Description
Our Tour Leaders believe that you haven’t really been to Montenegro without climbing at least one peak above 2,000 metres! Our hiking in Montenegro holiday is probably the optimal “transversal” through the most attractive and highest areas of Montenegro, starting near the borders of Albania and Kosovo in the Prokletije, climbing up above the clouds in the Komovi Mountains and enjoying the pastures and virgin forest of Bjelasica and Biogradska gora National Park. You’ll also discover the hidden treasures of Mt Lola, a beauty that’s well away from all the tourist paths and we’ll finish up among the highest peaks in Durmitor National Park. Every tour will bring us to at least one peak and every day we’ll enjoy stunning views, untouched nature, fresh air, silence and different landscapes.
This program, of course, is not only about staying in the mountains. During the tour you’ll experience local traditions, history, legends, tasteful cuisine, churches and monasteries…in short, you will see all the contrasts that make our country so special!
After collection from your arrival point, we transfer by car immediately up into the mountains via an amazing scenic road that takes us directly to the beautiful village of Grebaje.
The trail starts from astonishing valley of Grebaje. First we’ll enjoy the shade of a nice forest, stepping onto a dirt path and after approximately 2 hours we’ll reach the plateau of Ćafe, heading up to the first of three glorious peaks. Skirting a ridge that enables us to literally straddle the border between Montenegro and Albnia, we’ll enjoy spectacular views (we think it’s the most beautiful mountain view in whole of Montenegro!) onto the Karanfili and Očnjak peaks in the central part of the mountain. After “conquering” the Volušnica or Popadija peaks, we’ll go back down to the valley, rounding off this beautiful loop.
The Komovi Mountains are three spectacular high rocky peaks (all above 2,400 meters of altitude) surrounded by green forests and valleys, perfect for all nature and outdoor lovers and part of the famous ‘Via Dinarica’ mega trail! The terrain is steep with a couple of short open parts, but there are no technically demanding details to reach Vasojevićki peak, aside from steady feet when walking the ridge. The path starts from the Štavna mountain cabins, warming you up with a kilometre of mostly flat dirt road, then the rocky path climbs, revealing more and more stunning surroundings. The pass of Vera Vincek (a famous Montenegrin botanist and hiker) is the perfect place for a rest before the hard work starts again! The final part of the trail will treat you to astonishing views of the surrounding area – Prokletije, Bjelasica, Sinjajevina, Durmitor, as well as lots of far-off peaks in Albania and Kosovo.
Bjelasica Mountain, our next challenge, will welcome us with its mild hillsides, wide pastures, beautiful valleys, stunning lakes, fields of blueberry bushes and mountain flowers. Bjelasica Mountain is part of the smallest Montenegrin National Park – Biogradska Gora, which features the only primary forest left in the whole Europe. It’s considered the second oldest National Park in the world – just after Yellowstone. Stepping down through this unbelievable beauty, we’ll find the stunning Biogradsko Lake, tucked in old beech and maple trees. It’s a great spot to have a drink and swim after 6 hours of walking!
A chance to recharge your batteries, ready for the second half of the week! Chill at your accommodation, have a self-guided explore, visit nearby Biogradsko Lake or ask your Tour Leader about our extra options if you prefer to keep active!
Hidden in the middle of the central Montenegrin highlands, far from main roads, this place provides absolute peace for all people who came to enjoy it. Not even many local people have been there! Lola is one of those special places where time stands still – a wide plateau covered by grass and decorated by gorgeous peaks over 2.000 metres. Plenty of pasture land attracts people from the lowlands to spend their summers there, providing a perfect feast for their herds. Here you’ll find fairy-tale shepherds’ huts, some still in active use. Our climb to Veliki Zebalac peak is not so demanding physically or technically, but the views from the top are stunning. On our way back we might decide to conquer one more peak above 2.000m – Mali Zebalac (2.073 m)!
Durmitor National Park is full of amaying trails - we will hike to Prutaš, the 9th highest peak of this mountain range (2,394m), enjoying spectacular views on our way. Situated at the most southern part of Durmitor Mountain it gives probably the best view of the group of highest peaks and the most beautiful valley in the area. Made from colorful vertical layers, it’s the most special and, in the opinion of most people who climbed it, most beautiful peak in the group of Durmitor’s 47 peaks over 2,000 metres.
On the way back through the amazing Piva Plateau, we will stop to visit a medieval necropolis of tombstones called stećci, a great place to speak about the history of the ex-Yugoslav peoples. After taking photos of great landscape and Piva Lake from above, we’ll head to Nevidio Chalets to celebrate the end of the program!
Return to Podgorica/Tivat airport (other destinations would incur an extra transfer charge)
Inclusions
- all accommodation
- all activities
- all meals
- full time English-speaking guide
- all transport from start point to end point
not included:
- International Flights
- Non-airport transfers
- Drinks and alcohol
Active Rating
Challenging
Fitness is essential to be able to complete the program and readiness for an environment which is more remote and challenging. That may even extend to accommodation which will be basic but clean in remote areas! Expect physical challenge such as climbing a peak, with several hours of physical activity a day. Prior experience of activities like mountain-climbing and mountain-biking is required.
For Families – some or all days of this trip will be quite demanding! There will be limited downtime with activities and/or travel taking up most of the day.
Pre-arrival information and kit list
There are some useful items we recommend you bring along to get the best from the holiday.
- Sun cream
- Hiking boots or hiking sandals
- Walking sticks/poles if you require them
- Mosquito repellent
- Water bottle – we recommend a LifeStraw Go 2-stage Filtration bottle, or a similar model from a company called Purewell which can turn 1000 litres of any freshwater into clean drinking water. You can find them on ebay, Amazon, etc.
- Towel for wild swims, ideally one of those quick dry sports ones
- A fleece and/or light jacket, essential for those also journeying to the north of Montenegro and/or Albania
- Sun hat & sunglasses
- Headtorches
- Some warm clothes (for visits in April/May and Sept/Oct)
- Binoculars - essential if you enjoy bird watching!
- Rain jacket / kagoul
- 1st Aid Kit including any medications you will need during your stay
- Cash – many places don’t accept card payment
- Any required printed out documents, eg. boarding pass for airline (there are no printing facilities during your trip)
- Tampons – these are not always available locally
Also, just a reminder to make sure you have the right travel insurance to cover outdoor activities – a condition of booking with us.