Great to hear you made it! Got any idea how far can you get by normal car from the side of Kukes-Bicaj towards Radomir without breaking my suspension? I may try to approach from there this summer. Of course a repport would follow.
And do you know if there's any redtape problem crossing the Kosovo-Albania border by car?
We made it to Radomir in a normal car (first an Audi. When the fan belt broke, with a smaller one). The people in the village who have cars do have normal ones as Mercedes. This means, that the wholes in the road aren't as bad that you can't pass, but your car won't like the road.
Entering Albania by car should be possible without problem. But you have to pay an insurance tax for the car for each day you stay in the country. If you'll need a visa depends to your nationality. In the majority of cases, you only have to pay € 10 when crossing the border.
You'll only meet some shepherds. Don't believe all the stories about everybody who goes to Albania will be killed. Watch out a little bit, do not act incautiously and you shouldn't have any problem.
I recommend to make contact with the shepherds, ask them if you can put up the tent close by. I haven't slept there, but everybody we met up there was very friendly. Several invited us to stay at their place.
Macedonian mountaineers club "Korab" organize each year an international event - ascent to Golem Korab peak - celebrating 8-th September - The Independence day of Republic of Macedonia.
This year (2005) is 14th climb - on 4th September.
More info on http://www.korab.org.mk/korab05/2005en.html
Because of clouds, we asked the shepheards wether there will be rain or not.
They all told us, that there will be no rain. As long as the wind comes from north-east, there's no problem. It only rains, when the wind comes from south-west, they told us.
Guys, got any info about the exact altitude of 2 summits in the ridge between the main (border) peak and the 2716 peak? We climbed the one next to the main peak and thought it's of about the same height. The height of the other one is perhaps in between 2751 and 2716, we haven't been to that one but the ascent would be probably easy.
This year (2005) about 1000 mountaineers from 17 countries participate on 14-th traditional climb to Golem Korab.
We have mountaineers from Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia, Finland,... and one from Korea.
It was great to view such a big number of mountaineers together.
martintaleski - Mar 14, 2011 11:41 am - Hasn't voted
No permits required
Hi,
There is no need for a special permit from any ministry. The ministry of internal affairs is the police, and it is enough to report at the police station at Strezimir on your way up, if you find any one on duty. The border posts are abandoned and there are very few police patrols. If you go with the international climb in September, there will be no problem and you do not need report anywhere. I have climbed the mountain from several other routes as well and never acquired such a permit or have reported anywhere. The area is so remote and most of the villages are completely abandoned that the police does not bother to go there.
The distance from Tirana is now totally changed. A new highway is build towards Kukes and goes in Kosovo. The distance between Tirana and Kukes is now only 2 hours on the best motorway in Albania. In Kukes you have some hotels. You can go from Kukes to Radomire (towards Peshkopi) and it is around 40 km. The most of this road is renovated and it remains 5-6 km close to Radomire that is still not paved.
Climbed Korab on Macedonian Independence Day 2013, organised, as every year, by the Korab club - see http://www.korab.org.mk/indexen.html
Busses left from Skopje railway station at 5am. Started climb from the Stezimir watchtower at 9am. On summit with several hundred others (!) at 1pm. Back at watchtower at 4.30pm and in Skopje at 8pm.
18km round trip, approx 1,300m vertical ascent.
Perfect weather, fantastic views over both Macedonia and Albania.
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mishaptitsa/sets/72157635715710185/
kamil - Jun 26, 2005 12:44 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentHi!
Great to hear you made it! Got any idea how far can you get by normal car from the side of Kukes-Bicaj towards Radomir without breaking my suspension? I may try to approach from there this summer. Of course a repport would follow.
And do you know if there's any redtape problem crossing the Kosovo-Albania border by car?
cheers!
Kamil
albinfo - Jun 26, 2005 7:03 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentWe made it to Radomir in a normal car (first an Audi. When the fan belt broke, with a smaller one). The people in the village who have cars do have normal ones as Mercedes. This means, that the wholes in the road aren't as bad that you can't pass, but your car won't like the road.
