Magical Montenegro

All participants need to arrive in Tivat today. If for any reason this is not possible, separate airport transfers need to be made to Rose.

Upon arrival to Tivat airport we will transfer by boat to the historic fishing village of Rose on the Lustica Peninsula, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. Check in and settle into our comfortable, cabana style accommodation right by the sea and enjoy a welcome drink and dinner overlooking the Bay of Kotor and across to the highest mountain massif of the Dinaric coastal alps – Mount Orjen (1894m).

Today we will also meet our guide(s) for this trip and have a gear and logistics briefing as well as having the opportunity to ask any questions about the journey.

Meals Included: Dinner

Forte Rose

Forte Rose is located on the shore with beautiful views of Orjen mountain and the bay area. Offering outdoor dining with freshly caught fish and seafood as the specialty along with a range of Mediterranean and Bokelian dishes and wines, this is a relaxed and perfect place to dine on a hot summer’s evening. Accommodation: Twin share basis with ensuite bathrooms

We’ll set out early this morning after a light breakfast and head down to the beach where our kayaks will be waiting for us.

The paddle across the bay to the 13th century town of Herceg Novi is beautiful, especially early in the morning. We will come ashore right by the town harbor and enjoy a coffee at a local cafe while we get changed and ready to move on.

We take the stairs which lead up and through this charming historic town, leading past two fortresses and then on and up out of the town towards the mountain. The first hour is on stairways and local roads through the villages until we come to the Matkovica area where we start to follow the ancient paths used by goat herders and villagers for centuries.

We will take a pit stop at the village of Kameno for a lunch break at a local cafe to give us the chance to rest before heading further towards our overnight destination Za Vratlom mountain lodge at 1,060m above sea level.

Upon arrival at the mountain lodge, we will be warmly welcomed with local tea by the ‘domar’ (guardian) of the lodge.

Our journey today is really quite incredible – starting from the Mediterranean landscapes of the Bay and reaching up into the high Alpine zone – all within just a few hours.

Total distance today:(hiking) – 12 kms / Total ascent 1,100m.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accomodation: Herceg Novi Za Vratlom Mountain Lodge

The mountain hut is very well equipped and has a water well and solar power, a large indoor and outdoor dining area, kitchen and refreshments available. Rooms are 4 persons sharing with shared bathrooms on the ground floor. The surrounding area is beautiful for relaxing, taking short hikes to viewpoints with your guide and for exploring the ancient beech forests and remains of former shepherd settlements. We settle in and enjoy dinner in the mountain hut and a good night’s sleep.

Mount Orjen

Mount Orjen (1894m) is the highest peak and mountain massif in the Dinaric coastal chain. The mountain is formed of Cretaceous limestone (karst) with abundant flora. The village of Crkvice on the mountain has some of the highest rainfall in Europe. The limestone has resulted in some fascinating and quite unique features including the Subra plateau, a large limestone pavement and amphitheatre and the ‘ljuti krš’ literally the ‘angry waves’ a sea of jagged rocks located just below Borići on the mountain’s southern side.

The mountain is crisscrossed with hiking trails through forests and rocky landscapes. Many follow the old AustroHungarian roads built when this was the farthest border of the empire. The mountain has many stories including that of the ice men, who used to collect ice from some of the deeper caves on the mountain during the summer months and bring it down by donkey or horse to the town of Herceg Novi to the local hotels, before modern refrigeration was invented.

The local villages of Vrbanj and Žlijebi have local inns serving food and drink. The mountain has very little water due to its topography and for this reason was never heavily settled. The upper parts of the mountain cannot be reached by vehicle making this a haven for hikers and trail runners.

Today we take a digital detox and a walk on the wild side!

We’ll hike across the Orjen mountain on marked trails, learning about the fascinating and unique karstic landscape. There are no roads up here or much else except wild and beautiful landscapes. Forget cell phone connection or checking business mails or social media. This is where you leave the modern world behind and trek on ancient pathways, at one with nature.

We spend the night in the small village of Vrbanj in a family run guesthouse with simple but comfortable amenities and tasty mountain food.

Accommodation: A twin or triple share with shared bathrooms. If the group is larger (more than 10 pax) accommodation will be split between two village guesthouses with dinner taken together at one. Luggage will be transported to the village and be ready and waiting upon your arrival here.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch (Trail lunch), Dinner

We will wake up early this morning for the 3-hour hike to the summit of Orjen mountain. The trail mostly follows through the forest on the lower part and then onto the old AustroHungarian paths built by the 10,000 troops stationed on Orjen mountain when this region was the last outpost of the Austro-Hungarian empire. The highest point of the Orjen massif is Veliki Kabao which has a trekking path to the top, no technical skills needed! From here we will enjoy stunning views to Bosnia, Croatia and the northern mountains of Montenegro.

We will celebrate our sea to summit challenge and, after hiking back down on the easy paths back to Vrbanj, our feet can look forward to taking a rest!

After lunch our transfer vehicle(s) will be waiting for the next part of our journey. We head inland to the higher Dinaric Alps to the mountain town of Zabljak, one of the highest in the Balkans at 1400m alt.

Accommodation: We will spend a comfortable night in a mountain lodge hotel on twin share basis with ensuite bathrooms.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Trail lunch, Dinner.

