Jennifer Westwood says...
Our guide, Danijela, was excellent and very informative. Some of the walking was hard going but manageable. For our first travel with Headwater it ...
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Montenegro may be tiny, but it sure packs a punch! Lying in the south Adriatic - bordering Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Albania - it is arguably one of the most diverse, interesting and alluring countries in Europe, and is crammed with cultural heritage, architectural treasures and jaw-dropping natural beauty.
Our weeks walking is a glorious and contrasting mix. Starting in the mountainous north, we explore first the vast Durmitor National Park, with its glacial lakes, dense forests - with masses of endemic species - sparkling streams and fast flowing rivers. We visit the Tara Canyon (a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and the second deepest canyon in the world at 1300m, after Arizona's Grand Canyon) to survey one of nature's best-kept secrets from a viewpoint 1200m above the crystal clear Tara River, granting panoramic vistas over the whole plateau!
For the second part of our trip we head south, to the warm shores of the Adriatic - described by Lord Byron as 'the most beautiful encounter between land and sea' - where pretty coastal villages cling vertiginously to rock walls that jut dramatically from the sea. We stay in Venetian Perast, considered the prettiest town in Montenegro, and relax by the water's edge after exploring some of its 18 historic churches. For a totally different perspective, we'll also take boat trips around Lake Skadar (great for bird-spotting) and the shores of tranquil Kotor Bay with its famous islets.
Evening meals are included on all nights except for one where we've left you free to enjoy dinner at leisure at a restaurant of your choice.
Walks involve a mixture of woodland and forest trails, open meadows and country roads. While not challenging, short sections are rocky. The walk around Kotor's walls will take place at a gentle pace but involves steps to the top. Walking boots are recommended.
Arrive in the high Balkan mountain town of Zabljak (1450m) and your hotel.
You stay at Pirlitor Apartments (breakfast and evening meal)
Swimming in the glacial Crno Jezero (Black Lake), walking through deciduous forest - keep your eyes peeled for various eagles in the skies above - and a picnic in the shadow of the Medjed Peak are just some of today's highlights as we explore the heart of the Durmitor National Park. Formed by glaciers, and traversed by a multitude of rivers, lakes and underground streams, the park is also home to one of the last virgin black pine forests in Europe with fauna including brown bear, wild cat, chamois and capercaillie.
You stay at Pirlitor Apartments (breakfast and evening meal)
A feast for the eyes of both keen and novice photographers this morning as we stroll the woods and meadows up to the spectacular Tara River Canyon, the deepest in Europe (1300m) and arguably the most beautiful river canyon in the world. Part of the Durmitor National Park and a protected UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, it boasts 40+ tumbling waterfalls, 80+ large caves, rapids, lakes and dense forest harbouring an abundance of plant and wildlife. Enjoy a picnic at Curevac, then we transfer you to Kolasin where you spend the night with dinner included
You stay at the Bianca Resort & Spa (breakfast and evening meal)
A scenic serpentine road takes us up (45 mins) to the Lovcen National Park with over 6,000 hectares of natural contrasts: imposing snow-capped peaks, stunning coastal views, 2000+ plants, 85 species of butterfly and over 200 bird types including many regal birds of prey. Besides its natural beauties, the park protects a rich, cultural and architectural heritage too, including authentic katuns - summer cottages for cattle breeders. We walk up to the mausoleum of Prince- Bishop Petar II Petrovic-Njegos - the ruler, poet and philosopher credited with having modernised Montenegro. We then continue to his birthplace - the picturesque mountain 'food' village of Njegusi, famous for its cheeses, honey and dried smoked hams, before a transfer to Perast and the Hotel Conte, your home for the next 4 nights. Dinner at the hotel is included tonight.
You stay at the Hotel Conte (breakfast and evening meal)
Wedged between brooding mountains and the gorgeous bay, the historic city of Kotor is a UNESCO listed Natural and Culturo-Historical Region. Within the ancient walls its labyrinthine streets reveal some of the finest examples of medieval architecture: Romanesque churches, Venetian piazzas, San Giovanni castle and other cultural monuments. In the afternoon we take a scenic drive south west to the coast. This is followed by a relaxed afternoon on the water exploring the gorgeous sheltered Bay of Kotor and its postcard-pretty medieval villages, ancient coastal settlements and tiny man-made island of 'Our Lady of the Rocks' whose famous church is steeped in maritime history.
