Hitesh.
Kotor Old Town and the bay from the fortress climb
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Montenegro · Mar to Apr 2025

Zdravo, Crna Gora

Snowbound Black Lake, the Tara Canyon and the Bay of Kotor in 7 Days

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A self-drive loop through Montenegro's national parks, from the fjord-like Bay of Kotor up into Durmitor's snowy pine forests and Black Lake, across the Tara Bridge and over Lovćen, then down to the Adriatic at Sveti Stefan and Ulcinj.

Montenegro is tiny, but it packs a whole continent's worth of scenery into a few hours of driving. We landed in Podgorica to blue spring skies and drove south to the mirror-still Bay of Kotor. Then we climbed north into Durmitor National Park and woke up to a spring snowstorm covering our car. We drove snowy forest roads to reach Black Lake, looked down into Europe's deepest canyon from the Tara Bridge, climbed to the Njegoš Mausoleum on top of Lovćen, and finished with morning coffee overlooking Sveti Stefan. There were scenic views, warm hearts and zero regrets.

Duration
7 days (29 March to 4 April 2025)
Total travel distance
4,543 km, including flights
The ride
Renault Duster
Route
Podgorica → Bay of Kotor → Kotor & Perast → Žabljak & Durmitor → Tara Bridge → Nikšić → Lovćen → Budva Riviera & Sveti Stefan → Ulcinj
Key stays
Mamula Island Hotel, Splendid Conference & Spa Resort, Hotel Adrović (Sveti Stefan)
Signature parks
Durmitor National Park (UNESCO) and Lovćen National Park

Route

8 stops

ALBANIACROATIAMONTENEGROBOSNIA AND HERZ. Self-drive Self-drive Self-drive Self-drive Fast boat Podgorica Capital city start 1 Bay of Kotor & Perast Our Lady of the Rocks 2 Kotor Old Town Old Town walls 3 Durmitor & Black Lake Snowy Black Lake 4 Tara Bridge Tara Canyon bridge 5 Nikšić highlands Empty highland roads 6 Lovćen & Njegoš Mountaintop mausoleum 7 Budva, Sveti Stefan, Ulcinj Sveti Stefan island 8 MONTENEGRO NATIONAL PARKS 7 days · Renault Duster · 4,543 km incl. flights N HOW WE TRAVELLED Self-drive · Renault Duster Fast boat THE ROUTE Tap a stop to jump to that day 1 Podgorica Day 1 (29 Mar) · Capital city start 2 Bay of Kotor & Perast Days 1 to 2 · Our Lady of the Rocks 3 Kotor Old Town Day 2 · Old Town walls 4 Durmitor & Black Lake Days 3 to 4 · Snowy Black Lake 5 Tara Bridge Day 4 · Tara Canyon bridge 6 Nikšić highlands Day 5 · Empty highland roads 7 Lovćen & Njegoš Day 6 · Mountaintop mausoleum 8 Budva, Sveti Stefan, Ulcinj Days 6 to 7 · Sveti Stefan island

Tap a pin to jump to that stop.

Day by day

The itinerary

  1. 1 Day 1 (29 Mar) Podgorica Zdravo Crna Gora, Hello Montenegro

    We landed in Podgorica to blue skies and bare spring trees, picked up our grey Renault Duster and headed straight for the mountains. Within an hour the road was winding along cliffs, with views opening up at every turn.

    “Zdravo Crna Gora! Driving through this today.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.
  2. 2 Days 1 to 2 Bay of Kotor, Perast & Our Lady of the Rocks The Fjord of the Adriatic

    The Bay of Kotor felt like a Scandinavian fjord moved to the Mediterranean, with still turquoise water surrounded by sheer limestone mountains. In Perast we took the boat out to Our Lady of the Rocks, a tiny church on a man-made island, and sat on the stone pier just taking it all in.

    “Taking all this beauty in. The Bay of Kotor, quiet as a painting.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.
  3. 3 Day 2 Kotor Old Town & Fortress Trekked Up, Legs Cried, Worth Every Step

    We climbed the old fortress walls above Kotor Old Town, step after steep step, until the whole bay spread out below us. It was hard on the legs and the view was unbelievable. Afterwards we had a proper Balkan espresso to recover.

    “Trekked up, legs cried, but the view? Worth every step.”
    Kotor Old Town and the bay from the fortress climb High above the Bay of Kotor (check: Kotor climb or Lovcen?)
  4. 4 Days 3 to 4 Durmitor National Park & Black Lake Snowbound Pines & Montenegro's Mirror Lake

    This was the heart of the trip. We drove north into Durmitor National Park, a UNESCO-listed world of jagged peaks, dense pine forest and glacial lakes, and found Black Lake (Crno Jezero) in near-silence, with mist hanging over dark water and snow-dusted forest all around. The next morning we woke up in Žabljak to a car buried in fresh snow. Departure delayed, but nobody minded. We drove through a white tunnel of pines (the GPS said turn left, the snow had other plans), took snow-angel photos and met a fluffy local puppy by the lake. We ended the day with dinner at the national restaurant right on the shore of Crno Jezero.

    “All those who wander are not lost. Some find good views, and some find good friends.”
    Black Lake under fresh snow, Durmitor
  5. 5 Day 4 Đurđevića Tara Bridge Above Europe's Deepest Canyon

    We stood on the arches of the Tara Bridge and looked straight down into the Tara River Canyon, the deepest in Europe, with its bright turquoise river winding through a green and rust-coloured gorge far below. It was one of the most spectacular viewpoints in the Balkans.

    “In pursuit of views: Tara Canyon, straight down.”
    Looking straight down into the Tara Canyon
  6. 6 Day 5 Nikšić & the highland roads Balkans Meets Bollywood

    We drove out of the mountains on long, empty highland roads with Sonu Nigam on the speakers. When the police turned us around for a detour, the universe gave us a little extra sightseeing. We stopped for coffee with a valley view at Konoba Vidikovac near Nikšić.

    “When the universe (and the cops) decide you need a little extra sightseeing.”
    Road trip pit stop in the highlands
  7. 7 Day 6 Lovćen National Park & Njegoš Mausoleum Last Day, One Last Trek

    We drove the switchbacks of Lovćen National Park and climbed the final steps to the Njegoš Mausoleum, high on Jezerski Vrh. From the circular viewing platform at the top we could see most of Montenegro, from mountain ridges inland to the sea on the horizon.

    “#Offline. Last day, one last trek, and the whole country at my feet.”
    At the Njegos Mausoleum viewpoint, Lovcen
  8. 8 Days 6 to 7 Budva Riviera, Sveti Stefan & Ulcinj Adriatic Mornings & One Last Look

    We finished on the coast: morning coffee looking at the island village of Sveti Stefan, dinner at Restoran Promenada, and a last cliffside walk at Ulcinj, where we tried to strike a pose and nature had other ideas. Then we flew home. Ciao, Montenegro, you were a dream.

    “Morning coffee with this view. Sveti Stefan, you're unreal.”
    Photos from this stop are coming soon.

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