Do you want to escape the touristic cities? Then go hiking in Lovcen National Park and explore the beauty of Montenegro’s nature!
There are a few marked hiking trails in Lovcen National Park that you can check out. Some of them are frequently walked, especially during summer. I’ll list you up all the ones that I could find so that you can prepare your hiking adventure in Montenegro.
If you are in Kotor, Budva, Cetinje, or even Tivat, you’re not far from this wonderful national park. I can highly recommend spending a few days here to refuel your body’s energy level. Spend the days outdoors hiking and relax at a comfy hotel in the evening and night.
Things to know before hiking in Lovcen National Park
- You can only get a hiking map at the visitor’s center. However, you are probably here because you want to plan ahead and not once you are there. That was my problem, too so I thought there is a need for a detailed blog post.
- There are signs for hiking trails. However, these don’t always point in the right direction. Sometimes I am wondering if some people just like to go on trails to turn these signs and be like “Hehehe, gotcha! Find your way out now, sucker!” In addition to that, you’ll sometimes find two signposts with the same destinations but different lengths, which is extremely confusing.
- Water sources: There are several spring water sources. So, you don’t need to bring too much water.
- There are no buses to Lovcen National Park. Read my guide on how to visit without a rental car here.
- Phone service is mostly good. There is a cell tower on the highest peak. You may not get LTE in some valleys or behind some mountains though.
- Most hiking trails start in Ivanova Korita
- You can rent hiking poles, snowshoes, or bikes at the visitor’s center. You can also hire a guide as well. Get the pricing from the national park’s website.
- In the summertime: Start early! I cannot emphasize this enough. Although it’s a bit colder up in the mountains, the sun will still hit you hard around noon. So, start early or plan your trails accordingly (use foresty ones). You’ll also come across many other hikers as it is the main tourist season.
- In the offseason: In spring and fall, you’ll probably gonna be alone on the trails. However, I bet the foliage in the beech forests will look amazing in fall and when everything starts growing in spring, it’ll be pretty as well. Make sure you dress warmer because the temperatures are lower than in the cities.
Don’t want to go hiking on your own? Hire a guide! 6 Hiking Trails in Lovcen National Park
6 Hiking Trails in Lovcen National Park
There are plenty of hiking trails in Lovcen National Park for outdoor enthusiasts. We did only one of them. The information of the other 6 trails is researched from pamphlets and websites to make it easier for you to plan your trip in advance.
1. Wolf Trail & Babina Glava
- Length: 6.5 mi / 10.4 km
- Time: 3 h
- Highest Point: 4770 ft / 1454 m
- Altitude Gain: 715 ft / 218 m
- Difficulty: easy
- Trailhead: next to Hotel Ivanov Konak
- Water: only in Ivanova Korita
This trail is an amazing easy hike that provides lots of great views. The Wolf Trail is a loop trail with access to Trestenicki Vrh and Babina Glava. Actually, you can also hike to Kuk and down to Budva from this one, if you wanted to.
We did the loop clockwise, which wasn’t the best idea. The last bit around Dolovi was pretty hot because there isn’t much shade. In summer, I’d advise you to start early or maybe do Dolovi first, but then you’ll climb Babina Glava in the heat as well. So, it’s up to you. Either way, you gonna be under the full sun for about 1 hour. Most of the loop is shaded by the trees, which is pretty amazing!
So, you will start your hike to the left of Hotel Ivanov Konak. It’s an asphalt street that goes to Dolovi. After 10 min, you will reach a trail to the left where you have to decide whether you do the loop clockwise or counterclockwise. The peaks are pretty close from here. If you follow the street, you’ll go through the small village of Dolovi first.
Like I said, we picked left. The trail doesn’t really open up until you are on the side trails to the peaks.
The first one you’ll find is Trestenicki Vrh (4836 ft | 1474 m) to your left. It will provide views over Ivanova Korita, the Lovcen peaks and even Cetinje and Skadar Lake on a clear day. We didn’t go to this peak, unfortunately. Once you returned to the main trail, keep walking to the left.
You’ll reach the fork for Babina Glava (4836 ft | 1474 m) soon. It only takes you about 20 min to get up there. At the fork, the signs are quite confusing. One sign says a different length than the other… Well, that’s when I started to not trust hiking signs anymore. Anyways, continue on this trail for a couple of minutes and you’ll already get some stunning views of Lovcen’s peaks.
A couple of switchbacks later, you can enjoy your first glance at the Boka Bay and coast.
Continue uphill in order to reach the summit. It is a truly stunning view of Budva Riviera and Boka Bay (photo in the beginning)! You can click the photos to maximize them.
We used this spot for our breakfast snack and continued with the rest of the trail. If I am honest, the rest isn’t as spectacular after you saw the view from Babina Glava. However, it’s a nice walk after all.
Once you are back to the main trail, keep left. You’ll get to a viewpoint with a wooden platform.
The hiking trail starts to get more sunny and eventually winds down to the village of Dolovi.