You stay at the Hotel Conte (breakfast and evening meal)
A 90-minute drive this morning takes us past pretty coastal villages and wonderful mountain scenery, then on to the warm waters of Lake Skadar on the Albania-Montenegro border. Flanked by small orchards and vineyards, this is the largest lake in the Balkan Peninsula, and is one of the most important reserves for wetland birds in Europe. After a circular walk up to the wine village of Godinje - we'll take a boat tour on the lake to view the area's wild beauty from the water. Think verdant hills rising from the lake, old world villages peppering the shores, an abandoned 14th century monastery on its own tiny island and whiskered terns building their nests on floating water lilies. Choose your restaurant for tonight's evening meal, pay locally
You stay at the Hotel Conte (breakfast included)
Start the day with a 50 minute transfer to Trojica to begin today's hike to the top of Vrmac Mountain where we can enjoy views of Kotor Bay. We transfer you back to your hotel in Perast in time for dinner (included).
You stay at the Hotel Conte (breakfast and evening meal)
During your holiday you stay at the following hotels. If you'd like to extend your time at any of these or, if you'd like to enhance your stay with an upgraded room, just let us know at the time of booking.
To find out more call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199, use our live webchat or email sales@headwater.com
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
Room upgrades: Superior Room, Executive Room
Find out more on the hotel website.
Read customer reviews on Tripadvisor.
NEARBY:
Room upgrades: Junior Suite or Apartments.
Junior suite with sea view, Apartment with sea view, 2 Bed apartment with sea view or 3 Bed apartment with terrace & outdoor jacuzzi.
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Podgorica airport at 13:50 and back to Podgorica airport at 10:15.
Call now to speak to our specialist team at 0044 1606 720199 or email us at sales@headwater.com for enquiries or to book your trip.
Everyone who goes on a Headwater holiday will be emailed a link to our post-holiday questionnaire where they can give us an honest assessment of all aspects of their holiday - everything from how quickly we answer the phone to how clean the hotels were - plus an overall rating and comments about their holiday.
Any feedback collected is posted to our website, so that people can make an informed decision based on past experiences before heading off on holiday. We don’t edit the reviews, the only thing we do is proofread them and alter any typos, where necessary, to ensure they are easy to read for everyone. All reviews will be published (except in certain extreme circumstances), and a member of the Headwater team will respond to any constructive criticisms/comments under the reviews, at their discretion. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of our holidays, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers.
Our guide, Danijela, was excellent and very informative. Some of the walking was hard going but manageable. For our first travel with Headwater it couldn't have gone any better. Many thanks
good
Excellent holiday
Thoroughly enjoyed seeing this unspoilt country where the hills meet the sea. Lots of travel but other than arrival day with 5.5 hour transfer rather than the advertised 3.5 it was fine and enjoyed watching the spectacular scenery through the windows. Usually do self guided but with the travel including 100s of hairpin bends and being unsure of how well marked paths would be decided on a guided tour and loved it. 7 guests on our tour. Hotels overall not quite as high quality as usual Headwater ones but we could see there is very limited choice especially inland. Felt it was more a 1 grade than 1+. Max height climbed was under 300m and walks mostly 2-3 hours. Boat trips and included lunches helped fill the days. Would recommend this holiday
(Am sending separate email for Headwateer staff with more specoific feedback)
Great walking in an as yet fairly unspoilt country.
Montenegro is a beautiful country and this walking holiday enables you to see a large part of it, either on the coast or up in the mountains. Stunning views on the walks. Stayed in very comfortable hotels especially the Hotel Conte which served delicious help yourself breakfasts .
Excellent walking trips with a knowledgble guide. Varied scenery and routes that overall met the 2 boot standard. Lots of travelling, but necessary in order to satisfy the 'highlights' nature of the holiday. Good standard of accommodation throughout, with one excellent hotel overlooking the Bay of Kotor where its worth a room upgrade to one with a seaview.
