Lakes of Montenegro. Black lake in Montenegro Black lake in Montenegro why is it called that

Black Lake is located in the famous Durmitor National Park. The dark color of the lake is not quite black, as its name suggests. You need to understand that earlier people had a smaller range of colors and called all dark shades of colors black. Let's forgive them for this...

Classic view of the Black Lake and Durmitor, with the presence of ubiquitous tourists on the shore:

View of the Durmitor Mountains from the shore of the Black Lake in the morning or off-season, without tourists:

In fact, Black Lake, when viewed from the mountains, is not black, but dark blue; this effect appears due to the uniquely large depth of the reservoir, up to 49 meters. If you go to the shore of the lake and look at the surface of the water during the day, it is simply green or even turquoise.

In general, it is worth clarifying that under the concept of “Black Lake” we are discussing two lakes, Big and Small. In spring and autumn they merge, and in summer they are often separated by a dry isthmus.

The deepest, most picturesque and mysterious is the Small Lake, 30 minutes away at a fast pace. To imagine a grandiose funnel with a depth of almost 50 meters and a diameter of up to 600 meters, you need to stand on the shore of Small Lake in the summer and look at its shores; the shallow edges of the funnel are clearly visible. The large lake is smaller, 25 meters, but also impressive. From these sinkholes, along unknown karst paths, the waters of the lake flow into the nearest canyons of the Tara and Sushitsa rivers. It’s no wonder that because of such depths, the water in the lake is dark, and in bad weather it looks black. The trails around this beautiful, cool and popular body of water are not always crowded and crowded, as can be the case on summer days. Early in the morning, until 10.00, you can freely run along the lake, ride a bike, just wander in silence, feed the ducks or the ubiquitous squirrels. In the evening, the last bus with tourists leaves at 17.00 and the long-awaited evening silence comes to the lakes, traders fold up trays with honey, berries and mushrooms, and squirrels again appear at the benches and delight children with their fluffy tails

Black Lake is the most visited object in the north of Montenegro; on summer days up to 20 tourist buses arrive there. As I said above, during a one-day individual excursion to Black Lake, I am forced to give tourists only an hour to an hour and a half to visit the lake, but there is a plus. We arrive at the lake at the end of the excursion, around 18.00, after most buses have departed, which means that even such a short walk to the lake will be quite comfortable and uncrowded. Here we will limit ourselves to a photo break by the lake with a view of the peaks of Durmitor, Mount Bear (vrh Međed) and a short walk along the Big Lake, but even these pictures with a view of Durmitor and its mountains will be beautiful and interesting..

If you come to Durmitor on a two-day excursion, then we will have much more time for Black Lake. I recommend exploring the lake before lunch, and to escape the crowds of tourists arriving here during the day, you would be better off taking the easy hiking trail that leads around the Big Lake to the quiet and very underrated picturesque Small Lake.

By the way, hiking and cycling routes further to the peaks of Durmitor start from here. Before exiting to the lake, you will see a map and signs of hiking trails and directions. Everything is clear on the diagram, the mileage, the final goal and the time to get there are indicated.

In general, on the lake you can rent a kayak, a boat, or just go fishing, having first purchased a fishing permit. Children can have fun in the children's playground or adventure park, which are located on the road from the parking lot to the lake. In general, enjoy the view and the road to this unique body of water, I’ll tell you and show you the rest during the excursion...

Protected by high mountains or hundred-year-old tree trunks, gilded by the sun or the petals of water lilies, the lakes of Montenegro are the cradle of legends and fairy tales. Lakes in Montenegro are very different in their origin, size, depth and altitude above sea level, in flora and fauna. But it would be too difficult to compare, say, the beauty of 40 mountain lakes (glacier lakes in untouchable mountainous areas).

Skadar Lake in Montenegro

Like the rest of Montenegro, Lake Skadar captivates with its “diversity of offers.” There's so much there. The beauty of a huge, humble water surface with a double edge, of rocks and mountains and their outlines, multiplied by the beauty of islands, backwaters and creeks, picturesque villages... A variety of plants and birds.

