Undiscovered Balkans

Undiscovered Balkans Amazing Adventures in Europe’s Wildest Corner! We’re the UK’s go-to activity holiday specialist for the Western Balkans.

Join our trips in:

Albania🇦🇱
Bulgaria 🇧🇬
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
Croatia 🇭🇷
Kosovo 🇽🇰
Montenegro 🇲🇪
Serbia 🇷🇸

20/09/2026

North Macedonia might be the best kept hiking secret in the Balkans, and its perfect for a mountain + lake cool-cation. Twin alpine wild swimming lakes, a viewpoint where you see both Lake Ohrid and Lake Prespa at once, the country's highest peak in the Šar Mountains. And for the ambitious, a multi-day traverse running from Skopje to Lake Ohrid.

We run guided hikes on our Macedonia holidays, from easy half-day routes to challenging ascents, with local guides, mountain huts and shepherd villages along the way.

Ready to lace up your hiking boots? Link in comments for our top hikes in North Macedonia.

Skopje 🇲🇰 rarely makes the shortlist of European capitals worth a dedicated trip, but we think it should.Rebuilt after a...
17/09/2026

Skopje 🇲🇰 rarely makes the shortlist of European capitals worth a dedicated trip, but we think it should.

Rebuilt after a devastating 1963 earthquake with a masterplan from Japanese architect Kenzo Tange, the city has a unusual architectural story, Ottoman old town, Cold War era Brutalism, and a controversial 2010s neoclassical makeover, all within a few streets of each other. Add Mount Vodno's cable car and Matka Canyon on the doorstep, and it's a city that has more than meets the eye.

We stop in Skopje on our 7-day North Macedonia activity holiday. Read our guide to visiting, from where the city's history is most visible to the best patisseries in its Čaršija old bazaar.

👉 Link in the comments.

THIS is September hiking in Montenegro's mountains. ☀️🌧️Blue skies one day. Cloud and mist the next. And sometimes, both...
15/09/2026

THIS is September hiking in Montenegro's mountains. ☀️🌧️

Blue skies one day. Cloud and mist the next. And sometimes, both before you’ve even finished breakfast.

Our hiking group last week got seriously lucky - stellar weather for their first few days, with accompanying crystal-clear views from the mountain tops, golden early-autumn colour, and chance to witness traditional pastoral shepherding, as well as women foraging blueberries and juniper on the mountainsides.

Then came the final day: low cloud and rain that all but wiped out those famous views of Durmitor's Black Lake. They still insist it was a great day too (our guests are nice).

Autumn is our favourite time of year to bring groups to hike Montenegro's highlands. Just come prepared: bring layers and waterproofs, and accept that plans may need to change.

Fancy hiking Montenegro's majestic peaks yourself? Our 2027 mountain-hiking season starts in late May/June and runs all the way until October. Visit the link in the comments to find out more about our small group and tailor-made trips led by experienced Montenegrin guides..

All photos take on tour, with thanks to our talented trip leader Ozzy and our guests.

11/09/2026

It's week one of our two back-to-back art retreats in Montenegro this autumn, and we're so happy to welcome back artist Karen Pearson, alongside our nature-loving, arty guests. 🎨🌿

This September may be a sultry one, but we're keeping cool, working in swims every day alongside painting in some stunning locations:

🌸 Waterlilies and busy birds at Lake Skadar
🐎 The mesmerising horseshoe-bend view of Pavlova Strana
🏘️ Stone architecture at medieval lake villages, followed by rockpool swims
🎨 Characterful people and buildings at Stari Bar, plus a dip in the Adriatic 🌊
🌅 Not to forget our gorgeous accommodation, Villa Miela, with its beautiful sunsets

And there's more to come... ✨

Fancy joining us next year? We've agot two retreats lined up with Karen for May and September, and spaces are limited.

These retreats have a habit of filling up quickly, so if you're tempted, don't leave it too late – get in touch to find out more. 🎨🏊‍♀️🇲🇪

Full details at the link in the comments.

Avoid these common etiquette mistakes in the Balkans and your travels here will be better for it, we promise. ⬇️Balkan c...
10/09/2026

Avoid these common etiquette mistakes in the Balkans and your travels here will be better for it, we promise. ⬇️

Balkan countries like Montenegro and Albania reward curious travellers, but a few local customs are worth knowing before you go.

Swipe for the 5 main things we see visitors get wrong again and again, like trying to rush, or wearing shorts at a religious site.

Want to travel the Balkans like a pro? Read our full Balkan etiquette guide at the link in the comments.

🇦🇱 🇧🇦 🇧🇬 🇭🇷 🇽🇰 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸

07/09/2026

It’s been a crazy, fun-filled few weeks in the Balkans – exactly how summer should be. ☀️

Thanks to all the wonderful families who’ve joined our adventures for some quality time together, whether in Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia or Montenegro. From wild swimming and mountain trails, to standup paddling and that wonderfully happy kind of tired that comes from spending days outside.

