April 26, 2018 - Montenegro has five national parks in total, of which three are located in the northern part of the country. The idea behind national parks is to protect and conserve the untouched nature and maintain the wild beauty of the area or body of water in particular. In today’s article, we will cover three National Parks that are located in Northern Montenegro, each housing its beauty and uniqueness.
Biogradska Gora
National Park Biogradska Gora can be found in the Montenegrin municipalities Kolasin, Mojkovac, Berane, and Andrijevica. It is located in the central part of the Bjelasica Mountain, in between two beautiful rivers – Tara and Lim. This national park is mainly made up of a huge forest and the Biogradsko Lake. The forest that covers most of the park's area is one of the last three large virgin forests or jungles in Europe. Some of these trees are estimated to be 400 years old and seven older, while some of them are more than 40 meters high. Alongside Biogradsko Lake which boasts an amazing landscape itself, the National Park Biogradska Gora has other lakes which are Pesica Lake, Ursulovacko Lake, and Sisko Lake. The highest point of this national park is Crna Glava, Bjelasica Mountain's highest peak. When taking into account flora and fauna world – this is is home to 200 different types of birds, 80 variations of butterflies and many mammals, such as deer, squirrel, bear, fox or wolf. Crna Glava also has 2.000 different types of plants, of which almost 20% are endemic!
Durmitor
National Park Durmitor has been part of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list since 1980. At the same time, Durmitor is the name of the most famous tourist destination and mountain during winter. This mountain features the highest point in Montenegro, which is estimated at 2.523 meters high and is named Bobotov Kuk. Reaching the highest point in Montenegro is achievable during all seasons, since the ropeway that leads to the very top functions throughout the year. However, this ropeway does not drive you to the highest point, so the last few meters have to be done by foot. National Park Durmitor mostly consists of mountain and Crno Lake. Alongside the mountain and lake, this national park features many beautiful and unique canyons, wild rivers and forests. It provides a home to 122 endemic species of plants and many wild animals, too. It is enriched with mushrooms which can be found all around the lake and on the mountain and 40 of these species are even edible.
Prokletije
Prokletije is a mountain located in North Eastern Montenegro, and it has been a National Park since 2009. National Park Prokletije consists of this mountain, its untouched wilderness and beauty, and is located on the country border between Montenegro and Albania. It covers the area of Montenegro municipalities including Plav and Gusinje, and its average elevation is between 1.500 and 2.000 meters. Two of the most attractive lakes here are Hrid Lake and Volusnica Lake, while at the same time this park is a place where forests grow. Prokletije poses a serious challenge for mountain climbers and hikers, so if you are going to explore it on your own, it is advisable to be in good shape, health and that you have all the necessary equipment. However, if you choose to visit Prokletije with the help of a tourist agency, they often provide everything you would need, from shoes to helicopters. Prokletije also houses over 1.700 different types of plants and herbs, while wild animals such as wolves, bears, and foxes call the mountain their home.
