Scenic roads

Durmitor massif

This massif, within a radius of less than six kilometers, has as many as 48 peaks above 2000m, of which 40 are over 2100m, 27 over 2200m, 18 over 2300m, 7 over 2400m and only one over 2500m (Bobotov Kuk). It is characterized by sharp peaks, some resembling alpine needles (Minin Bogaz, Zupci) and others, with massive domes or mottled sides resembling rods (Prutaš, Šareni Pasovi), some peaks are vertically cut (Savin Kuk, Šljeme) of a unique appearance and color (Međed), brightly colored (Crvena Greda) or those
the third saddle (Sedlena greda), twisted (Uvita greda), round (Obla glava), lonely (Stožina) and all of them are a real paradise for mountaineers.

Panoramic road Durmitor Ring is a 76-kilometer round trip. The tour starts from the center of Žabljak and continues around the Durmitor mountain range. During this route, you will have the opportunity to see the deepest canyon in Europe, vast plateaus and some of the highest peaks in this country, and meet the local population who will give you an insight into the way of life in these areas.

At the beginning of the route, we recommend taking a short trip to the Ćurevac viewpoint. From here you can enjoy an unforgettable view of the Tara Canyon.

The Durmitor Ring Panoramic Road is signposted in both directions. Follow the brown signs along the road, marked with the “Panoramic Roads” logo and the number 2. If you want to use the audio guide, you need to drive counterclockwise. If you are traveling by camper, we suggest driving clockwise. This section is not suitable for larger campers.

The audio guide contains direction information to assist you in navigation. As road conditions can change, drivers must always be aware of the current traffic situation. The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism cannot guarantee that the information and instructions provided in this guide are always accurate and up-to-date. Therefore, drive slowly and obey traffic signs on the road.

This journey will take you through beautiful landscapes. You will discover unique canyons, vast plateaus and drive through steep mountain areas. With the audio guide, you will also get to know the village life in this part of Montenegro. We will draw your attention to all the significant points that you can see along the route, and to details that are not easily noticeable, often overlooked during a quick pass.

Through the miraculous monastery to the beautiful devil on Sinjavina. Surfing 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. Finally: getting to know the river that will later become famous We also start this route from the intersection at the "Keto" hotel - this time we head towards the center of Podgorica and follow the signs to Nikšić, so that 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 stopping 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 to the right towards the upper monastery. That part of the road is steep (10%), very narrow and with a lot of traffic, so "L" and "M" campers should definitely be left here (the best and most appropriate would be to leave every vehicle here) and continue on foot, along a 3 km long path that will quickly reach the goal.

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

From the intersection at the lower monastery we head downhill. The road here is also narrow (although not as much as on the climb to the upper monastery) and there are alternating sections with good and bad asphalt. The left edge of the road, which hovers over the abyss, is unfenced, and passing other vehicles requires driving routine. It is claimed that the road is under the protection of a saint and that accidents do not occur on it, but those who are less religious and more nervous would do better to return to Danilovgrad and from there take the main road towards Nikšić.

The rest will also have to overcome a short stretch 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 main road towards Nikšić.

At the same place in this village, there is a turnoff to the old road to Danilovgrad – lovers of serpentines with great views 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 take us to the western edge of Nikšić. The route takes us through the city center, then onto the old road to Šavnik (R5).

The climb up this road is an experience in itself. Narrow and winding, it takes us to the extraordinarily beautiful areas of Lukovo, Ivanje and Krnovo, from which the magnificent Durmitor slowly emerges. Vehicles are rare, so we will have time to enjoy the landscape that the road brings and places in the palm of our hand. Open, undulating areas bordered by tufts of forest or the rocks of the surrounding peaks – that is our feast on the menu for this section. The road is passable even for „L“ campers, but their drivers will occasionally have to drive slowly and carefully. These are not dangerous places, it is just a matter of maneuvering in the 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 a crossroads where a new road to Šavnik comes from the left. We will return here later and head that way towards Plužine, but 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 riding.

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, onto 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 on we will find ourselves at the restaurant "Jatak" (which also offers accommodation in small bungalows with electricity and a bathroom, scattered around the meadow) and the ethno-village "Nevidio" (a settlement with comfortable log cabins, a restaurant). Here you should leave the camper (motorcyclists and cars can continue) and follow the path for 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 took place 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 little bridge over the beginning of the canyon, for the sake of the view from above.

