Durmitor Park in Montenegro is located in a mountainous region, in the north-west of the country. Two large rivers flow here – Piva and Tara. The reserve includes 23 mountain peaks at an altitude, some exceeding 2300 m. The park with an area of 15782 hectares includes 82 km of the Tara canyon with a height of 1600 m. This is the deepest canyon in Europe.
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Description of the park
The Durmitor reserve is part of the Dinara mountain range. Features – high peaks, a lot of forest, trees, there are deep gorges. It is inhabited by unique species of animals and birds. More than 1500 species of flora and 130 species of birds have been found. Hunting in the reserve is prohibited.
Often in Durmitor, Montenegro, you can see frozen ponds in the photo. There are 17 glacial lakes in the park, and the highest peak in Montenegro is Bobotov Kuk, whose height is 2522 m. To protect the natural landmark in 1980, the park and the Tara Canyon became a UNESCO site. In 1977, the Durmitor Nature Reserve in Montenegro was declared a World Ecological Heritage of Humanity.
Seven areas of the territory are included in the number of specially protected areas (ICUM):
- fir forest;
- Black pine in Crna Poda;
- Canyon Susika;
- lake Barno;
- Zabaykalsky Krai;
- Tara Canyon;
314 animals that are part of the Red Book of the country live here. During the tour you can see 163 species of birds. However, they rarely appear on popular tourist routes.
During World War II, a big battle took place near the resort of Zabljak . Eight monuments and memorials were erected in his memory. They can be visited during an excursion to Durmitor, Montenegro, photos are not made to order, tourists take pictures of the sights themselves.
Excavations and archaeological research are still ongoing at this site. Therefore, part of the territory may be closed from visits.
Entertainment and attractions
If you carefully study Durmitor in Montenegro on the map, you can see many historical and natural attractions. They are located throughout the reserve, paths and roads lead to them. There are places closed to tourists, but they are few. Sometimes the sights of Durmitor are restored or prepared for tourist visits.
The main advantage of the national park is the ability to plan hiking trips. There are several routes for walking one-day trips. For multi-day stays, you can stay at the campsites on the lake.
lakes
In Durmitor Montenegro, in the photo you can see many lakes and natural reservoirs. They are scattered throughout the park, some of them are equipped for swimming and sunbathing. So you can combine being in nature in the forest and a beach holiday. Excursions to Durmitor lakes are recommended to be booked in advance.
Things to consider:
- Summer evenings and early mornings can be chilly. Be sure to take warm clothes.
- Insect protection. There are a lot of mosquitoes and forest midges here, a recipient is needed, protection from a tick that is found in the forest.
- Food and water. There are several shops in the Durmitor Montenegro reserve. But the prices in them are higher than in the resorts of the country.
The most popular body of water is Black Lake. It is located in the central part, it is easy to find it in Durmitor on the map. From the main entrance you need to walk 15-20 minutes.
Tara river canyon
It is part of the Durmitor National Park in Montenegro, it can be seen in the photos of many tourists vacationing in Montenegro. There are two types of excursions to the Tara Canyon – a sightseeing tour passing along the upper part of the sights of Montenegro and rafting on the river on inflatable rafts.
The first one is suitable for a relaxing holiday, during the trip the guide will tell you about the nature and features of this part of the Durmitor National Park. On special viewing platforms you can take beautiful photos. During the tour, travelers will be offered breakfast and lunch from national Montenegrin dishes.
Rafting on the Tara River is suitable for lovers of extreme recreation. And although the river becomes relatively calm from June to October, tourists can get on small rapids during the rafting. Often escorts arrange races between teams of inflatable rafts.
Features of rafting on the Tara River in Durmitor Park:
- The water temperature in summer is not higher than 10-11°C. Swim carefully.
- The water in the river is drinkable and clean.
- There is only one stop along the way. Therefore, it is recommended to bring water bottles with you.
- Children under 10 years old are not allowed to raft for safety reasons.
The route along the Tara River ends at the place where it flows into the river. Beer. Here, on a rocky shore, there is a small restaurant and a tourist base. After the trip, a hearty lunch will be offered. If tourists and independent travelers like this program, the organizers will offer rental of small houses. Here you can rent tourist equipment, rafts, kayaks.
Reserve caves
The peculiarity of the reserve is a network of underground caves. Some of them are open for excursions, some tourists are not allowed to stay. The largest cave in Durmitor Park is Ice Cave. It is open to tourists, it has comfortable paths, stops and signs with descriptions. It is located 7 km. from the resort of Zabljak, on the northeastern slope of Mount Obla Glava.
Information about Ice Cave:
- The entrance is constantly covered with snow due to the location. The sun’s rays do not reach here.
- It is difficult to get into the Ice Cave not along the tourist route, the elephant is icy, you need special equipment.
- Inside there is a park of ice sculptures of natural origin – stalagmites and stalactites.
- The total length of the Ice Cave in Durmitor Park, Montenegro on the map is 100 m, width – 40 m.
