Attractions & day tripsBy Clever Tourists · Published
Crno jezero (Black Lake) is a flat loop of about 3.5 km, starting a 20 to 30 minute walk from central Žabljak. You pay the Durmitor National Park entrance fee at the booth on the lake road, listed at €5 (≈ $5.6) per person per day in 2025-26 sources (confirm on nparkovi.me). For the big summit, Bobotov Kuk (2,523 m), most hikers start at Sedlo pass (1,907 m) on the P14, which is snowed in from about November to late May or June.
The lake sits in spruce and pine forest under Međed peak, at the western edge of town. The path around both lobes (Big and Small Lake, joined by a narrow neck) is about 3.5 km, mostly level, and takes 1 to 1.5 hours at an easy pace. Rowboats can be rented at the jetty in summer; the water is usually calmest early in the morning.
• Entry: the national park ticket booth is on the access road to the lake. The day ticket is listed at €5 (≈ $5.6) by current travel sources; older regulations set it at €3 (≈ $3.3), so check the official site before relying on either figure.
• Multi-park pass: a pass covering all five Montenegrin national parks for a year has been listed at €13.50 (≈ $15.1), which pays off if you also visit Lovćen, Biogradska Gora, Skadar Lake or Prokletije.
Our Žabljak guide covers where to stay within walking distance of the lake.
At 2,523 m, Bobotov Kuk is the highest peak lying entirely inside Montenegro. The shorter route starts at the Sedlo pass parking area: about 9.5 to 10 km out and back with roughly 800 to 950 m of climbing, usually 6 to 8 hours. The final section is steep rocky scrambling with fixed cables in places.
Starting from Black Lake on foot adds at least 10 km and about 300 m of extra climbing, making it a very long day. The usual season is mid-June to September, as snow lingers on the upper slopes into late June. Go only in settled weather: afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and fog can close in quickly.
Sedlo (1,907 m) is on the P14 panoramic road between Žabljak and Plužine, about 25 minutes' drive from town. The high section is usually closed by snow from about November until late May or early June, depending on the winter.
The road is paved but narrow, with passing bays. For the full drive, see our Durmitor P14 Sedlo pass driving guide and Is the P14 safe to drive?.
• From Podgorica: about 3 hours by car via Kolašin and Mojkovac, crossing the Tara River at the Đurđevića Tara bridge. A few direct buses a day run from Podgorica bus station; check times locally, as schedules thin out outside summer.
• From Nikšić: the shorter mountain route via Šavnik takes around 1.5 to 2 hours. In summer you can instead loop through Plužine and over Sedlo on the P14. Our Nikšić to Durmitor drive guide shows that route, and our Nikšić, Montenegro travel guide covers the city at the other end.
Podgorica is the nearest airport; there is no rail line to Žabljak.
Žabljak sits at about 1,450 m, which makes it one of the highest towns in the Balkans. Summer days are mild, often in the low to mid 20s °C, but nights can be cold even in August, and storms build fast over the peaks.
Snow typically covers the town from late autumn into spring, when Žabljak becomes a small ski resort at Savin Kuk. September is a good shoulder month: trails are still open, crowds thin out and the beech forests start to turn.
Current travel sources list €5 (≈ $5.6) per person per day, paid at the booth on the Black Lake road; older regulations set €3 (≈ $3.3). Check nparkovi.me for the current price.
The level loop is about 3.5 km and takes 1 to 1.5 hours at an easy pace, plus a 20 to 30 minute walk from central Žabljak to the trailhead.
From Sedlo pass it is about 9.5 to 10 km return with 800 to 950 m of climbing and 6 to 8 hours of walking, with steep scrambling near the top. Hike it mid-June to September in settled weather.
Usually from late May or early June until around November, depending on snow. The high section of the P14 is closed in winter.
About 3 hours by car via Kolašin and Mojkovac, or by one of the few daily direct buses from Podgorica bus station.
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