The Call of the Wild: EXPLORING MONTENEGRO’S MISTY NORTH

With A True Mountain Wolf

MONTENEGRO'S INFAMOUS TOUR GUIDE JANKO ŠCEPANOVIC'S 5 REASONS WHY NORTH IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST FOR TRAVELLERS

The People: People have lived in these valleys and hills for millennia. Many civilizations have left their mark, in the form of culture, music, language, art and even looks. A combination of historical and geographical circumstances has shaped the local people and culture into their own unique brand of Montenegrin.

The Mountains Covering nearly 80% of the country and offering one of Europe’s last, preserved wildernesses, these mountains are teeming with life and offer visitors a rare chance to explore the many winding secret trails and ancient forests that remain largely untouched by humans.

The rivers: For millions of years, they have slowly carved their channels into the porous limestone rock, creating some of the deepest and most spectacular river canyons in the world. The most famous of these being, the Tara River Canyon. A UNESCO protected site and the second deepest river canyon in the world.

Winter in the North: Just 2 hours’ drive from the Mediterranean vistas of Boka Bay, you will be greeted with ski slopes and mountain tops. The Ski resorts of the north offer a new way to experience this incredible country and with 5 months a year of snow cover, they are a perfect accompaniment to Montenegro’s glorious summer heat.

The Food: Combining raw flavours and simple, traditional preparation, the food of the north focuses on quality ingredients from local farms and villages. It does not affect itself with intricate processes or presentations, instead letting the flavour do all the talking.

anko described the Maganik mountain range to us as “different from all the others you have ever seen” It’s uniquely isolated location and macabre, otherworldly landscapes created a feeling of almost having been transported to another planet, and, as Janko's knowledge of the trails and his penchant for storytelling brought to life the tapestry of legends and customs that have been preserved in this remote corner of Montenegro, we began to feel as if we really had left the earth behind. While walking, Janko shared with us his deep knowledge of the unique natural aspects of this region, from Europe’s deepest river canyon - The Tara - to the grotesque limestone formations of Treštein mountaintop and the dark, seemingly bottomless pits that fell into darkness below our very feet. Striding ahead as he spoke, his voice never betraying any level of the intense physical exertion that had the rest of us struggling to keep up.

From imposing peaks to deep river canyons, Montenegro's northern mountains represent the epitome of opportunity for adventure seekers and wild wanderers. Join us as we journey alongside Janko Šcepanovic, an expert, northern mountaineer passionate about exploration adventure and unravel the extraordinary secrets of this untamed, unpredictable, European wilderness.

s we set off on our adventure, Janko, regaled us with tales of his humble beginnings "I lacked the talent for conventional sports and possessed an excess of curiosity, so since mountains surrounded my house in Kolašin, it was logical that my interests would take me there sooner or later." It quickly became evident that Janko’s zealous infatuation with these mountains was rooted in a deep understanding of their history, geography, and folklore. His knowledge of the local area was matched only by his contagious sense of humour, lighting the mood as we, filled with trepidation and buzzing with anticipation, made our winding way up into the Maganik mountains range.