The school summer holidays might be over, but isn’t this quieter time of year just right for dreaming summer 2027? 🇲🇪

Save this post for planning your next summer holiday. Visit the link in the comments to find out more about our family-friendly
Balkan escapes (and endlessly patient, resourceful trip leaders 😉🤸‍♀️).

31/08/2026

🌞 Our latest newsletter is here and it's a bumper issue!

Summer might be winding down, but there's plenty brewing in the Balkans... Inside, you'll find details on our early bird offer: 2027 adventures at 2026 prices - for a limited time only.

Plus,
🍷 Catch the start of the Balkan wine harvest
🇧🇦 Get a sneak peek at a brand-new Bosnia adventure
🧘‍♀️ Discover our new Montenegro yoga retreats
🥾 Find a few last-minute autumn escapes
🌼 Plus wildflower hikes, North Macedonian food & wine,
and lots more
🔗 Read it and subscribe at the following link: https://mailchi.mp/undiscoveredbalkans/august-2026-newsletter?e=9d0bffd010

See you in the Balkans!

The best kind of travel advice? Hearing it from people who've just been there. 🌟From crossing borders on foot in the Pea...
25/08/2026

The best kind of travel advice? Hearing it from people who've just been there. 🌟

From crossing borders on foot in the Peaks of the Balkans, to wild swimming in Albania, kayaking in Montenegro, rafting and mountain adventures with teenagers and more — our guests this summer have been telling us what made their trips unforgettable on our review sites TripAdvisor and Google.

✨ Adventure experiences
🥾 Brilliant local guides
🏔️ Wild, spectacular landscapes
🍲 Great food & genuine hospitality
🧭 Thoughtfully planned adventures that take you beyond the obvious places

And perhaps our favourite bit? So many are already planning to come back and explore more.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences with us — you're winning hearts and minds for the Balkans, and we couldn't do it without you. 🙏

Planning your 2027 adventure? Browse our website for our full range of adventures (link in comments) – the Balkans are waiting. 🇲🇪 🇦🇱 🇲🇰

21/08/2026

BalkanMaxxing Summer 2026 ☀️
You've heard of EuroMaxxing. Now it's time to introduce BalkanMaxxing — our essential ingredients for making the most of a Balkan summer. 🇦🇱 🇧🇦 🇧🇬 🇭🇷 🇽🇰 🇲🇪 🇲🇰 🇷🇸

The recipe?

☕️ Starting every day with kava – and taking your time over it
💦 Swimming in lakes and rivers so clear you can see your toes
🤸‍♀️ Jumping off things you probably shouldn’t…
🫐 Picking berries straight from the mountainside
🛶 Kayaking emerald-green rivers
🍉 Eating watermelon that’s cheap, juicy and cool from the river (or nearby Spring)
🍷 Turning lunch into a two-hour affair, farm-to-table
⛰️ Escaping the summer heat in the mountains - Balkan 'coolcation'
🌅 Sunsets by the Adriatic Sea
🚗 Road-tripping where every bend brings another jaw-dropping view
🎶 Live music and dancing late, from Albania's valle to Serbia's kafanas. Let's go!

Ready to BalkanMax your next summer? Save this post for your 2027 travel planning, then join us on an Undiscovered Balkans adventure holiday and do it properly.

🔗 Link in the comments
💬 Or DM us for more info.

18/08/2026

📍 Bosnia and Herzegovina – a country where you can swap the crowds of Western European hotspots for dramatic canyons, Montana-like mountains, and adventures like rafting at a fraction of the cost. 🌄 🇧🇦

We just spent the last week on a recce trip here, exploring a massive wilderness area in the southeast. Sutjeska National Park and neighbouring Tara Canyon are phenomenally beautiful, little-known and packed with wildlife 🦅 (we saw wild goats, Golden Eagle and traces of bear).

Our highlights included:

- Waterfall-chasing in one of Europe’s last three areas of primeval forest: Perućica, where the trees rise 50m+ high and a myriad of plant species thrive 🌳
- Hiking and wild swimming the twin Bare Lakes of Zelengora – the ‘green mountain’, with its lush wildflower meadows and alpine pools circled by craggy limestone peaks
- Canyoning through a narrow ravine as the water tumbled past, with thrilling 6-metre cliff jumps and abseiling
- Horse riding from a remote mountain village for a Balkan prairie feel, and
- Rafting the rapids of the emerald-coloured Tara River from its Bosnia & Herzegovinian side 🌊

We barely saw another soul while out exploring, except during rafting – an outdoor sport as popular with locals as foreign adventure seekers and for good reason. Local people were super friendly and welcoming, with the ultimate thanks going to our brilliant guide Nikola and his crew. Their kindness, patience and passion for their country made this trip even more special.

We can’t wait to get our new Sutjeska National Park activity holiday up and running – watch this space. In the meantime, hike its highest peak Maglić with us on our 7-day Bosnia & Herzegovina hiking holiday that follows highlights of the Via Dinarica White Trail. Find out more at the link in the comments, or send us a DM.

Address

London

Telephone

+442032870015

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Undiscovered Balkans posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category