Meander Through Montenegro – Guided or On Your Own
The tourism scene in Montenegro is still mainly focused on the country’s gorgeous coastline, where boats and beachgoers flock to the sparkling Adriatic Sea. But the government is now trying to find ways to bring responsible, sustainable tourism and nature-travelers into the country’s northern areas, hoping to extend the economic benefits of tourism to more remote areas, without trashing the place in the process.
We spent three weeks this past June in Montenegro – and the highlight was a bike trip that roughly followed “Top Trail 4″ in this map which you can order here. We also spent a couple weeks hiking, rafting and exploring the country by car while based out of Kolasin.
Our suggestion: on your next two-week holiday be brave and book yourself a flight to Podgorica, Montenegro. Take the first day to get your bearings in this capital city before starting your explorations of this compact, mountainous country, which as we were told, “would be as big as Russia, if you ironed it.”
The road out of Podgorica into the mountains gets rocky fast. Our group headed out with our bikes on a trailer uphill past the historic village of Medun, the site of numerous struggles throughout the ages. (Montenegro’s history is bursting with stories of treachery and bravery, and stoic survival throughout its various histories - Illyrian, Roman, Slavic, Venetian and Turkish.)
Biking through the karst mountain areas, with the views to Prokletije (the word literally means ‘damned’) mountain range, the evidence of glacial erosion is beautiful: gray rock swirls and dips with such dramatic force it looks as though it’s flowing and moving. These steep, difficult mountains have kept the area uninhabited except for a few scattered katuns (groups of houses) with horses roaming in the green fields, and the views for bikers and hikers are rarely obstructed by any man-made constructions.
Bike tours can last as long as you wish, and will take you through country that’s both rugged and gentle. I went crazy one day in the fields of wildflowers – yellow, purple, and blue – the blossoms foaming over the edges of the dirt cliffs. We lunched on the shore of a turquoise glacial lake, its surface dotted with sprays of white flowers, and millions of small periwinkle butterflies.
Another day, in the rain, we paused at a small katun, while our local friends from the city shared newspapers with the people living in the mountains. The mountain families shared lunch – cheese, meat and the local liquor, which should not be missed. Accommodation runs the gamut from camping to bunking in mountain huts – rooms typically have two beds each and can feel a little cramped, but will provide a nice break from your tent and are especially welcome if it’s raining!
You have a couple options: you can take the do-it-yourself route – Montenegro is navigable if you’re on your own – or you can call in the support of one of the local tour operators. Be sure to request or plan a visit to the Katun Vratlo with views to the mountain peaks around, and ride towards Zabljak with views of Sinjajevina.
Besides the hiking and biking, we also recommend trying a day canyoning in Nevidio, rafting in Tara Canyon and exploring the botanical offerings of the mountains – it abounds with rare azaleas and orchids.
Whichever way you choose to travel, remember that time moves at a different pace in the mountains…as our friend Tane says, “I am allergic to watch. I tell people, ‘You come with me you bring calendar, not watch!”
To learn more about travel to Montengro see www.montenegro.travel.
Contact information for recommended operators:
Black Mountain Montenegro: Jack Delf
Canyoning in Nevidio: Misko Kosic
Montenegro Adventures: Slavica Vukcevic
- Christina Heyniger
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