If you think Montenegro is all about the Kotor Bay, you’re absolutely wrong.

The country comprising of 600,000 people took me by surprise after visiting their mountain towns and hiking some of the highest peaks.

Montenegro literally means (Black Mountains) which comprises the words Monte (Mountain) and Negro (Black), referring to the dark forests that once covered the Dinaric Alps.

The funny thing is Croatia has received mass tourism but Montenegro has not had the same love and I wonder why.

at some of the best mountain ranges in montenegro on my travel itinerary!

Maybe it is the crowds from the cruise ship who stop only at Kotor bay but do not venture out to visit the mountains, and the spillover crowds from Dubrovnik who stop to visit the party central areas like Budva.

And it is such a shame, because the mountains are so stunningly beautiful with sharp edges belonging to the Accursed Mountains group that it is crazy nobody has talked about them!

The country is so small but it has five (5) national parks, yes 5!:

During this trip, I visited atleast three national parks:
1. Durmitor National Park (the Zabljak Mountains)
2. Lovcen National Park (the closest to Kotor Bay) and
3. Prokletije National Park (East Montenegro covering Babino Polje and Grebaje Valley) on my Peaks of the Balkans 10 days long hike.

If you’re here on a longer trip and have all the means to extend, while renting a car, you absolutely must! And if you’re coming from Croatia, Dubrovnik, your next obvious stop is Kotor.

Here’s the 7 days itinerary of what you should do in Montenegro with options to even visit other places:

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7 Days Itinerary in Montenegro

Day 1: Kotor, Montenegro

The Adriatic coast, famous red walls and the stunning bays from Perast to Risan are just some of the main reasons to visit Kotor.

There are dozens of cats that throng these streets every morning but what sets Kotor apart are its historic buildings. There’s history in almost every corner.

One of the best ways to take in the views and escape the throngs of tourists crowds is to climb the St John’s Fortress. It was towering above the ocean and it seemed like the perfect way to get a bird’s eye view of the town.

This 2.5 km to and fro hike takes 1:30 – 2 hours to complete. I mean it is 1,350 steps and it’s not exactly a cake walk as you climb up the city walls.

Also read: Kotor, Worth It? 12 Things To Do In Kotor On Your Montenegro Itinerary!

the best cheese and wine stop in kotor town

Once you reach the top you’ll see a ladder that allows you to take the trail and hiking path.

You’ve to do this because on our way we passed through a cheese shop and had some of the best wine and cheese. The owner even said that “Novak Djokovich” the most famous Croatian player had visited him as well!

If you’re done with the hike, you could also take on a boat tour where you get to see some really cool sights like the Blue Cave and Lady on the Rocks. The Lady of the Rocks is an abandoned submarine tunnel and the best part is taking a dip in the vibrant Blue Cave.

Alternatively, you could descend and spend the next day exploring Perast with a mini bus. There are plenty of mini buses heading to this small town.

Where to stay in Kotor

Day 2: Lovcen National Park & Back to Kotor

A park that’s so close to Kotor but somewhat hard to get there on your own if you don’t have any transport. I recommend going on a tour to visit Mount Lovcen. It is a full-day tour and absolutely worth it!

The national park may not be as big or famous as the others in Croatia but it is the final resting place of its greatest ruler at the Mausoleum.

The ruler is Petar II Petrović Njegoš, a Montenegrin and Serbian leader who governed Montenegro from 1830 to 1851. He is renowned for uniting the Montenegrin tribes and modernising the country.

spectacular view of the stunning mountains in montenegro

There is an amazing viewpoint after climbing some 440 stairs. What was more spectacular was the road up there — it is a gorgeous serpentine road with continous bends and atleast 25 switchbacks.

Ofcourse, to think of hiking this is unimaginable especially when it is super hot. The best thing about this is also the sweeping views of Kotor Bay.

You should stop at Horizont bar to get a drink and take in these views because this is absolutely worth the stop!

Day 3: Budva

the quaint and beachside budva town — known as a party town as well!

When Kotor gets too much, here’s when you opt to explore Budva and stay there for a night where you can explore the sea and the nightlife.

The mainstay of Budva its the Old Town. You can walk the Old Town and explore the Citaldel Fortress.

The best thing to do is also take a day trip to Sveti Stefan — just 5km from the main town. This incredibly picturesque town is situated on a peninsula and is adorned with 15th-century terracotta-roofed buildings.

But if you want some downtime, some of the coolest things to do is to go paddle boarding to the coastal caves!

Where to stay in Budva

Day 4-7: Durmitor National Park

I am saving the best for the last — Durmitor National Park is Montenegro’s best kept secret.

It offers a treat to experience the best of the nature and outdoors, while staying in one of the coolest places “Hostel Hikers Den” and being able to go rafting at the Tara River.

To get here, it can be a bit of a challenge as there’s no direct buses. I found the best way to get here is to catch the bus from Kotor or Podgorica to Nikšić and head towards Zabljak.

The total journey if you’re doing Kotor-Nikšić-Zabljak would be around 3 hours. You can book your tickets on 12go or GetByBus.

If you’re short on time, and really just want to hit the National Park with all the fascinating sites, there’s even a day tour that does this!

Visiting Durmitor National Park

look at those waters — the black lake at durmitor national park.

While the town may appear small, Durmitor National Park is a hiking paradise — there are crazy canyons, gorgeous glacial lakes and atleast 50 limestone peaks that reaches up to an altitude of 2000m.

The highest and most common peak to climb here is Bobotov Kuk which sits at 2,523m.

But if you don’t want to hike that peak, you could opt to walk around the Black Lake (Crno Jezero) at the national park and admire the country’s pine forests and limestone mountains.

Also Read: Zabljak & Durmitor National Park 3 Days Itinerary Montenegro + Why You Shouldn't Miss It

Staying at Hostel Hiker’s Den

alex the host at the hikers hostel den in zabljak montenegro

You can opt to stay in other places but I would recommend staying in Alex’s Hostel as it is easy to organise your hikes here while getting loads of local information.

The Hiker’s Hostel even offers private rooms but you must book them in advance! The best insight that I can give you is that Alex makes sure his guests are well-equipped and he even offers free hiking boots for rent.

Rafting the Tara River

Some of my favourite moments were also rafting the Tara River — it is known to be second deepest canyon in the world, right behind America's Grand Canyon at 1,333m.

The easiest way is to go on the rafting tour that takes care of everything for you!

The actual class of the river varies but it is mostly from 2 to 4 in May to June while July to September is more light and safer for families.

We went down rafting on a weekend and for some reason there were a lot of people from Serbia making a day trip over here. If you had to pick a day to enjoy these cold waters, please make it happen on a weekday.

The highlight was also the drive towards the Tara River which passes through the mountain pass called Sedlo pass. It is known as the famous P14 road that is incredibly windy and long stretching up to 52 km.

some of the most amazing scenic views on our way to sedlo pass

The Sedlo Pass also stands at 1,970m and it is also close to the starting point for the trek up to Bobotuv Kuk.

Along your drive you will also be able to visit Piva Canyon viewpoint. The views are dramatic and drop dead gorgeous! We stopped countless times where you can buy olive oil, wine and local products from the farmers and shepherds themselves.