We had an amazing time in Montenegro and the holiday exceeded our expectations. The guide Sinisa was fantastic and we had the added bonus of a second guide Anna that was learning the route. The driver was first class and very safe. We would say Hotel Zabljak is in a good spot but the rooms are too small to swing a cat and the food isn't great. Hotel Conte in Perast is in a stunning location and the food is fantastic. The waterside terrace for dinner is amazing. The hiking was amazing with some stunning views but not too tricky and we got around all the key sights. The wine tasting lunch was simply delightful as per all the lunches. We had a group of just 4 and it was a most enjoyable week sharing lots of stories. We are already looking to see what we can book next with Headwater. Thank you to Sinisa and Anna, Headwater and Sue and John!
This trip is an excellent introduction to Montenegro, a country with stunning scenery both mountainous and coastal. Whilst, yes, this is a walking holiday you should not under-estimate the time taken in traveling between centres - the terrain dictates slow, sometimes repetitious, driving. That said, this is the "Highlights of Montenegro" and you are based in both the north and south of this amazing country; you cannot experience what it has to offer unless you're prepared for that distance driving.
Marko, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable. helpful and very good company, offering a personal insight into this region. Nothing was too much trouble.
The trip grading was accurate, with some relatively steep ascents and descents; however, there are occasions when long ascents are stepped - so, a good all-round level of fitness is needed.
The standard of accommodation was excellent overall. Hotel Conte, in particular, provided a superb location, excellent food and service. Hotel Soa is located 15 mins walk from Durmitor National Park and offered, therefore, easy access to an amazing area of beauty. The room was small but adequate for the length of stay; cleanliness was first class. The Bianca Spa Resort, whilst a great hotel offering great amenities, its size was reflected in the quality of food available, which tended to be mass-produced. However, this is an overnight stop and did not impact on the overall positive experience.
We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending this trip; Montenegro has a lot to offer and far exceeded our expectations on all levels.
Fabulous location -great walking and stunning scenery.
Tasty food - even for a vegetarian!
Well organised, varied experiences,excellent guide
Excellent experience of the highlights of Montenegro but slightly too long in the minibus on some days.
A great first experience of Headwater organisation. We were fortunate to join 8 other wonderful walkers who were all Headwater advocates. The guide was a great guy, helpful, interesting and fun. Hotel Soa was not so good. We hope to travel with you again.
Montenegro is a very beautiful country and the programme certainly showed us many highlights; guide Sinisa with his excellent knowledge of the region and its history certainly enhanced our holiday - super group of people too!
The whole holiday was well organised to give a diverse interesting and relaxing introduction to a wonderful country complemented by an extremely helpful guide.
Good itinery , lovely accommodation , Excellent guides
Great locations, excellent guide and a great bunch of fellow hikers. Wonderful holiday.
Visiting Montenergro was a wonderful experience. The walks through pastures, by lakes to rewarding view points with our excellent guides, Misa and Stefan will be etched in our minds. The beautiful wild flowers. The lunches provided by your company were interesting, one in the pouring rain by a lake, one with the Garnet wine grower, then at the mausoleum to Peter 11. Nothing was too much trouble for Misa and Stefan. The walks were great fun and despite our ages we managed the steep ups and downs. We will certainly recommend it to our younger friends !! . Our companions Paul and Elisabeth were great company. Primrose and Tony Oakden
Excellent locations. Both hotels good,but Conte excellent. Food at Soa OK but not outstanding, while the meal out was really good. Super guide and a varied programme made it memorable.
It was good holiday, but travelling between hotels was longer than anticipated. Glad we booked an extra night either end as not much free time on the tour. And is hilly
Weather helped being nice but not too hot
A fascinating place to visit. Walking through beautiful 'alpine' scenery, gradually learning about the complex history of the area from a knowledgeable and amusing guide. Great local wine and food.
Well-guided, with a good range of features to please any traveller
Interesting country, good guide and walking. Fair amount of hill work, some with steep drops on one side. Would have helped if Headwater had provided good profiles for each walk. Very friendly people along the way.
