Overview
An eight day, self-guided hiking holiday, starting in Lovćen National Park in the mountains, and finishing on the Adriatic Coast in the exquisite environs of Kotor Bay. One of the joys of walking in southern Montenegro is that you can fit such an array of natural and cultural heritage into one day. Start off in the Lovćen Mountains in the morning, and spend the afternoon taking in the former capital of Cetinje, home to a 15th century monastery, galleries and small boutiques. Walk up to the summit of Jezerski Vrh (1,657m) one day down to the ancient town of Kotor the next. Not only is every day different in Montenegro, every hour brings something new. Accommodation is in two different hotels.
- Lovćen National Park
- Cetinje
- Mausoleum of Njegoš
- Boka Kotorska Bay (UNESCO)
- Kotor
- Perast
- Kom, Sveti Andrija and Vrmac
- Our Lady of the Rocks island church
Itinerary
Day 1: Ivanova Korita, Lovćen National Park | 10km
Arrive in the mountain resort town of Ivanova Korita in the heart of Lovćen National Park which is one of five national parks in Montenegro. Accommodation is in a three-star hotel where you spend the next three nights. Depending on arrival time, we recommend a leisurely circular walk to one of the most famous viewpoints of the Adriatic coast, Kings Rest. All airport transfers can be made by taxi or local bus (to Cetinje or Kotor) and then by taxi (20mins from Cetinje or 1h from Kotor). Private transfer is available on request.
- Walking for the day (optional walk): 3h, 10km, ↑300m ↓300m
- Accommodation: Hotel Monte Rosa, Hotel Ivanov Konak, or similar in Lovćen National Park
Day 2: Cetinje | 10km
Walk from the hotel down the Lovćen slopes towards Cetinje. This important town was capital of Montenegro from the 15th century until 1918 and is known as the Old Capital or the Museum Town of Montenegro, making it a fascinating place to immerse yourself in Montenegro’s culture and history. A prearranged transfer car takes you back to the hotel in Ivanova Korita (25mins) in the late afternoon.
- Walking for the day: 3-4h, 10km, ↑50m ↓700m
- Accommodation: Hotel Monte Rosa, Hotel Ivanov Konak, or similar in Lovćen National Park
Day 3: Jezerski Vrh (1,657m) | 10km
Today’s route starts with a circular walk from the hotel to the summit of Jezerski Vrh summit (1,657m). The summit is also the location of Njegoš’ mausoleum, the much beloved Montenegrin leader and great thinker who died in 1851. We recommend visiting the tomb, then taking a lunch break in a nearby restaurant. You also get some superb views from the summit taking in some of the range’s other peaks such as Štirovnik (1,749m) and Babljak (1,604m). In addition, you get a view of Lake Skadar, the largest in the Balkans, which forms a natural border with Albania, so that on a clear day you can see the Albanian Alps in the distance.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 10km, ↑500m ↓500m
- Accommodation: Hotel Monte Rosa, Hotel Ivanov Konak, or similar in Lovćen National Park
Day 4: Bay of Kotor / Perast | 7-15km
Arrive at the Bay of Kotor and the old town of Kotor by walking down from Lovćen National Park. The descent is steep but rewarding. Today there is a choice between three similar walks, covering the same route but with different starting points). All of them have great views of the Bay of Kotor and either choice offers views of the bay. After some time exploring Kotor’s old town, take a transfer to Perast by local bus (20mins).
- Walking for the day (option 1): 6h, 15km ↑300m ↓1,500m
- Walking for the day (option 2): 4h, 9km ↑50m ↓1,300m
- Walking for the day (option 3): 3 h, 7km ↑40m ↓900m
- Accommodation: Hotel Conte, Palace Jelena, Hotel Admiral or similar in Perast
Day 5: Our Lady of the Rocks / Vrmac | 17km
Take a boat trip to the artificial island across from Perast where you can visit Our Lady of Rocks Church and museum. Continue by a private boat to the village of Donji Stoliv where the day’s hike starts, taking you through a dense chestnut forest to the abandoned village of Gornji Stoliv, with a view over Perast and the Bay. Head up to the ridges of Vrmac peninsula towards Kotor’s Old Town. After a walk in Kotor take a local bus to Perast (20mins).
