THE DISPUTED LANDS

We crossed Kosovo as part of a longer journey: a walk through Europe via 16 countries. Between 2018 and 2020, we walked 10,000 km from Portugal to Turkey for two years. This is the Two Steps to the Other project. Discover the whole project here.

In the heart of the Balkans, there is a small territory called Kosovo. 

We hardly dare to call it country so sensitive is the subject. Once again, as we approached this border, we noticed our ignorance about a country so close to ours and we are pretty sure that it is the same for you.

You may know how to name beaches in Thailand and what Central Park looks like, but to even locate Kosovo on a map or imagine the way of life of its inhabitants is less certain.  

Key information about our hike in Kosovo

• Country: Kosovo

• Type of route : Straight line

• Difficulty : Intermediate

• Language : Albanian

• Period : Spring - May

• Duration: 5 days

• Distance : 93 km

• Starting point : Morinë, Albanian border

• Arrival point: Đeneral Janković, Macedonian border

• Elevation gain : 2 700 m

• Negative difference in altitude: 1,160 m

• Equipment: the list of our equipment

• GPX track : Discover the route and download GPX track

Trace GPX : 5 jours dans l'Ouest du Kosovo

Hiking and adventure in Kosovo

State of the trails and walking culture in Kosovo

In the mountainous regions of Kosovo, there are many trails.

Obviously, they are borrowed and therefore maintained.

I think that they are both used by necessity by the inhabitants of the surrounding villages who use them to move around and to feed their animals, but also by a certain number of tourists.

Nature tourism is undoubtedly the one that is developing best in Kosovo.

In spite of our curiosity, two things pushed us to shorten our crossing of Kosovo.

We were initially supposed to arrive directly from Montenegro but we decided to make a detour through the north of Albania.

We had read so many testimonies about the valley of Valbonë and the surroundings of Theth that we considered that we could not miss it (we will speak to you about our crossing of Albania in a few weeks when we will have passed to the south too!)

As a result, we were going to enter Kosovo a little further south than planned.

Finally, because we understood that we should not joke too much with the crossings of borders in this corner and that the border between Albania and Kosovo is still riddled with mines, we changed again our route to cross the border officially, by the road that the cars take.

Result: we will have spent only 5 days in Kosovo.

The first thing that struck us when we arrived in Kosovo was that everything seemed richer and more modern than in Albania.

We expected to find villages still marked by the war, partially destroyed, and, in all honesty, a much lower level of development.

How to explain that Kosovo seems much more developed than Albania for example? By development we mean what could be observed from our walking position: houses, mansions, brand new roads and cars.

After NATO intervened to push the Serbs out of Kosovo, the country received several billion dollars for reconstruction. 

We were not alone to cross Kosovo. Noé, Nil's brother, came to spend almost 3 weeks with us. First in Albania, then in Kosovo and a short passage in Macedonia. Excellent companion of adventure, he has now 5 countries at our side and he holds without contest the record of the number of days spent with us. 

The day after our arrival in Kosovo, a fourth walker came to complete our troop. Ursula is also walking across Europe, in the other direction. She started in Kiev, Ukraine, and is returning home to Wales after a slight detour through Spain. Her solo trek is also an opportunity for her to raise money for ovarian cancer. So many reasons that made us very excited to meet her! 

Our experience of bivouac in Kosovo

On the few days we spent in Kosovo, we had no problem to put our tent. My feeling is that people are so nice, that we could have camped in sight of the houses without any problem.

Territories and nature in Kosovo

Unfortunately, the weather did not help us much in our discovery of the country.

The two days we wanted to spend in the mountains were rained out and we even had to give up our border crossing at 2100 meters of altitude because the rain, wind and cold combined to make us turn back.

Environment

Without a doubt, Kosovo is the most garbage-covered country we've ever been to.

It is all the more sad that the country has a beautiful potential of nature/adventure tourism.

We did not have the impression to make the difference with 1KG FOR THE PLANET since we had difficulty to find garbage cans and that regularly we crossed dumps and understood where all that was going to finish...

Meeting with the Kosovars

Very quickly, the sense of welcome of the Kosovars jumped out at us.

Did we need anything? Did we know where we were going? Did we need a ride somewhere? Did we want a coffee?

And you know what?

Often these questions were asked in French!

During the war, many Kosovars fled abroad, especially to France and Switzerland, spent a few years working there and returned when the situation had calmed down. 

Culture in Kosovo

Kosovo has a long history of various occupations and conflicts over its membership.

Kosovo was part of Yugoslavia, as an autonomous province of Serbia, although it was predominantly populated by Albanians.

When Yugoslavia broke up, Kosovo wanted independence and was violently repressed by Serbia.

In view of what had happened previously in Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina and also for fear that the conflict would spread to Macedonia, between the 24 March 1999 and the 10 June 1999, l'NATO carries out air strikes on Serbia and forces Milošević to withdraw from Kosovo.

It is only on February 17, 2008 that the independence of Kosovo will be proclaimed unilaterally, it is not recognized by the entire international community.

Would we walk another 500 km here?

Yes, if only out of curiosity and frustration at our short time in the country.

We leave Kosovo with a feeling of "not enough". This country was a big question mark for us and we still have some unanswered questions, but the fact that we spent so much time in Albania should help us answer them, as the two countries are so close.

Anecdotes about our hike in Kosovo

Loose fact

The night spent in a barn to escape the rain, finally spent fighting with giant rats.

Cute fact

The jar of honey offered on the side of the road by a beekeeper.

Dirty fact

Wild dumps in the wilderness.

Preparation and organization for hiking in Kosovo

When to go? 

In the spring when we were there, the temperature was ideal for walking. The only problem was that there was a lot of rain and wind.

Summer is probably a bit more fun to hike through Kosovo.

Where to sleep?

We essentially slept under the tent, we were 4 walkers, probably a little too much to be invited to people's homes.

What equipment? 

For this crossing of Kosovo in hiking, we left with clothes for the mid-season, hiking and bivouac equipment and without mountain equipment.

Find here the detailed list of our material, item by item.

Is bivouacking allowed in Kosovo?

Yes, wilderness camping is allowed everywhere in Kosovo.

Are there any protected areas

The route of our hike in Kosovo passes through a protected area, the Šar Mountains National Park.

Are dogs allowed?

This crossing of Kosovo in hiking can be done with a dog without any problem. Be careful with herding dogs though.