A weekend in the Prokletije Mountains in Montenegro

Hello everyone. Today I’m going to tell you about a wonderful weekend spent in Montenegro, in the Prokletije Mountains. I hiked the local trails, but today I will focus on the area known as Gusinje and the beauty I witnessed there.We set off by car, and I chose the route via the Grnčar border crossing. We crossed the border using only our ID cards—after all, Montenegro was once an integral part of my own country. Having visited the area before, I acted as the driver for the trip. I entered Gusinje and headed toward the famous Grebaje Valley, where I had booked accommodation.
I chose the Grebaje Eco-Katun—also known as Maja Eco-Katun. It consists of wooden cabins situated at the very foot of the Karafili massif in the Prokletije Mountains.I start my weekends on Friday evening; I spend the night, and then early Saturday morning, I set out to explore.The day began with a traditional mountain breakfast and a decision on where to go. Everything we wanted to see was very close by, so we had time to enjoy the beautiful scenery.I packed my hiking gear, and we drove to the village of Vusanje (about a 20-minute drive). I parked the car just before the spring itself, as the road is unpaved. After a leisurely walk, we arrived at eye Skakavice. The sight was surreal—a deep, round karst spring filled with icy water of a brilliant turquoise-blue hue. The water is so clear that every stone on the bottom is visible.
The Eye Skakavica spring is situated at an altitude of 1,000 meters. This type of spring is unusual because the water does not gush out abruptly; instead, it emerges from a single point at the bottom, collects on the surface like a calm pool, and then overflows to flow through a 500-meter-long canyon as the Grlja River. At the canyon entrance, the Grlja forms a 15-meter-high waterfall, which is another distinctive attraction of the area.

In the afternoon, we headed to the Ali Pasha Springs, located just a few kilometers from Gusinje. It is an ideal spot for a midday break. The water here does not merely flow; it literally gushes from the ground across a vast area.There, next to the spring, we found a good restaurant and ordered paastrmka, the mountain one, and Mantije, which is puff pastry with minced meat.There, we heard the locals say that this spring is a source of life for them and that many people come here to fill up on water.

After lunch, we returned to our katun in Grebaje. The afternoon was set aside for enjoying this valley, which many consider the most beautiful in the entire former Yugoslavia. I strolled along the flat path through the first and second meadows, gazing at the surrounding mountains.

On Sunday, we got up early and set off for Plav. The drive between Gusinje and Plav takes only about fifteen minutes.
We arrived in the center of Plav and immediately visited the Redžepagić Tower, the oldest and most beautiful monument in the area. The tower features massive stone walls on the ground floor (which served as a defense against attacks) and a beautiful wooden čardak at the top, with windows that once offered a view of the surrounding area. The interior has been converted into a museum featuring authentic artifacts and rugs.

After leaving the tower, we headed towards Plav Lake. Plav Lake is the largest glacial lake in Montenegro.
Ice and snow linger on the Prokletije mountains until June, and meltwater forms streams and rivers that combine to create the Ljuča, a river that flows into the lake.
In summer, the water is warm enough for swimming, whereas in winter, the surface freezes over, allowing one to walk across it.As well as I knew geography, I only now learned that the river Lim flows out of this lake
We went to the boathouse and rented a boat. I hadn't rowed in a long time, and I really enjoyed it. We spent an hour on the lake, went for lunch, and then headed back home—a wonderful weekend that filled my lungs with fresh air.

Thanks for reading my post.

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