The asphalt road continues towards the village of Duži and towards Plužine, but this very beautiful road unfortunately remains outside our route because it later includes a very long macadam section. However, we definitely recommend that those with vehicles that are "not afraid" of such roads continue there - at the "tunnel" intersection after Plužine, it will reconnect with the route.

We return to Šavnik and at the previously mentioned crossroads we turn uphill onto the old road to Žabljak. About 3 km further on is the place where the road to Boan branches off to the right – that is where we will head 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 their green color and colorful grass 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).

The Devil's Lake is not far from the crossroads – a small turquoise jewel that lies silent on the wide, open palm of Sinjavina. On the meadow that gently flows towards the water, it is worth being 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 Njegovuđa, take 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 little place (which others have done – many times).

We will therefore concentrate on our route: near the center of Žabljak we meet on the right, on a detour to the village of Mala Crna Gora and the Sušica canyon. This is not an experience for "L" campers because the roads are narrow and the slopes are significant. "M" campers can set off, 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 there is a turn (right) for the Ćurevac viewpoint, which offers a view of the Tara canyon, and we will continue left and begin a serious climb through a dense coniferous forest towards the restaurant "Momčlilov grad" and the Štuoc peak. The road curves and sags uphill, the asphalt is narrow - and the views are wide and magnificent.

To reach the restaurant, turn right 8 km from Žabljak and after about a hundred meters you will reach a 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 on the road that continues to climb, but gently, to the pass below Štuoc. The altitude is 1952 m – the highest point in Montenegro that you can reach by an asphalt road. And the entire section from Momčilov Grad to Mala Crne Gora is one of the most beautiful in Montenegro.

Just before the pass there are a couple of points from which the best view of the Tara canyon is offered. The road is deserted, so we can stop to admire and enjoy it, before we start a steep (up to 11%) descent through the coniferous forest. Before we enter it, a view opens up of the mountains to the west of Durmitor: first of all, the undulating, rugged beauty of Piva Mountain, and then the distant, magnificent, 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 won't go into the village itself (although those who like to explore will find a lot of interesting things there too), but continue left and downhill, towards the Sušica Canyon. However, since the asphalt from here is only 2.5 m wide at the very least, the intersection is probably the furthest point for "M" campers.

The end point for the others (?) is 2 km away, at the point where the macadam road branches off to the right, leading into the canyon, while the asphalt continues for a little more than a kilometer, to the nearby Ograde Kolibe katun.

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.

This 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 section a few hundred meters long (in a place where landslides often occur). At the bottom of the canyon are a mountain hut where you can spend the night, and a small, turbulent lake that is hidden in tall, silky, dark green grass in the summer, and returns in the winter and spring. From there, there is a 6 km climb on similar macadam (although 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 even be driven by a standard passenger car. And if the driver is not standard – that is, if he is one of those who, in pursuit of beauty and experience, does not hesitate to force his four-wheeler onto poor roads.

In any case, those who make it to the other side will have a rich reward – fantastic views of the canyon, an adventure rounded off in the most beautiful way, pride in having conquered this great crack… The rest will go back (it’s not a bad idea to enjoy the beautiful road to Žabljak once again) and to the other side of the canyon, which is almost a stone’s throw away from a slingshot, probably only to be reached 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 Lake, take the cable car to Savin Kuk…

And once we move on, we will soon reach the new road to Šavnik. 2 km from the center, we will turn right from it, onto the old road towards Motički gaj and the „Savin Kuk“ cable car. Near this intersection are the auto-camps „Kod Boće“ and „Razvršje“.

7 km from the center of Žabljak there is a crossroads where "L" campers should turn left, onto a new road towards Šavnik and Nikšić, which will then take them onto the Nikšić - Plužine road. Just after Plužine, at a "tunnel" crossroads, they will reconnect with the route.

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.

One should expect completely 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 rainbows or valleys framed by strange karsts.

