Zabljak

Zabljak is a town and a ski center located in the north-west of Montenegro, at the foot of the Durmitor mountain, at an altitude of 1465 meters above sea level. It is one of the most beautiful cities not only in the Balkans, but also throughout Europe. The city is located in the middle of a national reservoir with rare plant species and a rare wildlife among the pine forests that UNESCO included in the World Heritage List - with its unique natural resources.
  Modern name of the city appeared only in 1870, when the school and the church were simultaneously laid. The first Slavic name of this place was "Varezina voda", and later "Ganovi". Almost all of the original buildings were destroyed during the Balkan wars. It remains only the building of the old church of the Holy Transfiguration, built in 1862 as a token of victory in the battle against the Turks. Soon after that, Zabljak received the status of the city, several shops and cafes were opened. Thus, in the 1880s, Zabljak became the center of trade, becoming the administrative center of the region. Before the Second World War, Zabljak was a small town with a typical mountain settlement architecture. During the Second World War, Zabljak was burned to the ground. After the war, the city was reborn and became the center of winter sports in Montenegro.

The tiny town of Zabljak cannot boast of a heroic history, interesting architectural monuments or museums, but nevertheless hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over Europe come here every year to admire its natural beauties and enjoy active rest. In Zabljak there are many lakes, rivers, canyons, amazing caves, incredible mountain slopes. Here, tourists can try almost all kinds of outdoor activities - cycling and hiking on the slopes, horseback riding, skiing and snowboarding, mountaineering, rafting and paragliding. Rafting along the canyon of the river Tara, which is considered the deepest in Europe, will not leave anyone indifferent. 18 kilometers of a unique river route for rafting, here you can count more than 20 rapids and small waterfalls. Equally exciting is the conquest of the canyon Nevidio, and to conquer it, you need to jump into waterfall from a height of 3 m and swim in the crystal clear lakes. It's amazing how such a small country could accommodate so many stunning natural beauties, most of which are concentrated in the area of Zabljak - these are lakes, rivers, canyons, amazing caves, stunning mountain slopes, and much more.



Durmitor National Park is famous for its lakes, and one of the most famous is the Black Lake. It includes two lakes, which, merging, form a real waterfall. These lakes are also called Mountain eyes. The name of the lake is due to the mountain, which is reflected in the water, giving it a special black shadow. The water in the lake is very clean and especially pleasing is the fact that you can safely bathe in it.


Special attention should be paid to the local mountain caves, which are about 300, while many of them remain unexplored. The most popular with tourists is Ice Cave, which is located at an altitude of more than 2000 m above sea level and which is considered one of the main attractions of Zabljak. Here, glacial waters are constantly melting, making a bizarre lake surrounded by stalagmites and stalactites.

The infrastructure of the resort is well developed, here you can rent equipment, as well as seek help from the team of instructors. For the safety of tourists here is a huge team of rescuers on duty. Recreation here meets the highest European standards, while the price will be almost twice cheaper than in French or Italian resorts. Zabljak is surrounded by 23 peaks. The climatic conditions and the mountainous landscape are somewhat reminiscent of the famous Swiss Alps. Throughout the season the snow cover lasts from December to the end of March. The weather is at 2 .. 8 ºС. The snow cover is 40 cm. The most popular and best-equipped are the resorts of Jarovac, Savin Cook and Stuc, where you can practice all winter sports for 4 months, from December to April. For those who cannot imagine even a summer without snow, there is an open terrace Debeli Namet, on which snow lies throughout the year.

Savin Cook is located five kilometers from Zabljak, the total length of the tracks is 3.5 kilometers. This ski center is equipped with two chairlifts, one rope and two lifts for children, ambulance and rescue services, restaurants, a ski school and a snoubord school, and you can also use the ski and snowboard rental service. Another ski center – Bosac is located one kilometer from the city center of Zabljak. Trails here with a total length of 1.7 kilometers. For the convenience of athletes there is a double chair lift, a mountain rescue service and a restaurant. Descents of Stuc and Javorovac have 2.6 kilometers and 800 meters lenth, respectively. Trails are equipped with two rope and one children lifts. In addition, the resort Zabljak is appealed to those who prefer cross country skiing: specifically for this sport there are equipped trails from 3 to 12 kilometers. The main transport connection of Zabljak with the rest of Montenegro is the road through Mojkovac and the European highway E65. Also the road passing through Savnik and Niksic to Risan or Podgorica. The nearest airport is about 130 km from Zabljak - in Podgorica. And to the airport of Tivat the distance is 180 km. In Montenegro, taxi service is very well developed, and the shuttle to the main routes is made by buses. It is also possible to rent a car to get to the desired location. The resort town of Zabljak offers various accommodation options: from renting private apartments, rooms, houses both in the center of the city itself, and in close proximity to ski slopes to accommodation in hotels, among which there are several to distinguish.

Soa Hotel offers rooms with elegant furnishings and modern design. Dishes and drinks can be enjoyed on the spacious terrace with panoramic views of the surroundings. The Black Lake, the center of Zabljak and the bus station it takes 10 minutes walk. The ski slopes of the Savin Kuk resort can be reached by car in 5 minutes, and the Tara Canyon is 20 km away. Free private parking is possible on site. The hotel also has a ski storage room and laundry facilities. Staff at the Soa Hotel can organize fishing, canoeing and horseback riding, hiking trips for guests.

The Polar Star Hotel is situated amid the impressive mountains of the Durmitor region, the village of Borje, about 4 km from Zabljak. It offers stylishly decorated apartments and spacious rooms with panoramic views, an elegant bar and fine cuisine from Montenegro. All apartments at the Polar Star Hotel are equipped with a flat-screen TV with satellite channels and a DVD player. The small guests at the Polar Star Hotel will appreciate the children's playground and games room. Adults can visit the wellness center, sauna and steam bath, and relax during a massage. There are many restaurants and cafes in the center of Zabljak, there are also a lot of them on the Black Lake, in Stuc, Savin Kuk and elsewhere. Cafes and restaurants are always pleasantly surprised by the variety of local and European dishes and drinks. Among restaurants you can note: Hotel Soa Restaurant, Zlatni Papagaj, Momcilov Grad.

You should come and see with your own eyes the beauty of the local nature and get a charge of positive emotions and renounce daily problems and fuss. At the same time you will have an opportunity to try almost all kinds of outdoor activities - cycling and hiking on mountain slopes, horse riding, mountain skiing and snowboarding, mountaineering, rafting, paragliding and even canyoning.

Advantages of the ski resort Zabljak:
 

• Large elevation drop on some slopes;
• the possibility of year-round skiing in the town of Debeli Namet;
• Universality of the resort - it suits both beginners and professionals;
• as a bonus - the numerous attractions of the Durmitor National Park (mountain lakes including the famous Black Lake, glacial caves);
• curative mountain air of ecologically clean area;
• affordable prices in comparison with high quality of provided services;
• the possibility of a family holiday - there is all the necessary infrastructure including special lifts and schools for children.
   

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