Crown of Montenegro

Through the miracle-working monastery to the beautiful devil on Sinjavina. Surfing on the waves of Durmitor, and on the highest asphalt in Montenegro. To the crack that brings us back to reality and tells us where we belong. Falling into the blue lake, crossing a two hundred meter high arch. Out of spite, to the other side of the crack. At the end: getting to know the river that will later become famous We also start this route from the intersection near the "Keto" hotel - this time we head towards the center of Podgorica and following the signs to Nikšić, so we get on the E762 road.

At the beginning of the 22nd kilometer, we will turn right, into the center of Danilovgrad. It is worth staying in the center and walking among the old facades, before continuing on the road to the Ostrog monastery.

The wide new road to the monastery climbs gently and takes us to the views of the long valley of Zeta (Bjelopavliće). We pass a couple of restaurants along the way, quickly reach the lower, larger part of the monastery (the church of the Holy Trinity from 1824 and the inn) and the intersection where you turn sharply right towards the upper monastery. That part of the road is steep (10%), very narrow and with quite a lot of traffic, so "L" and "M" campers should definitely be left here (the best and most appropriate would actually be to leave every vehicle here) and continue on foot, along a 3 km long path with which we will quickly reach the goal.

The two small churches of the upper Ostrog monastery are petrified verses built in the caves of the Ostroška greda cliff, dizzyingly high above the Zeta valley. The monastery was founded in the 17th century by Saint Vasilije Ostroški, and to this day it remains the most valued place of pilgrimage in Montenegro and is one of the most visited monasteries in the entire Balkans. People come here with the hope of a miraculous cure, so believers from all over the world, Christians and Muslims, are not rare - so expect a crowd on the large terrace with an incredible view. Two small churches are painted with frescoes. In the one dedicated to the Presentation of the Holy Virgin and in which the relics of Saint Basil are also located, the frescoes are made on the rocky walls. The large lodge is a place where many will stay overnight. If you care to wait for the sunrise here and there is no room in the inn, you can join those who will spend the night on the terrace.

From the junction near the lower monastery, we start downhill. The road here is also narrow (although not like on the climb to the upper monastery) and there are alternating sections with good and bad asphalt. The left side of the road that floats over the depth is unfenced, and juggling with other vehicles requires a driving routine. It is claimed that the road is under the protection of the saint and that no accidents happen on it, but those who are less religious and more nervous will do better if they return to Danilovgrad and from there take the main road to Nikšić.

The others will also have to overcome a short piece of macadam (150 m). On the last third of the descent, we pass a large restaurant and motel "Koliba", and more restaurants await in the village of Bogetići, near the exit to the highway to Nikšić.

At the same place in this village, there is also a branching off to the old road to Danilovgrad - fans of the serpentine with a great view should take the time to detour to that side, and descend into the valley via Glava Zeta to the motel of the same name.

We are back on the E762 highway, which will quickly bring us to the western edge of Nikšić. The route takes us through the city center, then on the old road to Šavnik (R5).

Climbing this route is an experience in itself. Narrow and winding, it takes us to the extraordinarily beautiful areas of Lukovo, Ivanja and Krnovo, from which the magnificent Durmitor slowly rises. Vehicles are rare, so we will have time to enjoy the landscape that the road brings us and places in the palm of our hands. Open, undulating areas bordered by tufts of forest or the rocks of the surrounding peaks – that's our feast on the menu for this section. The road is also passable for "L" campers, but their drivers will occasionally have to drive slowly and carefully. It's not about dangerous places, it's just about maneuvering in curves.

At the beginning of the 86th km from the start, turn right for the Vučje ski center (accommodation, cycling, sports fields, rafting and other activities in nature).

In the middle of the 98th km, we pass an intersection where the new road to Šavnik comes from the left. Later we will return here and head to that side towards Plužine, and now we continue to the right, towards Šavnik. Soon we pass the charming little restaurant "Naše selo" and 4 km further the ethno-village "Čvorovići".

To reach Šavnik, hidden deep in a large mountain funnel through which the Bukovica river flows, you still have to go through serpentines on a descent about 5 km long. The maximum gradient is about 9% but the road is wide enough and good for easy driving.

In the center of Šavnik (113 km) there is a motel and a couple of shops, and for a nice little square above the river, which is a great place for breakfast or lunch "out of a bag", you need to go down (on foot) about a hundred meters from the main road.

