Backpacking in the Balkans is an incredible travel experience, allowing you to build an itinerary around some of the most beautiful natural scenery Europe has to offer. The region is also very accessible, with good transport links between neighbouring countries, which makes backpacking relatively hassle-free. There are also a whole host of budget flights connecting the Balkans to Northern or Western Europe.
Having already visited the region a few times, my latest trip took us slightly off the beaten track around the Balkans, visiting some areas which see fewer tourists (compared to say, Croatia). Our prime aim for the trip was to have a healthy combination of hiking in the mountains and relaxation on the beach, as well as trying to tick off the last of the Balkan countries I hadn’t visited yet.
This was our two-week itinerary for the Balkans, visiting Bosnia & Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania Kosovo & Macedonia. We did the trip in August 2018.
You can view this itinerary on Google here
Two-week Balkans itinerary: Two days in Sarajevo
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Our trip kicked off in Sarajevo late on a Friday night. On our first full day, we actually split up to do separate trips from Sarajevo. I took in Travnik and Jajce on a very long 13-hour day trip, while Nicky headed to Lukomir mountain to explore a traditional Bosnian village; my daytrip included Travnik fortress, Jajce waterfall, the Pliva lakes (Veliko and Malo) and the watermills.
The next day in Sarajevo itself, we took the newly-reopened cable car up to the top of Trebevic mountain to explore the abandoned bobsleigh tracks, we ate our way around the Ottoman-era Baščaršija area, and then took in the incredibly moving 11/07/95 gallery, dedicated to the Srebrenica massacre.
Accommodation in Sarajevo: Balkan Han Hostel. Cheap and cheerful place. Comfy beds, pretty rubbish showers. A few annoying guests, but the girls who run the place are absolutely lovely and incredibly friendly.
Travelling from Sarajevo to Žabljak by bus
Don’t be put off – this journey is very easy and totally do-able. When we asked about this route in Sarajevo, we got a lot of confused and surprised reactions, with people telling us the journey would take anything up to 10 hours by bus. SPOILER ALERT: it didn’t. (Most people go to the coast via Dubrovnik and then back up through to the North because the roads are better).
We took the bus from East Sarajevo to Nikšić, Montenegro’s second largest city. And then about an hour later, we got a bus from the same bus station to Žabljak, arriving mid-afternoon. It really couldn’t have been easier. And the journey was beautiful (although the road to the border in Bosnia was very winding).
Bus 1: East Sarajevo 08.15 – Nikšić 12.20 (4 hours), cost 57BM
Bus 2: Nikšić 13.40 – Žabljak 15.30 (2 hours), cost €6.30
Read more on Bosnia:
Architecture in Sarajevo: a history lesson
The tragedy and potential of Počitelj
Two-week Balkans itinerary: Six days in Montenegro
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Of the total two weeks from our Balkans itinerary, we spent almost a week in Montenegro; three days hiking in the mountains, followed by three days relaxing on the coast. I absolutely loved our time in Montenegro and could’ve happily spent more time here.
Basing ourselves in Žabljak (which by the way gets pretty chilly in late August), we our spent most of our time hiking in the surrounding Durmitor National Park. Our first afternoon, we did an easy 10km loop of the Black Lake, Žabljak’s big drawcard. On day two, we conquered Bobotov Kuk, before driving out to a spectacular viewpoint of the Tara Canyon. Then on day three, we did a fantastic 24km-round hike to take in three lakes and finish on a dramatic ledge with incredible views.
Accommodation in Žabljak: Hikers Den Hostel. The only place to stay if you plan on hiking. Host Alex gave us a fantastic itinerary as soon as we arrived and was generally just a fountain of knowledge on the area. The place itself was clean, comfortable and chilled. And chilly in the evenings.
Travelling from Žabljak to Budva by bus
In late summer, the bus timetable from Žabljak is reduced, with only one direct bus a day running to Budva (11am), but two running to Kotor (05.30am and 11am). We got the bus to Kotor leaving at 5.30am, and then hopped on one of the very regular buses heading to Budva shortly afterwards.
Bus 1: Žabljak 05.30 – Kotor 09.30 (4 hours), cost €15
Bus 2: Kotor 09.45 – Budva 10.15 (30 mins), cost €3.50
On the coast we based ourselves in Budva. And despite its infamous reputation (most travellers we met had us thinking it was the Montenegrin Magaluf), we had a great time. The location was perfect for exploring both the Bay of Kotor (which we did on a boat tour of the bay), as well as the Adriatic coast, where I spent a day chilling at Sveti Stefan.
