if the rules were possibly simplified. The guide also led a group of tourists through the mountains. There were also two Germans resting there who later went camping.

Guest House Balçina

Along the way, I passed by Guest House Balçina, a mountain hut that the route goes through. I refilled my water bottle and saw a group from Israel having their meal there. From this point, there was a beautiful view of the valley.

Camping

Just before Dobërdol, I set up my tent on a flat piece of ground. Orchids and violets were growing a bit further ahead. From there, I had a nice view of the valley. I chose a slightly drier spot, but it was a bit marshy further down. The number of mosquitoes wasn’t too bad.

Conclusion

The hiking route from Çerem to Dobërdol offers a beautiful landscape with impressive valleys, forests, and breathtaking vistas. Çerem and Dobërdol are picturesque shepherd villages where people only live in the summer and graze their sheep. The area is known for its lush alpine meadows, where rare plants such as orchids and hairy rattle flowers can be found. Along the way, I encountered fellow hikers, including a Dutch couple who had previous experience with multi-day hikes in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan. The adventure involved interactions with the local population, including border guards and helpful hosts at Guesthouse Kujtim Gocaj. The highlight of the route was the view from the Aljuci Pass, where I enjoyed the company of fellow hikers and a guide from Kosovo. Finally, I camped near Dobërdol, where I could enjoy a stunning view of the valley.

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There is an overview of the Peaks of the Balkans series, you can find it here

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