And the lake itself has a turbulent history, just like the surrounding places. For its present size and originality it owes most of all to Dream. For centuries it was a large pond in the Zeta-Skadar Valley, the granary of the Nemanjić, Crnojević, Balšić. In 1858, there was such a strong thunderstorm that Dream went crazy: he rushed from the Albanian mountains and rolled so many stones and silt onto the mouth of the Boyana that he changed its course. The granary was flooded, and the pond turned into a lake, and it was the largest in the Balkans. And the climate changed and became mild. All this happened at an altitude of about six meters above sea level.

Scientists say that Lake Skadar in Montenegro belongs to very rare freshwater Mediterranean swamps. It consists of six wholes: Veliko Blato, Malo Blato, Vuchko Blato, the flooded valley of the Crnojevica River, Khotskaya Bay and the Gorne Blato basin. There is enough material for researchers of all directions in 412 square kilometers at low water levels. From Vranine to Skadr it stretches for 44 kilometers, the average width of the lake is 10 kilometers, and the largest is 13. The depth of the lake is about eight meters. Two-thirds of the lake belongs to Montenegro, and one-third to Albania. Many rivers and streams, as well as underground rivers, flow into the lake. The Morača (with the wild Mrtvica and the gentle Zeta, the unique Tsievna), the Crnojevica River, Karatuna, Orahovshtitsa flow into it, and the Voina River flows into the Adriatic Sea.

In some areas there is great depth. These are the so-called “eyes” - whirlpools. They prove a paradox: the lake is mostly a crypto-depression. This means that its surface lies above sea level, and parts of the bottom (of these pools) are below. There are about thirty such places. The water temperature in these pools is almost the same at any time of the year. Schools of bleak gather here and are caught by fishermen. The deepest “eye” is Radush (over 60 meters).

Speckled fish (a type of carp) and bleak (small fish) live only here and nowhere else in the world. It is recorded that, for example, in the thirteenth century the export of bleak to Italy was very developed. And dried krap is a delicacy whose taste, especially in combination with the famous Crmnica wine, is impossible to forget. It is impossible not to mention the “guests” - in addition to freshwater fish, the lake is sometimes inhabited by sea fish: eel, herring, flounder, salmon.

Birds

During the winter, birds from different countries of the world fly to the Skadar winter hut. Even the very rare African black heron thrives here. The world of bird paradise is diverse: different species of ducks (wild ducks, chirks, pintails, shovelers, wigeon...) and geese (gray-grass, croquette, kashikar bean goose, white-fronted, and geese) dart around. Herring gulls chose a river island instead of a sea island to build their nests. Not far from it is the island “Omerova Goritsa” - a village of all herons, the only colony of herons in the laurels in the world.

The lake is not a bird market, but a real one, one of the largest nesting grounds for birds in Europe. This confirms the good preservation of the ecosystem. The diversity of this habitat is also “for every taste”: water, reeds, willow thickets, surrounding meadows, Chemovskoe field. Bare rock islands. Forests.

Plants

And again diversity and specificity: a white hornbeam forest next to other trees: oak, ungulate. Good neighbors are white and black alders, garden chestnut, inky oak, and wild figs and pomegranates...

Both the shore itself and the water surface are covered with lush vegetation. Many algae (930 species) and endemic plants confirm the young age of the lake. On the surface are white and yellow water lilies, kasaronia (growing only on Lake Skadar, edible in taste, reminiscent of chestnut). It is unusual in that although it grows in water, it needs rain to produce a harvest. Reeds, water mint grow from the bottom and extend above the surface, and a rich flora remains in the water on the shallow muddy bottom. In mutual harmony and with goodwill towards the floating world. There are 48 species of fish in the waters of the lake.

Zabljak, a monumental fortress and former capital of Zeta from the time of the Crnojevics, built in 1478, 40 meters long and 25 meters wide, surrounded by a rampart 14 meters high and two meters thick. (photo 178)

Pronina, a former refuge for Montenegrins from blood feuds, is as old as the fishing village. Here is the monastery of St. Nicholas, founded by the first Zeta bishop Hilarion in the 13th century. Not far from Vranina, on a rocky island, the Lesendro fortress was built, for which the Montenegrins fought fierce battles with the Turks, especially during the time of Njegos during 1843. Today these two islands are connected to the shore by an embankment.

