Mountaineering, rock-climbing in Montenegro

Most tourists suggest that rest in Montenegro offers only a magnificent tan, sun, sea and lots of water fun only in the summer. Experienced travelers and lovers of extreme types of recreation know: in Montenegro you can have a great rest in the highlands, and, unlike the coastal places of the country, there is something to do all year round. It is impossible to convey the beauty of the northern part of Montenegro - mysterious gorges, at the bottom of which flow the fast mountain rivers, winding serpentine and mountains, mountains, mountains - to infinity. These places cannot be forgotten.


Rock climbing and mountaineering are among the most popular types of outdoor activities in Montenegro among tourists. Many come here in order to get the best in the world extreme rest, namely, to conquer mountain peaks. These mountains, in addition to the main function, also carry a lot of surprises for the tourist, because along the way one can see majestic ancient monasteries, ancient fortresses, secret warehouses and bunkers, glacial caves and lakes formed in ancient times. And still there are quiet and cozy villages, whose inhabitants are very hospitable and they themselves offer tourists and overnight accommodation, and delicious traditional treats and strong national drinks.

Mountain trekking in Montenegro.

What is Trekking? Translated from English, trekking means hiking in mountainous terrain on a rough terrain without special training of participants. In other words, Trekking is a cognitive touristic tour (including mountain tourism with the category of complexity up to-IV), including acquaintance with natural and historical monuments, which can last from several hours to a week.

Trekking in Montenegro is also one of the most popular types of outdoor activities, as it is here that tourists can fully satisfy their sporting excitement, as well as get acquainted with local attractions, from natural and historical. A big advantage of tracking in Montenegro, especially for experienced tourists is that you can go on hikes all year round - even in the cold winter months, the air temperature in Montenegro is about +15 degrees on the coast. The trails here are well-trodden, marked and safe, and the guide for hiking is not difficult to find, including the Russian-speaking. But still the best time for hiking is the period from May to October. Tracking in the national parks "Biogradska Gora" and "Durmitor", which are located in the north of Montenegro, is possible only in the summer months, since in winter the temperature is low and there is a lot of snow on the slopes of the mountains.

The main places for mountaineering and rock-climbing in Montenegro.

1. Mountain range Durmitor.

The Durmitor mountain range is one of the most famous places for rock climbing in Montenegro, which has gained popularity among professionals from all over the world. There are mountains in the National Park Durmitor in the north-west of the country. On the territory of more than 39,000 hectares there are several different mountain peaks 2000 meters high and higher (Besimeni Vrh (2487 m), Minin Bogazh (2387 m), Medjed (2,287 m), Savin Kuk (2313 m), Planinica (2330 m) - that's where you really can turn around ...
Durmitor (Nacionalni park Durmitor) became a national park in 1958, and in 1980 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In Zabljak, the International Competitions of Alpinists in Durmitor are held.

In Montenegro, tourists are offered a huge choice of mountain routes of different levels of complexity, the choice of which primarily depends on the experience of the person and his desire. Having set out on a hike along the mountain paths, you will surely see a stunning and in some places untouched nature, namely - ancient forests, picturesque canyons, many lakes, springs and the legendary "Bobotov kuk" - this is the highest point of Montenegro - 2523 meters above the level seas.

Climbing Bobotov Kuk for each person will undoubtedly become an unforgettable journey. You will see an ancient forest, in the middle of which there is a unique Black Lake. It is actually two lakes (Small and Large), connected by a duct. This pond is called "mountain eyes". On a steep mountain path, you can walk to the mysterious Ice Cave. Dripping from her arch the water forms a small lake, around which stalactites and stalagmites hover ...

It is also worth mentioning that kilometers of explored and marked mountain roads make Durmitor one of the desired places for active recreation of tourists, choosing it from all over the world!

The main locations: Boljske ridge, Zubci mountain, Mount Lojalnik, Mount Sleme, Terzin Bogaz mountain, Mount Savin Kuk, Mount Bobotov Kuk, Mountain Obla Glava, the Crvena range.

2. Podgorica is the capital of Montenegro.

Podgorica and its mountainous surroundings are in the central part of the country. In the district there are almost 150 places and paths of varying degrees of difficulty for mountain climbing.

Just 5 kilometers from Podgorica, in the town of Smokovac, one of the most famous climbing walls of Montenegro is located at the exit of the Moraca canyon. The rocks in this area provide opportunities for ascent to a variety of distances: and short sports - about 20 meters (there are about twenty here), and longer, up to 120 meters above sea level.

Among all the rocks on the test site in Smokovec there is one - about 30 m high and 200-250 m wide, with sharp differences in heights and characteristic relief. The rock is oriented to the west, so it is suitable for rock climbing and in the summer months, but only in the mornings. Access to it is short and well equipped, and the surface is convenient for installation of safety equipment. The quality of the routes laid along the rock is confirmed by climbers from different countries - Slovakia and Italy, Austria and Poland, Slovenia and Serbia.

