Montenegro Tours & Vacations

Party to both Mediterranean summers and Balkan winters, the question of when to visit Montenegro really depends on what you’re after. The months of July and August, referred to locally – and somewhat dramatically – as ‘the Season’ sees coastal tourism at full-throttle with beaches, hotels and restaurants packed out by Europe’s summer sun seekers. As a result, either side of this period is the best time for a visit with May, June, September and October still enjoying balmy days, pleasant evenings and warm waters.

November through to April is the winter period when inland temperature can drop to below freezing, but it also marks the opening of the country’s ski runs and the coast can present a scenic (and quiet) getaway for the less adventurous.

Montenegro’s slim  182 mile-long  coastline quickly develops into inland plains before rising to forested mountain peaks – some of Europe’s most rugged – along the country’s borders with Serbia and Albania.

1. Bears

Fairytale and soft-toy enthusiasts will be thrilled to learn that Montenegro is home to a stable population of European brown bears. Eternally vying with its polar cousin for the uber-cool title of ‘world’s largest land-based predator’, you may not like to encounter one unexpectedly (extremely unlikely), but it’s fun to know that they’re plodding about somewhere not too far off.

2. Wolves

As the most widely distributed large mammal on the planet, it’s probably not overly surprising to hear that the country boasting Europe’s highest index of species per area unit should also have its share of grey wolves – even if the government has made it legal to hunt them.

3. Otters

Much like the tourists who descend on the country’s beaches during July and August, these curious and cheeky critters can sometimes be spotted breaching the surface of Montenegro’s freshwater lakes or basking by their shores. So well-liked are these little guys that in 2011, the Montenegrin Ministry of Culture launched ‘Otter Fest 2011’: a festival promoting the development of Skadar Lake’s local communities, which draws attention to its endangered otter population.

4. Lynx

Probably the fluffiest of Montenegro’s wildlife, but with a dwindling population thought to be less than 100 due to illegal poaching, the Balkan lynx is only very rarely spotted in the remote mountainous region of the country’s east.

5. Golden eagles

Proudly emblazoned on the country’s flag, the majestic golden eagle is sometimes spied scouring its skies. One of the best-known birds of prey, it’s certainly one of the most powerful hunters, with reported sightings of sheep and goats being snatched up, and one confirmed account of a brown bear cub being carried off!