MONASTERY STARCHEVO

The monastery on the island of Starčevo was founded during the time of the Balšičs, in the second half of the 14th century. Here, in 1540, the voivode Bozidar Vukovic Podgoričanin was buried, who in Mljet continued the work of the Crnojevics and published books in the Old Church Slavonic language.

CHURCH OF THE VIRGIN

The Church of the Virgin Mary on Beška Island, the largest on Lake Skadar, which Jelena Balšić erected for herself as a memorial monument, also belongs to the early period of Tsrnojevic architecture. Her desire to erect a mausoleum for herself in Dubrovnik was not fulfilled. Therefore, she decided to build a monument to herself in Beshka, near the monastery church of St. George, bequeathed by her first husband. She invited seaside craftsmen from Kotor and Dubrovnik for construction. Helena's bequeathed church, dedicated to St. Mary, was erected in 1439/40 on the ruins of an old three-nave basilica.

House at the crossroads. Virpazar is a place in the municipality of Bar where many different paths intersect and intertwine. This is an island-peninsula, from which we begin exploring Lake Skadar by water or land. Up to Tarabosh. The village grew up at the place where two rivers, Orahovstitsa and Crmnica, meet. At the point where they connect, a spring flows, creating the Virshtitsa River, which immediately flows into the lake. In addition to three rivers, one large lake and many mountains, Virpazar also has three stone bridges, its own field, its own Crmnica, its own Besac fortress, a railway station, a hotel and a school. And less than a hundred inhabitants.

The spring was mentioned back in the 13th century, in a message from the Serbian prince Vladislav to the Vranin monastery. For centuries it was the main road station in the Crmnica region. Important fair. The trading place attracted architects from Skadar and Podgorica, and they were the first settlers in the forties of the 19th century. It was one of the four largest fairgrounds in Montenegro. Today's name was given to him by mining engineer Yegor Kovalevsky. After the final departure of the Turks, it began to develop faster. In 1908, the first locomotive in Montenegro arrived in Virpazar, along the first Bar - Virpazar railway. On July 13, 1941, it was from here that the uprising against the fascist invaders began with the first gun shots. A monumental monument on a high rock located in the town itself is dedicated to the rebels.

Dried bleak or krap (carp) are lake specialties that are pleasant to taste during the cold winter months, combined with goat cheese, olives and, of course, wine.

In the vicinity of Lake Skadar and in the Primorye of Montenegro, there has long been a tradition of growing grapevines. Reputated Montenegrin wines are known all over the world: Vranac, Krstac, Pro Cordey, Cabernet, Chardonnay. Homemade Tsrmnica wine is also very popular.

Black lake in Montenegro

What would Montenegro be like without the representative Black Lake? Beautiful and unusual. High mountain, at an altitude of 1442 meters above sea level. It has a good location: at the very foot of Durmitor, on the edge of the Lake Plateau, two kilometers from Zabljak.

Many travelers, researchers and scientists wanted to describe the shiny surface of the water, its dark green, almost black color due to the depth and surroundings, from which the lake got its name, a dense coniferous forest with fir, pine, spruce, moss and blueberry thickets, The rocks of Medjedzh, which seem to hold him in their arms.

Scientists believe that it originated in a funnel, pressed by the forces of a glacier that slid down from the fans of the surrounding peaks. Black Lake essentially consists of two lakes, Big and Small, connected by a narrow channel. Its length is 1155 meters and its width is 810. The greatest depth of the Big Lake is 26 meters, and the Small Lake is twice as deep, about 50 meters. But the Bolshoi has twice the surface, as well as the volume. The mathematics is interesting, and even more interesting are the laws of physics under the gloomy Medjeje.

The Big Lake is filled with water by Celina, a system of springs on the slopes of Medjece, 25 meters above the Small Lake. After winter sleep, sometimes already in April, and sometimes only in June, Chelina loudly announces the beginning of her “work”. A sudden surge of water is accompanied by a loud roar. Residents say: “Chelina rushed.” Fifteen-meter waterfalls also flood the walking trail that goes around the entire lake for three and a half kilometers. The majestic picture is unforgettable, and daredevils make their way along the path through the foam curtain.

