Durmitor National Park is located in northern Montenegro and is a hiker’s paradise with dozens of trails interweaving through the park. These trails range from paths through forests to rocky, mountain views to lakes with plenty more in between. Honestly, one of the hardest things about visiting this region is trying to decide where to hike in Durmitor National Park.
I spent three days in Zabljak, just outside Durmitor National Park and tried to see as many great views as I can. So, if you’re planning a trip, here’s my recommendations for the best hikes.
Five Hikes in Durmitor National Park
Of course there are more hikes in Durmitor National Park than what I have listed here. For first time visitors to Durmitor National Park, these are the areas that you should focus on first. If you have extra time or it’s your second visit to the park, you may need to look a bit further to find more hikes.
Black Lake (Crno Jezero)
It seems like no trip to Durmitor National Park would be complete without visiting the Black Lake. This is one of the most iconic areas of the park and it’s easy to reach, even if you don’t have a car. For that reason alone, I think it earns a spot on this list.
You have a few options at the Black Lake. You could just find a spot along the lake and sit and relax. I did that two of my three days at Durmitor National Park, but since this post is all about hiking, let’s talk about the route around the lake.
There is a path that takes you all the way around the circumference of the Black Lake, so you can take in the views at every angle. Personally, some of my favorite views were closer to the start of the loop (when you first see the Black Lake), just because that’s where you can see the mountains. That said, there are good views around the entire lake.
You’ll want to allow 60 to 90 minutes to hike around the Black Lake, though your exact time depends on your hiking ability and how often you stop. Normally, I track the hikes with my Garmin watch but since I knew I was going to be stopping constantly for photos and breaks (I had a lot of time to kill that day), I never started my tracker.
For the most part, the route around the Black Lake is easy. However, once you reach the far side of the lake, you’ll pass a sign stating that the trail is dangerous. I wouldn’t call it dangerous, but this section of trail is more challenging than the rest of the trail. The ground is more uneven and there are rock steps. The steps get so steep at one point that there’s a rope drilled into the rock for you to hold on to. Honestly, I didn’t think it was that bad, but it’s definitely something to be aware of since much of the rest of the trail is very easy.
Zminje Lake (Zminje Jezero)
Zminje Lake is part of the Three Lakes hike at Durmitor National Park and is often combined in a loop that includes the Black Lake. But you don’t have to do the loop and can just visit Zminje Lake if you are interested.
The hike takes you through the forest, so you don’t get a ton of mountain views. For me, this is kind of a bummer, but at least the lake is pretty nice. Personally, I did enjoy the Black Lake more, but I will admit that Zminje Lake was nice too.
Technically there is a trail around Zminje Lake, but the route I was following was not easy an I gave up part way and turned around. It was constant up and down and I didn’t feel like my views improved at all. If I were to visit again, I’d take the trail to the lake and enjoy the views from that first view point, rather than trying to scramble my way around the lake. But if you like a challenging terrain, absolutely hike the path around the lake.
Trail to the Ice Cave (Ledena Pecina)
This next trail is a longer, more difficult trail, but you don’t have to hike the entire trail if you don’t want to. The trail leads through the forest and up through the mountains to reach a cave where you can see ice formations. Based on reviews for the trail, you shouldn’t enter the ice cave unless you have proper equipment.
But again, you don’t have to hike the entire trail. When I visited Durmitor National Park, I only hiked a portion of this trail. I just wanted some good mountain views after being surrounded by forests, so I hiked until I exited the forest and got some great views. It’s worth noting that the trail through the forest is a constant uphill and after you exit the forest, the terrain of the trail becomes more difficult. I have no regrets about turning around where I did.
So, whether you want a difficult hike or just want a taste of the mountains, this is a great trail to consider.
Curevac Viewpoint
I couldn’t write a list of the best hikes in Durmitor National Park without including something that overlooked the Tara River Canyon. This area is absolutely gorgeous and it’s some of my favorite views in Durmitor National Park.
If you have a car, you can drive close to the trailhead. If you are traveling without a car, it’s a 90 minute walk from the town of Zabljak to the trailhead. The walk is doable (I walked it), but long.
From the trailhead, it’s takes about 30 minutes to walk through the forest and up the rocky path to reach the gorgeous views. Note that the path starts off easy, but the second half of the trail gets steep. It’s not the steepest hike I’ve done in Durmitor National Park, but I feel like the beginning of this trail lulls you into a false sense of security.
When you reach the end of the trail, take in the views of the Tara River Canyon all around you. I don’t think there is a bad view anywhere up here. What is bad, at least when I visited, were the flying beetles that would not leave visitors alone. As much as I wanted to stay and enjoy the views, having to constantly swat at beetles got old quickly.
