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Outdoor Adventures in Kolasin
Kolašin, Montenegro
The town of Kolašin is home to less than 3000 people. It’s situated in roughly the center of Montenegro just at the foothills of some dramatic mountains. It’s easily accessible by car and rail – both of which we used when travelling around this region! But the best part about visiting here – for me at least – were the number of options for outdoor adventures in Kolasin. Mac and I hiked our way around lakes and through canyons and were treated to some pretty spectacular nature and scenery.
Outdoor Adventures in Kolasin
Biogradska Gora
This national park is only a short car (or bus or taxi) ride away from Kolašin. Since we would have had to wait more than an hour for the next bus, Mac and I opted to take a taxi to the park. We were dropped off at the park entrance and had to walk up the winding road several kilometers until we reached the thick forest and the purpose of our visit: Biogradsko jezero (Lake Biograd).
There is a 3km trail that circumnavigates the lake and the overcast weather meant that we were some of the only hikers there that day. Despite the moody weather, the forest was alive with colour and vibrancy. Each turn we made was met with a totally new landscape and we had fun trying to pick out all the different kinds of tress that surrounded us.
Where the trail meets the road there is a large picnic area complete with several museums, lodges, and cafes, as well as a huge map displaying several more trails and hikes within the park. In mid-April this area was very quiet, but I’d imagine it becomes quite popular in the summer months!
Practical Information
From Kolašin to Biogradska Gora is 17km (about 20-30 minutes). A taxi to the park entrance (NOT the lake) was 5€ (for two of us).
Buses run from the Kolasin Bus Station towards Mojkovac, with a stop outside Biogradska Gora. Departure times are 8:15, 8:20, 9:45, 10:30, 12:50, 14:30, 15:40, 16:50, 18:30. (Mojkovac is another 7km/10 minutes from the park so you can try and hazard a guess as to when the return buses would be. We were picked up extremely fast while hitchhiking.)
Mrtvica Canyon
I was thrilled to have stumbled upon a blog post detailing the hike through Mrtvica Canyon as it wasn’t mentioned in any guide book or tourist brochure. Which is a shame because this was one of the best hikes that Mac and I did in Montenegro!
The grey clouds of the morning eventually evaporated leaving us with clear blue skies and warm temperatures. We hiked alongside the Mrtvica River on a paved road barely covered by shade, before eventually crossing over to a dirt trail surrounded by leafy trees.
While crossing the river we could finally see the incredible turquoise blue colour of the rushing water. Further along the trail we saw a surging waterfall, nearly overflowing from the snowmelt of the surrounding mountains. Again, with it being so early in the season we were glad to have the entire trail to ourselves!
The best part of the hike was finally reaching Kapija Zelja (Gate of Wishes). The unique rock formation perfectly highlighted the crystal clear river water and the surrounding mossy trees made it seem like we were in a fairy tale.
Mac and I ate lunch on the rocks beside the swiftly flowing river, soaking up the welcomed sunshine after days of endless clouds and rain. Two Serbian hikers later joined us at the Gate of Wishes, and after they kindly took our picture, we hiked back to the highway with them.
We took a trail on the opposite side of the river back to the highway and met some friendly goats (and not so friendly guard dogs) along the way. The rushing river maintained its unbelievable blue hue and I kept having to run to catch up to our new friends because I was so mesmerized while taking pictures!! The Serbs kindly drove us all the way back to Kolasin, saving us the uncertainty of navigating the unpredictable bus schedule.
If you’re in this area, I’d highly recommend the Mrtvica Canyon hike. It’s still relatively unknown (as far as I can tell), but the scenery is absolutely stunning and the trail is so rewarding.
Practical Information
Take the bus from the Kolasin Bus Station towards Podgorica to Međurečje – cost 3.50€ per person. Morning buses leave at 6:00, 8:00, 8:30, 9:40, 11:00, and 11:45. The journey takes around 45-60 minutes. (Sit on the left side of the bus for the best views.) There are several bus companies that take this route and I was unable to get a clear answer from the conductor as to when the return times would be. My guess would be every 60-90 minutes.
There are numerous trails that follow the Mrtvica River, and I’d highly recommend downloading the app Maps.Me which shows all of these trails in detail. You can see the route we took in the map below. If I did this hike again I’d likely take the trail to the north (and east) of the river to avoid hiking on the paved road.
Route 3,593,186 – powered by www.wandermap.net
Another 3-4km after Kapija Zelja is an old military trail which is actually cut into the mountainside. The trail is referred to as Mrtvičke Grede or the Mrtvica Beams and was carved by the old Yugoslav army. The photos looked really cool, and Mac and I would have hiked there if it were earlier in the day and the rain clouds hadn’t come in again.
I found these blogs especially useful when preparing for this hike:
We stayed at Guest Accommodation Bakic in Kolasin and the hosts were SO incredibly kind and welcoming. I’d highly recommend this place if you’re looking for somewhere cozy yet affordable to stay.
*****
I’m so happy that Mac and I visited this area of Montenegro. I was blown away by the quality (and abundance) of outdoor adventures in Kolasin and wouldn’t hesitate to return there again.
Tell me, where is the bluest water you’ve ever seen?
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