At the opposite end of Šavnik is a crossroads where you turn right onto the old road to Žabljak (our route). But here we will first continue straight, on the new road to Žabljak and a short section to the Nevidio canyon. Just 3 km further on, we will turn left, and a few hundred meters further we will come to the restaurant "Jatak" (where they also offer accommodation in small bungalows with electricity and bathroom, scattered around the meadow) and the ethno-village "Nevidio" (a settlement with comfortable log cabins, restaurant). Here you should leave the camper (motorcyclists and cars can continue) and follow the road another kilometer to the entrance to the canyon.

Nevid is about 3 km long, deep – and so narrow that in some places it could be jumped over. It is said to be the last conquered canyon in Europe (the first passage happened in the sixties of the last century) and this incredible place is worth every moment of time and every effort we would put into passing through it. However, for this we need a guide and equipment (diving suit, because of the cold water in which you need to spend a lot of time). We can inquire about everything in the ethno-village, and besides, we can climb up the road to the bridge over the beginning of the canyon, for the sake of the view from above.

Asphalt continues in the direction of the village of Duži and towards Plužine, but that very beautiful road unfortunately remains outside our route because it later contains a very long macadam section. However, we definitely recommend those with vehicles that are "not afraid" of such a roadway to continue there - in the "tunnel" intersection behind Plužine, they will reconnect with the route.

We return to Šavnik and at the previously mentioned intersection we turn uphill onto the old road to Žabljak. About 3 km further is the place where the road to Boan branches off to the right - we will go there at the end of our route, but that moment is still far away. Now we continue straight and begin a new enjoyment of idyllic scenes, in meadows and pastures that tickle the eye with green color and colorful grasses and flowers.

We pass the village of Mljetičak (134 km), which is one of those places where you should stop. At first glance, there is nothing to see here besides the monument to the famous battle from the Turkish era, but there is a local shop-café where you can take a nice break and breathe in the fresh breath of Durmitor. Tranquility, the feeling that we are far from all the worries, doubts and problems of the world - an atmosphere for a high five.

Having reached the plateau of Mount Sinjajevina, the magical sister of Durmitor, we arrive at a place with a wonderful view of the mountain range, where we should also turn right, towards the nearby (yet hidden) Devil's Lake and the village of Njegoduja. The road to get there is a bit narrow for "L" campers, but it is passable. (Vehicles are very rare, so we won't have to rub shoulders with others much).

Vražje jezero is not far from the crossroads – a small turquoise gem that is silent on the wide, open palm of Sinjavina. In the meadow that gently flows towards the water, you should be quiet for a while.

Less than a kilometer away is the brast-twin, Riblje jezero. To the left of the road at the northern corner of the lake is an ancient cemetery (called a "Greek cemetery" here) with interesting stećaks.

The beautiful area behind Bar Žugić. There is no one who will not stop here more than once, to look back and turn, chasing their own escaped gaze, because this is one of the most beautiful landscapes in Montenegro.

Down the slopes of the Kučajevica forest, we quickly descend to Njeguđa. There (161 km) there is a place where everyone, except perhaps the driver of the "L" camper, will turn right, on the detour to the 3.5 km distant Zminički lake. The road is narrow (min. 3m) and undulates over low hills, and on one short downhill (70 m) the gradient is 11%. To get to the lake, we will first pass through a narrow picturesque valley between Šarigora and the northern side of Kučajevica, all the way along the edge of a wonderful golden pine forest. The lake is a lonely, lost, secret beauty that shines among the waists of reeds and green palms of water lilies.

From the lake, we return to Njeguđa, exit the road that leads from the Tara canyon to Žabljak (R5), and soon arrive in the "capital" of Durmitor.

You can stay in Žabljak (or its surroundings) for days, hiking, walking around the Black Lake or (for those who are not afraid of cold water) swimming in it, so a decent-sized book could be written about this town (which others and did - more than once).

We will therefore concentrate on our route: near the center of Žabljak we turn right, on the detour to the village of Mala Crna Gora and the canyon of Sušice. This is not an experience for "L" campers as the roads are narrow and the gradients are significant. "M" campers can go, but drivers should again be prepared to drive carefully.

The road from Žabljak takes us to the west, through an area called Pitomine for no reason - the seductive beauty of the meadows here is particularly highlighted by the harsh outlines of Međed, a boulder that rises above Black Lake.