About 500 m after the intersection, we pass a camp with bungalows; the road from here is about 4 m wide. We pass under the striking, huge cone of Stožina peak, which protrudes above all the others and is the trademark of the Pošćenska Valley, whose stone chaos opens up 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 an altitude of 1895 meters above sea level, and is again the border of two worlds - on the other side the road descends (8%) into the grandiose cirque of Dobri Dol. There is also a rest area with enough space for parking, from which the hiking trail branches off to Škrčko Jezero and Bobotov Kuk, the highest peak of Durmitor (2523 m).

We still have a lot of climbing to do through areas of wondrous, sometimes alien-looking scenery. We will also pass places from which we can clearly see the crazy, vertically inverted rock layers on Prutaš and Šareni pasovi, divided by stripes of grass, before we reach the intersection in Pišče, where we will head left, taking 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 towards the unreal blue Piva Lake, which we will only see a few times until we get really 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 few times: that strange place in a short tunnel whose walls are solid rock, and which has two exits: to the left you go towards the village of Duži (from where those who started the road from the bridge above the canyon could have arrived from the Nevidio canyon) and to the right to 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 gapes, 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 over a small, narrow bridge, which is another temptation for passionate hunters of unforgettable moments. Unfortunately, there is no place to stop here either, the road curves on both sides, and on our side it even comes out of 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 start of the road along the Piva River, we reach the border crossing in Šćepan Polje. Not far away is a significant place, where the Piva and Tara rivers meet. There is also a restaurant and a local rafting club. About three hundred meters further on, before the crossing into Bosnia, there is a crossroads where we will continue straight ahead, along a narrow asphalt road towards Crkvine.

We climb again into the foothills of Durmitor (a slightly more delicate undertaking for "L" campers, but doable) and into areas of new beauty. The gradient 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.

Just above this village we come across a conspicuous signpost inviting us to turn into the nearby eco-village "Yugoslavia". And it's worth stopping by: a series of new, beautiful bungalows and excellent food in the restaurant are reason enough to do so. You can also rent bicycles here.

Through a wonderful open sea of rocky and green waves, on which it would be difficult to navigate 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 Sušice and Tara canyons, the fantastic, huge walls that fall into the Sušice 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 on Milogora, and we'll quickly arrive in Trs. A couple of taverns-restaurants, the ethno village of Milogora (small bungalows at affordable prices) – enough for a break at this high place, with an excellent atmosphere.

And then downhill, on an 11 km long descent to the "tunnel" intersection and the road along the lake. A bit of a strange loop, isn't it? But you'll admit, it was worth it, right?

This time, on the road along the lake, we turn left, and immediately cross a beautiful bridge towards Plužine. On the other side of the bridge is a nice viewpoint with a parking space.

In Plužine, you can take a nice walk to the lake (if you want, you can drive 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 the place: parking space, new wooden bungalows, a good restaurant, a lot of peace and a nice morning view.

From Plužine, the road climbs gently (7%) to a 3 km distant pass, but the road is in poor condition. (Work is ongoing, so it is expected that this section will soon be of very good quality.)

And less than 8 km from Plužine, a road branches off to the right towards the 400 m distant Piva Monastery (16th century). It is the largest Orthodox monastery 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 of the builders' choice – their desire to keep the place away from 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 encountered several times, starts on the left. So let's start from the beginning, on a new interesting loop through Šavnik. The gentle climb kindly brings us to the familiar intersection in Meki doli, and the rest of the road to Šavnik is familiar to us too - here's an opportunity to pick up pieces of beauty that we didn't notice the first time. We have already passed the part to the turnoff for Boan, but from there new landscapes 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 town. So small that a lamppost had to be erected 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 is worth keeping in mind, especially if you happen to be passing through here in the dark.

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

From the pass (1570 m) the descent begins – initially up to 10%, and later somewhat gentler. We fall into a narrow, deep and long valley in which the young and shy Morača slowly matures – who would have thought that this is the same monster that mercilessly slashed the rocks a little further on, carving the miraculous Platija?

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 full, and is starting to fulfill its destiny. It begins to dig a canyon and rocks rise all around us, but this part is known by far fewer travelers: only when the Morača River "joins" the main road to Podgorica a few kilometers further on, in Mioska, will the world that rushes there recognize the name "Moraca Canyon" - what the river previously drilled incognito, sweating and murmuring in its furious effort, remains poorly recognized.

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