In winter, the lake is covered by an ice slab for a long time. In summer it heats up to 20 degrees and you can swim in it. In summer, water flows from the Bolshoi to the Small Lake, and in the winter it returns through a dam (Struge, 60 meters wide) from the Small to the Large.

So many wonderful movements. The “return” flow through underground corridors is especially confusing. The forked waters of the Black Lake, after kilometers and kilometers of flow under the entire Durmitor massif, flow into two rivers, Tara and Piva (bifurcation, a very rare phenomenon), but still, in the end, after a long journey through darkness and dizzying falls, again meet at Szczepan field, where Piva and Tara join into the Drina.

According to legend, Saint Sava once passed here, and someone (who knows why) accused him of theft. There was no time to defend, the whole village chased after the accused. Savva somehow managed to escape, but was so angry that he made a cross with his staff and ordered the water to drown the village. The peasants fled, and the water caught up with them. Those who fled to the mountains were carried by the water to the site of today's Small Lake. Where the water overtook those fleeing into the meadows, the Big One appeared.

There are no fountains in Montenegro, into which, according to tradition, people throw a coin after making a wish... Instead, there is a “lake of happiness” on Prokletije. Here they believe that swimming in the clear water of Lake Hrid brings health and marital happiness. When saying goodbye to the lake, they make a wish and throw some decoration into it.

Although it is located at a decent altitude, over 1800m above sea level, on the northwestern side of Prokletije, the lake is not difficult to reach from Plav and Gusine. Its length is about 300 meters, width about 160. In summer it is deep - about five meters, and in the cold seasons it is much deeper due to heavy rains and melting snow. In winter it is surrounded by a thick layer of ice. A certain amount of bareness is typical for Lake Hrid. Like fallen, blurred, faded spruce trunks. Thinning crowns of old pines. It looks like rocks under which there was a spill. But at the same time open, open to the sky. This lake is not scary, because there are no dark shadows on it. Therefore, one feels his sympathy for a person, such that it can bring him health and happiness.

Lake Pesica in Montenegro

A long time ago, in the nights, when the slopes of Belasitsa were bathed in moonlight as if in milk, from the black shiny surface of the lake, from the silence, two streams of water rushed upward, flapped their white wings, and the nymphs, hiding from behind the trunks, shuddered with excitement. There is nothing more beautiful than the flight of a winged horse under the glow of the moon. One nymph wanted him only for herself. Stroke him so that the pearl feathers rustle only for her. With song and dance, she attracted the blue gaze of a white horse and lured him into the cave. The nymph's happiness was great, but did not last. Out of envy, her friends caught the horse and smeared its wings with resin. Seeing him staggering, exhausted and unhappy, they repented, but it was too late. And the nymph, who wanted him only for herself, died of melancholy.

When you see Lake Pešiča from the Zekova peak (and it is easiest to approach it from that side), under which the Vilina cave (nymphine cave) is located, the continuation of the legend will become even clearer. This blue water will stun the beholder, surrounded by all shades of green that float under the clouds, and the whole magical picture looks like something random, the play of sunlight and shadows of trees on the lake surface... Tireless clouds make the dry data relative: 8 meters deep, length 290 meters, width 165 meters. Height 1838 meters above sea level.

Although this is not very important. The lake is measured by the condescension of its high guards, the Zekova and Black peaks, and the love of shepherds and travelers. Around it, even today, on the soaring slopes, the shadows of fast clouds flicker, rustling like white wings, as if a white blue-eyed horse is soaring to the delight of the nymphs hiding in deep caves.

Plavsko lake in Montenegro

Surrounded by green meadows and shrubs, at the foot of the mountains Prokletija and Visitora, reflected in it, Lake Plavsko rests. And they approach it with amazing modesty, almost fearing God, probably anticipating the extraordinary power of the wolf fangs of the Prokletije and the Vuchie (Wolf) stream that fills Lake Plavsko in Montenegro.

Its length is about three kilometers, its width is almost two, and its maximum depth is nine meters. Of course, the water level changes throughout the year, and in winter the lake freezes. For lovers of water sports, this is part of one ideal whole: the inflow of Luča, Lake Plavsko, the outflow of Lim, which flows into the Drina. Swimming, yachting and kayaking, rafting. And fishing: today the lake is home to mackerel, trout, pike, maple, and myron. You can hunt game birds: ducks, wild partridges, ducks.

