The Natural Adventure Company

North Montenegro Short Break

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Overview for North Montenegro Short Break

This is a short version of our Summits and Lakes of North Montenegro self guided
walking holiday which features two of the most untouched natural environments in
Europe, including the beautiful Biogradska Gora, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, one of
the last three primaeval rainforests in Europe and Durmitor National Park, a UNESCO
World Heritage site.

Highlights
Mount Bjelasica
Biogradska Gora National Park & Biogradsko Lake
Durmitor National Park and its glacial lakes
Dubrovnik (only if flying via Dubrovnik airport)

Itinerary for North Montenegro Short Break

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Day 1: Arrival
Arrival from the airport (Podgorica, Tivat or Dubrovnik) by public transport (or we can
arrange a private transfer). On the way to Kolasin you will pass through the impressive
Moraca Canyon where you can take a break and visit the 13th century Moraca
Monastery. The Moraca Monastery is one of the best preserved Serbian medieval
orthodox monasteries. Overnight in Kolasin.

Accommodation: 3-star Hotel Čile in Kolasin or similar

Day 2: Bjelasica Mountain

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This morning, after breakfast, you will start your walking. The path leads you to the heart
of the Bjelasica Mountain. The hiking is mostly uphill and on pastures and grassland. At
the end of your invigorating first hike, you’ll arrive at the Katuns or Shepherds’ huts,
which are traditional mountain houses found all over Northern Montenegro.
Traditionally, rural farming families close their village homes and move to these simple
cottages during the summer months. Life in the katuns is rustic and simple and you will
have a chance to feel the real rural life of the Montenegrins.

Walking for the day: 6-7 hours, 16 km ↑950m ↓250m

Overnight in the traditional mountain hut Katun Vranjak (private rooms/huts but shared
facilities!)

Day 3: Crna Glava Summit

During this day’s walk, you will hike the gentle green slopes and summits of Bjelasica.
This is a circular walk heading to Crna Glava, the peak of Bjelasica, passing by two lovely
mountain lakes. There are excellent views to the shepherds’ villages below your trail as
well as to the surrounding mountains. On the way back you will have time to take a short
break and taste the crystal clear water from the spring of the Biogradska river which is
the main water supply for Biogradsko lake.

Walking for the day: 6-7 hours, 16 km ↑700m ↓750m

Overnight in the traditional mountain hut Katun Vranjak (private rooms/huts but shared
facilities!)

Day 4 – Biogradska Gora National Park and Biogradsko Lake

The first part of today’s hike passes through the highlands of Lica mountain – heading to
the hidden shepherd’s village of Goles Katun where you can stop for lunch or try a
selection of home-made products. The forests are the most important natural feature of
the park, as the 1,600-hectare woods are one of the last three primaeval forests in
Europe so that you will be passing by 400 to 500 years old trees.

On arrival to Biogradsko Lake, you will have plenty of time to relax and take a walk
around the lake. We will then transfer you to Durmitor National Park through the canyon
of the river Tara. Before you arrive in Zabljak, which is located in the heart of Durmitor
National Park, you will be able to view one of the most beautiful bridges in this part of
the world – Djurdjevica Tara bridge.

Walking for the day: 5 hours, 12 km ↑350m ↓950m

Accommodation on days 4 and 5: local guesthouse, private en-suite rooms. Optional

upgrade to Hotel Zabljak or a similar 3 or 4-star hotel.

Day 5: Durmitor Circular Walks

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Option 1: The Bear Summit circuit
After breakfast you will take a trail that passes by the Black Lake and then up into the
mountains, hiking through a changing landscape of fir forests and low alpine vegetation.
Your destination is the Previja Pass (2,145m), located beneath the heights of Medjed
(Bear) peak (2,287m), where you will enjoy a scenic lunch enjoying the majestic vistas
below. While bear and wolf are rarely sighted in the park, there is a chance of spotting
chamois on the high mountain slopes, as well as fox, weasels and badger. After your
lunch break, you will head back down to Black Lake, following a trail that takes you via a
shepherd’s camp at Lokvice, before returning to the accommodation.