Four km from the center of Žabljak is a turn (right) for the Ćurevac lookout from which you can see the Tara canyon, and we will continue to the left and through the thick coniferous forest begin a serious ascent towards the restaurant "Momčlilov grad" and the Štuoc peak. The road twists and turns uphill, the asphalt is narrow - and the views are wide and magnificent.

Turn right towards the restaurant 8 km from Žabljak and after about a hundred meters you will reach the parking lot behind which a stone building and a terrace with an extraordinary view spread out. Next to it is the end station of the ski lift. Back to the road that continues to climb, but gently, to the pass below Štuoc. The altitude is 1952 m - the highest point in Montenegro that can be reached by an asphalt road. And the entire section from Momčilovo town to Mala Crne Gora is one of the most beautiful in Montenegro.

A little before the pass there are a couple of points from which the best view of the Tara canyon can be seen. The road is deserted, so we can stop to admire and enjoy it, before starting a steep (up to 11%) descent through the coniferous forest. Before we enter it, a view of the mountains to the west of Durmitor opens up: first of all, the undulating, rugged beauty of Piva mountain, and then the distant, majestic, sharp silhouettes of Bioč, Maglić and Volujko, on the border with Bosnia.

We reach the road junction for Mala Crna Gora across a plateau full of waves, along which the road jumps like on a slide in an amusement park. Motorcyclists in particular will be invigorated here, but they should not lose sight of the fact that, although there is practically no traffic here, a vehicle can still appear at any moment from an endless bend. Maybe another two-wheeled traveler is coming from the other side, who is so excited that he forgot to look in front of him?

We will not go to the village itself (although those who like to explore will find a lot of interesting things there too), but continue to the left and downhill, towards the Sušice canyon. But since the asphalt from here is only 2.5 m wide, the intersection is probably the farthest point for "M" campers.

The end point for the others (?) is 2 km further, at the point where the macadam leading into the canyon separates on the right, while the asphalt extends for a little more than a kilometer, to the nearby Katun Ograda Koliba.

To the right of the intersection, we can walk to a place about a hundred meters away among the pines, from where there is a view of the magnificent, wild canyon of Sušice. (Caution: cliff edge!)

Something else can be seen from this place: on the opposite wall of the canyon, a thread of macadam climbs with difficulty, towards the edge that has been cut off like a knife. It is the road to the village of Nedajno, a wonderful opportunity for those looking for more robust vehicles to continue this circuit of ours.

That combination looks like this: first a 5 km descent to the bottom of the canyon (slopes up to 11%, mostly bad – loose – macadam). One narrow piece a few hundred meters long (in a place where a landslide often works). At the bottom of the canyon are a mountain lodge where you can spend the night, and a timid lake that hides in the tall, silky, dark green grass in summer, and returns in winter and spring. From there, there is a 6 km ascent on similar macadam (albeit slightly better, without landslides and with a slope of up to 10%), to the beginning of the asphalt in Nedajno. The condition of the road depends on the moment we come across it - when it is freshly repaired (which usually happens at least once a year) it can be passed even by a standard passenger car. And if the driver is not standard - that is, if he belongs to those who, in pursuit of beauty and experience, do not shy away from forcing their four-wheeler on weaker roads.

In any case, those who make it to the other side will have a rich reward - fantastic scenes in the canyon, an adventure rounded off in the most beautiful way, pride for winning over this big crack... The others will return back (it's not bad at all to enjoy the wonderful road to Žabljak once again ) and to the other side of the canyon, which you could almost throw a stone from a slingshot to, probably only reach the next day. And here we are again in the center of Žabljak. Once again: you should stay here for a couple of days, visit Crno, and at least Zminje jezero, take the cable car to Sava kuk...

And once we move on, we will reach the new road to Šavnik in a short time. At 2 km from the center, we will turn right from it, onto the old road towards Motica Gaj and the cable car "Savin kuk". Car-camps "Kod Boće" and "Razvršje" are located near this intersection.

At 7 km from the center of Žabljak, there is an intersection where "L" campers should turn left, onto the new road to Šavnik and Nikšić, which will then take them to the Nikšić - Plužine road. Right after Plužine, at the "tunnel" intersection, it will join the route again.

The same applies to "M" campers as it does to the road to Little Montenegro: passage is possible (and somewhat easier) with careful and patient driving. Of course, everyone else will also continue straight here, and thus begin the second southern part of the circle around the crown of Durmitor.

