Montenegro · Northern Montenegro · Prokletije

Bukumirsko jezero

Directions

Bukumirsko jezero is a glacial lake in the heart of the Kuči mountains of eastern Montenegro, at the northern foot of Žijovo, within the city limits of Podgorica. Rocky peaks rise around its dark-green water, and in summer the air here is far cooler than in the city below.

How it formed

Rain and snowmelt fill the lake, and its level changes little through the year. Water plants cover part of its surface and are spreading.

History

The lake is named after the Bukumiri, a semi-nomadic pastoral people of the region. Legend says a dragon lived in the lake and came out at night to frighten them, until they heated great stones in a fire and threw them into the water; the dragon’s wings caught fire and it fled, cursing them. Another tale says demons drowned Bukumiri villagers in the lake.

Nature

The lake is home to an endemic newt, the Montenegrin alpine newt.

Visit

Swimming

No reliable information

Tips

From Podgorica, take the road towards Kučka Korita past Ubli and turn left for the lake: about 45–50 km on a steep, narrow, winding road, with little traffic and fine views. The asphalt ends a short way before the lake, and the last stretch is a 15-minute walk. Snow can block the road into spring.

Several marked paths lead from the lake to the summits of the massif, among them Torač.