Walking for the day: 6-7 hours, 13 km ↑800m ↓800m

Option 2: Jablan Lake

One of the most charming lakes of Durmitor National Park, Jablansko lake is also the
highest one in Durmitor (1,791m). The trail to this lake is well-marked, but it is one of the
paths least used by hikers. You will enjoy the calm and quiet as you pass through woods
and pastures and can even take some time for a refreshing swim in Jablan lake. You will
also enjoy excellent views from the trail to the most prominent lake in Durmitor – the
Crno (Black) lake.

Walking for the day: 5-6 hours, 14 km ↑450m ↓450m

Option 3: The Three Lakes Tour

The last circular walk by the three Durmitor lakes is a relaxing one, with an optional
rest/swim in Crno Jezero (the Black Lake). The terrain is flat, and a path leads through a
fir and pine forest. During this hike you are going to see Barno, Zminje and Crno lakes,
Barno being the smallest and Crno the biggest. Return to your accommodation

Walking for the day: 4-5 hours, 12 km ↑150m ↓150m

Day 6: Departure or Onward Travel

(optional private transfer to Dubrovnik or Podgorica Airport).

Hotels for North Montenegro Short Break

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Middle class hotels, guesthouses and mountain lodges as indicated in the itinerary. All
hotels have private en-suite rooms (the only exception being the overnight at Katun
Vranjak, where the rooms are private but facilities are shared). We have carefully hand-
picked all hotels and lodges and we regularly monitor their quality. We have tried to
choose accommodations that offer friendly service, clean and comfortable rooms, and
great local cuisine.

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*Hotels are subject to availability. In case a particular hotel is fully booked for your desired
dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide to you
exact accommodation details upon booking confirmation.

Meals
Breakfast is included. When no restaurant location is available on route lunches and
snacks should either be bought from local shops, or you can pre-order packed lunch
from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your
hotel or restaurants and taverns in the village near your hotel.

Travel for North Montenegro Short Break

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Recommended airport

Our recommended arrival airport for this holiday is Podgorica as it provides much
shorter transfer times to Kolasin on Day 1.

Search for flights to Podgorica

Alternative airport

Alternatively, flights are available from the UK via Dubrovnik (Croatia). Although transfer
time is a bit longer, you can add an extra night in Dubrovnik before or after your holiday
and explore this beautiful city.

Search for flights to Dubrovnik

Transfers to/from Podgorica

Day 1- From Podgorica To Kolasin

–Take a taxi from Podgorica airport to Podgorica bus station 15-20€.

–By bus from Podgorica bust station to Kolasin –buses depart approximately every 30
minutes from Podgorica to Kolasin. The ticket costs 4€-5€.

Day 6 – From Zabljak to Podgorica airport

There are regular direct public bus transfers from Zabljak bus station to Podgorica bus
station on day 8 for about 10 Euros per person. Then take a taxi from Podgorica bus
station to Podgorica airport for 15-20€.

Transfers to/from Dubrovnik

Day 1 – From Dubrovnik To Kolasin

-Take bus from Dubrovnik airport to Dubrovnik bus station (Atlas buses upon arrival of
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every scheduled flight) – price 40HRK (5.5€)

– Take the bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor: there are two daily buses to Kotor.

-By bus from Kotor to Kolasin: several buses are departing from Kotor to Kolasin every
day. The ticket costs 11€.

(Please note – to make it for the last 3 pm bus from Dubrovnik to Kotor your flight arrival
time should be not later than 12.30pm. Any later arrivals would need an overnight in
Dubrovnik or a private transfer to Kolasin)

Day 6 – From Zabljak to Dubrovnik

Buses are available from Zabljak to Dubrovnik, but you need to change coach in Niksic
and/or Trebinje. Total cost is around 60 Euro pp. Then take a taxi from Dubrovnik Bus
station to Dubrovnik airport.

Private Transfers
Private transfers can be an economical alternative to public transport in Montenegro, in
some cases equal to the cost of public transportation in the UK. We can arrange private
transfers from/to airport to/from hotel for arrival and departure – please indicate that
you want a private transfer when completing your online booking form.

Baggage Transfers
Luggage transfer is included, and your bags will be transferred by your current hotel (or
by private transfer) to your next hotel. Baggage limit 25 kg per bag.