Bobotov Kuk
If you want to visit the highest point in Montenegro, you need to hike the trail to Bobotov Kuk. While you can technically reach the point from town, it’s going to be a much longer hike, so it’s likely best that you have your own vehicle and can drive to a trailhead that’s closer to the the top of the mountain.
Since I didn’t have a car in Durmitor National Park, I skipped this hike, opting to take in the more accessible hikes closer to Zabljak. However, visiting the highest point in a country is a bucket list item for some people, so I had to include this hike on my list.
Where I Hiked at Durmitor National Park
I had three days at Durmitor National Park and since I traveled without a car, I was limited to wherever I could get to on foot.
On my first day, I connected several trails to visit Zminje Lake, part of the Ice Cave Trail (just until I got out of the forest and into the mountains), and the Black Lake. This route was about twelve miles.
On my second day, I walked all the way to the trailhead to Curevac Viewpoint, visited the viewpoint, and then swung back by the Black Lake for some relaxation before heading back to my guesthouse. This was about 13.5 miles.
On my last day, my bus back to Podgorica didn’t leave until 5:00 pm, so I walked back into the park and finally walked the entire path around Black Lake before returning to town for lunch and to catch my bus.
More Things to Do at Durmitor National Park
There are more hikes at Durmitor National Park than just what I’ve included on this list, so if you haven’t had your fill of hiking yet, you should absolutely look into more hiking trails. As you’ll find out as you research and hike, there are crisscrossing trails all over the park to take you virtually anywhere you want to go.
Beyond hiking, there’s a few more things you should look at doing. If you have your own vehicle, I’d recommend driving through the park. I didn’t have a car, so I was limited to where I could visit on foot and there were just so many areas of the park that I couldn’t get to. There’s a big loop road that gets you to what looks like some incredible scenery so that’d be my first recommendation.
For other options, you can look into rafting on the Tara River, zip lining across the Tara River Canyon, or renting a bike (or e-Bike) to see other areas of the park.
How Long Do You Need at Durmitor National Park?
I’d recommend spending at least two days at Durmitor National Park. This gives you time to see a lot of the highlights at a reasonable pace. I spent three days at the park, but since I was traveling without a car, this gave me just a little bit more time so I could see a lot without feeling rushed.
As much as I like to travel at a quick pace, I think one day is just too little time at Durmitor National Park. Could you do it? Technically yes, but you’d be really limited in what you can see during your visit.
Do You Need a Car at Durmitor National Park?
I traveled around Durmitor National Park without a car and was able to get some great views and have a very good experience. That said, I did a lot of walking and hiking during my time here and I realize that’s not everyone’s preference. I do think it’s possible to travel without a car, and I wouldn’t change how I did my trip.
However, I do think a car will give you more freedom and allow you to see more of Durmitor National Park. There were so many areas of the park that I couldn’t get to because I didn’t have a car. So, while I don’t regret traveling by foot, I would rent a car if I were to ever return to this part of Montenegro.
Ultimately, I think it comes down to what you want to get out of your trip. If you’re happy with hiking and not getting to every single view and want to save some money, you can explore on foot. If you are traveling with a small group or really want to see as much of the park as you can, rent a car.
How to Get to Durmitor National Park Without a Car?
If you don’t have a car, you’ll still need to get yourself to Durmitor National Park. The easiest way to do this is by bus. There are several buses per day that depart from Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, bound for the town of Zabljak. The bus takes about two and a half hours.
You can purchase your ticket online at busticket4.me, but note that you often need to have a printed ticket in Montenegro. Some bus stations will allow you to print the ticket there (like Podgorica), but otherwise you may be stuck trying to find a printer in town (like Zabljak).
When I made the journey, I got to the bus station in Podgorica and was told that for the bus to Zabljak, I didn’t need to have a printed ticket. In Zabljak, I also bought my ticket online, but I should have just purchased it from the bus driver. My journeys were on different bus lines and their approach to tickets were very different. In hindsight, I think I would have just purchased tickets from the bus station (in Podgorica) or the driver (in Zabljak) rather than mess with the online ticket sales.
That said, if you purchase your ticket online in Zabljak, you’ll need to have a printed ticket. The easiest place to do this is at the T-Com store in the center of town. You can go in, send them an email, and pay just ten cents per page for anything you need printed.
Entrance Fees for Durmitor National Park
Entrance to Durmitor National Park costs 5 euros per person. If you’ll be visiting across several days, or will be visiting other national parks within Montenegro, you can pick up an annual pass for 13.50 euros.
I purchased my annual pass at the Durmitor National Park Visitor Center. If you plan to do this as well, make sure you have your passport. I was able to get by with a photo of my passport on my phone, but it would have been so much easier if I had had my passport with me.
Final Thoughts
Durmitor National Park is a hiker’s paradise and there are so many great options here. But since so many trails intersect each other, it’s easy to choose your own adventure and make your own route covering the highlights of this beautiful part of Montenegro.
