Durmitor is the most beautiful mountain in Montenegro. Tectonic activity, erosion, rivers, and glaciers have created a magnificent mountainous world that is good for hiking in a day.
With peaks, glacial valleys, and a handful of mountain lakes, known here as "mountain eyes". The sharp peaks and ridges make it an ideal place for hiking in winter and summer. In a relatively small area of the Durmitor massif, there are as many as 48 peaks over 2000 m, including 40 over 2100 m, 27 over 2200 m, 18 over 2300 m, seven over 2400 m, and one over 2500 m (Bobotov Kuk).
In the same area, there are 17 lakes above 1400 m, of which 11 are above 1500 m, 1600 m above 9, 4 are above 1700 m, two are above 2000 m (Green Vortex and Milos Pool), and the deepest is Black Lake (49 m). The same area has 27 marked and 12 unmarked hiking trails and the marked trails are more than 2000 km in length. You can go through all parts of Durmitor and discover this national park's beauty.
What to expect
If you want to experience this beautiful place with the surrounding areas, a unique feature of this hike is the beauty of the magnificent mountain scenery, the gaining height of breathtaking and from their peaks offers fantastic views of the distant horizons of Piva and Tara, and the highest mountains of Albania, Serbia, and Bosnia (Prokletije, Kopaonik, and Zelengora).
Experienced or not, you can hike and enjoy the impressive views of the glacial lakes, mountain peaks, and meadows.
It is a place to visit if you want to enjoy nature with activities that make everything feel like an adventure, taste delicious organic food and have fun. You can experience all of this when you take yourself, your friends, or your family on a trip to hike the famous Durmitor:
- A landscape of beautiful meadows, glacial lakes, and mountains
- The spectacular and best view of Škrtčka Lake
- A visit to the small lake Zeleni Vir and its surroundings
- Delicious, authentic food from these mountains
- Mountain peaks like Prutaš and the interesting Šareni Pasovi
- Possibility to visit the attractive Black Lake (Crno Jezero)
Route information
Welcome meeting and departure
We meet about 15 minutes before the start of the hike at the car park at Trg "Durmitorskih ratnika" in Žabljak for a "welcome meeting" afterwards, transport to the hike's starting point.
The Saddle Pass (Prevoj Sedlo) is located at 1907 m above sea level, between the "Sedlena greda" (Ray) and the "Uvita greda" at 2199 m above sea level. From Žabljak, we drive to Šavnik, and at the exit from Žabljak, we turn to Trsa and Lake Piva. After the turnoff, there is a 14-kilometre narrow asphalt road to the Sedlo Pass, where you should pay close attention to traffic coming from the opposite direction.
Arrival at the starting point of the hike
Arrival at the Sedlo Pass (Prevoj Sedlo), the starting point for the hike, about 17 km from the "meeting point". Preparations for a safe hike. The hike begins with a short introduction to the practice and safety precautions by your hike leader.
Setting off for the hike
Downhill hike through the beautiful areas on the Saddle Pass (Prevoj Sedlo) and the surrounding area. The ascent leads first on the meadow, then over the moraines, and emerges in a sharper climb to the saddle between "Sedlene grede" and "Vjetrenih brda" at 2231m. This part of the climb leads to kuloár, where one can climb to the pass. This part of the climb involves a difference in altitude of 100 meters. If you are not a skilled climber, do not go through kuloár, but skip it and continue climbing on the left, a well-established, non-dangerous, partly grassy path.
In the following, the path leads up and down through the valley, which is called Surutka. It comes to a pass, which offers a very beautiful view of Bobotov Kuk. Below the pass is a large rock wall, and at the bottom is a small lake called Zeleni Vir. This lake is located at the highest elevation of Durmitor. Before the last very steep ascent to the pass at the foot of the peak Bobotov Kuk at 2523 m, one should take a break.
From the "Zeleni vir" trail starts sharply shin, in curves, through the green slope clenched between Đevojke and "Lučin vrh", out of the saddle on the right Bobotov Kuk, and then moves left to a small ridge on the left that connects Bobotov Kuk and Đevojka. This is the "Škrčka pogled" (shrinkage view) at 2420 m, the best place from which to see Škrčka Lake and the Sušice river gorge. The trail goes behind Bobotov Kuk, and its right side heads it behind on the summit.
This part of the climb is very sharp but has no heavy elements if it is done when there is no snow. When there is snow, climbing equipment (crampons, ice axes, rope, helmet) is required to overcome this slope. The climb to the summit starts on the east side and passes under a rock on the west side, where the next pass is. For this part of the winter conditions, climbing equipment is also needed.
Climbing on the summit, return to the starting point and lunch
Climbing to the final destination, the peak Bobotov Kuk, where we take a short break and enjoy the view, return hike to the starting point Sedlo.
Lunch package. You will enjoy a delicious lunch with local cuisine specialities, including a phenomenal sandwich or baguette with cheese cream (kajmak) and smoked prosciutto, water or juice, and some fruit.
Return to the meeting point in Žabljak.
Return journey from the starting point in Sedlo to the meeting point in Žabljak, or according to the program.
Our drive from Sedlo takes about twenty minutes through the village of Durmitor, with spectacular views of the Durmitor and Žabljak surroundings.
Arrival in Žabljak and end of the hike
Arrival at the meeting point at the car park at Trg Durmitorskih ratnika in Žabljak, at the hotel, or as part of the program. The hike's endpoint is Žabljak; the town is located in the centre of the Durmitor Mountains and is the highest town in the Balkans at an altitude of 1,456 meters.
After the hike, you can visit Black Lake, part of the national park, and you have to pay an entrance fee of €3 per person. Children under 7 have free entry. There is a 4 km hiking trail around the lake. It is an easy path (with a few steps) through the forest, and there are many places to picnic and enjoy the view.
We hope you had a memorable experience, and we welcome you back. Goodbye!