Accommodation in Budva: Vila Kunjic (AirBnB). Our host Željko was fantastic. The room was very clean with our private bathroom and balcony and the location was great – a nice street away from the centre with a handful of cafes (and the best cheesecake of my LIFE) right on the doorstep.
Travelling from Budva to Shkodra by bus
We travelled from Budva to Shkodra (Skadar in Montenegrin) by bus. However, we did run into problems, as we were originally told that there were no free places to Shkodra for the entire day. We were lucky and some seats became available on our intended bus, but if you are doing this connection, be sure to book ahead. Our bus went via Podgorica, but not all buses do.
Bus: Budva 08.50 – Shkodra/Skadar 12.40 (3 hours 50 mins), cost €14
Read more on Montenegro:
Hiking in Durmitor National Park: a guide to Zabljak
Climbing Bobotov Kuk: a novice hiker’s guide
Two weeks around the Balkans: Two days in Albania
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After my incredible time in Albania last year, I was really happy to be able to fit in a flying visit back to the country. Arriving in Shkodra just after midday, we chilled in our hostel as it rained, before hiring bikes to cycle along the shore of lake Skadar and to visit the Rozafa Fortress. In the evening, we ate at the incredibly good Rozafa seafood restaurant – one of my favourite restaurants ever.
On day two, we travelled to Kosovo via the Koman Lake Ferry. Unfortunately this time, we weren’t blessed with good weather and instead were met with unending cloud and a cold breeze.
Accommodation in Shkodra: The Wanderers. Warm and welcoming hostel with comfortable and simple interiors. Really friendly staff and sociable atmosphere. I would personally recommend over Shkodra Backpackers.
Travelling from Shkodra to Prizren (Kosovo) via the Koman Lake Ferry
We travelled from Shkodra to Prizren in one day via the Koman Lake Ferry and a spontaneous private transfer. We paid for our boat tickets and bus to Koman through our hostel (€10), although the boat I took last year was much bigger and nicer. We told our hostel we were travelling to Bajram Curri, which they wrote on our tickets.
On arrival in Fierze, the boat was met by a fleet of cars and jeeps which were the pre-arranged transfers. We simply said ‘Bajram Curri’ and were pointed in the direction of a car going that way. The driver then asked us if we were heading on to Prizren and when we said yes, he immediately began calling friends in Bajram Curri to arrange a transfer for us.
We had originally intended to hitch hike, but for ease, agreed to go with a guy for €15 each (any bus trip would have meant getting a bus to Gjakova and then another to Prizren). In retrospect this was a high price to pay, but it didn’t seem like we would be able to get a lift into Kosovo unless we were willing to part with cash.
Bus & Boat & Transfer: Shkodra – Koman – Bajram Curri, €10
Transfer: Bajram Curri – Prizren (2 hours) €15
More on Albania:
Things to see and do in 24 hours in Shkoder
Into the wild: Lake Koman, Valbone & Theth
A Balkans itinerary: Two days in Prizren
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Our time in Prizren was probably the most relaxed time of our trip. We slept in late, ate a lot of good food, got a lot of early Christmas gifts (Kosovo is very affordable) and walked around the pretty streets of the old town. On the advice of our hostel, we made sure to head up to the fortress for sunset, arriving just as the call to prayer rang out across the city. Prizren doesn’t have an exhaustive list of sights – instead the main activity is enjoying a long, drawn-out coffee (or Turkish tea) in one of the many cafes. Kosovar food & wine is also amazing. Fish House is a must if you like seafood.
Accommodation in Prizren: Driza’s House. Very cosy, family-run hostel in a great location. Not a party hostel, but very comfortable for hanging out or chilling in evenings. The owners (and their dog) are super nice.
Travelling from Prizren to Skopje by bus
Getting the bus to Skopje from Prizren was very simple. We bought our tickets one day in advance from the bus company’s office in the centre (Vector Tours) for €9 each. The journey took just under three hours, but mostly due to a delay at the border and then traffic once we arrived in Skopje itself.
Bus: Prizren 09.00 – Skopje 12.00, €9.
More on Kosovo:
5 reasons to add Prizren to your Balkans itinerary
Two-week Balkans itinerary: Three days in Macedonia
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Our half-day in Skopje was spent wondering around the centre, scratching our heads and trying to get to grips with the city’s bizarre new look. Much of the day was spent trying to decide if we liked it or not. SPOILER ALERT: we didn’t. We did, however, have some great food at Gostilnica Jole.