When you reach the asphalt street, you’ll see a sign saying “Ivanova Korita 1 km” and “Ivanova Korita 2.6 km”. Choose the 2.6 km to get back to that hotel where you started! We did the other way and it did not bring us to our original loop trail. Maybe it was shorter in the end, but it was leading to the main road of the national park past the hotel. So, it was still a lot walking on that main asphalt road.
Alternative Routes: You also can walk to Babina Glava via Majstori. Or you could start on the Wolf Trail, hike to Babina Glava, and then skip Dolovi, and take a different way back instead. This part is a sequence of trail no. 751 & 756. It starts (or ends) on the main road towards Cetinje (just 200 ft from Hotel Monte Rosa, a dirt road on the right-hand side). It goes through Majstori which is what the sign says that you gonna follow. If you choose to walk this way from Babina Glava, you’ll see the trail from the summit. It goes towards Budva. It actually would bring you to Budva if you keep going on it instead of walking left to Majstori.
2. Ivanova Korita to the mausoleum with Mali Bostur & Velji Bostur
- Length: 5.2 mi / 8.4 km
- Time: 3 h
- Highest Point: 5330 ft / 1625 m
- Altitude Gain: 1530 m / 467 m
- Difficulty: moderate to difficult (only climb up to mausoleum is harder)
- Trailhead: near Hotel Monte Rosa (towards Cetinje on the left-hand side, No. 756)
- Water: Ivanova Korita & Jama (after 2.5 mi / 4 km)
The mausoleum is the main attraction for many visitors. This hike will be a great way to visit this monument in a more active fashion.
The trail is a loop with an extension going up to Jezerski Vrh (5436 ft / 1657 m), where the Mausoleum of Njegoš lies. This is actually the steepest and most exhausting part of the trail. In summer, be advised to start very early! The rest of the trail is supposedly easier to handle. You can obviously do the loop without the mausoleum.
The hiking trail starts off on a gravel road through the forest. It will get steeper when it goes up to Mali Bostur. This is where the road ends and the actual hiking trail starts. Follow the uphill trail until you get to the mausoleum. On the way, you will pass the Jama spring and cross the street that goes to the mausoleum. The path does not cross the street a second time. It makes a sharp left turn before the street. If you go over the street, you’ll be on trail no. 762 to Njegusi.
Once you reach a parking lot, you will notice the staircase tunnel for the mausoleum. You can pay the entrance to the monument (5 Euro) in order to go into the mausoleum and to stand on the round platform. If you are fine with the view towards Skadar Lake, you can also skip this.
You will return on the same way you came until you reach the trail from Mali Bostur.
Then you have the option to go back the way you came or make a loop via trail no. 757. This will lead you around the valley via Velji Bostur.
You will get to the PPT (a trail that follows the Montenegrin coastal mountains). Stick to the left. You will find yourself on a wider road for a short while until you follow the trail to the left. After a short steeper section, you’ll walk into a forest. When you reach the stream (Ljubin potok), find a place to cross it. In summer, it should be small but after heavy rain or in other seasons it may be wider.
Follow the gravel road to the right (it follows the stream) and then walk to the left at the next intersection. You’ll find a church and soon after a big building, which is next to the main road.
To the left is the Visitor’s Center and Hotel Monte Rosa. To the right is Hotel Ivanov Konak.
3. Njegusi to the mausoleum via Jezero and Velji Bostur (loop)
- Length: 11.2 mi / 18.1 km
- Time: 6.5 h
- Highest Point: 5330 ft / 1625 m
- Altitude Gain: 3000 ft / 915 m
- Difficulty: long and exhausting
- Trailhead: Erakovici, South of Njegos’ birthplace
- Water: 3x (in the beginning, after the mausoleum, and after 9 mi / 15 km)
You will start on an old caravan road, just South of Njegos’ birthplace (coming from there the street goes to the left). You will have a stunning view of Njegusi and the valley on the hike uphill.
Eventually, you’ll reach a fork where you follow the trail no. 762 to Pistet spring. After a refill of your water bottle, continue on this trail to the right ascending steeply.
After a while, you will see a gravel road. Don’t cross it! Go to the right instead. It is a steep marked trail which connects to an old military road. This will overall be a gentler ascent.
Continue on this old road uphill for two long bends. You should find a viewpoint and resting area here. Then it goes slightly downhill for a bit. During this section, you’ll be rewarded with an impressive view of the Njegusi valley.
Once the trail ascends again, you will find yourself at a fork. To the left is Jezerski Vrh but you you’ll continue straight to Podjezero and Jezero. The trail gets very narrow and appears to dissolve. Look around and follow the marks through a dense forest uphill. The reward will be a view of a beautiful little lake framed by rocks.
The trail goes around the lake and continues uphill in the East. This is a short strenuous part until you reach the trail marked with no. 762. Follow it uphill to the right. Soon you’ll reach the paved road leading to the mausoleum.
Across the restaurant, you’ll find the trail for the descent to Mali Bostur and Velji Bostur. Please read the trail description above for this part. When you reach the PPT, you have to go to the right here (not left!). It should be marked towards Krstac and Medjuvršje.
