Prokletije National Park

Prokletije National Park is the fifth national park of Montenegro, proclaimed in 2009. It has two nature reserves inside it, Hridsko Lake and Volušnica. The park is bounded on the south by the high ridges of the mountain and the Albanian border, on the west by the Grnčar river, on the north by the Gusinje-Plav valley and on the east by the Bogićevica mountain. Its rock is limestone and dolomite formed in the Oligo-Miocene, giving a characteristic karst relief. The terrain is extremely hard to reach, with many high peaks and karst forms such as pits, caves and depressions; the peaks are sharp and jagged and the slopes very steep.

Visiting Prokletije

The park has no single entrance but several tollgates, in the Grebaje valley, at Ropojana (Gusinje) and at Gradine (Plav). The Ropojana valley leads from Vusanje to Ropojana Lake (an hour's walk on a macadam road, or a 4x4), and Hridsko Lake, at about 1,970 m, is reached from both Plav and Gusinje. A loop through the Ropojana valley and its lake is about 20 km. Choose by difficulty: the Ali Pasha springs and the Grebaje valley are easy, and the Grlja waterfall loop from Vusanje is moderate. Bring sturdy shoes with a good sole and poles, hire a car (bus links are limited), and check tollgate fees and seasonal access. Guesthouses are common in Vusanje and Plav, and Gusinje has one hotel.