Hiking in Durmitor
We sealed the end of our ten-month trip with one of the most beautiful and popular national parks in the region. Located in the northwest of Montenegro, the areas of Durmitor are a magnet for nature lovers from all over the world, as evidenced by the fact that during our hike here we met many more foreign mountaineers than those from the former South.
We hitchhiked to Žabljak, a small tourist town at the entrance gate of Durmitor, where we were greeted by a very low temperature and information about the incessant rainfall of the last few days, which caused us concern at the very beginning. Nevertheless, we bought the necessary food for a few days' stay in the mountains, and headed to the camp Classified, to spend the night.
The next morning, the remnants of the clouds still gave cause for doubt, but around noon the sky cleared completely, and we packed our backpacks and set off on our hike.
First day – arrival at the mountain shelter in Lokvice (2 hours with heavy backpacks)
From the Razvršje camp, a path was made through the coniferous forest, all the way to the toll booth of the national park. Not long after the official entrance to Durmitor, a small path joins a large promenade, full of families, cyclists, foreign and domestic tourists who have gone to the Black Lake. Only ten minutes of walking was enough for us to reach its shore.
From the lake, you can take a 5-minute path to the north (towards Zminje jezero) to reach the Jakšič mill, located on a small river, where we crossed the bridge and started climbing.
The path climbs through the forest for a little less than an hour, after which it emerges into an area of low vegetation. It is difficult to get lost on this route, as it is very busy and perfectly marked. Getting to Lokvici is also evident, it took half an hour of walking through smaller depressions and elevations to see the red roofs in the distance, which marked the goal. There are a total of 3 houses in Lokvice, in one of which lives a nice shepherd, who, as part of his tourist offer, offers hikers Nikšić beer. The second house, on the right, is a mountain shelter near which we pitched our tent. It is also possible to sleep in the hostel, although sometimes it gets crowded, so it is safer to have your own roof over your head. Both options are free. There is no water source on the entire route from Black Lake to Lokvica. Drinking water is a few meters away from the mountain shelter in Lokvice in the direction of Biljegovo dol, where there is also an inscription on a stone.
Second day – climbing the South (2296 m) and North Međed (2287 m), and Terzin bogaza (3 hours and 40 minutes)
The path from Lokvici appears not far from the shepherd's house with a beer (it would be best to ask him for directions), and immediately at the beginning it starts to climb the steep slope of the Međed massif. Half an hour of climbing like this leads to the moment where the mountain road begins to traverse the slope, climbing minimally, all the way to the pass below the peaks of Međed.
This traverse took us only about twenty minutes, so we very quickly found ourselves at the foot of all three peaks planned for this day. From the pass, it took us 20 minutes to reach the South Peak of Međed. The distance is very short, but the climbing here becomes a bit more difficult. On several occasions, we had to use our hands, while in the last part of the ascent, auxiliary cables were placed. If someone is physically fit, this should not be a problem. From the top there are truly rewarding views of North Međed, Bobotov kuk, Savin Kuk and Terza bogaz.
It took us an additional 20 minutes to climb the North Peak of Međed, which also seems very close, but the route is quite complicated, which is why almost the entire route is equipped with auxiliary cables. This part could be problematic for people who are afraid of heights. You have to go slowly and carefully.
It took us about the same time to get back to the pass from these two peaks as it did to climb them. It was a real moment for lunch.
After a long rest, we set out to climb Terza bogaz, which is located literally across the road from Međed. This peak is similarly demanding when it comes to climbing. However, we managed to do it without any major difficulties, and it took a good half an hour.
We descended carefully from Terzin, as well as from the pass to our tent in Lokvice. The whole descent took about an hour. Since the first and second day are quite short, if you leave Žabljak early enough, it is possible to combine them into one.
Third day – from Lokvici to Bobotov kuk (2573 m) and return near Zubac, via Trojno prevoj (6 hours)
From Lokvica, the path towards Bobotov kuk starts from the right side of the depression and gradually climbs to Biljegovo dol, continues through to and after a total of 40 minutes of walking leads to the detour of the paths to Ledena pećina and Bobotov kuk. It took us another ten minutes along the well-marked mountain road to reach Valovita dol, which was pleasant at the beginning, but after about twenty minutes the terrain became rough and unpleasant. The path literally led over a pile of large rocks.
From Valoviti dol, we first had to climb the pass below Bobot's hip itself, which took us about half an hour.
At the pass, we met a large number of mountaineers, some were on their way up, while others were already coming down from the top. The hike to Bobot's hip is obviously the most popular excursion in Durmitor, which is also justified by the fact that this is officially the highest peak in Montenegro (although the peak of Zla Kolat in Montenegrin Prokletije is higher). Fifteen minutes of climbing towards the top rewarded us with beautiful views. Namely, about halfway from the pass to Bobotovo vrh, there is a viewpoint on Lake Škrčko, which takes your breath away from this place.
It took us an additional 15 minutes to reach the finish line, even though the terrain is not at all easy, which is why auxiliary cables were installed at the back of the climb. From the top, however, there are the most beautiful views that can be experienced in Durmitor.
To return to Lokvici, we chose the route below Zubac, over Trojno prevoje, in order to avoid returning the same way we came. It took us an hour to get down to Mlječni do, on a rather steep, but secured path. From here we followed the direction to Zeleni vir, where there is supposedly a source of drinking water (we did not find it). About twenty minutes of climbing about Zeleno vir brought us to the foot of Zubac, from where there were fine views of Mliječni do, Bobotov kuk, Samar and Šarene pasov.
After about twenty minutes of walking under Zubac, we turned off the main path, because we could not find any signs of the path that leads over the Trojno Prevoj, so we decided to improvise a path. This was not difficult, because the pass is visible from below the whole time. The problem arose only during the descent, where we encountered rocky areas, where descending without a rope is not safe. However, at the end of the climb, we always found a way to descend further to Lokvice. That's why it took us a good hour and a half.
Fourth day – return to Žabljak (1 hour)
Due to the difficult previous day and the possibility of free camping in Lokvice, we decided to pack up and go down to Žabljak only the next morning, fresh.
It took us an hour to reach the Black Lake, after which we quickly set out on the main road from the town of Žabljak, in order to catch some transport to Bosnia and Herzegovina. And it worked, by the end of the day we were on the other side of the border.