Biogradska Gora, the smallest of the five national parks in Montenegro (its area is about 54 square kilometres), located in Kolašin municipality, is known for its relict forest (it is considered that Europe was covered by such forests earlier in its history), glacier lakes, and mountains. Biogradska Gora has been protected since 1878 and became a national park in 1952.
The easiest way to get to Biogradska Gora is by car (about 1 hour from Podgorica or 1.5-2 hours from the Adriatic coast), using the Princess Xenia motorway. This road is named after Princess Xenia of Montenegro, who is considered to be the first female driver in the Balkan region. This is a paid route, and there is an alternative free road, going along Morača Canyon and Morača Monastery. Both routes share multiple breathtaking views, so that’s up to you to choose!
The heart of Biogradska Gora is Biogradsko Lake – a small glacier lake. The most popular and easiest hiking trail goes around Biogradsko Lake. This trail is called educational and is available for everyone. More complex trails go from the lake to the nearby Bjelasica mountain, for example, you can start from the trail to the Bendovac viewpoint (moderate complexity, half-day route).
The most common trees here are beeches, maples, ashes, and silver firs. Some of the trees in this national park are older than 300-400 years.
The hiking trails in Biogradska Gora are comfortable for walking and well-equipped. You will find a lot of nice places for rest and having a picnic.
In the mountains, you can find traditional shepherd settlements known as katuns.
There are about 2,000 plant species, including 400 Balkan endemics in Biogradska Gora National Park. You can find beautiful flowers here, like orchids or lilies, and different berries (strawberry, raspberry, etc.)
There are more than 200 bird species here – you will for sure hear a lot of them. You will see a lot of butterflies. The lakes are full of fish here.
Beware of snakes – keep to trails and make noise while hiking. Most of the snakes are harmless here, but there are some venomous, as well.
It is not very likely to meet large mammals like bears or deer. But you can see smaller animals like rabbits, squirrels, or bats.