GJERAVICA ADVENTURE

In the morning, you will be picked up and transferred by minibus to Junik in western Kosovo (100 km, approx. 2 hours from Pristina). In Junik, you will be provided with a mountain bike and helmet and we will take a relaxed ride (asphalt road) for 12 km to the village of Dranoc.On the way, you will stop to visit a Sufi Tekke, (place of worship) to learn about this fascinating Islamic sect and its history in the region.

This trip allows you to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds, and scents of this very traditional region of Kosovo. After passing several of the vernacular fortified stone houses, known as kullas, we will pull into Dranoc to be welcomed into one by a local family. Though many have been damaged by conflict during the 19th and 20th centuries, the remaining restored kullas represent the resilience of the people in this region for whom hospitality is a true virtue.

You will join the family in preparing flija, a traditional Albanian mountain speciality made over an outdoor fire. The flija will be served in the  oda (traditional guest room) of the kulla, on a traditional dining table known as the sofra.  Your meal will be topped off with Turkish coffee before you settle into your guest room for the night.

After an early breakfast, we will set off for a full day of  rugged hiking near Gjeravica, Kosovo’s highest peak. This unspoiled region focus is mountain splendour and alpine wilderness at its very best! We will drive for 90 minutes to begin our hike at the end of Heart Lake, where we will then head hike west toward the border with Albania. We will stop along our 11 km hike for lunch at a mountain hut for lunch before continuing further down in the afternoon. The total hiking time will be approximately 6-9 hours, with an elevation gain of 900 ft. After the hike, a minibus will complete the transfer back to Pristina.