Montenegro is small mountainous Balkan country, certainly one of the most interesting places in the world and, according to Lonely Planet, one of top tourist destinations!
It has so much to offer, but what we are especially proud of is unspoiled, wild nature which leaves breathless even the experienced hikers and mountaineers!
Here are listed just some of the most attractive and known hiking sites in Montenegro.
Durmitor National Park
Both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a national park, the Durmitor massif lies in northwestern Montenegro and consists of towering mountain ranges, deep valleys, and beautiful mountain lakes. Surrounded by canyons on three sides, including the Tara River Canyon (Europe’s deepest ravine), the park offers world-class hiking opportunities.
This breathtaking national park was formed by glaciers and is traversed by rivers and underground streams. Dense pine forests are interspersed with clear lakes and harbor a wide range of endemic flora. The massif has 48 peaks above 2,000 m and 18 glacial lakes, scattered over mountain massif and Jezerska Povrs plateau. The lakes add significantly to the beauty of the mountain and have been nicknamed Gorske Oci, meaning Eyes of the Mountain.
The landscapes in this part of the Balkans are truly breathtaking. Their variety in elevation and vegetation results in plenty of hiking options, ranging from easy walks to challenging overnight treks. Most trails in Durmitor National Park begin at Crno Lake, which lies a 40-minute walk from the town of Žabljak, the park’s main gateway. Hikes typically include mountain meadows, valleys, forests and barren mountain slopes.
Prokletije National Park
Known as ‘The Alps of Montenegro’ National park Prokletije is the fifth and the youngest NP in Montenegro. The name Prokletije is actually means ‘cursed’ and it symbolizes inaccessibility and steep peaks which represent a real challenge for mountaineers. Besides the mountain, the park comprises two protected areas: Volusica and Lake Hrid. In the north the park is bordered by Gusinj-Plav Valley, but in the southern part of the park is the real treat for visitors – mountain peaks, of which the highest is Zla Kolata (2534 m). And once you climb one of them, you’ll see marks dividing Montenegro and Albania. At the same time in two countries, how awesome is that!
The main activity of this park is hiking, and visitors mostly climb Volusica and Popadija, two peaks which will leave you breathless and you will have the most beautiful view of the whole park. More than 50 peaks have an altitude over 2000 m and 20 of them over 2500 m, but it is not that easy to reach every one of them. Professional alpinists and mountaineers often come to Prokletije in order to practice before conquering the world’s highest tops.
Numerous lakes add significantly to the beauty of this place!
Biogradska gora National Park
Nestled within the Bjelasica mountain range, pretty Biogradska Gora has as its heart 1600 hectares of virgin woodland – one of Europe’s last three remaining primeval forests!
This chance to see what the world might have looked like if us humans hadn’t come along and done our thing is what brings most visitors to the town of Kolašin, about 16km from the road entrance to Biogradsko Lake.
Many of the trees in the forest are over half a millennium old, with some soaring to dizzying heights of 60m. In addition to the easily accessed, low-lying Lake Biograd, the park is home to five high-altitude (1820m) glacial lakes.
What differs Belasica of other Balkan mountains is its volcanic origin, hence an aboundance of fresh water springs and streams. Hiking through this paradise will make you understand why many Montenegrins consider it our most beautiful mountain!
Lovcen National Park
NP Lovćen covers the central and the highest part of the mountain Lovćen and with total area of 62.2 square kilometres. Established in 1952, Lovćen is also full of the rich historical, cultural and architectural heritage protected by the national park. The area has numerous elements of national construction such as the old houses and village guvna. The cottages in katuns, summer settlements of cattle breeders are also typical for this part of Montenegro.
Hikers and mountain climbers can enjoy and explore of well-marked trails in this National park. The vicinity of the sea makes hiking here even more enjoyable, as very often you can have a beautiful sight to Boka Bay and Adriatic sea! Moreover, from the top of Lovcen you can see Skadar lake! Something that you should not miss is visit to the Njegos mausoleum at Jezerski peak (1658 m a.s.l)
As we said before, these are just some of the most known hiking sites in Montenegro. However, there are many mountains more like Orjen, Komovi, Moracke Planine, Rumija etc. which provide fantastic hiking and mountaineering conditions!
Join us on our tours and let us show you some of the most interesting trails! One of our favorite tours is a week-long hiking adventure through Three National Parks, which is by far the best way to meet local culture, taste characteristic flavours of this region, and be amazed by its beauty and wilderness.
Let’s BeActive!