We thoroughly enjoyed our walking holiday in Montenegro. Our guide Sonja was excellent and the scenery was superb with very good accommodation.
A wonderful way to explore and enjoy a beautiful new part of the world, with challenging and stimulating walks and experiences - and with all the concerns, planning and details in the safe hands of a friendly and knowledgeable guide.
Montenegro must have some of the most beautiful, unspoilt landscapes in Europe. The walks are a good distance, mostly through woodland, but with some spectacular mountain top views as well. In September, the temperature was about right, although we did have some thunderstorms and rain, fortunately mostly at night. I have never seen so many varieties of fungi as there were in Durmitor National Park and the fields were carpeted with Autumn crocuses and the woods speckled with wild cyclamen. The group of 12 got on really well and our local guide was delightful and looked after us brilliantly. The food was delicious and we were able to buy wild berries, dried mushrooms and smoked ham and cheese, eat local pastries for our picnics drink Montenegran and Croatian wines and try local liqueurs. The second part of the week in Perast makes for an excellent contrast, with a bit a culture thrown in, a couple of boat trips and wonderful seafood.
I thought Montenegro was very beautiful. Headwater are an excellent and efficient organisation with well planned holidays.
Our guide was really knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. She led us on some excellent walks with stunning views. If you like organised group holidays and walking I would recommend this company.
An excellent experience discovering a fascinating region which is still mostly unspoilt by mass tourism.
Excellent scenery with a nice mix of challenging walking and more relaxed days. Montenegro is a really beautiful country and the guide really knows it well.
Very nice holiday in nice locations, with excellent local guide, only spoilt by extremely poor accommodation at Hotel Conte in Perast and extreme tiredness on first day due to ridiculously early flight time from Gatwick.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Goodfellow,
Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire. We were pleased to see you enjoyed your holiday overall and rated our local guide as excellent, we will ensure your praise is passed on.
We were however sorry to read you felt the room allocated to you at Hotel Conte was extremely poor; this was disappointing to read; especially since past customers have rated this hotel highly. However, in light of your feedback, we will continue to monitor this hotel and work closely with the Hotelier to ensure our customers receive the standard of accommodation they have come to expect on a Headwater holiday.
We were also sorry to hear you felt extremely tired due to the early flight from Gatwick. In order to alleviate this, we do offer extra nights in Dubrovnik before the start of the holiday, which can help break up the travel a little. We are sorry if you were not aware of this option.
In closing, we would like to thank you for your continued loyalty and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Kind regards,
Headwater Customer Service team
We had really good walks in quiet, beautiful countryside in a part of Europe that is so far relatively unspoiled by excessive tourism. Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and the group of 13 got on very well with each other.
Montenegro was graded one and a half boots - I think two boots would be more accurate as some of the walks were more challenging that those in the holidays I had recently with Headwater on the Amalfi coast and in the south of France. Having said that, the country is very beautiful and unspoilt and although some of the bus rides from Perast were long (over two hours) the countryside was so interesting I didn't mind at all - despite the hairpin bends!
This was my first holiday with Headwater and I really enjoyed it. It was well organised, the accommodation and food was very good and our guide was really good, helpful and very knowledgeable.
Good walking in a stunningly beautiful Country though the geography meant some long drives to access them.
Hotel Zabljak though looked good, once experienced felt cheap....bathroom fitments all loose, no plug in a tiny washbasin, shower that flooded the bathroom, awful food, undrinkable coffee! Not up to what we believe are Headwater standards.
Hotel Conte stunning location very good food until last evening when our group played second fiddle to a wedding party. By the time we were offered dessert, very late, there was only ice cream on offer.
Dubrovnik Palace Hotel fabulous a brilliant way to end a good holiday.
The Hotel Conte in Perast, its staff and its service were excellent and we thoroughly enjoyed being there, much more so than at the hotel in the mountains. What a pity that there are not more local walks in that lovely coastal area; although the boat trip in Kotor Bay was most enjoyable. The walks in the mountains (Durmitor NP, Tara River Canyon and Lovcen NP) have spectacular scenery but are somewhat dependent on fine weather for full enjoyment which, unfortunately, was not always the case for us - disappointing! Overall, though, a good holiday.
