Getting Your Peaks of the Balkans Border Permits: A Simple Guide from the Trail

Getting Your Peaks of the Balkans Border Permits: A Simple Guide from the Trail was originally published in 2026

We were standing on the edge of a fog-wrapped ridge, boots muddy, eyes scanning endless fall foliage and dramatic granite towers that only the Accursed Mountains can deliver, when it hit how surreal it felt to be hopping borders like stepping over rain puddles. If you’re planning to hike the Peaks of the Balkans, crossing between Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro, you’ll need to get your Peaks of the Balkans border permits sorted out before your trek.

These permits aren’t just paperwork to stuff in your pack. They’re necessary because you’ll cross multiple international borders on remote mountain trails where there are no official border posts. This permit keeps things legal and smooth, allowing you to fully focus on those epic alpine meadows, ancient villages, and the freeing feeling of wandering deep into wild, borderless terrain.

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Why You Need a Peaks of the Balkans Border Permits

The Peaks of the Balkans border permits are required to legally cross the Albania-Kosovo-Montenegro borders while on foot along the trail. These crossings are in unguarded mountain areas, and if you don’t have the permit, you could face hefty fines.

The permits allow local authorities and border police to know who is crossing and where, ensuring safety and preventing issues with irregular crossings in sensitive border areas.

How We Got Our Peaks of the Balkans Border Permits Easily

We used Zbulo, and honestly, it made the process ridiculously simple. After sending them a scan of our passports and filling out a short form with our planned dates and entry/exit points, they took care of the paperwork, submitted the applications to the relevant authorities, and sent us back our permits via email within about a week.

Why we recommend Zbulo:

• They are familiar with the process and have strong contacts with border authorities.
• No language barrier or confusion over how many copies you need or where to send them.
• You get the permits in PDF, which you can print or save on your phone.
• And the price was a steal. We did the research on how to secure the permits on our own, and the price difference was negligible.

You can technically apply yourself through police stations in Shkodër, Peja, or Plav, but it can take up to two weeks and might require physically visiting police stations, which can eat into your travel time. We found it easier to let Zbulo handle the stress so we could focus on sorting out our trail snacks and obsessively checking weather forecasts.

What You Need to Provide

When applying for your Peaks of the Balkans border permits, you will typically need:

• A scan/photo of your passport
• Your planned start and end dates on the trail
• Your planned route with border crossing points and the dates of those crossings
• A contact phone number and email

It’s best to apply at least two weeks before your hike, although Zbulo often gets it done faster. Ours only took about four days.

Cost of the Peaks of the Balkans Permit

Zbulo caps their price at €50 per permit, and up to 20 people can be listed on that permit. Even for two trekkers, it made sense for us to get the permit through Zbulo, which would have cost us €42 if we were to have registered with the police and done each formality ourselves, + headache and bureaucracy, and up to two weeks waiting time for each registration that we would have had to have done in person.

Cost of the Peaks of the Balkan Permit if Registering Independently

Each border crossing along the Peaks of the Balkans requires a permit at a fee of €5 per person. Completing the full Peaks of the Balkans circuit requires three border crossings. Also note that Montenegro levies an additional tax of €6 per application and another €3 per person, applied to each crossing from Montenegro to Albania or Montenegro to Kosovo.

So for one trekker taking on the Peaks of the Balkans, the registrations would amount to €24, for two trekkers €42, for three €60, and so on.

Where You Need to Carry the Peaks of the Balkans Permits

Keep the permits printed and stored safely in your pack (and save a digital copy on your phone). Border police or local authorities may check your permits at various trail checkpoints, or even in guesthouses along the route, particularly in Albania. Having them easily accessible makes these encounters smooth and friendly.

Note that we were not once asked for ours along the trail, but the reports we had read of fines up to €500 per person for not having the Peaks of the Balkans permits arranged in advance were enough to make us make sure we had them in line.

Permits Sorted, Trails Await

Sorting out your Peaks of the Balkans border permits is a small but crucial step for prepping one of Europe’s most spectacular trekking routes. It keeps your journey stress-free, legal, and lets you focus on those misty valleys, the scent of mountain pines, and the honest smiles of villagers who still live much as they have for centuries.

Honestly, getting the permits through Zbulo made our Peaks of the Balkans trek feel like a breeze from the start. With that piece handled, you’re all set to enjoy life in high passes, turquoise glacial lakes, and hot coffee in wooden cabins with delicious meals.

Ready to lace up and head for the Peaks of the Balkans Trail?

Ask any of your questions about getting the Peaks of the Balkans permits in the comments section below. Trekked the Peaks of the Balkans already? Let us know your favorite parts below.

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