Longer Stays Around Gjakova: Loop and Valbona
Three Days in the Dukagjini Plain
Use Gjakova as the base for a loop through western Kosovo. Public buses cover every leg.
- First day. Spend it in town: the bazaar, the tekkes and an evening meal at Hani i Haraçisë.
- Second day. Head east to Terzi Bridge, about 10 km from town, then Fshajt Bridge, 11 km along the Prizren road. Continue to Prizren, 36 km from Gjakova, and sleep there.
- Third day. Go on to Deçan for Visoki Dečani, open 09:30 to 14:30 and 15:30 to 17:30, with a passport or ID card needed at the KFOR gate. Then reach Peja for the Patriarchate and the mouth of the Rugova Gorge. Buses from Peja back to Gjakova take about 55 minutes.
By car, Prizren plus Peja also works as a two-day variant.
Beds in Gjakova
Expect about 20 to 50 EUR for a typical hotel room and 30 to 100 EUR for boutique options in the bazaar. Beds in hostels and guesthouses run about 10 to 15 EUR.
| Place | Address | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Çarshia e Jupave | Ismail Qemali Street 9 | north entrance of the bazaar |
| Gegë Boutique Hotel | Sylejman Hadum Aga Street 36 | in the bazaar |
| SHQIP Boutique Hotel | Sylejman Hadum Aga Street 86 | in the bazaar |
| Kulla Dula Guesthouse | Ganimete Terbeshi 38 | 18th-century stone house |
| Hotel Pashtriku | in town | the largest hotel, with a pool |
Into the Albanian Alps
Two crossings on the Gjakova side lead toward Valbona. Qafë Morinë connects with Bajram Curri, 21 km beyond the border on the Albanian side, and Qafë Prush runs through Has. Shared taxis and minibuses link Gjakova with Bajram Curri; ask in town for departure times. Look up the crossing status and your insurance first, as hire-car firms may forbid border crossings. A green card does not cover Kosovo, so local third-party insurance is bought at the border.
From Fierzë, the Lake Koman ferry reaches Koman in about 2.5 hours between roughly April and late October for around 9 to 10 EUR per person. Operators publish different timetables, so confirm with the one you choose. Getting back from Shkodër to Gjakova takes a long day by road through Kukës and Prizren.
Trekking Pashtrik
Treks on Pashtrik and in the Accursed Mountains follow border terrain, so hire a guide. Landmines and unexploded ordnance are still found in remote areas of Kosovo; stay on marked trails.
Border and Entry Notes
British citizens may stay up to 90 days without a visa, and other nationalities should check the rules. The town sits in south-west Kosovo, a long way from the north, where governments advise extra caution; check your government’s advice before you travel. Anyone heading on to Serbia should know that Serbia does not treat Kosovo crossing points as official. A Serbian entry stamp from elsewhere is required, and people with Kosovo stamps have been refused entry.
Read more: day trips from Gjakova lists fares and times for each stop.
Entry rules are on the UK government Kosovo entry page , the Lake Koman ferry website gives crossing details, and beds in town can be compared on Booking.com .