Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tara River & Canyon
Slicing through the mountains at the northern edge of the national park like they were
made from the local soft cheese, the Tara River forms a canyon that at its peak is 1300m
deep. By way of comparison, Colorado's Grand Canyon is only 200m deeper.
The best views are from the water, which explains why rafting along the river is one of
the country's most popular tourist activities. If you'd rather stay dry and admire the
canyon from afar, head to the top of
Mt Ćurevac
(1625m) - although even this view is re-
stricted by the canyon walls.
The viewpoint isn't well signposted and it's hard to find. From Žabljak's central square
take the main road east and before you leave the town, turn left at a sign reading 'Restor-
an Momčilov Grad'. Shortly after, turn right and follow this road as it climbs the hill.
Where there are forks, chose the road that loops up and follow signs that say 'Tepca'.
Eventually there are some small wooden signs pointing to Ćurevac or
vidikovac
(view-
point). Stop at the grassy parking spot with the national park information boards and
clamber up the small track behind.
RIVER
LAKE
Black Lake
(Crno jezero)
Eighteen glacial lakes known as
gorske oči
(mountain eyes) dot the Durmitor
range. The Black Lake, a pleasant 3km walk from Žabljak, is the largest and the most
visited part of the national park. The rounded mass of
Međed
(The Bear; 2287m) rears up
behind it, casting an inky shadow into the waters. An easy 3.6km walking track circles
the lake.
Activities
Rafting
A rafting expedition along the Tara is one of the things that enduring Montenegro
memories are made of. The river has a few rapids but don't expect an adrenaline-fuelled
white-water experience. You'll get the most excitement in April and May, when the last
of the melting snow revs up the flow. Various operators run trips between April and
October.
The 82km section that is raftable starts from Splavište, south of the Tara Bridge, and
ends at Šćepan Polje on the Bosnian border. The classic two-day trip heads through the
deepest part of the canyon on the first day, stopping overnight at Radovan Luka. Summit