Entering Albania by car should be possible without problem. But you have to pay an insurance tax for the car for each day you stay in the country. If you'll need a visa depends to your nationality. In the majority of cases, you only have to pay € 10 when crossing the border.
tjalfi - Jun 29, 2005 4:56 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentHow safe is it to pitch the tent on the Albanian side of Korab? What about thugs, gun smugglers etc.?
albinfo - Jun 29, 2005 4:45 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentYou'll only meet some shepherds. Don't believe all the stories about everybody who goes to Albania will be killed. Watch out a little bit, do not act incautiously and you shouldn't have any problem.
I recommend to make contact with the shepherds, ask them if you can put up the tent close by. I haven't slept there, but everybody we met up there was very friendly. Several invited us to stay at their place.
punkrunner - Aug 16, 2005 5:17 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentMacedonian mountaineers club "Korab" organize each year an international event - ascent to Golem Korab peak - celebrating 8-th September - The Independence day of Republic of Macedonia.
This year (2005) is 14th climb - on 4th September.
More info on http://www.korab.org.mk/korab05/2005en.html
albinfo - Aug 18, 2005 7:29 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentBecause of clouds, we asked the shepheards wether there will be rain or not.
They all told us, that there will be no rain. As long as the wind comes from north-east, there's no problem. It only rains, when the wind comes from south-west, they told us.
Maybe this will help you.
kamil - Aug 21, 2005 3:16 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentAlbinfo, thanks a lot, you helped us a great deal. We made it late July, got to Radomire from the north. The report will follow.
cheers!
kamil - Aug 22, 2005 8:21 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGuys, got any info about the exact altitude of 2 summits in the ridge between the main (border) peak and the 2716 peak? We climbed the one next to the main peak and thought it's of about the same height. The height of the other one is perhaps in between 2751 and 2716, we haven't been to that one but the ascent would be probably easy.
albinfo - Aug 25, 2005 8:37 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentJust found this link of an old Russian map of Korab-Region at scale 1:50.000:
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu:8085/albania/50k/11-34-78-3.jpg
Maja e Korabit is at 28/62, marked as boundary stone #4 and with height 2751.
Fusha Korabit can be seen at 31/60-63 with the track leading up there from Radomira 32/58. Panair is at 29/63.
punkrunner - Sep 7, 2005 3:05 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentThis year (2005) about 1000 mountaineers from 17 countries participate on 14-th traditional climb to Golem Korab.
We have mountaineers from Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary, Slovakia, Finland,... and one from Korea.
It was great to view such a big number of mountaineers together.
martintaleski - Mar 14, 2011 11:41 am - Hasn't voted
No permits requiredHi,
There is no need for a special permit from any ministry. The ministry of internal affairs is the police, and it is enough to report at the police station at Strezimir on your way up, if you find any one on duty. The border posts are abandoned and there are very few police patrols. If you go with the international climb in September, there will be no problem and you do not need report anywhere. I have climbed the mountain from several other routes as well and never acquired such a permit or have reported anywhere. The area is so remote and most of the villages are completely abandoned that the police does not bother to go there.
Please correct the radtape section.
rrumbullaku - Nov 21, 2012 3:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Getting there from AlbaniaThe distance from Tirana is now totally changed. A new highway is build towards Kukes and goes in Kosovo. The distance between Tirana and Kukes is now only 2 hours on the best motorway in Albania. In Kukes you have some hotels. You can go from Kukes to Radomire (towards Peshkopi) and it is around 40 km. The most of this road is renovated and it remains 5-6 km close to Radomire that is still not paved.
mishaptitsa - Sep 10, 2013 5:24 am - Hasn't voted
Independence Day 2013Climbed Korab on Macedonian Independence Day 2013, organised, as every year, by the Korab club - see http://www.korab.org.mk/indexen.html
Busses left from Skopje railway station at 5am. Started climb from the Stezimir watchtower at 9am. On summit with several hundred others (!) at 1pm. Back at watchtower at 4.30pm and in Skopje at 8pm.
18km round trip, approx 1,300m vertical ascent.
Perfect weather, fantastic views over both Macedonia and Albania.
Photos at http://www.flickr.com/photos/mishaptitsa/sets/72157635715710185/