Peaks of the Balkans Trail: A Beginners Guide

Each year we like to go on a long multi-day hike, one that takes us to a new region somewhere in the mountains. This hiking is an exercise for the body and also for the mind. To disconnect with our day-to-day and also to reconnect with a region once unknown to us and learn about it through its nature and people.

Our trek of 200 km / 125 miles through the mountains of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo along a the Peaks of the Balkans Trail was one we’ll never forget.

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Peaks of the Balkans Trail: Day by Day on the Hike

The Accursed Mountains, sworn virgins, blood feuds and 15th century codes of honor called kanun. It sounds like an experiential blend to inform the writing of a Game of Thrones season. Instead, it’s the cultural and historical backdrop of a 200-kilometer hiking experience we recently took through the hills of Albania, Montenegro and Kosovo called the Peaks of the Balkans.

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Haiti Trekking: A Beginner’s Guide

Haiti trekking

Perhaps you ask, just as we did before our trip: is trekking in Haiti even a thing? Yes, it is. And it probably ought to be for more travelers. But it takes a little effort to organize. This Haiti Trekking Beginner's Guide explains why it’s worth it, plus all you need to know to plan a trek in Haiti.

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Gorilla Trekking in Uganda: A Beginner’s Guide

For many travelers to Uganda, gorilla trekking is the anchor activity and highlight of their trip. To encounter mountain gorillas not only carries some expense, but it also takes planning and preparation to make the most of your visit. In this Uganda Gorilla Trekking Beginner's Guide we share all you need to know to prepare for and get the most out of you gorilla trekking experience in Uganda.

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Ladakh: 9 Memories of Deep Himalayan India

Ladakh: a place we had dreamed about for well over a decade, a visit packed with expectations. What made this place remarkable wasn’t quite what we expected.

Imagining Ladakh for all of those years, we focused on the landscape. Sure, Ladakh as a setting for just about anything did not disappoint. The physical beauty was more stunning – and more consistently so — than we’d ever imagined.

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Crossing Gongmaru La Pass, Hiking the Markha Valley Trek in Ladakh

Ladakh pass

Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags greet us as we reach Ladakh's Gongmaru La pass. All the residual fatigue from climbing up to 16,800 feet/5,130 meters seems to evaporate once we've reached this place, our goal. It's been six days in the Markha Valley and we've been up and down — and up again.

We have to remind ourselves not to move around too quickly up here, not to exhaust ourselves from the altitude. But it's difficult to contain the excitement of being on top of the world — and as photographers, to grab a piece of and bask in every little visual slice that we can capture. The scenery stuns with layers of mountains for as far as the eye can see, while a surprise snowfall earlier in the week means our view is blessed with dramatic snow caps.

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