Accommodation in Skopje: Lighthouse Hostel. Clean and modern hostel with friendly staff and nice garden. Location is convenient for the bus and train station, but a far walk from the centre through a dodgy area.
Travelling by bus from Skopje to Ohrid
Buses leave from Skopje to Ohrid at almost hourly intervals, almost all of which take the shorter route (via Kichevo), but this still takes four hours. The alternative via Bitola takes at least five.
It is possible to buy an open return ticket Skopje-Ohrid for any day – however, this ties you to getting the bus back with the same company (in my case Delfina Tours), which is not always marked on the timetable. You won’t have a seat on the bus back and so will need to ‘validate’ the ticket before you travel back and pay an extra 30 dinar for some inexplicable reason.
Bus: Skopje 09.00 – Ohrid 12.45 (3 hours 45 minutes), 700 denar (return)
On my first day in Ohrid, I took myself off on a self-guided tour into the hills, exploring the older sites of the town: the city walls, fortress, amphitheatre and the Ploashnik, before finishing at the iconic St John’s Church on the edge of Lake Ohrid. I spent day two on a boat tour on the lake which took in the excitingly-named Bay of Bones and Sveti Naum. I originally had some trouble getting myself onto a day tour, with many booked up. If travelling in summer, book a boat tour in advance. My tour was fine, if a bit unexciting. The weather wasn’t great on day two, but it was nice to be out on the lake for most of the day.
Accommodation in Ohrid: City Inn Apartments & Hostel. Possibly the most soulless place I’ve ever stayed in my life – I don’t think a single word was exchanged between guests in my 8-bed dorm. A German guy got trapped in the toilet for an hour. But the bed-cubicles were very comfortable and modern.
Travelling from Ohrid to Skopje by bus
On arrival at the bus station, I had to pay a 30 denar ‘validation’ fee for my return ticket. I was aiming to get the bus at 07.30 but as my ticket was for Delfina Tours, I needed to get the earlier 07.15 bus.
Bus: Ohrid 07.15 – Skopje 11.00 (3 hours 45 minutes)
After my two days in Ohrid, I travelled back to Skopje and flew home from Skopje Airport via Belgrade.
More on Macedonia:
Why I just couldn’t like Skopje
Our two-week Balkan itinerary: the short version
So in a nutshell, here’s what our two weeks looked like on paper:
Days 1-2 – Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Days 3-5 – Žabljak, Montenegro
Days 6-8 – Budva, Montenegro
Days 9 – Shkoder, Albania
Day 10 – Lake Koman, Albania & Prizren, Kosovo
Day 11 – Prizren, Kosovo
Day 12 – Skopje, Macedonia
Days 13-14 – Ohrid, Macedonia
Day 15 – Fly home from Skopje Airport
On reflection, I’m still really happy (and a wee bit proud) of this itinerary: we saw everything we wanted to see and it didn’t feel too rushed or too leisurely. We did have plenty of (voluntary) early morning starts, but this meant that we didn’t have to sacrifice entire days to travelling from A to B. Our accommodation wasn’t always stellar, but as we were backpacking, comfort wasn’t top of the agenda.
If we had had more time, I would’ve loved to spend another day in Ohrid, possibly with a visit to nearby Bitola. I also would have loved to see more of Montenegro, principally the Lovcen National Park and coastal Stari Bar.
Things to know when backpacking through the Balkans
- Storing luggage in the hold of a bus will require a small ‘tip’ – usually €1-2
- Internal buses in Montenegro can’t be booked in advance, but it is advisable for international journeys
- Balkanviator is the best site we found for looking up international bus times, but even this is very limited
- Border crossings are generally quick and easy, but it largely depends on how many buses are waiting ahead of you
- Both Kosovo and Macedonia are in the process of building new highways which should really improve travel times in the next few years. A four-way highway is under construction between Kichevo and Ohrid in Macedonia, which will be nothing short of life-changing. For contrast, Bosnia only has 87 kilometres of highway in the entire country.
- The road from Sarajevo to the Montenegrin border via Foča is very windy and largely unpaved.
- The road from Shkodra to Koman is very bumpy, windy and largely unpaved, though sections at the very end in the hamlet of Koman have been greatly improved between June 2017 and August 2018
- East Sarajevo or Istočno Sarajevo bus station is not in Central Sarajevo – you will need to get a taxi.