There is a popular belief that the waters of Lake Plavsko in Montenegro have healing properties. There are different legends about the origin of the lake. According to one, in ancient times there was a town on the site of today’s lake. Saint Sava, tired from the road, spent the night in the house of a certain Janus. He treated him well, but slipped a rooster into his things and accused him of theft. And so Savva’s curse “earned”: “So that you are neither born nor degenerate, the water will take you away.” At that moment, water rushed in from all sides and flooded the town. A lake appeared.
In summer it can be lively, with organized diving in the warm, clear water. And her beauty is undeniable. And surprise. Within one hour, it will hide and reveal (if it wants, of course) all its shades: from light green to blueberry, or iron gray under the clouds.

Biogradsko lake in Montenegro

In the heart of the Biogradska Gora (Biograd Forest) lies the Biogradsko Lake. The waters of the lake and its streams are rich in fish, especially trout, which gather in schools in the Biogradska River to lay eggs in its shallows. In winter, the lake is covered with thick ice, on which deer walk. The area around the lake is increasingly attracting the attention of domestic and foreign tourists. Many experts consider it the most beautiful lake on the Balkan Peninsula.

This is a unique temple. It’s best to walk those few kilometers from the Kolasin-Mojkovac highway to the lake. Through the forest thicket, breathing in a completely different air, you will find yourself in a completely different time, reach a motel on the shore of the largest lake Belasitsa.

Its length is 1100 meters, width 400, and its depth is on average 4.5 meters, and at its deepest point - 18 meters. The whole lake can be walked around along a path, the length of which is just over three kilometers. The walk will reveal a new world, rough and wild. A light that has remained untouched for centuries. Unusual plants, variety of shapes and names. Blue spruce, white maple, oak, beech, and ash are protected by law from logging. Here you can meet chamois or foxes. Mountain eagles and black grouse soar somewhere above.

Belasitsa is open, warm, hospitable, just like her main treasure. You can ride a boat, you can listen to the silence and contemplate the shores. You can fish. You can pitch a tent nearby. Have a nice lunch. To forget a lot while wandering through the forest, but also to remember, as in any temple, that time is a relative phenomenon, and we are all created by God.

Tritorius montenegrinus, an endemic salamander, is still found in Lake Bukumir. Who is she? A distant descendant of the dragon, who sometimes came out of the water and scared the Bukumirs, a non-Slavic tribe that wanted to find a quiet life here.

The name of the tribe and the lake indicates Vlachs (as in the capital of Romania, Bucharest), and Vlachs also roamed other parts of Montenegro. In the mountains of the Kuchka region there were often not only feuds, but also mixing of Albanian, Slavic and other “newcoming” tribes. The lake is located at an altitude of 1443 meters above sea level. It is small, but deep. 210 meters long, 130 meters wide. Even 17 meters of depth is enough for one or a couple of dragons. Whether the dragon was glacial is unknown, but Lake Bukumirovskoe is definitely true. The water is clean and cool, with water lilies, but this does not prevent you from swimming in it. Signposted paths radiate from the lake to the tops of the surrounding mountains.

The most famous lakes in Montenegro are the following: Skadar Lake and Black Lake. You can book individual excursions with us, visiting these and other lakes in Montenegro.

In the vastness of the Durmitor National Park there is another national park, which is called "".

Usually a visit to Black Lake is combined with viewing other nearby attractions. Regardless of whether you are traveling to Durmitor on your own, taking a tour, or traveling as a group, this is the right decision; it is logical to see as much as possible in one trip.

I have already written how to get to Black Lake; there are only two options: renting a car or booking an excursion. Traveling by public transport is not realistic and here's why. You are not only going to Black Lake, your goal is to visit several sites, which I will discuss below. In theory, you can take a regular bus to object No. 1, see it, then wait for another bus, get to object No. 2, etc. But, in practice, such a plan would be so difficult that it is easier to refuse a trip to Durmitor than to travel in this way. You can travel along the coast by public transport, but not around Durmitor. Therefore, there is no alternative to buying an excursion or booking a car.