After a short exhausting climb, you’ll get to a paved road again. Cross it and continue on the path. After about 10 min, you should find the Medjuvršje spring to the right.
The trail goes through the beech forest that is located between the peaks (Stirovnik and Jezerski Vrh).
You will eventually reach the paved road in Krstac. Follow it towards the entrance gate of the national park. There you’ll find a trail (right-hand side) marked with the no. 759 through Gornje Polje.
The trail meets the paved road again in Vrh polje. You can either walk on the paved road from here or follow the trail across the street (slower).
4. Ivanova Korita to Krstac
- Length: 4.2 mi / 6.8 km
- Time: 2.5 h
- Highest Point: 4488 ft / 1368 m
- Altitude Gain: 502 ft / 153 m
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trailhead: Palas Restaurant in Ivanova Korita
- Water: 2x (in the beginning in Ivanova Korita, after 1.8 mi / 3 km)
This is a great trail if you would like to hike through the park if you don’t have a car. It starts at the Visitor’s Center in Ivanova Korita. It is the reverse way of the last section of the second hiking trail in this list (Ivanova Korita to the mausoleum with Mali Bostur & Velji Bostur).
The trail is part of the PPT. You’ll reach a church after a few minutes of walking. At the intersection, go right and follow the gravel road along the stream. You have to cross the stream at one point so watch out for a trail on the other side. If the water is high, follow the stream a bit longer until you find a safe place to cross.
The path should lead you through a foresty area and you’ll eventually reach a wider trail for a bit. Stick to the right when in doubt. After passing some houses to the left, you’ll get to an intersection. You’ll follow the PPT towards Krstac.
Stay on the trail through the valley between the peaks and steeply downhill until you reach the paved road in Krstac. Don’t forget that there is a spring 0.6 mi (1 km) after the intersection.
5. Kuk Loop from Ivanova Korita via Dolovi
- Length: 7.8 mi / 12.6 km
- Time: 4 h
- Highest Point: 4714 ft / 1437 m
- Altitude Gain: 1130 ft / 345 m
- Difficulty: easy
- Trailhead: Palas Restaurant in Ivanova Korita
- Water: all a bit off the trail
The trail just starts as described in the trail above. Past the houses and intersection to Jeserski Vrh, you’ll reach a road in Medjuvršje (10 min before the spring).
You will take the paved road to the left, ascending uphill around Mount Stirovnik. When you reach the mountain pass between Stirvnik and Babljak, turn left onto the gravel road. Follow it westward.
You’ll notice an old military road to the left. You will take this once you’re back from the viewpoint ahead. So, continue on the gravel road. It will cut the paved road and then you’ll eventually walk on the paved road until you get to the viewpoint. Return the way you came and take that military road, mentioned above. This path (no. 753) leads to Dolovi.
You will meet with a gravel road that goes to Babina Glava as part of the Wolf Trail (1st trail in this list). Turn left here towards Dolovi. When you reach the paved road, either go left or right from here. We went to the left and followed the street. Apparently there is a shortcut after the first left curve. You can cross the mountain crest there (over a stone wall) passing the ski piste. Stick to the left through the forest.
You’ll eventually reach the main road. Walk to the right to get back to your starting point.
6. Cetinje to Ivanova Korita
- Length: 5.6 mi / 9 km
- Time: 3 h
- Highest Point: 4150 ft / 1266 m
- Altitude Gain: 2090 ft / 638 m
- Difficulty: easy to moderate
- Trailhead: Cetinje city center
- Water: only in the end in Ivanova Korita
From Cetinje, take the straight Lovcenska street towards the national park. When you reach the hairpin curve, leave the road and follow the marked trail.
You will get back on the paved road for a bit. There will be a smaller road on the right leading to Gornic. Follow it. A trail to the left will give you the option to cut the curves.
There will be a path off the road to your left (look for the marker). Follow it until you reach the main road again.
You can either walk on the road or use the trail that is across. It runs almost parallel to the road.
Just after Pod Bukvom, use the trail to the left to cut the curves again. Keep following the street or use the trails next to the street until you reach Ivanova Korita.
Where to stay for a hiking weekend
There aren’t many places to stay inside the national park. We stayed at Hotel Monte Rosa, which was very convenient and extremely comfortable. We loved our stay there! The room/apartment was furnished very nicely and everything was spotlessly clean. The hiking trails are all nearby, which makes it a great choice!
Book your stay at Hotel Monte Rosa here!
However, this, of course, comes with a price. It’s definitely not the cheapest option. Hotel Ivanov Konak is closer to the mausoleum and, therefore, even more expensive.
Book your stay at Hotel Ivanov Konak here!
Want to stay in Njegusi Turo Njegusi Apartman and Njegusi Apartman are great choices because they are close to the trailhead.
If you’re up for camping, that’s, of course, possible too. The national park services will be your contact for that. They also offer basic bungalows for rent. Find out prices and contact info here.
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