guiding in the balkans

in true “kara fashion”, I’m wedged between a whirlwind stretch of guiding, transcontinental travel, and endless movement with only a short blip of time to catch my breath. when I say short, I mean I’m scribbling these notes just after waking from a near 12-hour coma, following a sleepless night and a leap across seven time zones ahead from the tiny capital of podgorica, montenegro to the energy of tokyo, japan. my body is physically here, but my mind is still drifting somewhere overhead.

life feels weird sometimes. has this really become my reality? eight years on the road, and I still catch myself asking that question.  as I write, in that post-coffee gittery, somewhat incoherent daze, I’m deep in gratitude. 

I came in knowing june would be a big one — guiding three back-to-back (to back) eight-day tours on the schedule, a heavy load. I was set up for a full month, and it delivered in every sense. I drove down to montenegro in the beginning of the month, with our two slovenian partners, winding along the adriatic coastline, eager to get started. to recount it all would take days of typing — so instead, I’ll share a few of the biggest takeaways from this wild, beautiful month.

the balkan landscapes:

they’re wild. rugged. peaceful. remote. there is a rawness to them. a spaciousness. a deep solitude. 

I left totally enamoured by this region and can’t wait to explore more in the years to come.  

guiding in the mountains

my background as a guide has been rooted in leading ultra running tours — being out with runners out on +50 km days through challenging mountain terrain. those experiences required a deep toolkit: mountain navigation, gear proficiency, fueling and hydration strategies, mountain safety awareness, understanding terrain and environmental factors, mental resilience, and so much more. the guiding I do now doesn’t quite cover those distances or the same scale of mountainous terrain — so the need to lean on those skills daily isn’t quite as intense. however, being in the balkans - I’m back to guiding in bigger, remote areas with an overnight fastpack.  it’s been SO fun to share more practical tips again - how to safely move through mountain terrain, packing tips for overnighters, trail running pole techniques, being an asset (not a liability) in the mountains, fueling for mountain ventures and so much more.  I didn’t know how much I missed it.

community:

this one is big. and it’s continued to be so with each passing year, as a deeply nomadic soul. being the year of our inaugural balkans trail running tours, we had many returning runners from previous trips.  every single tour this month, I knew anywhere from four to nine of the runners from previous trips I had lead in the past. jumping right back in, like no time had passed at all, it’s been truly incredible to guide and share these experiences with familiar faces.  it was also indescribably special to be part of their support system while they tackled bigger mountain terrain —  some excelling and others finding their edge and pushing past limits. as I guide, I’m so ridiculously proud! 

history and cultural context:

the balkans have a deeply layered history and one I’m continually learning more about. I’m fascinated by culture and how a history shapes world views and present reality. I’m incessantly asking questions, reading, speaking with our local partners, and taking in as much information as I can. as a group leader in any place, one of the greatest things we can do is take a step back. I’m canadian, coming into another country that I can certainly learn about, but never have the true lived experience of. like on any tour I guide, we work closely with locals.  not only has it brought on deep friendships and been a way to support locals from the region, but it’s also been a way for our entire team and all of our runners to have a more intimate and meaningful culturally immersive experience.  

local community: 

the balkans are deeply rooted in relationships.  lengthy coffee breaks for conversation and connection. a culture anchored in family and genuine relational bonds. while scouting for this trip in september 2024, we connected with many people.  coming back to guide week one, week two and in the final week this june, I’ve been utterly blown away by how these relationships evolved.  it’s natural for bonds to grow as people spend time together, earn trust, and build rapport — but this felt different. the connections our team made with particular families and individuals felt like stepping into a whole new dimension of closeness. sharing shots of rakija, swapping family photos and inside jokes, exchanging bear hugs and gifts (yes, that meant fastpacking a 0.75L glass bottle of rakija into the neighbouring mountain valley as a family gift), and being warmly welcomed into family homes — my heart is bursting.

our team:

having built deep relationships with our slovenian partners over the years (tone, damo, borut!), bringing in đorđe from montenegro, and hiring our newest guide, špela, to join us for the final week — I genuinely feel like the luckiest person.  working on a team that turns into one big family? a dream. while đorđe and I were the only two who stayed on for the full month, with everyone else joining for one or two weeks, I’m in total awe of how well we supported each other. we handled whatever came our way, problem-solved on the fly, adapted, kept things on track — and somehow still managed to laugh our asses off, joke around, and keep things light.

these trips are intense. you’re with people every waking hour, always on call, focused on countless little details, and pulled in a hundred different directions at once. having a tight-knit team isn’t just helpful, it’s essential. we’re beyond lucky to have one. also a quick shout-out to špela joining as my co-guide for the final week. all month, I’d been leading with “the guys” — from our drivers to guides. being a woman in a heavily male-dominated industry, I’m used to that. but my god, any time I get to share the trails and guide alongside another woman, I’m can’t understate how truly special that is. (here’s to many more guiding and personal mountain adventures to come)!

fast-forward to toyko, japan now, I’m here to scout more running trips - this season of life has been so joy-filled. while the transition has been abrupt and sudden, I tired, yet feel so good. I’m excited for what’s ahead and look back on this incredible month in complete awe. from the landscapes, the culture, the rugged terrain and the incredible people I connected with - both professionally and personally. from the challenges, immense growth, incredible highs and stories that will stick with me — I’m sitting in immense gratitude. 

thanks for following along.

xo.