If you are planning to visit Black Lake, there are two possible excursion routes. Of course, there may be some slight variations, but basically everyone is transported along these routes, and that’s right. Routes:

1. Along the coast through Podgorica to the Moraca Monastery, then along the canyons of the Moraca and Tara rivers to the Djurdjevica Bridge. Then visit the Black Lake. At the end of the trip, you drive through Durmitor to Lake Piva and visit the Piva Monastery.

The map below shows the route from Budva, but it can be from any city on the coast, the essence does not change.

1. If you don’t like too long trips, and 500 km in one day is hard for you, you can simplify the route. Head along the nearby road towards Zabljak. Along the way you will have three big stops: Djurdzhevich Bridge, Black Lake and Piva Monastery. If you really want to make the route easier, you can skip the visit to the Piva Monastery.

There are a huge number of lakes in Montenegro; there are about two dozen of them in the Durmitor National Park alone. However, Black Lake is the most famous, and probably the most beautiful in Montenegro. At least it’s definitely the most well-groomed, after all, this is the territory of a national park, where they monitor cleanliness and the environment. There is a very pleasant and well-groomed area around, there are benches everywhere where you can sit and relax. That is, the place as a whole is interesting, and not just the lake, you come here and feel like you are walking in a very large, nice and well-kept park.

You slowly wander towards the lake, birds are chirping around you. You can see some kind of living creature, I once saw a squirrel, sitting half a meter away from me, and it didn’t seem to be afraid, but, nevertheless, it didn’t even come into my hands. The lake itself is also beautiful.

You can swim if you wish, but there is a sign on the shore that says no one is responsible for your safety. And, the water in the summer is noticeably cooler than on the coast of Montenegro. However, Black Lake is located in the north of the country, where the climate is somewhat different.

The lake is located at an altitude of 1400 meters above sea level, but you won’t have to climb the mountain; you’ve already done the climb a long time ago when you traveled to these places by car. The lake is divided into two parts, a large lake and a small lake. The depth of the large lake reaches 25 meters, and the small one 50 meters.

The lake got its name because dark-colored algae grows at the bottom. Therefore, if you look at the lake from the mountain, it appears black.

Black Lake is a very popular place among tourists from different countries. Almost every excursion that takes place in Durmitor includes a visit to this place. Also, there are many tourists who arrived on their own in cars; the parking lot in front of the entrance to the national park is always packed to capacity.

Of course, on Black Lake you are supposed to walk a lot, see natural attractions, and breathe fresh air. But, this place also has some additional entertainment. Firstly, you can rent a boat, it is cheap. Secondly, there is the opportunity to climb on such things.

This is something like an extreme obstacle course for children and adults. There are three such parks on the territory of Montenegro, in addition to the Black Lake, there are also in and on, in a place called Ivanova Korita. There are trails of varying difficulty. Every step is taken with insurance, so don’t worry, nothing will happen to your child.

Unfortunately, in recent years, the Adventure Park on Black Lake has been declining, there are fewer trails, and the maintenance often leaves much to be desired. I like a similar park in Podgorica much more.

Around the Black Lake there is a forest, a lot of coniferous trees, there are some berries, judging by the fact that local residents sell them, they are probably edible. I think there are mushrooms here too.

There is a restaurant on the territory of the lake, but there is not much choice in it, therefore, I would advise you to eat before visiting Black Lake, or after, and beyond.

Distance from Black Lake to other settlements

See table below.

As you can see, the drive to Black Lake is quite long, which is why, as I wrote above, it is logical to combine a visit to this national park with viewing other attractions.

Weather on Black Lake

On the territory of Durmitor it is much cooler than on the coast, you are not in danger of freezing in the summer, but, nevertheless, it is several degrees lower here, and at the beginning or end of the season you may want to throw on a light jacket. The photo below shows the average daily air temperature in the territory of Black Lake.

Where to have lunch

You can have lunch anywhere, the main thing is not on the lake itself, there are many restaurants on the road to it, I won’t recommend which one is better, I’ve been to several, I liked them all.

In conclusion, I will insert a few photographs of the lake.