We should expect quite different landscapes than in the northern part of the circle: here everything resembles the rocky parts of the Andes, with unusual perspectives, and Martian landscapes in long or valleys framed by strange cliffs.

About 500 m beyond the intersection we pass a camp with bungalows, the road from here is about 4 m wide. We pass under the striking, huge dome of the Stožina peak, which stands out above everything else and is the trademark of the Pošćenska Valley, whose stone chaos opens before us.

The road is cut into the steep sides of Lomni Dol and Uvita Greda, and on it we will have the feeling that we are a fly crawling on the wall - the perspectives here are among the best in Montenegro. We slowly climb towards the Sedlo pass (8%), passing the "Lomni do" tavern (which mainly serves to spoil the atmosphere of this unique place) and the Studenac spring.

The pass is at a height of 1895 m above sea level, and it is again the border of two worlds - on the other side, the road descends (8%) into the grandiose cirque of Dobro dol. There is also a rest area with enough space for parking, from which the hiking trail leads to Škrčko Jezera and Bobotov Kuk, the highest peak of Durmitor (2523 m).

We are still waiting for a lot of sightseeing in the wonderful, sometimes alien-looking areas. We will also pass places from which you can clearly see the crazy, vertically inverted layers of rocks on Prutaš and Šareni pasov, divided by stripes of grass, before we reach the crossroads in Pišč, where we will head left, along a wonderful shortcut to the Trsa - Plužine road. On the last, short part of the shortcut, the descent is 10-12%.

The road to Plužine takes us down from the heights to the unreal blue Lake Piva, which will only be shown to us a few times until we get quite close. Shortly before exiting the E762 road that leads from Plužine to Šćepan Polje, we pass the "tunnel" intersection that we have already mentioned a couple of times: that strange place in a short tunnel whose walls are living rock, and which has two exits: on the left, go to the village of Duži (from where those who took the road from the bridge above the canyon could arrive from the Nevidio canyon) and to the right towards the road along the lake.

The E762 exit is only 300 m away, and is at the exit of the next short tunnel. The slopes are on the left, but we will turn right, to travel along the lake and once again play a dizzying circle with Durmitor.

The section in front of us is of course full of beautiful views, but there are also a lot of (short) tunnels. We will also pass a place where you can stop and park, and behind it begins the most attractive part of the Piva canyon: the sides come dramatically closer to each other.

Soon we will reach the dam of the Mratinje hydropower plant, built from 1969 to 1976. The road leads us over it, and it is hard to resist stopping and looking over the fence at the "dry" side, where a 220-meter-deep chasm is gaping, decorated at the bottom with a silk ribbon of Piva. But there is no convenient place to stop along the dam, so every break is a race against time: we need to see something before the staff from the nearby cabin starts warning us to move on. However, after the intersection immediately on the other side of the dam (the road to the village of Mratinje branches off to the left) and the short tunnel, there is an extension on the right where you can park and return on foot.

A few kilometers after the dam, we cross to the other side of the canyon on a small narrow bridge, which is again a temptation for passionate hunters of unforgettable moments. Unfortunately, there is no place to stop here either, the road on both sides makes a curve, on our side it also exits from a short tunnel...

A little more than 3 km beyond the bridge is the next resting place where there is a strong source of excellent and cold water, and a little further - to the left among the trees - is a gazebo with a large table and benches.

After 24 km from the exit to the road along Piva, we reach the border crossing in Šćepan Polje. Not far away is a significant place, where Piva and Tara get married. There is also a restaurant, a local rafting club. About three hundred meters further, in front of the crossing into Bosnia, is the intersection where we will continue straight on, on the narrow asphalt road towards Crkvine.

We climb again into the slopes of Durmitor (a slightly more sensitive undertaking for "L" campers, but doable) and into areas of new beauty. The slope is up to 9%.

In the remote village of Rudina, there is a memorial home dedicated to the Igman March, which, however, has been freshly renovated and supplemented with accommodation options at the level of an excellent mountain lodge, and mountain bikes can be rented.

A little above this village, we come across a striking road sign calling us to turn to the nearby eco-village "Yugoslavia". And it's worth a visit: a row of beautiful new log cabin bungalows and excellent food in the restaurant are reason enough to do so. Bicycles can also be rented here.

