Northern Mountains - Montenegro - page 271

In the centre of Gusinje you'll find a post office, an ATM, cafes and plenty of options
for pizza or burek .
Prokletije National Park Национални парк Проклетије
The Prokletije mountains are a large expanse of wilderness forming the border with Al-
bania and Kosovo. In 2009 protection was extended to a 160 sq km expanse on the
Montenegrin side when it was declared the country's fifth national park. On the Albanian
side there are two national parks: 26 sq km Theth and 80 sq km Valbona Valley. Ambi-
tious plans are afoot for the whole mountain range to be declared a cross-border Balkans
Peace Park.
It's ironic really, as both the Slavic and Albanian versions of the mountain range's
name mean 'accursed', a reference to the harsh environment of these jagged peaks. They
reach their highest point at Jezerski Vrh (2694m) on the Albanian side of the border and
also include Montenegro's loftiest peak Kolac (2534m). This magnificently scenic area
may well rate as one of Europe's least explored.
From both Gusinje and Plav, yellow signs point to various walking tracks and give
both the distance and estimated time required for each. Within a few hours you can reach
glacial lakes and mountain springs. One invaluable resource is the Prokletije Hiking &
Biking map, available from the Plav Tourist Office.
If you're interested in doing some serious mountaineering, it's best to talk to one of the
agencies specialising in adventure tourism as you'll need help in arranging guides, ac-
cessing mountain huts and dealing with red tape if you wish to cross the Albanian border.