Sunday, June 8, 2025 - Friday, June 20, 2025
Montenegro,
International,
Montenegro
Join us for a thirteen-day mix of hiking and culture in Montenegro, a hidden gem along the Adriatic coast. Located in the Balkans, it was part of the former Yugoslavia. Beautiful, ancient stone villages with moats, Venetian walls, shadowy lanes, monasteries, and churches rival the more famous nearby Dubrovnik, but with a fraction of the tourists. The Dinaric Alps with soaring saw-toothed, limestone peaks stretch through most of the country. We will hike in three of the four national parks in these mountains and visit the country's other national park, along spectacular Lake Skadar. We will spend a few days along the coast, taking in the charm of several of the villages with their Greek, Roman, and Venetian heritage as well as the gorgeous coast at the Bay of Kotor, Europe's southernmost fjord. Montenegro's mix of cultures results in wonderful food that reflects the region's mix of east and west. A June trip should provide us with hikes through flower-filled meadows and beat the heat of summer. Our trip begins in Podgorica, the capital of this small country. After a guided tour of the city, we will head north for six days of spectacular and challenging hikes. During this time, we stay in a mix of hotels and guesthouses, allowing us to get an appreciation for life in small mountain villages. The second half of our trip will be more cultural, but still very active, as we head toward the coast. En route, we will visit a cliffside monastery and a Mausoleum perched on the top of a mountain. For the next few days, we will wander in several of the most beautiful and charming towns along the Adriatic. In Kotor we will climb 1,350 steps to visit a 13th century church and castle and get spectacular views of the bay and red roofs of the town below. From Perast we will take a boat to a tiny island occupied by a church. We will explore two monasteries near the picture-perfect fortified island village in Sveti Stefan and will enjoy a relaxing time wandering the alleys of Budva. We finish our trip with a visit to the "Montenegrin Pompeii", a village with a mix of Turkish baths, Catholic churches, and Roman aqueducts. Excluding breaks, on the hiking days we will usually hike from five to seven hours per day, between five and nine miles, with elevation gains of about 2,000 feet. We will hike at a moderate pace, allowing time for photos and rest breaks. Participants should be in excellent shape and be able to hike for most of the day, several days in a row. We will be accompanied by an English-speaking local guide throughout the trip.
