Durmitor

Glorious mountain full of water

Great news for the nature and adventure lovers! Continuing our hiking the Balkans journey, allow me to show off a bit with "look what we've got" kinda attitude and take you to the most amazing place. Durmitor mountain and Durmitor National Park. If you want to plan a small escape to the remote spot, away from polution and technology, than this is the right article for you. However, bring your camera or phone at least, as I guarantee you will take the most amazing, jaw dropping pictures in this region. Already jumping off your chair? Then keep scrolling.

Durmitor, a part of the Dinaric Alps, is a massif located in northwestern Montenegro. Its highest peak, Bobotov Kuk, reaches a height of 2,523 meters. The massif is limited by the Tara River Canyon on the north, the Piva River Canyon on the west, and by the Komarnica River Canyon on the south. To the east, the Durmitor opens to a 1,500 m high plateau, called Jezerska Povrs (Plateau of Lakes) where also Sinjavina mountain is located. For the most part located in the Zabljak municipality, the massif gives its name to the national park that comprises it, which was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1980. Keep reading and looking at these images, and you will quickly understand why.

The origin of the name “Durmitor” is uncertain, but one of the most plausible explanations is that it is derived from the Celtic words “dru mi tore”, meaning a mountain full of water. Indeed, the mountain really is full of water – aside from the River Tara and its many tributaries, there are over 18 glacier lakes,while almost all of them above 1,500 metres.

The Durmitor National Park, created in 1952, includes the massif of Durmitor, the canyons of Tara, Susica and Draga rivers and the higher part of the canyon plateau Komarnica, covering an area of 390 km². It is the largest protected area in Montenegro, where you may find amazing camps created by locals so that you can rest from all those hiking and assimilate in the culture, even for a few days. The founders of the magnificent camp had the idea of basing the concept on the traditions of Montenegro’s mountain inhabitants, known in the region for their strength and bravery. So if you need a break from monotonous, busy life and you want to spend some time in the middle of nowhere, welcome to Vranjak, an eco camp named after the wild black horses that roam the nearby pastures. The camp consists of luxury wooden huts, with memory-foam mattresses and an in-house menu of locally produced organic food. Bon apetit! For those of you who are nature lovers yet comfort people too, be relaxed as the huts have electricity, modern eco toilets and showers. Also, they are incredibly comfortable and perfect spot to share a meal with your friends on a traditional long table near the camp fire and the stone oven.

Since you are there, then you should definitely visit the town of Kolasin to explore one of the newest monasteries in Montenegro, built in the 1990s, and make sure to stop for a meal at one of the many authentic ethno-restaurants next to the river in this picturesque mountain town. I will definitely reaveal more about this hidden gems in the articles to follow.

While visiting Durmitor National Park, what you should definitely do is take a stroll at the Biogradska Gora National Park and check out the Biogradsko Lake, which is situated between the rivers Tara and Lim. The scenery is simply stunning, and one of the park’s outstanding features is its virgin forest, one of the last three such areas in Europe and hence understandably under special protection. As you pass the villages on the way, you will be able to see authentic local architecture and mills situated on the edge of the forest.

Finally, you cannot go to this region without rafting on the River Tara, one of the most beautiful rivers in Montenegro. The river is fed by springs and tributaries all along its length, while numerous waterfalls come down the canyon at several points, some of them 30 metres high. I promise you, being in the middle of this beautiful canyon is a unique experience, and the river is calmer towards the end of summer, so you will have lots of opportunities to take photos and capture the beautiful green and blue colours that surround you. However, it is definitely a great idea to plan your winter trip there too, just make sure you bring all the warmest clothes, and of course positive spirit.

This has been a rather brief overview of the Durmitor mountain and all the activities offered in the region, which you may check out bellow. I did not want to reveal way to much, but only to tickle your imagination and inspire you to get up, book your tickets and embark on this journey. I am sure you will thank me later, especially when you check out all those photos you have taken. Stay tuned for more inspiration to come!