Day 14: The Sultans Trail from Belgrade to Sofia

#flashback September 18, 2025

Sliding through the night

As it turned out, my camping spot wasn’t flat after all and I slept terribly. Might as well get up early then, there’s no point staying in bed. I quickly start enjoying the route because it’s truly gorgeous, but at the same time, I’m seriously worried. Some sections are overgrown with branches and almost impassable. Occasionally the path even disappears from sight, but thanks to the GPS files downloaded on my Komoot app, I luckily stay on the right track. I’m crossing my fingers that I won’t have to turn back because of a dead end. That actually happened to me on the first day of the Sultans Trail, and there’s no alternative route here.

First aid lesson among the thorns

As I plow through another piece of Serbian jungle, I cut myself open on a bush with enormous, long, razor-sharp thorns. Blood is gushing from my arm and… note to self: keep your first aid kit in an easily accessible place! Usually I do, but of course not right when I need it. I could kick myself.

An Orthodox church and a vanished film set

Progress is slow due to the difficult paths, but I still have plenty of supplies and water, so it won’t become truly problematic. While walking through a small hamlet and making some sandwiches on a bench, a French woman who speaks fairly good English strikes up a conversation. She asks if I need water and points out a small church 100 m off the route that’s well worth a visit. You can hear the pride in her voice. Indeed, the Orthodox church is beautiful, and you’d never expect it in such a remote place. Apparently, another 300 m further there was supposed to be a beautiful viewpoint where scenes for the Orient Express were once filmed, but I never found it.

A Michelin-worthy dinner without the rolling

Since there’s no way I’ll make it to a hostel today, I have no choice but to camp. Of course, I love camping and it’s no problem, but finding a flat spot is a major exception here too. This is going to be interesting. Luckily, I’ve now reached an agricultural area with grasslands and fields, which means better surfaces, but even there almost nothing is level. It’s enough to make you feel hopeless.

Almost dark, but just in time, I finally find a spot. I make a quick soup and a salad with cucumber, tomato, and tuna. Hunger is the best sauce, but a route like today’s turns anything into a Michelin-worthy dinner. What’s more, I sleep wonderfully afterwards, without rolling around!