Durmitor National Park
Nestled within the rugged terrain of Europe lies a breathtaking national park, its untouched beauty and majesty formed by the relentless power of ancient glaciers. The park is a symphony of natural wonders, where rivers and underground streams dance through the landscape, carving out deep canyons and gorges. One such place is the Tara River Canyon, boasting Europe’s deepest gorges. Here, the dense pine forests are a haven for a diverse range of endemic flora, and clear, shimmering lakes are scattered throughout, creating a serene atmosphere. The park is a magical place, a natural wonderland where time stands still and the world’s beauty is fully displayed.
Durmitor is a magnificent limestone massif in Northern Montenegro and part of the Dinaric Alps or Dinarides. It is also the name of Montenegro’s most extensive protected area, the Durmitor National Park, which lies at the heart of a landscape shaped by glaciers, many rivers, and underground streams embedded in the much larger Tara River Basin Biosphere Reserve. The landscape is dotted with more than fifty peaks higher than 2,000 metres above sea level, which rise above plateaus, alpine meadows, and forests. The highest among them is Bobotov Peak, 2,525 metres above sea level. The area also has numerous glacial lakes, locally known as “mountain eyes.” Despite having many attractions, Durmitor is best known for the spectacular canyons of the Draga, Sušica, Komarnica, and Tara Rivers, with the latter being Europe’s deepest gorge. Durmitor is a popular tourist destination for its superb hiking, climbing, mountaineering, and canoeing opportunities. The nearby town of Zabljak is Montenegro’s primary ski resort.
Apart from its extraordinary landscape beauty and fascinating geological heritage, Durmitor National Park is also home to an impressive biological diversity. At the habitat level, we must mention the rare old-growth stand of European Black Pine. The area’s altitudinal gradient of more than 2,000 meters and alpine and Mediterranean climatic influences favour more than 1,600 vascular plants in the wider Durmitor Massif. A large percentage of these plants are found in the park, and many are rare and endemic species. Large mammals, including Brown Bears, Grey Wolves, and European Wild Cats, also call Durmitor their home. Among the 130 recorded birds are the Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon, and Capercaillie.
The rich fish fauna, which includes the endangered Danube Salmon, is also noteworthy. The park is home to farmers and shepherds who traditionally use the high-altitude meadows as summer pastures. The property is well-protected, and its status and international recognition have helped prevent irreparable damage from threats such as upstream pollution and proposed dam construction. Durmitor is a stunning limestone massif in Northern Montenegro and belongs to the Dinaric Alps or Dinarides. It is also the name of Montenegro’s largest protected area, the Durmitor National Park, which constitutes the heart of a landscape shaped by glaciers, numerous rivers and underground streams embedded in the much larger Tara River Basin Biosphere Reserve. Some fifty peaks above 2,000 metres above sea level rise above plateaus, alpine meadows and forests, including Bobotov Peak (2,525 metres above sea level).
Numerous glacial lakes, locally known as “mountain eyes, “cover the landscape. Despite its many attractions, Durmitor is best known for the spectacular canyons of the Draga, Sušica, Komarnica, and Tara Rivers; the latter stands out as Europe’s deepest gorge. Durmitor is a popular tourist destination for superb hiking, climbing, mountaineering, and canoeing opportunities. The nearby town of Zabljak is Montenegro’s primary ski resort.
Besides the extraordinary landscape beauty and the fascinating geological heritage, Durmitor National Park is also home to an impressive biological diversity. A rare old-growth stand of European Black Pine deserves to be mentioned at the habitat level. Favoured by the alpine and Mediterranean climatic influences and the altitude gradient of more than 2,000 metres, there are more than 1,600 vascular plants in the wider Durmitor Massif. A significant percentage is found in the park, and many are rare and endemic species. Large mammals include Brown Bears, Grey Wolves, and European Wild Cats. Among the 130 recorded birds are the Golden Eagle, Peregrine Falcon and Capercaillie. Likewise noteworthy is the rich fish fauna, which includes the endangered Danube Salmon. The park is inhabited by farmers and shepherds, who traditionally use the high-altitude meadows as summer pastures. The property is well protected, and its status and international recognition have helped to prevent irreparable damage from threats, such as upstream pollution and proposed dam construction.
