It is hard to express how close I feel to the people at Choose Balkans. I got in touch with them about this hike 3 years ago before the pandemic... read more limited all my travel for an unfathomably long time. We finally got to go in sept 2022. Throughout those years I stayed in touch, often trying to plan again and never being able to. Every time they were kind, patient and honoured my initial deposits! We we finally got there (me and 9 other hikers) we had a meet up with the Choose Balkans team and they are all kind, funny, and well informed. My great thanks to Alban for his generousity and local knowledge on that night out especially.
From then on it was hiking time! Our guide Erwin has global hiking and mountain climbing experience but it was clear his heart is in the balkan alps. He is a tough, capable guide but also a caring, intelligent, funny teammate. I cannot reccomend him enough.
The hike was hard but exceptionally beautiful and I plan to go back another time as the changing scenery, weather, flora and fauna mean you would need years to see and do all there is to see and do. We have hiked mountains around the world, and these ones, while lower, are just as tough and in many ways more beautiful and mysterious.
With choose balkans, and Ervin as your guide, you are in good hands no matter what happens on tbe trail, or off it, unrelated to them i needed to make some itinerary changes and despite our remoteness, transport, accomodation, opportunities were magicked out of this air. A really flexible and versatile team
In short, i cant reccomend them enough. They bring trust, calm and humour, you just need to bring a sense of adventure