Montenegro: Country Info

Timezone: GMT +1
Language: Montenegrin (a variety of Serbo-Croatian). In big cities, many people
speak English, but in remote areas, this might not be the case. However, most of
the hotel staff where you stay speak English and are ready to help you. Road
signs/markers are normally in Latin alphabet – and you can always call our 24/7
helpline if there are any problems.
Electric supply and plugs: 220V, 50hZ, two-pin round plugs.
Currency: Euro. We strongly recommend taking sufficient cash for your daily
requirements. Banks and ATMs are available, and credit/debit card payments are
widely accepted in towns and cities and big petrol station chains but might be
limited at some of the villages we visit.
Up-to-date travel advice on Montenegro is available here. Detailed travel and
country information is provided in your holiday information pack.

Trip Info for North Montenegro Short Break

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Difficulty Grade: Moderate

Appropriate for regular walkers. Requires a reasonable level of fitness. The trip covers an
average of 14 km (6 hours) of hiking per day. Average daily elevation gain is 500 m (read
more about difficulty grades).

Route Navigation
Most of your walks will be on unpaved timber roads and hiking trails, although a few
sections may include walking on asphalt. Most – but not all – of the trails are well-marked
and signposted. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to
shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with
detailed road notes and maps and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number
anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday
information pack.

When to Go
This trip is available from June until September. In early June there could be occasional
patches of snow in the higher parts of the mountains. July and August are the busiest
(and the hottest!) months, and it is preferable to book as early as possible. The flexibility
of self-guided holidays and the fact that there are no fixed dates gives you the
opportunity to start your trip at any time of the season. Please indicate your desired
starting date when booking.

Weather
Usually, you can expect excellent weather in Montenegro from April to November.
Montenegro has a Mediterranean climate, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively
cold winters with heavy snowfall inland. There is a chance of sporadic rain in spring and
autumn, though generally, this is in the form of short showers. In July and August, it can
become very hot, and you must take enough water for your walks. You can expect cold
nights in the Durmitor Mountains and on higher altitudes it is possible to have light
snowing in April, May, October, November.

What to Bring
We recommend that you travel as light as possible – airlines might charge you an extra
fee, and during ground transfers, the place might be limited. Ideally, you should bring
one piece of luggage weighing not more than 25 kg (to be checked in) and a daily pack
(15 – 20 l rucksack) for your everyday essentials (snacks, drinking water, camera, etc.).

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Below is a non-exclusive list of what you should bring to this trip. More detailed info will
be included in your holiday information pack. If you need further advice, please contact a
reputable outdoor retailer or us.

Good hiking boots

Hiking socks
Several t-shirts (cotton or preferably breathable/fast drying)
Packable waterproof and windproof jacket with hood
Synthetic mid layer or warm fleece
Trainers and/or sandals – to relax and wear inside accommodation
Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip salve
Hat/Baseball cap
Personal First Aid kit (wet wipes, flu remedies, stomach remedies)

Included for North Montenegro Short Break

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Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and
regularly updated route descriptions and road notes; maps with daily routes and
optional hikes marked
Accommodation for 5 nights in hand-picked 2 to 3-star hotels or family-run guest-
houses as listed in itinerary (including 2 nights in a simple but charming mountain
lodge, private huts but shared facilities and no electricity)
5 Breakfasts
Daily luggage transport to next accommodation of one bag of up to 25 kg per
person
All internal ground transfers as listed in the programme
24/7 phone assistance by our local representative

Single Room & Solo Traveller Supplements

Where individual members of a group require a single room, a single room
supplement is applicable (click “check availability” above to see availability and
pricing for your desired dates)
This holiday is available for solo travellers. As costs are not shared, a supplement is
payable on the standard trip cost

Options and Extras

Private airport transfers
Optional hotel upgrade on Days 4 and 5

Excluded

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 Flights and connecting land transfers to first / from last accommodation (private
airport transfers available, choose when booking)
Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
Travel insurance
Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
Any items not explicitly mentioned in the program

Gallery for North Montenegro Short Break

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North Montenegro Short Break
Average rating: 1 reviews
Aug 28, 2019
by Stephanie on North Montenegro Short Break

We just finished this tour today and we were really impressed with the logistics of everything on our transfer
sheet. Every accommodation and transfer was as described and to plan. When we got slightly lost on the first
day, our local 24/7 help line was able to talk us through and help navigate back to the intended trail. The eco
village was charming, and we thoroughly enjoyed seeing Northern Montenegro / the Balkans through this short
trek.

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