Zabljak

Zabljak is one of the Balkan’s highest settlements at 1400m alt. Originally established when people brought their livestock from the valleys to graze on the high plateaus, the town is now a popular destination offering skiing and snow sports in winter and hiking and active adventures in summer. The town is low level and spaced out giving an open feeling with stunning mountain and plateau vistas all around. Located at the gateway to Durmitor National Park, it welcomes visitors who come to enjoy the remoteness, the wildlife and the spectacular forest and mountain landscapes. The town’s proximity to the Tara Canyon, Durmitor National Park and vast Sinjajevina plateau means it is a haven for adventure and nature lovers.

Today we take a relaxed morning with an optional visit to the Black Lake (walkable from the town) or simply chill out on the cafe terrace of our hotel. We’ll pack up and leave late morning to the outer edge of Durmitor National Park, just 15 mins drive from the hotel. Here our bikes and equipment will be waiting for us, and we’ll take an exciting mountain bike ride through the very heart of Durmitor National Park. The track is almost all on asphalted roads so is rated easy and ebikes are available for those who prefer them over mountain bikes.

We’ll stop en route for lunch at a local village and then continue our ride down into in the Tara canyon arriving late afternoon.

Accommodation: Time to relax tonight, enjoy a camp cooked meal and settle into comfortable wooden cabins :).
Rooms are triple or twin share with private bathrooms.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Durmitor National Park

Durmitor National Park was established in 1952 and is UNESCO World Nature and Cultural Heritage site. The park covers 370 sq km and includes part of the Tara canyon within its boundaries.

The high plateau areas are still home in the summer months to a few families who practice transhumance, moving their livestock from Zabljak or lower villages to graze the grasslands higher up. A visit to their ‘katun’ – simple mountain houses – with no running water or electricity, is a peek into the past and a chance to sample delicious homemade cheeses such as kajmak or mountain teas, freshly picked and dried.

The Ring of Durmitor is a scenic bike ride or drive through the park’s most spectacular areas including the view of the deepest part of the Tara Canyon, Mala Crna Gora, a village cut off in the winter months and the Susica canyon where the European brown bear still roams wild.

Tara Rafting Camp
Tonight, we enjoy an overnight at the beautiful, forested rafting camp on the shores of the Tara Canyon. The plan is to arrive before dinner and settle into our private lodge room with its own bathroom (family rooms available). A home cooked dinner and breakfast are included from the camp’s excellent kitchen. The camp has a bar selling soft drinks, beer and ice creams, as well as lots of outside space and private chillout areas with hammocks, campfire pits, camping areas and a natural sandy beach right on the Tara River!

Tara Canyon Raft is one of Europe’s deepest canyons on the spectacular Tara River in northern Montenegro!

Today we enjoy the adventure on Montenegro’s lower Tara section, rafting from Brstanovica to Scepan Polje. The transfer from camp by jeep to the rafting start point is a 20 min drive. Once we reach the put-in point our guide will brief us on safety on the river and in the raft.

The total time spent on the river is around 2 and a half hours (depending on the season and river flow) and this includes a stop to swim in the waterfalls (depending on river conditions, this might not always be possible ) At the end of the river descent jeeps will wait to bring us back to camp (20 mins drive) to change into our dry clothes and enjoy a traditional, home cooked lunch.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch (dinner is independent tonight)

Transfer to the Coast
After enjoying a late lunch at the rafting camp, we transfer back to the Bay of Kotor via the spectacular Piva Lake region. We will be staying at an historic boutique hotel for the final two nights, with a free evening to enjoy the hotel spa, explore the historic old town of Herceg Novi or chill out at one of the many restaurants on the waterfront.

Accommodation: Historic Hotel Meljine, Herceg Novi

This beautiful 18th century historical building located on the shores of the Bay of Kotor has been tastefully restored and is now a spacious boutique hotel and spa with hotel residences adjoining. With direct access to the waterfront and marina and views across the Bay, this is the perfect place to spend time and unwind. The spa offers a large pool, 3 types of saunas, hammam, steam room, aroma showers, salt room and jacuzzi along with a full range of spa treatments. Two restaurants on site provide delicious fusion cuisine based on locally sourced food and wines as well as a wine bar on site. The hotel has a private beach, beach bar and two outdoor dining areas.

The main hotel building offers a Family suite options as well as a King suite and double rooms with a minimum 25 sq m each. The residences are available as doubles with sea or mountain view, or as studios with a kitchen. From the private harbor it’s possible to take a boat trip on the Bay of Kotor or enjoy other activities that can be organised from here to include hiking, watersports and more. The hotel adjoins a waterfront promenade adjacent to the resort town of Herceg Novi and a 20-minute walk or 5 min taxi ride will bring you to the harbor or historic Old City.

Today is a relaxing day ! We start with a private boat trip to explore the bay. The boat will motor over to historic Kotor and Perast in the morning, with time ashore to explore these fascinating and historical locations. On the way back we will stop for swimming before arriving back at our hotel late afternoon. In the evening we’ll gather together for dinner at an excellent local seafood restaurant to celebrate our achievements over the past week.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner (lunch is independent in Kotor or Perast with plenty of options as well as snacks provided on the boat)

Breakfast, check out and airport transfer!