The main locations: Mount Smokovac, Mount Fundina, Canyon of the River Moraca, Canyon of the River Cievna, Bioce Mountain, Sienicke Rock, Piperska Rock, Dromira Mountain.

3. Lovcen National Park.

Fans of mountain tourism and the legendary mountain Lovcen will be attracted to the territory of Lovcen National Park, the ascent to which will give an unforgettable experience. You will see ancient churches, numerous rock crevices, summer huts of shepherds ("katuns"), mysterious caves and, of course, the most famous mausoleum of Peter II Petrovic Njegosh, erected on top of Jezerski.

The main locations: Mount Lovcen.

4. The mountain range Kucke.

The mountain range Kucka is located in the north-eastern part of Montenegro and has 8 mountains suitable for climbing. The highest peak - Surdup - 2184 meters above sea level. In this area there are several unspoilt mountain lakes.

The main locations are: Mount Pasjak, Mount Surdup, Mount Stitan, Veli Torac mountain, Great Tolevac mountain, Velji Vrh mountain, Debeza mountain.

5. Mountain range of Komovi.

The Komovi massif is a mountain chain that is located in the east of the country, on the border with Albania. Komovi is a primordial world and a kingdom of harmony of nature. The top of the Kom Kucki massif is 2487 meters.

The main locations: Vasoevicki Kom, Kucki Kom, Ljevorecki Kom.

6. The mountain ranges of Moracke and Maganik.

The mountain ranges of Morachke and Maganik are located in the canyon of the Mrtvica river in the central region of Montenegro.

The main locations: the canyon of the river Mrtvica.

7. Mountain range Orjien, Bay of Kotor, Kotor.

These mountains are located in the south-west of the country along a beautiful and picturesque bay and is considered the largest massif in the Adriatic. Basically, just here lovers come to walk around the mountains, as there are quite a few well-known and popular mountain footpaths and paths, as well as not very steep rocks. In addition, on the territory of the mountain range you can find an abundance of historical monuments, architectural buildings of different times and various attractions.
Alpinist competitions for the Montenegro Cup take place every year in the Kotor area.

The main locations: the mountain near Orahovac - Izvor Ljut, the ridge Reovacka, the mountain of Subra, the mountain near the old Kotor.

8. The Prokletije mountain range.

In the north-east of Montenegro there are the most wild and inaccessible mountains Prokletije, with the main mountain - Gusinje, designed for extreme mountaineering and professional rock climbing. There are mountains in the territory of the Prokletije National Park. Climbing is only for experienced people.

The main locations: Mount Gusinje.

9. The Heil mountain range.

The northern cliff on the Hail crest is located in the north-east of the country, on the border with Kosovo and Serbia. Here you can conquer the abundance of peaks, the height of which exceeds 2000 meters.

The main locations: the northern cliff on the Hail crest.

10. Neighborhoods of Niksic.

Mount Vučje is located in the central part of Montenegro in the vicinity of Niksic in the direction to Kolasin. In 2010, at the foot of the mountain massif a small modern ski resort was built, which is of the same name "Vučje". Two years ago there was opened a new highway. In addition, in the Niksic area, alpinist competitions for the Montenegrin Cup, the Durmitor International Mountaineering Camp, are held annually.

The main locations: Mount Vucje.

11. Mountains of Maglic, Bioc, Volujak.

These mountains are located in the north-west of Montenegro, on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Also, in the vicinity of the mountains there are several mountain lakes and rivers.

The main locations: Mount Bioc, Mount Maglic, Mount Volujak, Trnovacki Durmitor.

How to get to the mountain routes?

In Montenegro, there are several options, how you can get to the very place that attract all lovers of extreme climbing to the tops of the mountains:
 

• Buy an excursion in the city where you rest. For example, in a travel agency or on the embankment of Budva, Petrovac, Kotor, Tivat, Herceg Novi, Dubrovnik, etc. You will be picked up early on a comfortable bus, taken to the original point of the mountain ascent, and afterwards brought back.
   
• Go by bus. Every day and round the clock, a huge number of buses and shuttle buses run through Montenegro, which will take you to any city. All these buses during their movement also stop in the intermediate cities - for example, if the bus follows from Budva to Zabljak, then it stops in cities such as Cetinje, Podgorica and Niksic. In addition, the driver can stop the bus while driving in the place you need, unless of course you agree with him in advance.
  