The holiday provides plenty of views of this country of contrasts during walks and (longer than expected) minibus transfers. Our local guide Olivera helped to explain much: from tourism on the crowded coasts to the many deserted buildings. Zabljak area provides mountain walks and scenery, so take warm layers as air can be cool if sun goes in (the hotel looks good, but only rates 2*). The village of Perast is a gem and fairly quiet in September, luckily 20mins drive from busy Kotor where the ocean liners stop. Hotel Conte really is 4*, with super food. All walks can be rugged from 1 to 2 boot (sturdy shoes and poles useful even on town walls of Kotor), and sometimes views hidden by low (wet) clouds (so thanks to our safe drivers). Not much evidence of wild life as we missed migration season.
Headwater response:
Dear Mr Ward, Thank you for taking the time to complete your post-holiday questionnaire following your holiday to Montenegro, Please be assured that all of the feedback we receive whether complimentary or critical is valuable in helping us to continue to improve and develop our holidays for the future and is well received.
We were pleased to read you had and enjoyable holiday overall, taking in the contrasts this area has to offer. Since receiving your feedback and as we continue to improve and develop our holidays for the future, we have made some changes to this holiday for the 2016 season. Firstly, we have changed the hotel in Zabljak to a 4 star located in the heart town, we have also increased the rating to a 2-boot holiday; we hope you will agree that these changes will help enhance an already interesting and enjoyable holiday.
In closing, we would like to thank you for travelling with us this summer and look forward to welcoming you on another of our holidays in the future.
Yours sincerely,
Headwater Customer Service team
Very enjoyable. The first two walks in the Durmitor NP were fantastic, definitely my favourite.
Montenegro is a beautiful country, fantastic mountain scenery and Kotor Bay is wonderful. We didn't bring walking poles due to the 1+ grading but I would have found them very useful on some of the walks, especially the last day walking to Godinje. Can't comment on Lake Skadar boat trip as that wasn't possible for us. Our guide Sinica was great, very considerate and obviously knew all the walks well. We have had some wonderful holidays with Headwater and this was one of the best.
An excellent guide, wonderful walks and very agreeable fellow travellers. We would always recommend small group holidays - they are so much more friendly.
Do not stay at the Hotel Zabljak. See our separate email to you.
We were surprised at your recommendation of the Dubrovnik Palace Hotel - it is so different to what you offer elsewhere!
A series of walks in varied locations.
You can be confident that our pricing includes all the standard requirements of your holiday and many additional extras. Always ensure that you are comparing like for like when booking your holiday.
This 7 night guided walking holiday includes:
Hotel-to-hotel accommodation in a mix of and hotels
All buffet breakfasts, 4 lunches and 6 evening meals
Briefing at the start of your holiday
Services of an experienced walking guide
Standard transfers at the start/end of the trip (if booking inclusive flights)
Prosciutto tasting
All entrance fees and 2 boat trips
How to book:
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' or 'check availability' button below.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'check availability' button below.
We do not currently have departure dates and prices available on-line. The season may have ended for this tour, or we are still in the process of adding these details to our website. Please contact us for further details.
Minimum group sizes
A minimum of 6 people (in total) are required for each departure.
Solo travellers
Please call for details and prices
Children
This holiday is unsuitable for children.
Holiday type
Guided walking Managed by Headwater rep.
Departures
Meals
All buffet breakfasts, 4 lunches and 6 evening meals
Tour only
Transfers can be arranged at a supplement from Podgorica airport at 13:50 and back to Podgorica airport at 10:15.
If you choose to book your own flights please check with us first that your chosen departure date is definitely operating as our guided holidays are subject to minimum group sizes.
To book this holidays speak to our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'book now' button above.
If you need further information before you book simply complete our Holiday Enquiry Form and a member of our sales team will get back to you.
To book this holiday call our sales team on 0044 1606 720199 or click on the appropriate 'Book now' or 'Check availability' button below.