All friends for today
I look forward to your questions in the comments, I will definitely answer everyone. I have lived in Montenegro since 2011, I know the country well, yes, and I have been to Black Lake many times. I also organize excursions to Black Lake and Durmitor with departure from Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat, you can contact me using the contacts listed on this site.

A unique body of water, forming an ecological system of eighteen lakes of glacial origin, flows through the territory of Montenegro. This is the Black Lake, where spending time is useful for both children and adults. It is located near the resort town of Zabljak and extends more than one and a half kilometers in length. The total area of ​​the lake is 516 thousand square meters.

In fact, the Black Lake in Montenegro, Zabljak, is two bodies of water, the Big and Small Lakes. They are isolated from each other, connected only by a narrow channel. In the spring you can visit for a short period when water flows from one lake to another, forming a waterfall of remarkable beauty. And in the summer, the channel dries out completely and becomes invisible.

For its transparency nine meters deep, the lake has earned a second name - Eyes of the Mountains or Mountain Eyes. You can come to Black Lake to fish or just relax on the shore, admiring the picturesque view.

On foot, by car or by ticket

Durmitor National Park is located in the north-west of Montenegro. Experienced travelers advise to definitely stay here for a few days. The cost of entry to Black Lake may vary from season to season. It's better to find out in advance. It will not be difficult to find accommodation nearby, even if the reservation has not been agreed upon in advance. The manager of the Excursian portal will tell you in which region you can rent a house or room.

If you rent a car, then from the coast to Durmitor itself is about a five-hour drive. With stops for beautiful photographs - all six. In Montenegro, cars do not move very fast: the roads are winding, covered with potholes and potholes. There are mountain serpentines, dark tunnels, gaping abysses.

There is an option to take the bus route. Public transport leaves from a stop in Budva or Kotor once or twice a day. It is advisable to buy tickets with a reserve of time and be sure that there will be space left in the cabin. You can ask local residents about other ways to get to Black Lake. It is likely that someone will volunteer to become a guide or personal driver for a day for a moderate monetary reward.

Favorable seasons for holidays

The Greeks have a legend that says that the ancient gods ruled on Olympus during the day, and at night, in search of silence and coolness, they went down to Durmitor and took a walk along the Black Lake.

This toponym has several versions of origin:

• Borrowing from Celtic. Translation: mountains with a lot of water.
• Borrowing from Latin. Translation: immersed in eternal sleep.
• Geographical: there are dense coniferous thickets near the water. It is they, reflected in the surface of the lake, as if in a mirror, that give the reservoir a specific black color. But this is just an optical illusion.

The lake was formed as a result of the movement of glaciers from the tops of mountain ranges. According to popular belief, it is very deep. Montenegrins pass on from generation to generation a legend that there is an ancient monastery at the bottom of the reservoir. True, it’s impossible to see anything at the bottom other than greenish-emerald stones.

Not all tourists are ready to swim in the Black Lake. Even in summer the water here is cool. Although closer to September the lake warms up to +20 degrees and there are more people wanting to cool off. In winter, a family vacation on the Black Lake will definitely not involve swimming, except perhaps in an ice hole. After all, the reservoir is covered with a thick crust of ice.

What to do as a tourist

All useful information about Black Lake is available in open sources and is also included in guidebooks. But you can leave yourself to chance and try to figure out the route yourself. Start - the coast of the famous lake. The finish is where the eyes look. Along the entire length of the walking trails there are comfortable benches where you can catch your breath. Also along the road you will see a restaurant serving dishes from freshly caught fish and other national treats and drinks. In total, it takes an average of two to three hours to walk around the perimeter of the lake. Fishing is permitted for a fee.

To go on a trip to the Black Lake, Zabljak and not capture the natural beauty with a camera or video camera is a big omission. Artists draw inspiration from local landscapes, writers find new images, musicians enjoy the melodic singing of birds. Romance is romance, but you shouldn’t forget about everyday things. So, when going on a hike, you need to remember that the paths periodically form strong slopes and narrow down to several centimeters. This means that your feet should be wearing comfortable sports shoes, and your clothes should be chosen so as not to restrict your movements when walking. It is useful to have a map of the area, a compass or a gadget equipped with a satellite navigator with you.