   See the schedule of buses in Montenegro for every day you can here
   
• Go by own or rented car. Here, of course, it should be said that although the distance on the map does not look very large, but because of many mountain serpentines, narrow roads, one-way traffic and frequent repairs, the road will take longer than expected. For example, it takes about 4-5 hours to go from the coast to the Durmitor National Park and the famous Durdevic Bridge, which is in the center of Montenegro. The advantages of this method are obvious - you choose the route, time of departure and the city for visiting and sightseeing and historical places during the trip.
   

It is not necessary to stop in the immediate vicinity of mountain ranges. At a distance of 100-200 km. from the places of climbing or mountain trekking routes both in the central part of Montenegro and in the resort towns on the Adriatic Sea there are beautiful hotels and apartments for every taste and purse. View all offers for housing in Montenegro and book your favorite room here or in our free app "Guide around Montenegro / Way to Montenegro" on Google Play.

The list of necessary equipment for mountaineering:​
 

• Clothing (avoid cotton);
• Backpack;
• Climbing boots (or military boots);
• Spare shoes;
• Whistle;
• Protective cream with UV protection 15 or higher;
• Lip cream or grape oil;
• Zinc;
• Compass or GPS-navigator;
• Matches in a waterproof box and / or lighter;
• Map;
• A bottle of water is 1.5 liters;
• Energy snack;
• Money;
• Documents (identity card or passport, medical book, alpinist book, driving license, travel documents, etc.);
• Clock;
• Waterproof bags - for storing everything that should remain dry;
• First-aid kit with first aid (bandages of different widths, elastic bandage, adhesive plaster, sterile gauze, antiseptic (iodine), analgesic for musculoskeletal system (ibuprofen ...), activated charcoal + personal necessary medications).
   

To climb a mountain / glacier in winter you need to take:​
 

• Extra sunglasses, the best skiing;
• Ice ax;
• Climbing helmet;
• The balaclava;
• Climbing belt;
• Avalanche probes / alarm clocks-locators;
• Avalanche spatula;
• Trays for snow (allowed ski poles);
• Climbing boots for snow;
• Crampons;
• Extra warm clothes, preferably from fleece;
• Gloves (regular, reliable ...);
• Impregnation for climbing shoes (if they are leather);
• Climbing rope 9 mm (1 on 2);
• Snowshoes or skis;
• Ice hooks;
• Winter sleeping bag (for temperatures from -20 C).

The main advantage of mountaineering, rock climbing and hiking (trekking) in the mountains of Montenegro is that such trips are possible almost all year round. Of course, the best time for hiking is the period from May to October-November. But even in the relatively cold and rainy months, January, February, March and April, Montenegrin seaside has many sunny and warm days with daytime temperatures of 15-17 degrees, comfortable for walks in the mountains over the Bay of Kotor and Skadar Lake.

The unique terrain, fascinating routes and stunningly picturesque landscapes - thanks to these Montenegrin mountains every year enjoy increasing popularity with climbers. If you like active rest, then Montenegro is for you!

Climbing clubs in Montenegro:​

Mountaineering Association of Montenegro
Address: Bracana Bracanovica 68 / A, 81 000 Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone: +382 20 622-220
E-mail: info@pscg.me
Website: www.pscg.me

Club "Durmitor" 
Address: Zabljak, Montenegro
Phone: +382 69 480-644
E-mail: vitkos@t-com.me
Website: www.durmitor.com

Company Komovi
Address: Novaka Miloseva 10, Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone: +382 68 687 405
E-mail: info@komovi.org.me
Website: www.komovi.org.me

Company Gorica
Address: Bracana Bracanovica 68 / A, Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone: +382 69 606-148
E-mail: planinargorica@t-com.me
Website: pkgorica.me

Company Prokletije
Address: Ahmet Rekovic, Plav, Montenegro
Phone: +382 69 500-675
Website: www.psd-prokletije.org

Company Bjelasica
Address: Kolasin, Montenegro
Phone: +382 67 594-794
Website: www.pkbjelasica.biz.ly

Visokogorci Crne Gore Company
Address: Podgorica, Montenegro
Phone: +382 67 541-116
E-mail: visokogorci@gmail.com
Website: www.visokogorcicg.com

Company Vjeverica
Address: Kotor, Montenegro
Phone: +382 68 794-867
E-mail: vjevericakotor@gmail.com
Website: www.vjeverica.org

Company Unlimited
Address: Niksic, Montenegro
Phone: +382 40 259-152
E-mail: pdunlimited@gmail.com
Website: www.pdunlimited.org

Pestingrad
Address: Kotor, Montenegro
Phone: +382 67 813-457
+382 69 369-217
E-mail: pkpestingrad@yahoo.com
Website: www.pestingrad.com

Subra Company
Address: Herceg Novi, Montenegro
Phone: +382 69 430-070
+382 68 110-150
+382 69 348-600
E-mail: subra@t-com.me
Website: www.pksubra.me
 

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