The Sinjajevina Highlands

If Durmitor is Montenegro's celebrity mountain, Sinjajevina is its understudy. Same elevation, same scale, a tenth of the visitors. The reason: there's exactly one paved road through it, and it's a dead end.

The route

From the village of Boan (Kolašin side, 1,300 m), the asphalt ends and a graded gravel track climbs onto the plateau. The road runs north-east for 22 km across the pasture before it peters out at a shepherd hut cluster on the Pošćenska Jezera lakes. Turn back the way you came — total distance 50 km round-trip, 3 hours.

What to expect

• check_circleWide-open grassland at 1,700–1,800 m, dotted with limestone outcrops.
• check_circleWorking shepherd huts (katuni) selling fresh cheese and yoghurt in summer.
• check_circleWild horses, sheep flocks, and the occasional bear track (unlikely encounter).
• check_circleEndless wildflower meadows in late June and July.
• check_circleCold, clean air. Bring a fleece even in August.

Vehicle requirements

Any all-wheel-drive vehicle with decent clearance is fine. The road is graded for the shepherds and stays dry from June through October. After heavy rain, sections get washboard-rough but never impassable.

Practical notes

Pošćenska Jezera (Pošćenje Lakes) are a chain of three glacial lakes at the end of the route. You can swim in the largest one — it warms to 18°C by August. There's a small fee (€2) to the shepherds for parking near their huts; pay it cheerfully, it's appreciated. Pack lunch — there is nothing commercial up there.

Sinjajevina has been proposed as Montenegro's sixth national park for two decades. Until that happens, it's a national secret.