In small Montenegro there are as many as five national parks. In this article I will talk about them from the point of view of a tourist. Is it worth it to go, about attractions and entertainment, how long will the visit take. There will also be my personal subjective rating, which will help you better understand what each national park in the country is like.
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National parks of Montenegro: list, map, general points
Montenegro is a very small country. You can easily drive the whole country from border to border in 3 hours. At the same time, 82% of the country’s territory is mountains. And 4 out of 5 national parks are in the mountains.
All the national parks of Montenegro are marked on the map below.
A few general points:
- These parks are not accessible by public transport. You need a car.
- The only park that can be reached by bus is Durmitor. However, it is still about 4 km to walk from the bus station to the park entrance.
- The two most accessible parks on the coast for tourists are Lovcen and Lake Skadar. They are located 30 km from the seaside resorts of Montenegro.
- The other three parks are located in another part of the country near the border with Serbia.
- By the way, car rental in Montenegro is simple and not expensive. All about car rental in Montenegro.
Below is a brief information about each of the five national parks of Montenegro. You will learn about the main attractions, prices, I will also give a personal rating on a scale from 1 to 10. And extended reviews about visiting each park with photos can be found at the links below.
Biogradska Gora National Park
Biogradska Gora is very popular among Podgorica residents on weekends. It takes only an hour to drive from Podgorica by car along the toll highway. There are a lot of people here on weekends. So plan to visit on weekdays.
- Park entrance coordinates: 42.915140, 19.577886
- Ticket price: 4 euros per person, car parking – from 1 eur/hour
- On the territory of the park there are: a restaurant, a souvenir shop, toilets, pavilions and barbecue grills for picnics.
There are about 10-15 marked hiking trails in the park. But 99% of all tourists do not come here for hard hiking. In the center of the park there is a very beautiful Lake Biogradsko, and around it there is a 3.5 km hiking trail without climbing or descending.
It’s quiet, beautiful and very peaceful. You can also rent a boat or kayak and swim on the lake.
- A detailed overview of visiting the Biogradska Gora National Park is at the link.
Author’s rating:
5 out of 10. Yes, this national park is beautiful, but it does not cause wild delight. It’s good to come here for half a day. But for the whole day you can go here only for a picnic. Also, the park is well suited for walking with children without a stroller. Durmitor and Prokletije parks are much more interesting and there are much more beautiful locations.
Lovcen
Lovcen National Park is the closest to the popular beach resorts of Montenegro. You need to drive a little over 30 km from Budva and Kotor. This will take about 40 minutes.
Lovcen Park is located on the mountain of the same name – Lovcen. And here, from the slopes of the mountain, you will see:
- A large number of observation platforms with views of the Bay of Kotor
- The village of Njegusi, where every family makes homemade prsut and cheese for sale.
- Mausoleum of Njegos, the ruler of Montenegro on the top of Mount Lovcen
- The first capital of Montenegro is the city of Cetinje at the foot of Mount Lovcen
- And a few more interesting places and locations
Read a detailed review about visiting Lovcen Park here.
- Entrance coordinates to the paid part of the park: 42.4007701001903, 18.827511737249907
- Ticket price: 3 euros per person + 8 euros for visiting the mausoleum
- There is a restaurant where you can dine or quench your thirst.
Author’s rating:
3 out of 10. In my opinion, this is the most uninteresting park in Montenegro. Especially the paid part of it, it is not worth the money. This park is for those who want to go to the mountains from Budva for a couple of hours and sunbathe on the beach again by lunchtime. Then this is a great option. But, for those who are interested in the beauty of the mountains, I recommend Durmitor and Prokletije parks.
Skadar lake
National parks of Montenegro are not only about mountains. Skadar Park is the only one where the largest lake in the country is located under state protection.
Skadar Lake is also the largest freshwater lake in the Balkans. It is divided between Albania and Montenegro approximately in half. The lake is a reserve for many species of birds and plants.
There is only one entertainment for a tourist: a boat trip on Skadar Lake and admire the beauties around.
- The boat trip costs about 25 euros. The exact price depends on many factors, including your ability to bargain.