Through a wonderful open sea of rocky and green waves, on which it would be difficult to find your way if it were not for a road that reliably leads on, we sometimes climb and sometimes descend, until we reach the crossroads near the village of Trsa and in the middle of the dense forest of the area called Milogora. Here we will first turn left - to pay the debt to the Sušice canyon and reach the village of Nedajno. It is about 5 km to get there, equally beautiful rides on large and fun "hoopers".

The asphalt stops in the center of the village, but we can continue - preferably on foot, to stretch our legs nicely - on good macadam for another 900 m, to an extraordinary viewpoint above the village. From there, we will have a beautiful view of the distant confluence of the Sušica and Tara canyons, the fantastic, huge walls that fall into the Sušica abyss - and the surface on the side of Little Montenegro, close enough to be touched by hand, from which, however, a mighty depth separates us again.

Back to the crossroads at Milogora, and we will quickly arrive in Trsa. A couple of taverns-restaurants, the ethnic village of Milogora (small bungalows at affordable prices) - enough for a break in this high place, with an excellent atmosphere.

And then downhill, an 11 km long descent to the "tunnel" intersection and the road along the lake. Bit of a weird loop, isn't it? But you will admit, it was worth it?

This time, on the way along the lake, we turn left, and immediately cross the wonderful bridge towards Plužine. On the other side of the bridge, there is a beautiful lookout point with a parking space.

In Plužine, you can take a nice walk to the lake (if you want, you can drive in a circle around the part of the lake near the town (which is only for smaller vehicles). Near the lake there is also "Konoba Sočica", whose name does not say enough about it place: parking space, new wooden bungalows, good restaurant, a lot of peace and a nice morning view.

From Plužine, the road climbs smoothly (7%) to a pass 3 km away, but the road is in poor condition. (The works are in progress, so we should expect this stock to be of very good quality soon.)

And less than 8 km from Plužine, the road to the 400 m distant Piva Monastery (16th century) branches off to the right. The largest Orthodox monastery was built in these parts during the Ottoman occupation. It captivates with the way it has grown into the surrounding landscape - bitter, worried, such that even today it clearly speaks of the difficult days of the monastery's creation and the choice of builders - their desire for the place to be outside the world, hidden from Turkish eyes.

Near Nikšić, here we are at the intersection from which the new road to Šavnik, which we have already met several times, starts to the left. So let's start now from the beginning with it, in a new interesting loop through Šavnik. A gentle ascent kindly brings us to the well-known intersection in Meki Doli, and the rest of the road to Šavnik is familiar to us - here's an opportunity to pick up pieces of beauty that we didn't notice the first time. We have already passed the part up to the turn for Boan, but from there new areas await us: we will continue to the right, on the descent directly towards Boan.

The slope is a maximum of 9% and the road has little traffic and is pleasant to drive. It takes us along the edge of the Bukovica canyon and offers a couple of beautiful viewpoints, but also a lot of forest peace.

Boan is a small place. So small that a flag had to be placed in the middle of the intersection in the center, where the road to Bukovica (and from there to Žabljak) branches off to the left. This local landmark should be kept in mind, especially if we happen to pass this way after dark.

After Boan, we pass through the small canyon of the Tušinja river and climb to the small Semolj mountain. We are driving on a romantic road through a beautiful forest, so the steepest gradient of 10% will not be a problem, and the fact that soon after the start of the climb the road narrows to 4 m. (Vehicles aren't common here anyway.)

From the pass (1570 m) there is a downhill - initially to 10%, and later a bit gentler. We fall into a narrow, deep and long valley where the young and shy Morača is slowly maturing - who would have thought that this is the same Neman who mercilessly cut the rock a little further and carved the marvelous Platia?

Of course, we won't be without beautiful views here either (unfortunately, at the best point, 2 km from the pass, there is no place to stop). At 4 km from the pass, the road returns to its normal width. In the village of Dragovića Polje, 12.6 km from the pass, we pass the interesting restaurant "Uskočki čardak" - perhaps the river also stops by there, because a little after the restaurant it is already overflowing, and is about to fulfill its destiny. The canyon begins to dig and the rock rises all around us, but this part is known by far fewer travelers: only when Morača, a few kilometers away, in Mioska, "turns on" to the main road to Podgorica, will the world that rushes there recognize the name "Morača Canyon" - that the river had previously drilled incognito, sweating and effervescent in its angry effort, remains scarcely acknowledged.

Basically, here we are at the intersection that takes us to the E65/E80 road. The part to Podgorica is simple (and disproportionately attractive).