Hiking to Lake Liqenat and Lake Drelaj in Kosovo: My Honest Review

From the research I’d done prior to visiting Kosovo, the hike from Liqenat village to Lake Liqenat in the Rugova Mountains seemed to generate the most buzz. I had done plenty of research regarding the best hikes in Kosovo, and this one kept coming up. This trail is actually part of the long-distance Peaks of the Balkans route, a roughly 10-day trek that winds through Albania, Kosovo, and Montenegro, so don’t be surprised if you cross paths with several thru-hikers along the way.

After powering through three major hikes during my 2-week trip to Kosovo, this particular hike was the final one I checked off.

Here’s everything to know about the hike, along with my general thoughts on whether or not this hike truly lives up to the hype.

Quick Stats on the Lake Liqenat Hike

Length: About 7 km / 4 miles out-and-back to Lake Liqenat (longer if you continue to Lake Drelaj)
Elevation Gain: About 600 m / 1,800 feet of elevation gain
Time: 3-4 hours total depending on how long you linger at the lakes and physical condition.
Difficulty: Moderate (no technical terrain, just a steady hike up.)

You can find the route and information on AllTrails here, showing where to start and which hike I’m referring to, as there is more than one place you could theoretically start this hike.

Getting to the Trailhead

The trailhead for the hike begins behind the village of Liqenat near the larger village of Kuqishte, right on the border with Montenegro. In fact, within two minutes of starting the hike, you’ll be walking on the Montenegrin side! The area is about 50 minutes from Peja, the nearest city in Kosovo and hub of the region.

From Peja, take the M9 road into Rugova Canyon and follow it until you reach Kuqishte. The road is paved most of the way, thankfully. You don’t need a 4×4 or high-clearance vehicle, just a normal car and plenty of patience for the winding canyon road. A rental car or taxi from Peja both work fine, though you’d need to schedule a ride back. There’s no reliable public transport out this far, so budget for one of those two options. Once you arrive, there’s free parking near the restaurants in the village. Look for Hotel & Restaurant Te Liqeni specifically, as most hikers just leave their car there.

The main village of Kuqishte is technically located on the opposite side of the Rugova Canyon, so you might see this called the “Kuqishte to Lake Liqenat Loop.” But the more straightforward way to start is actually from Liqenat (which I’m not sure is an official village, to be honest), on the south side of the mountain road Rruge Ker Sadria.

Keep in mind that where you’ll start the hike is one hour from the nearest ATM and grocery store. So you’ll need to stock up in Peja if you’re planning on bringing food or if you’re staying overnight in the area.

Summary of the Lake Liqenat Hike

The first leg of the hike is a scenic walk through alpine forest. This doesn’t last long though, as the second leg is a painstakingly tedious walk up a wide gravel path. If you’re an experienced hiker, you know that loose gravel is the absolute worst surface.

It’s nothing dangerous, but it’s a consistent incline with no breaks. It was about 40 minutes of walking on this boring path before there was any relief.

The good news is that once you’re done with that part, you’re not far from Lake Liqenat! It only takes another 10-15 minutes to get to the lake, and it’s a comfortable walk.

The lake is pretty, although it wasn’t the most beautiful glacial lake I saw in Kosovo (that title goes to Gjeravica Lake or Jazhince Lake). It was less dramatic than others I’ve seen, plus there were several groups there when I arrived. Nothing that made for actual crowds, but it was the lone hike I did in Kosovo where I consistently saw other hikers.

My suggestion is to not turn back at the lake. Keep going to Lake Drelaj, or “Little Lake Liqenat.” The hike there is the best part of this trek. There’s not much more elevation gain, so it’s a mostly leisurely stroll through more alpine forest before it opens up to a beautiful little valley near the lake. That’s where you’ll see a guesthouse with a sweet woman selling drinks and snacks and tending to her property.

Continue on another few minutes and you’ll be at Lake Drelaj, or Little Lake Liqenat. For me, this lake was more scenic than the larger one. It was more isolated and quieter, with easy spots to find on the rocks along the shores to relax. I didn’t jump in, but it looked more appealing for a swim, too!

This marks the end of this particular hike. After hanging out on Lake Drelaj, you’ll you’ll head back to complete the out-and-back. Once you near the finish line and get back to that steep gravel path, you’ll be grateful to traverse downhill instead of up.

Is the Lake Liqenat Hike Worth It?

The stretch of the hike from Lake Liqenat to Lake Drelaj led to a couple of beautiful vantage points in Kosovo. However, the hike to Lake Liqenat was admittedly not my favorite in Kosovo thanks to the significant chunk of it spenton that uphill gravel path with a lack of viewpoints. As mentioned, I preferred trekking to the Gjeravica Peak summit and the Prevalla to Jazhince Lake loop. If you’re in good shape, I’d prioritize those two hikes in Kosovo, which are both full-day hikes.

With that said, if you’re exploring the Rugova Mountains or staying overnight in the area, I would definitely recommend you do this hike! It’s still very pretty and a good workout.

Where to Stay in the Rugova Mountains, Kosovo

I stayed three nights right near the trailhead of the hike at Villa Route Rugove. It made for a fantastic stay. Our villa had a jacuzzi and beautiful view of the distant mountains, with roaming cattle right outside.

There are plenty of other very nice accommodations in the area that I came across in my research, including:

• Villa Liqenat (walking distance to trail)
• Villa Liss (walking distance to trail)
• Villa Hotel Mulliri
• Villa Horizon, Kuqishte
• Guesthouse Shqiponja
• Hotel Chalet Kujta

Other Nearby Hikes to Check Out

Kosovo has no shortage of fantastic hiking. There are a few other trails in the Rugova Mountains worth checking out.

Via Ferrata Rugova — Kosovo now has eight different via ferrata routes, four of them clustered in the Rugova gorge near Peja, ranging from easy to genuinely difficult. No climbing experience is required for the easier routes, so it’s a good add-on if you want something more adrenaline-heavy than a straight hike.

Reke e Allages Drelaj — This is another one of the official stages of the Peaks of the Balkans trail, the including the stretch between the villages of Reka e Allages and Drelaj, where you can hike from guesthouse to guesthouse. It’s a nice option if you’re looking for a multi-day trek instead of a single day hike.

Hajla Mountain — At 2,403 meters, the peak of Hajla is actually on the Montenegro border and can be reached via the village of Boge on the other side of the canyon from the Lake Liqenat trailhead. It’s only suitable for intermediate to advanced hikers, though. Definitely not a beginner trek! It’s also sometimes used as an alternate route between Drelaj and Reka e Allages instead of the official Peaks of the Balkans Trail.

Guri i Kuq — At 2,522 meters, this is the highest peak in the region and the highest in the wider Rugova range. The Guri I Kuq route up passes both Lake Liqenat and Lake Drelaj before continuing on to the summit, so it’s essentially an extended, more ambitious version of the hike covered above.