Žabljak

Understand

Žabljak is the largest town around the Durmitor, a high mountain in northern Montenegro (2,522 m) and the Durmitor National Park. Žabljak is the town with the highest elevation in the Balkans at 1,450 m above sea level.

The town, which has about 1,700 inhabitants (2011), offers a handful of restaurants and cafes. A one day visit to Žabljak might be enough for moderate outdoor enthusiasts who simply want to see the Tara Canyon and Black Lake, while enthiusiasts of trekking, hiking, rafting, canyoning, and skiing will enjoy longer stays.

Get around

Žabljak is a very small town, so everything is within walking distance. You can get to some of the lakes around the town only by foot. However, some chairlifts, skiing pistes, etc., are reachable only by car.

See

Eyes of the Mountain - any of the 18 glacier lakes on Durmitor mountain. Tara Canyon - deepest canyon in Europe, second deepest in the world, right after Arizona's Grand Canyon. It figures on UNESCO World Heritage List. Some 20 km east of town.

Do

Skiing - Durmitor's snow cover lasts 120 days per year and its best slopes are Savin kuk, Štuoc and Javorovača. Savin kuk has two chairlifts, a ski lift, nursery lift and a ski service. Savin kuk slope is 3,500 m long. Štuoc is somewhat shorter (2,600 m) but very exciting, and Javorovača's 800 m are perfect for those preferring short runs. The Nordic skiing tracks are 3 to 12 km long. Snowboarding is popular, and many enthusiast gatherings and competitions are being held at Durmitor. Rafting - 1.3 km deep Tara river canyon offers unforgettable rafting experience. You can go rafting by boat or a wooden raft down the 100 km of the most beautiful and exciting part of Tara. The usual route is from Splavište down to Šćepan Polje, and in between you can see Ljutice Falls, the 165-m-high magnificent Tara bridge, an old Roman road, and Lever Tara. The scenery at Tepački bukovi, Sušica canyon, Bailove sige, and Brstanovića bukovi is breathtaking. During the river trip, either dinner or lunch is served in natural scenery on the river banks. Rafting tours can also start at Radovan luka or Brstanovica. There is a couple of travel agencies offering rafting tours. Half-day tour costs €40-50, you it is strongly suggested to book the tour one day ahead. Full day is €100, and you must have a group of at least 4 people. Mountaineering - Durmitor has perfect conditions for this sport, as cliffs and slopes are abundant. There are many well marked routes taking you high in to the mountains. Cy…

Buy

Žabljak is not really a shopping resort. It is, however, the right place to buy genuine Montenegrin food.

Eat

Žabljak has some excellent local cuisine restaurants. Notably, there is "Katun" restaurant on the very shore of Crno Jezero (temporarily closed in 2014), "MB" motel-restaurant, and "Momčilov grad" on the Štuoc.

Cold hors d'oeuvres include the famous njeguški pršut (smoked ham) and njeguški cheese, pljevaljski cheese, mushrooms, fried pastry and dried bleak. The main courses specific for the northern mountainous region are boiled lamb, lamb cooked in milk, cicvara in fresh milk cream (creamy buttered polenta), boiled potatoes with kajmak (local fresh cream cheese).

It might be a good idea to make an order and reserve seats a few hours in advance, as restaurants are small, may be crowded, and it might take some time to prepare the courses.

Drink

Montenegrin quality wine is a must-try. The best known Montenegrin wines are the premium "Vranac", "Pro Corde", "Krstač", "Cabernet", "Chardonnay" and the famous home made Crmničko red wine.

Grape brandy (rakija) "Montenegrin loza", "Prvijenac", "Kruna" or home made grape brandy (lozova rakija, lozovaca) is also great.

Sleep

There are three major hotels in Žabljak: Planinka, Žabljak, and Durmitor. Besides these, there are many small motels (MB, Bjeloor, etc.) in and around town, not to mention that almost every local resident is willing to rent a room at affordable price. Just look for "Rooms, Sobe" sign; however take into account that not all owners are available right on spot and so you might need to call them to see the property (phone numbers are usually mentioned on their property signs).

Accommodation in Žabljak is abundant, except around New Year's Eve, when the place is packed.

Go next

Durmitor National Park Podgorica — the capital and biggest city in Montenegro. Nikšić — the second largest city in Montenegro and economically important, not of the big interest though. Biogradska Gora National Park — some of the last remaining untouched forests in Europe. Mount Ostrog — the amazing monastery situated on the almost vertical cliff of Mount Ostrog. Prijepolje - small town in neighboring Serbia, housing Mileseva Monastery.