Gjeravica
2,656 m
Kosovo
Also known as Жеравица, Djeravica, +6Also known as
Жеравица · Djeravica · Τζεράβιτσα · Đeravica · Gjeravicë · Gieravița · Джяравица · Ђеравица
- Elevation
- 2,656 m
- Prominence
- 1,018 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- Jul–Sep
- Routes
- 2
Routes
2The shortest route and the usual one from within Kosovo: from the hamlet and hotel at Gropa e Erenikut (about 1,710 m) above Junik, follow the Erenik valley west to the glacial lakes below the summit, then climb to a signposted saddle and up a steep, rocky final slope. About 900 m of ascent and 12–13 km return; 6–7 hours.
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 5.8 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +956 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 2,656 m
- Time Up
- 3h 55m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 2h 38m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Drive or take a 4WD transfer from Junik up the Erenik valley road to Gropa e Erenikut (about 1,710 m), a cluster of summer huts and the Grand Hotel Gjeravica; the road has been in the process of being paved, but tour operators still use 4WD vehicles. From there a path heads west up the open, treeless upper Erenik valley towards the source of the river at Gjeravica Lake (Liqeni i Gjeravicës, the largest of several glacial lakes on the mountain, at roughly 2,200–2,300 m). Above the lakes the path climbs to a saddle on the ridge directly below the summit, where the only signpost of the route marks the junction with the trails from Dobërdol and the west. From the signpost the summit is about 30 minutes up a steep, rocky slope with some easy use of hands. The terrain is non-technical, but marking is sparse until near the top, so carry an offline map or GPS track. Descend the same way. Allow 6–7 hours for the round trip (fast parties take under 5 hours). There is no shade, and water is only available at the lakes. Snow can lie near the summit into June and returns from November.
Start
Gropa e Erenikut1,700 m
- Buses run to Junik from Gjakova and Peja; from Junik a 4WD transfer or taxi is needed for the mountain road.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gropa e Erenikut → Gjeravica | 5.8 | 956 | 0 | 3h 55m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Gropa e Erenikut1,700 m
Also called Gropat e Erenikut or the Gacaferri huts; reached by road from Junik
- Feature: Liqeni i Gjeravicës2,305 m
Largest of the Gjeravica lakes, source of the Erenik; roughly 2,200–2,300 m
- Summit: Gjeravica2,656 m
Key Passages
- Upper Erenik valley and Gjeravica Lake
- Steep, rocky final slope from the signposted saddle
Equipment
0/7 packedDownloads
Route confidence 65%Overview
Kosovo's official high point (2,656 m), a broad, grassy-and-rocky summit in the Accursed Mountains above a string of glacial lakes on the border with Albania. A non-technical but long day hike from Junik, or a side trip from the Peaks of the Balkans trail.
Gjeravica (Gjeravicë in Albanian, Đeravica in Serbian) rises at the eastern end of the Accursed Mountains (Bjeshkët e Nemuna), in western Kosovo between Deçan and Junik, a few kilometres from the Albanian border. It is the second-highest summit of the Dinaric Alps after Jezercë and is officially the highest point in Kosovo, although Velika Rudoka on the Kosovo–North Macedonia border may be marginally higher. Its south-western slopes hold several glacial lakes, the largest of which, Gjeravica Lake, is the source of the Erenik river; heart-shaped Zemra Lake lies to the west.
Compared with Jezercë it is an easy mountain: the routes are walking routes over open, treeless ground, with a steep, rocky last 30 minutes and some boulder hopping. The usual start is Gropa e Erenikut (about 1,710 m), reached by a mountain road from Junik, giving around 900 m of ascent and a 6–7 hour round trip. Walkers on the Peaks of the Balkans loop climb it from Dobërdol in Albania.
The area lies within Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park. Paths are poorly marked except near the summit, there is no shade and the only water is at the lakes, so navigation and sun are the main concerns in summer.
Climbing Notes
Good hiking fitness for a 6–7 hour day with about 900 m of ascent is enough from Gropa e Erenikut; from Dobërdol add about 1 hour and 100 m. No technical skills are needed in summer, but an offline map or GPS track is essential because waymarks are sparse until the signposted saddle below the summit. Carry plenty of water and treat lake water, and bring sun protection: the route is completely exposed.
Most visitors base themselves in Junik, Deçan or at the hotel and guesthouses at Gropa e Erenikut, and use a 4WD transfer for the mountain road. Local operators in Peja run guided day trips that include transport. If you approach from Albania or Montenegro and stay overnight in Kosovo, arrange a cross-border permit in advance.
The season runs from June to October. Snow can remain near the summit into early July and returns from November; winter ascents need mountaineering equipment and experience. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in July and August.
History
No reliable record of a first ascent was found; the summit has long been reached by shepherds using the summer pastures around it. During the Kosovo War, on 15 September 1998, fighting took place near the peak between Kosovo Liberation Army forces under Agim Ramadani and Yugoslav troops. Serbian sources, which treat Kosovo as part of Serbia, list it under the name Đeravica as Serbia's highest summit.
Season
Best Jul–Sep- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Not advisable
- April: Not advisable
- May: Possible
- June: Good
- July: Best (best window)
- August: Best (best window)
- September: Best (best window)
- October: Good
- November: Not advisable
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; deep snow on the access road
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Winter conditions; avalanche risk
- Apr
- Snow cover; mountain road may be impassable
- May
- Lingering snow above the lakes; mountaineering equipment may be needed
- Jun
- Snowfields near the summit until late June or early July
- Jul
- Best conditions; hot, no shade; afternoon storms
- Aug
- Best conditions; busiest on the Peaks of the Balkans trail
- Sep
- Stable weather and cooler temperatures
- Oct
- Cooler, shorter days; Dobërdol guesthouses close
- Nov
- First snow
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Permits
- Cross-border permit (Albania / Montenegro – Kosovo)Optional
Not needed for ascents entirely within Kosovo, or for a day trip from Albania that returns the same day. Needed if you cross the green border into or out of Kosovo and stay overnight, e.g. on the Peaks of the Balkans trail; apply in advance to the border police.
- Hut Booking
- No mountain huts on the route. Stay at the hotel or guesthouses at Gropa e Erenikut, in Junik or Deçan, or at guesthouses in Dobërdol (Albania) on the Peaks of the Balkans trail.
- Fees
- Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park fees are included in guided tours; no individual entry fee was confirmed
- Rules
- Bjeshkët e Nemuna National Park: stay on paths, respect summer pastures and livestock
- Getting There
Junik; Deçan; Gjakova and Peja are the nearest larger towns
Pristina International Airport (PRN)
- Car: from Gjakova or Deçan to Junik, then the mountain road ('Rruga për Gjeravicë') up the Erenik valley to Gropa e Erenikut; 4WD advisable, although the road is being paved
- Bus to Junik from Gjakova or Peja, then a 4WD transfer arranged by local guesthouses or tour operators
- From Albania: on foot from Dobërdol on the Peaks of the Balkans trail
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness