Pod Volat (Trg Vojvode Bećir Bega Osmanagića, Podgorica) is a good-value restaurant serving a wide range of local dishes, next to the old clock tower (Sahat Kula) – a 10min walk northwest from the bus station.
Podgorica airport is actually almost as close to Lake Skadar National Park as it is to Podgorica, so staying in Virpazar (from where there are buses to Podgorica) is another possibility, with some kayaking or a wine tour thrown in for good measure – contact Undiscovered Montenegro for accommodation in Virpazar or tours in the Lake Skadar region (www.undiscoveredmontenegro.com).
Podgorica to Plav
Around five buses a day make the 4hr journey from Podgorica bus station to Plav. Buses do sometimes fill up, so it’s worth buying your ticket as soon as you get to the bus station. Bus times from Podgorica can be found at www.busterminal.me/timetable.
View across Lake Plav towards the mouth of the Ropojana Valley (Stage 8)
Podgorica to Theth or Valbona
By public transport, this is a less direct route than Podgorica–Plav. There are two buses a day from Podgorica to Skhodër in Albania (journey time 90mins, timetables at www.busterminal.me/timetable), from where you can take another bus along the steep road to Theth (journey time 2hrs 30mins, usually departing early in the morning). Alternatively – and more scenically – take a bus from Skhodër to Koman (2hrs), from where you can take the ferry across Lake Koman, following the flooded course of the River Drin (timetables at komanilakeferry.com/newsite and www.komanilake.com/ferry-transport) – this ferry ride being the main reason for following this route. Of the two ferry operators, Berisha and Mario Molla, the latter offers the advantage of including ferry and connecting minibus services in one single booking. Otherwise, from Fierze where the ferry arrives at the north end of the lake, take a minibus to Bajram Curri (minibuses meet the ferry, as do taxis so make sure you know which one you’re getting by asking the fare); and from there, a minibus to Valbona (one service daily, journey time 45mins) – otherwise, a taxi from Bajram Curri to Valbona will cost around €25. Valbona is scattered along the valley for several kilometres, so let the bus/taxi driver know the name of the guesthouse you’re staying at to make sure you get dropped off nearby.
Other routes
Slightly less conveniently for the Peaks of the Balkans Trail but handy if you plan to spend some time on the Montenegrin coast, Easyjet (www.easyjet.com) fly direct from the UK to Tivat, as do Norwegian (www.norwegian.com). From Tivat airport get a bus or taxi to Kotor, followed by a bus to Podgorica, and continue as above.
Flights to Pristina (Kosovo)
Germania (www.flygermania.com) flies direct from London to Pristina in Kosovo twice a week (and their baggage policy is very generous – checked baggage up to 20kg is included, unlike Ryanair where you’ll be paying extra). Easyjet also flies to Pristina from several European cities, but not from the UK at the time of writing (2017). If you need to stay a night in Pristina, Buffalo Backpackers are located in the city centre and are reasonably priced (www.buffalobackpackers.com). From Pristina, take a bus to Pejë and another into the Rugova Valley (see below). This is actually the shortest route to get to the Peaks of the Balkans Trail.
Pristina airport
Pristina Airport (www.airportpristina.com, called Adem Jashari) lies around 15km southwest of Pristina. There is no airport shuttle bus service, but a taxi into town will cost you around €15 (www.taxibeki.net).
Pristina to Pejë and the Rugova Valley
There are buses as frequently as every 20mins from Pristina to Pejë (journey time 2hrs), from where there are twice-daily buses to the Rugova Valley, where you join the Peaks of the Balkans Trail.
Pejë (Peć)
The main bus station is on Adem Jashari, about 10min walk northeast of the town centre. There are regular buses to Pristina. If you need to stop for the night in Pejë, Hotel Çardak (Mbretëresha Teutë 101; tel +386 (0)49 801 108; www.hotelcardak.com) is a good, reasonably priced hotel in the town centre, between the main post office and the bus station. For tourist Information see www.pejatourism.org.
Pristina to Valbona
There are frequent buses from Pristina to Gjakova (in Kosovo, journey time 90mins), from where there are buses to Bajram Curri in Albania and from there to Valbona (see above).
The Valbona Pass, looking towards the Valbona Valley (Stage 1)
Flights to Tirana (Albania)
For those starting/finishing the route in Albania, British Airways (www.britishairways.com) flies direct to Tirana, from where there are buses to Bajram Curri (5hrs) and from there to Valbona (45mins). Choose Balkans run a daily jeep to Valbona, departing from Tirana in the morning (tel +355 (0)69 88 01 181; choosebalkans.com). Alternatively, a taxi transfer from Tirana to Theth or Valbona will cost up to €150.
Tirana airport
Tirana airport (www.tirana-airport.com) lies 17km northwest of the city centre. There’s a bus service into the city centre, otherwise a taxi will cost around €20.
Tirana to Valbona
There are several buses leaving Tirana for Baram Curri in the morning and early afternoon (journey time 5hrs), usually travelling via Prizren and Gjakova in Kosovo since the roads are better there, rather than all through Albania. Buses depart from Rruga e Durresit (the same street as the airport bus), just northwest of the Zogu i Zi roundabout in Tirana. From Bajran Curri there’s a daily minibus to Valbona (journey time around 45mins), departing from Bajram Curri early afternoon (and returning from Valbona early in the morning). See ‘Podgorica to Theth or Valbona’, above, for more information.
Arriving by train
Podgorica is on the railway line between Belgrade, Serbia (from where there are rail links to Croatia and elsewhere in Europe) and Bar (from where there are ferries to Italy) – a rather spectacular journey in itself as it navigates a course through the mountains of Montenegro through a succession of tunnels and viaducts. The main railway station in Podgorica is located next to the bus station. For train timetables see www.zcg-prevoz.me.
