Have you long dreamed of visiting Montenegro? Do not hesitate, Zabljak is the best city to get to know better this amazing country. Zabljak, Montenegro is a small but stunningly beautiful city in the northern part of the country with a population of no more than 2 thousand people.
You probably already looked at the photo of Zabljak and saw that it is located in the heart of the Durmitor massif, which is a national reserve (with unique forests), included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Thousands of tourists go to Zabljak not to visit historical sites. First of all, people come here to enjoy the beauty of northern Montenegro, as well as skiing and other activities. This resort is equally beautiful in both winter and summer.
What kind of active entertainment, in addition to skiing or snowboarding, can Zabljak offer its guests? Yes, any! From walking and cycling along the most beautiful mountain slopes to horse riding, mountain climbing, rafting, paragliding, canyoning. If you like extreme entertainment, in Zabljak you will find what you are looking for.
The entire infrastructure of the village of Zabljak in Montenegro meets the generally accepted quality standards in Europe. But the cost of any service here is about 2 times lower than at the untwisted ski resorts of France or Italy.
Zabljak is a paradise for skiers, and not only
All year round in the ski resort Zabljak you will find what to do:
- rafting enthusiasts rafting along the canyon of the Tara River;
- climbers can conquer the mountain slopes and cliffs of Montenegro;
- Especially for lovers of cycling and hiking, routes have been developed and prepared to get the most out of the views that open around.
Separately, it must be said about skiing, which in Zabljak is in first place of honor. The ski season starts here in December and ends only at the end of March. And in the highest mountainous place – Debely Namet, it never ends. The average temperature ranges from +2 to +8 degrees. Snow falls at least 110 centimeters.
At the service of fans of skiing sports there are three main descents intended for athletes with different levels of training:
- The track for those who are well skiing is the Savin Kuk with a length of about 3,500 m. It originates at an altitude of 2,313 meters. The vertical drop is not less than 750 meters. On this descent there are 4 rope tows, 2 chairlifts, as well as 2 lifts for children. So, if you are a more or less experienced skier, Savin Cook will live up to all your expectations!
- The Yavorovacha highway, with a length of about eight hundred meters. A great option for inexperienced skiers and snowboarders.
- The track “Stuts”, with a length of about two and a half thousand meters. This track is rightfully recognized as the most picturesque. Regular buses are taken to the highway.
Settlement infrastructure
For the comfort of guests, ski schools with professional instructors and equipment rental centers are open in Zabljak. The resort infrastructure is on the level.
In restaurants you will be served tasty and satisfying both Montenegrin and classic European cuisine. The portions are large, with one main course you can eat enough. The average check per person is 12-15 €.
But it should be noted that most of the hotels and restaurants in Zabljak are simple and comfortable, without excessive pretentiousness and pathos.
How much does a vacation in Zabryak cost?
As for prices, accommodation in Zabljak hotels starts from 50 € per day per room. To rent an apartment or a room with local residents will cost about 30-70 € depending on the location of the housing, size, season, etc.
The cost of a villa for 4-6 people starts from 90 €.
Rental of ski equipment in Zabljak (per person per day) will cost about 10-20 €, one lift – 5-7 €.
What else to do? Durmitor National Park
Other attractions and attractions are also associated with the nature of Montenegro and the surroundings of Zabljak in particular. It’s just amazing how on such a small area, there can be at the same time so many incredibly beautiful places! Briefly go over the main ones.
Durmitor National Park in Montenegro includes a huge array of Durmitor and three spectacular canyons, including the wild river Tara, which is the bottom of the deepest gorge of Europe with a height of 1300 meters. The park also has over a dozen sparkling lakes.
In summer, many of the fields in the park become pastures for grazing sheep and cattle, which are owned by 1,500 people living in the village of Zhablyak.
The lake is located at an altitude of 1416 meters. It is called black because unique black pines stand around it in a dense forest, which, reflected in the water, create the effect of blackness. But the water in the Black Lake is so clear that you can see the bottom at a depth of 9 meters!
The Black Lake of Durmitor Park is one of the most romantic places in Montenegro. If you are lucky enough to come here in the spring, then you can see a picturesque waterfall (occurring when water flows from one lake to another). And in the summer – take a dip in fresh clear water. In addition, here you can ride a boat, ride a horse (if you do not know how, you will certainly be taught).
Located at an altitude of 2040 meters above sea level. Here you can enjoy unique stalactite and stalagmitic compositions, try incredibly tasty and clear water.
This is a mountain peak located at an altitude of 2522 m above sea level. It’s simply impossible to convey the beauty of the species that open from the top of the Bobotov Cook mountain; you need to see it with your own eyes. This is a symbol of the beauty of Montenegro. All the way from Zabljak to the peak of Bobotov Kuk takes an average of 6 hours on foot.
Black Lake is not the only one in the vicinity of Zabljak. There is one more worth looking at – Zaboynoe. The lake is located at an altitude of 1477 m, abundantly covered with needles and beeches. This is the deepest lake in Montenegro (19 meters). Zaboiskoye Lake is a favorite place for fishermen fishing here for rainbow trout and enjoying amazing beauty and silence.
Today it is a female monastery. A monastery was built in honor of St. George in the XVI century. It has a rich history.
Zabljak: how to get
The easiest way to get to Zabljak is to fly to the nearest airport (such is the international airport in Podgorica), and then drive about 170 kilometers by bus or car.
Road infrastructure is the main weak point of Zabljak, which may seriously hinder the development of the city with the status of the best ski resort in Montenegro. It can be seen that the authorities are working in this direction. And, perhaps soon it will be much faster and more comfortable to get to Zabljak (for example, when the road from Zabljak to Risan is repaired, the travel time will actually be reduced by two hours).
Of the several highways (which, as you probably already understood, are not in the best condition), the main one is the European highway E65 in the direction of Maykovets. This highway connects Zabljak with the north of the country, Podgorica and the coast.
Interesting Facts
- Located at an altitude of 1456 m, Zabljak is the highest located settlement of the entire Balkan Peninsula.
- In the area of Zabljak, there are about 300 mountain caves.
- The fauna of Durmitor National Park has 163 different species of birds and a wide range of newts, frogs and lizards. The fauna of large animals includes wolves, wild boars, brown bears and eagles.
- The park is densely covered with both deciduous and pine forests. The age of these trees exceeds 400 years, and the height reaches 50 meters.
- Due to sharp changes in the height and geographical location of the park, Durmitor is characterized by both Mediterranean (in the valleys) and alpine microclimates.