- You can find the boat by the coordinates (Virpazar): 42.2461872567081, 19.09132998026524
- Read a report about Lake Skadar and a boat trip here.
Author’s rating:
4 out of 10. Skadar Lake is located on the outskirts of the country’s capital, literally 5 km from Podgorica. And it’s not far from the coast either. There are no special activities other than a boat trip on the lake and lunch in a restaurant near Virpazar. The whole tour will take you a couple of hours. If you have little time in Montenegro, and there are a lot of places you want to visit, then Skadar Lake can be crossed off the list to visit.
Durmitor
And now we pass to the most interesting. The remaining two parks are the pearls among national parks of Montenegro. Durmitor National Park is far from the coast: 2.5 hours by car. It makes no sense to go here for one day without spending the night, you need at least 2-3 days.
- Coordinates of one of the entrances to the park: 43.151150230541234, 19.1030050777103
- Ticket price: 5 euros
- Time to visit: 2-3 days
- Accommodation place: Zabljak
- There are a huge number of cool locations both in the park itself and beyond. You will see:
- Mountain pass Sedlo
- Black Lake with views of the peaks of the mountains
- A masterpiece of engineering: Djurdjevic Bridge
- The Tara River Canyon is one of the deepest canyons in the world
- Mount Bobotov Kuk and hiking on it. By the way, this is the highest peak in Montenegro
- About 25 marked trails for mountain trekking
- And much more.
A detailed report about Durmitor Park and all its attractions is at the link.
Author’s rating:
9 out of 10. A very beautiful and interesting park that every traveler who loves hiking and mountains must visit. You need to come here for 2-3 days, as there are more than enough natural attractions here. If you take all the national parks of Montenegro, then Durmitor is definitely in the TOP-2.
Cursed Mountains or Prokletije National Park
Cherry on the cake of the country’s national parks. This is the most remote park from all tourist routes. It is located in a mountainous region on the border with Albania. By the way, this is the only national park that is absolutely free to visit.
Attractions here are only mountains and hiking, and there are a lot of them. There are both for a couple of hours and for the whole day. These are the most beautiful mountains in Montenegro.
An extensive overview of the Prokletije park in Montenegro for active tourists.
- Coordinates of the most beautiful valley in the Prokletije mountains: 42.51287999472343, 19.77992971162285
Author’s rating:
10 out of 10. Views of incredible beauty, these are the real Albanian Alps, or rather their very beginning. If you love mountains, then this is the place for you. You need at least 1 full day for hiking to one of the peaks of the park. If you have the opportunity to come for 2-3 days, it will be great. There are places for tents right in the Grebaje valley.
National parks of Montenegro: tips for visiting
I’ll try to summarize all of the above:
- If you don’t have time or a car, if you want to go to the nearest mountains from the coast for half a day, then Lovcen National Park is for you. There are no other options.
- An excellent option for a one-day trip from Podgorica without an overnight stay with a barbecue will be Biogradska Gora Park. But you need a car. You can’t get here without it.
- Skadar Lake National Park is a slightly different type of recreation. There are no mountains here, and a great boat trip awaits you. 2-3 hours is more than enough for this park.
- Well, two pearls among natural beauties are Durmitor Park and Prokletije Park. I recommend visiting both for at least 2 days. You can’t get here without a car. But those beauties that you will see will remain with you for a long time.
In conclusion: the national parks of Montenegro make up a very small list of 5 points. But if you consider that the country is tiny, then 5 national parks is already quite a lot. Mountains, rivers, canyons, high mountain passes and breathtaking views – that’s what awaits you.
Resources to help you plan your dream trip to Montenegro
- Aviasales – Cheap Flights and best deals.
- Car rental in Montenegro:
- DiscoverCars – a large international platform.
- LocalRent – works with local rental companies. Leader in car rental in Montenegro.
- Hotels and apartments all over the country:
- Tours, excursions and activities (including extreme ones):
- GetYourGuide – more than 430 tours
- Viator – 780+ excursions and activities throughout the country
- Comprehensive travel insurance: EKTA
- Internet and Calls:
- Airalo eSIM in Montenegro
- Drimsim – universal sim card for frequent traveler
- Taxi and airport transfers: Intui.Travel