Landscapes as wild as they get in Europe: family hiking in Albania and Montenegro

“Uno, Uno, Uno No Mercy!” a six-year-old in a dim corrugated iron stan leads three children into the tiny kitchen as hail hammers the tin roof. Dogs bark, chickens cluck and sheep bleat while eight hosts, seven guests and one guide shelter in the living room‑cum‑bedroom; it is day two of a seven‑day trip with Undiscovered Balkans that crisscrosses Albania and Montenegro on foot and by car.

The itinerary samples the Peaks of the Balkans route but mixes its famous days with gentler excursions for kids, from a day with shepherds to swims in remote canyons. The tour begins in Podgorica, where the guide Aurora and cofounder Emma meet the group before a cooling dip at the Cemi River and a drive into the mountains to Lëpushë.

Surrounded by orchards, beehives and terraced fields beneath serrated limestone peaks, we base ourselves at Bujtina Lëpushë guesthouse. The main Peaks trail attracts more than 40,000 visitors a year, Emma says, so steering walkers to quieter routes helps reduce overcrowding and brings income to villages like Lëpushë.

Albania, Montenegro, Podgorica, Lëpushë

albania, montenegro, podgorica, lëpushë, cemi river, undiscovered balkans, bujtina lëpushë, family hiking, shepherds, canyons