- The temperature inside, even in hot summers, does not rise above +10°C.
At the bottom there are many small glaciers, in the center there is a lake. There are many passages inside, but it is dangerous to walk along them without a guide. In this part of the Durmitor National Park, there is a complex system of underground passages several tens of kilometers long.
villages
On the territory of the reserve there are several villages in which Montenegrins permanently live. Most of the villages have preserved traditions in the preparation of local cuisine – prusha, kaimak, cheeses and wine. The appearance of the houses resembles an open-air historical museum.
Tourists are advised to stay here for a maximum of 1 day. In Montenegrin villages you can try national dishes, buy souvenirs. In Durmitor Park, Montenegro, photos of tourists are devoted to nature, rarely you can see the landscapes of villages.
When visiting, it is recommended to see the savardaki. These are cone-shaped residential buildings with a thatched roof. They were traditional dwellings for Montenegrins living in the mountains. This design retains heat well. Now they house restaurants, small hotels.
Other attractions of Durmitor Park
On the territory of the Durmitor National Reserve on the map you can see many villages, cities and resorts. There are historical sights that can be visited during leisure or independent travel. It is recommended to look at the photo in Durmitor Park, so that later it would be easier to find a place.
Historical attractions:
- Dzhurdzhevich Bridge. Built to pass through the canyon of the Tara River, it is the highest arched bridge in Europe. Here you can take beautiful photos of the Durmitor reserve, stops are allowed.
- City of Pljevlja. Here are excavations of an ancient Roman settlement. Several mosaics, parts of the walls and the floor remained from it. Restoration work is still underway; tourists are not allowed to enter part of the territory. Additionally, you can look at the monastery of the Holy Trinity and the mosque of Hussein Pasha Bolyanich.
- The village of Nikovichi. They contain a recently discovered ancient Roman burial. But all the exhibits were transferred to the National Museum of Montenegro, so you can only look at the excavations.
- Shchepan Pole village. It is located at an altitude of 400 m above sea level, it was an outpost and a fortress of the peoples inhabiting this place. The remains of the Sokol fortress, built in the 14th century, the Church of John the Baptist, 15th century, have survived to this day. In the latter, a monastery is equipped; tourists are not allowed to enter.
- Piva Monastery. It is located in the south of Pluzine, built in the 16th century. Features – well-preserved architecture of the Middle Ages, good olive oil is made here.
Vacationers can book excursions to these places or rent a car for independent travel. You can do the latter at any large resort or at airports in Montenegro . The latter will be convenient, since you will have to return the car to the place of departure home.
How to get to Durmitor Park
The central city of the reserve is Zabljak. Ways to get to Durmitor, Montenegro, how to get there depend on the season. In summer, this can be done through the Tivat airport, where charter tourist flights arrive. Travel time will be 1.5-2 hours. But this option is inconvenient due to the long travel time. Therefore, if the purpose of the trip is only Durmitor Park, it will be convenient to get to it from Podgorica Airport.
From the bus station, the capital of Montenegro, a regular bus leaves for Zabljak every half an hour. The fare is 7 Euro. For vacationers visiting the country for the first time, this can be considered the first sightseeing tour. Buses pass along the mountain serpentine, the windows offer a view of the nature of the country, forests and mountains.
Traveling from Budva or Herceg Novi will take longer. The fare is 10-15 Euro. However, during the journey, you can take a photo of the Durmitor reserve by examining the route map. It is more difficult to get to the park by car if you have no experience of driving on mountain roads. Local drivers follow the rules of the road, but they react very sharply to violations and mistakes of other participants.
Accommodation on the territory of the reserve, meals
It is recommended to book rooms in hotels or inns in advance. On the map of Durmitor Park, you can find several accommodation facilities. Most of them are small hotels or houses, utilized for national architecture. The price of the room includes the change of linen, there are air conditioners, TVs, cable Internet connection or Wi-Fi. Usually you can order breakfast, All Inclusive programs are rare.
Where you can stay in Durmitor Park for summer or winter holidays:
- Ethno village Sljeme. Located on the territory of the reserve, it consists of several cottages in the national style. The cost of living for 2 adults is 1750 Euro for 7 days. Advantages – large houses and rooms, meals at a local bar and restaurant, you can book tours of the Durmitor park.
- Rooms And Bungalows Sreten Zugic. Small two-storey guest villa, price for 7 days – 585 Euro. Suitable for a budget holiday. You can order breakfast, there is a place for parking.
- family apartments. This is a wooden three-story log house, in which there are 7 rooms. They differ in size, each has air conditioning, a refrigerator. Rooms with a kitchen must be booked in advance. Price – 1200 Euro.
- Guest House Tiha Noc. Small private villa, number of rooms – 4. Convenient location, there are no residential buildings nearby. Price – 650 Euro.
Catering in Montenegro is convenient. When renting a room, you can order breakfast, lunch and dinner is better outside the hotel or villa. In restaurants and cafes, food portions are large, be sure to try cold cuts, local cheeses and wine.