- Walking for the day: 6h, 17km, ↑750m ↓750m
- Accommodation: Hotel Conte, Palace Jelena, Hotel Admiral or similar in Perast
Day 6: Crkvice | 13km
The day starts with a drive (40mins) to the starting point in the remote area of Crkvice, at an altitude 1,100m above the Bay. Hiking by an old military mule path dating back to the 19th century. The path passes through an area of land formations and offers a view of Boka with an optional climb to the Velji Vrh summit (1,281m). Ruined fortresses along the way pay testimony to the one-century presence of the Austro-Hungarian empire. Hiking finishes in a local restaurant. Transfer back to Perast.
- Walking for the day: 5h, 13km, ↑450m ↓850m
- Accommodation: Hotel Conte, Palace Jelena, Hotel Admiral or similar in Perast
Day 7: Vranovo Brdo | 11km
After a transfer (30mins) to the starting point in Donje Ledenice, this hike starts close to the place where yesterday’s trail ended. From this trail, the views of the Bay are not to be missed. It passes through the old and abandoned village of Ubalac, following an old military Austro-Hungarian mule trail. The hike’s highlight is Sveti Andrija, an abandoned fortress revealing overlooking the Bay. After relaxing at the fortress, descend directly to Perast, following the narrow footpath along the slopes of Vranovo Brdo summit.
- Walking for the day: 4h, 11km, ↑230m ↓800m
- Accommodation: Hotel Conte, Palace Jelena, Hotel Admiral or similar in Perast
Day 8: Departure
Optional private transfer to your departure airport.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation includes three overnights in a mountain hotel in Lovćen National Park and four overnights in a four-star seaside hotel in Perast. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view default accommodation
- Ivanov Konak (Lovćen National Park)
- Hotel Monte Rosa (Lovćen National Park)
- Hotel Conte (Perast)
- Palace Jelena (Perast)
- Hotel Admiral (Perast)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included. When no restaurant is available en route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or you can pre-order packed lunch from your hotel the night before. Dinner is available either from the restaurant in your hotel or from restaurants and taverns in the village near your hotel.
Difficulty and terrain
This tour is rated as moderate and is therefore appropriate for regular walkers with a reasonable level of fitness. The descent on day four to Kotor is a highlight and, although not dangerous, it is a bit steep and long; you can, however, opt to shorten it. Most of the walks are exposed and there is little shade during the hikes. The trip covers an average of 15km (6h) of hiking per day. The average daily elevation gain is 500m (read more about difficulty grades).
Most of the walks will be along footpaths as well as old Austro-Hungarian military roads made from karst dating back 150 years. At some points, there are old mule trails/roads and occasional routes on asphalt at the beginning and end of the tour. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed road notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available from May until October. In May there could be occasional patches of snow in the higher parts of the mountains, but in general, this kind of snow would not be a problem for hikers. It is usually old snow, so early guests should bring hiking pools and gaiters for a comfortable hike. July and August are the busiest months, and it is preferable to book as early as possible. Resort towns may become overcrowded in these months. The flexibility of self-guided holidays and the fact that there are no fixed dates allow you to start your holiday at any time of the season.
Typically, you can expect excellent weather in Montenegro from May to October. Montenegro has a Mediterranean climate, hot, dry summers and autumns and relatively cold winters with heavy snowfall inland. There is a chance of sporadic rain in spring and autumn, though this is in the form of short showers. In July and August, the weather can be very hot as day temperatures can reach up to 35-40C, and you must take enough water for your walks.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Podgorica Airport (TGD). Alternatively, flights are available to Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) in Croatia or Tivat Airport (TIV) in Montenegro. There is public transport to/from them, or we can arrange a private transfer.
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Montenegro without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with a railway station in Podgorica. For more details, see the national rail operator (ŽPCG) or use the Omio planner above
- From Podgorica Airport: take a bus from Podgorica Airport to Cetinje (45mins), where you take a taxi to Ivanova Korita Resort (15mins). The cost of the taxi is approximately €10.
- Departure from Kotor to Podgorica Airport: take a bus to Kotor Bus Station (20mins) where there are regular public bus transfers to Podgorica bus station. One in Podgorica you can take a taxi to Podgorica Airport.
Inclusions
Included
- Three overnights in a mountain hotel in Lovćen National Park and four overnights in a four-star seaside hotel in Perast
- Seven breakfasts
- Detailed pre-departure holiday information pack including GPS-checked and regularly updated route descriptions and road notes, maps with daily routes and optional hikes marked
- GPS tracks
- Daily luggage transport to next hotel of one bag of up to 25kg per person
- All internal ground transfers and baggage transfers as listed in the itinerary
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses such as phone calls, extra transfers, tips, etc.
- Any items not explicitly mentioned in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Private airport transfers to first / from last accommodation
- Extra nights Perast after the holiday, upon request
