A Journey Through Montenegros Beautiful Durmitor National Park

Montenegro’s biggest national park is pure drama, from its snow-capped ski resorts in the winter to its summertime playground of canyons and limestone peaks. Shaped by glaciers and carved by rivers, Durmitor National Park has some of Montenegro’s most spectacular scenery and deserves its place on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Durmitor is a hiker’s paradise. If you’re truly adventurous, try one of the three-day circuits of Durmitor that give you to the chance to sleep overnight in mountain huts. There’s a hike that takes you past the impossibly clear waters of Skrcko Lake before making your way down to Lake Jablan. It’s best done with a local guide, but it’s a trek that will make even the most hardened hiker happy.

There is a dizzying array of treks to tackle around the Durmitor Massif. The highest peak, Bobotuv Kuk, can be a daunting prospect – but for the determined, there are stunning views to be had from its 2,523-metre (8,278-foot) pinnacle.

The star of the show is the Tara River Canyon – at 1,300 metres (4,265 feet), it’s one of the world’s longest and deepest gorges. Sculpting its way through the canyon is the Tara River itself, which carries on across the Bosnian border. Its vivid blue-green waters attract fans of whitewater rafting, especially during May and June, once all the snow has disappeared and the river becomes a fast-moving torrent.

During most of the hiking season, you’ll have carpets of wildflowers to enjoy as you climb the limestone massif.

There are opportunities for a more laid-back walk in these beautiful surroundings, too. For something less strenuous, try the shimmering beauty of Black Lake, one of the glacial lakes that are found all over Durmitor.

One of Tara’s unmistakable sights is the Tara Bridge, whose graceful arches span the canyon. The area around nearby Lever Tara is also one of the area’s standout places for whitewater rafting.