Hiking in Kosovo: the ethereal beauty of Rugova Canyon Kosovo is the most underrated but exciting new destination for adventurers. Balkans travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies shares her firsthand account of hiking and wild swimming in the Rugova Canyon. Last year in June, in search of wild swimming, I hiked the Liqenati lakes trail in Kosovo's Rugova Canyon with Fatos, who leads our Kosovo multi-activity holiday. We met in Peja (or Peć), a town set like a full stop at the end of the dramatic Rugova gorge. Behind it are Kosovo's rolling plains; ahead, the valley walls tighten and the limestone cliffs rise sharply, funnelling the road deep into the mountains. From Peja to the Liqenati lakes After spending a night in Peja, I met Fatos early in the morning and we drove a short way to the start of the Liqenati lakes hiking trail. The first part of the climb was the steepest and most challenging, and already the sun was beating down, carrying the scent of hot soil and pine up from the ground. When the terrain evened out and we were able to speak without huffing and puffing, Fatos told me some of the history of the area. 30 years ago, it would have been impossible to cross these mountains from Kosovo to Albania. When communist dictator Enver Hoxha sealed Albania off from the rest of the world, families living in these borderlands were split overnight, stranded on opposite sides of the mountains. For nearly 50 years, they didn’t see one another. The closest people could come was to stare across the valley through binoculars, sending signals just to show: “I am alive.” That was all. Today, you can cross freely on foot (provided you have the right visa, a guide or hiking permit). It's a reminder that despite
Hiking in Kosovo: the ethereal beauty of Rugova Canyon Kosovo is the most underrated but exciting new destination for adventurers. Balkans travel writer Camilla Bell-Davies shares her firsthand account of hiking and wild swimming in the Rugova Canyon. Last year in June, in search of wild swimming, I hiked the Liqenati lakes trail in Kosovo’s
