Self-Launched Balkan 5-Country Sprint: Tirana to Kotor in 6 Days
6 days · The Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina)
Go as Local charges £1,015
No-markup version: ~£415 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A fast-moving, self-launched version of Go as Local's 6-day "5 Countries in 6 Days" loop out of Tirana — same route (Ohrid, Skopje, Pristina, Prizren, Shkoder, Zabljak/Durmitor, Sarajevo, Mostar, Kotor) done independently using public buses, a couple of shared minibuses and one train ride. All the classic walks (Ohrid Old Town, Skopje's Stone Bridge, Pristina's Newborn Monument, Prizren Fortress, Rozafa Castle, Sarajevo's Baščaršija, Mostar's Stari Most, Kotor Old Town) are free to explore on foot and most landmarks cost only a few euros. You overnight in hostels/guesthouses rather than 3-4* hotels but the sights are identical. Be warned: this route is a genuine whirlwind — expect 4-7 hours of bus travel on many days. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Tirana → Ohrid → Skopje
Ohrid & Skopje, North Macedonia
Leave Tirana early: either catch a furgon to Elbasan then a bus onward to Struga/Ohrid, or take a direct minibus (roughly £12-16, 3-4 hrs) — ask your hostel to book it. Drop bags and walk Ohrid Old Town: the church of St. John at Kaneo on the cliff edge, Samuel's Fortress on the hill (small entry fee, pay in MKD), and the ancient theatre. Grab a cheap lunch of tavče gravče. In the afternoon take a bus or shared taxi from Ohrid to Skopje (~£8, 3 hrs). Evening: cross the Stone Bridge to Macedonia Square, see the Alexander the Great statue, then wander Skopje Fortress grounds (free) and Mother Teresa Square (she was born here). Overnight near the Old Bazaar.
🚌Minibus/shared furgon Tirana–Ohrid (~£14); bus Ohrid–Skopje (~£8)
🛏Hostel or guesthouse in Skopje Old Bazaar area (~£12-16)
- →Walk Ohrid Old Town
- →Church of St. John at Kaneo
- →Samuel's Fortress (small entry fee)
- →Skopje Stone Bridge & Macedonia Square
- →Skopje Fortress (free)
Skopje → Pristina → Prizren
Pristina & Prizren, Kosovo
Morning bus Skopje to Pristina (~£6-8, 2 hrs). Do a self-guided Pristina loop: the wildly brutalist National Library of Kosovo, Mother Teresa Square, and the NEWBORN monument. Lunch at one of the cheap burek bakeries near the bazaar. Early afternoon bus Pristina to Prizren (~£4, 1.5 hrs). Climb to Prizren Fortress (free, ~20 min uphill) for sunset views, then descend to the Old Town: the Stone Bridge, the House of the Prizren League museum (€2), and the traditional bazaar for coffee and grilled meat. Note: some buses don't route through Kosovo in Serbian systems — carry your passport and confirm with the driver.
🚌Bus Skopje–Pristina (~£7); bus Pristina–Prizren (~£4)
🛏Guesthouse/hostel in Prizren Old Town (~£12-16)
- →National Library of Kosovo
- →Newborn Monument & Mother Teresa Square
- →Prizren Fortress hike (free)
- →Prizren Stone Bridge & Old Bazaar
- →House of the Prizren League (€2)
Prizren → Shkoder → Žabljak / Durmitor
Shkoder, Albania & Durmitor National Park, Montenegro
Long travel day. Early bus Prizren to Shkoder (~£8-10, 2.5-3 hrs via Albania). Spend 2-3 hours in Shkoder: walk up to Rozafa Castle (~£2 entry, great views over Lake Shkoder) and dip into the Historical Museum, then stroll the pedestrian zone for lunch. Afterwards take a bus to Podgorica (~£6) and connect on to Žabljak (~£7, 2 hrs) — check departure times the night before, as services are limited. Alternatively arrange a shared minibus transfer direct to Žabljak (~£25-30). Evening arrival in Žabljak under the Durmitor peaks; sleep early.
🚌Bus Prizren–Shkoder (~£9); bus Shkoder–Podgorica–Žabljak (~£13) or shared transfer (~£28)
🛏Guesthouse/soba in Žabljak (~£15-20)
- →Rozafa Castle (€2)
- →Shkoder Historical Museum
- →Shkoder pedestrian zone walk
- →Durmitor National Park views on arrival
Žabljak → Sarajevo
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
If you can, wake early for a short walk to Crno Jezero (Black Lake) in Durmitor National Park — day ticket around £4, a 15-min walk from town. Then travel to Sarajevo: bus Žabljak to Plužine/Nikšić then on to Sarajevo (~£18-22 total, 6-7 hrs), or book a shared transfer to Sarajevo (~£25). Arrive late afternoon and head straight for Baščaršija, the Ottoman old bazaar. Visit the Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque, walk to the Latin Bridge (where Franz Ferdinand was shot) and Sarajevo City Hall. Dinner: ćevapi at a bazaar grill house for a few pounds.
🚌Bus Žabljak–Sarajevo (~£20) or shared transfer (~£25)
🛏Hostel in Baščaršija (~£12-16)
- →Black Lake, Durmitor NP (€4)
- →Baščaršija old bazaar
- →Gazi Husrev-beg Mosque
- →Latin Bridge & Sarajevo City Hall
Sarajevo → Mostar → Kotor
Mostar, Bosnia & Herzegovina & Kotor, Montenegro
Take the early morning train Sarajevo–Mostar (~£6, 2 hrs) — one of the most scenic rail journeys in Europe. In Mostar walk the Old Town, photograph Stari Most (free), browse the Old Bazaar and try Bosnian coffee at a riverside café (~£1.50). Mid-afternoon bus Mostar to Kotor (~£14-18, 3.5-4 hrs, via Trebinje). Arrive in Kotor in the evening and settle into a hostel inside or just outside the walls.
🚌Train Sarajevo–Mostar (~£6); bus Mostar–Kotor (~£16)
🛏Hostel in/near Kotor Old Town (~£15-20)
- →Sarajevo–Mostar scenic train
- →Stari Most & Mostar Old Bazaar
- →Bosnian coffee tasting (~£2)
Kotor → Tirana
Kotor, Montenegro → Tirana, Albania
Wake early and either hike up the Ladder of Kotor to the fortress (~£4-7 entry, or free via the back route — 1-1.5 hrs up) or do the cheaper loop: St. Tryphon Cathedral (€3) and the Maritime Museum, then breakfast at a café on the square. Midday, take the bus or shared minibus Kotor to Tirana (roughly £18-22, 5-6 hrs) — or Kotor→Shkoder then furgon to Tirana if you want the cheapest option. Aim to be back in Tirana by early evening, matching the original tour's ~19:00 finish.
🚌Bus/shared minibus Kotor–Tirana (~£20)
🛏Not included (own hotel in Tirana)
- →Kotor Fortress hike (€4-7)
- →St. Tryphon Cathedral (€3)
- →Kotor Old Town walk
Self-launched vs. Go as Local
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Go as Local | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£415 | £1,015 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £600 per person (59%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Go as Local-style trips? Check them out here.~£415
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Balkan 5-Country Sprint: Tirana to Kotor in 6 Days cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £415 per person for 6 days in The Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Go as Local?+
Yes — Go as Local charges around £1,015 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £415 — a saving of roughly £600 (59%) per person.
How long is the The Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina) trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through The Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through The Balkans (Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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