Biogradska Gora by car from Žabljak through the Tara Canyon

Biogradsko Lake with a wooden jetty, boats and dense forest along its shores

Trip overview

Trip duration: About 10-11.5 hours
Stops: 3 + 1 subject to confirmed access
Route length: About 170 km

Total drive timeAbout 4 h 35 min

Why set aside a day for this trip

You can explore Biogradska Gora’s old-growth forest up close without climbing a Bjelasica peak. The lakeside circuit gives you time among old trees, young growth and fallen trunks to see how the forest renews itself.

Trip and costs at a glance

Trip duration	About 10-11.5 hours
Transport	A car is needed · rental offers
Sights on this trip	Đurđevića Tara Bridge · subject to confirmed access Dobrilovina Biogradsko Lake and old-growth forest Dobre Vode restaurant beside the Tara
Fuel consumption	Estimated at around 14-17 L
Tolls	No charge
Admission costs	Biogradska Gora National Park admission €4 per person
Navigation	1/2 · Žabljak → bridge and Dobrilovina → Biogradsko Lake 2/2 · Biogradsko Lake → Dobre Vode → Žabljak

Park admission does not include parking. Current parking charges along the route and any admission fee at Dobrilovina have not been confirmed.

Driving route from Žabljak via the western bridge approach and Dobrilovina to Biogradsko Lake, with lunch at Dobre Vode and the return journey. Separate full walking circuit back to the same lake car park

The driving route through the Tara Canyon is shown with the full return to Žabljak. A separate inset shows the full walking circuit of Biogradsko Lake, from the car park and back.

Complete route 1/2 · Žabljak → bridge and Dobrilovina → lake Complete route 2/2 · Lake → Dobre Vode → Žabljak Žabljak → western bridge approach Western bridge approach → Dobrilovina Dobrilovina → Biogradsko Lake car park Lake car park → Dobre Vode restaurant Dobre Vode → western bridge approach → Žabljak On foot 1/2 · western and southern sides of the lake On foot 2/2 · eastern shore and return to the carThe complete drive is split into two consecutive parts. The second part starts at the car park where the first ends, continues to Dobre Vode, then follows the canyon back to Žabljak.

Route, visits and breaks

The plan includes all approaches and returns to the car, the full lake circuit, lunch and one 35-minute allowance. The drive through the canyon, the park access road and the entire trail must be open and passable.

To the western approach to Đurđevića Tara Bridge

35 min driving · 10 min parking and walking to the bridge approach · 35 min viewing the bridge and returning

Concrete arches of Đurđevića Tara Bridge above the river and forested canyon slopes — Đurđevića Tara Bridge and the canyon

Leave Žabljak in the morning and head towards Đurđevića Tara Bridge. The prepared navigation ends at the western approach, on the Žabljak side. Leave your car only in a permitted place off the road, then walk to an accessible part of the approach with a view of the bridge and canyon.

You do not need to cross the bridge for this trip. The road to Dobrilovina follows the Tara on the same side of the river. Check road conditions before setting off, and use only the bridge approach open to visitors. If there is no permitted place to view the bridge, continue without this stop.

Dobrilovina between the road and the canyon cliffs

35 min driving · 10 min access and parking · 40 min visiting and returning

The stone church of Dobrilovina with its dome and separate wooden bell tower — Dobrilovina’s church and wooden bell tower

From the bridge, follow the Tara Canyon to the approach to Dobrilovina Monastery. The navigation ends outside the monastery grounds. From a place where you are allowed to leave the car, walk to the monastery courtyard, see the stone church and separate wooden bell tower, then return the same way.

Dobrilovina is an active monastery. Ask the hosts before entering the church. Check current visiting hours before leaving Žabljak, and ask about any admission or parking charges when you arrive.

Through the canyon to the full circuit of Biogradsko Lake

1 h driving · 15 min entry and parking · 2 h 30 min for the full circuit and lakeshore

Biogradsko Lake with a jetty, boats and forest surrounding the water — Biogradsko Lake and its forested shores

Continue along the canyon road towards Mojkovac, passing the Crna Poda reserve of old black pines. After Mojkovac, take the main road towards Kraljevo Kolo, then the paved access road through the park to the car park beside Biogradsko Lake.

From the car park, follow the full educational trail around the lake. The circuit is about 3.3 kilometres long and follows the western side towards the southern end, over wooden walkways, then back along the eastern shore to the start. Allow about an hour and fifty minutes for the walk, including stops at information boards. The remaining time is for the lakeshore, a break and, when open, the visitor centre.

At the entrance, check whether the entire circuit is open. Wet roots and wooden sections can be slippery. If part of the trail is closed or flooded, do not cross barriers to complete the circuit. Return along the passable route instead.

The published daily admission to Biogradska Gora National Park is €4 per person and includes the educational trails and the visitor centre when open. Parking is not included in admission. The operator’s English price list gives €1 per hour for a passenger car, while the Montenegrin page does not show that entry. Check how parking is currently charged at the entrance.

Lunch beside the Tara at Dobre Vode

20 min driving · 1 h 15 min for parking, lunch and returning to the car

Dobre Vode restaurant with parking beside the main road between forested slopes — Dobre Vode restaurant and roadside parking

After your visit, return to the car and drive down the access road to the main road. Continue towards Kolašin to Dobre Vode restaurant, about ten kilometres from the lake car park. The restaurant has parking beside the road and a terrace above the Tara.

Outside the main season, check whether the kitchen is open.

Returning along the same canyon route

About 2 h 5 min driving

From Dobre Vode, take the main road back towards Mojkovac, then follow the Tara Canyon towards Žabljak. The prepared return route passes the western approach to the bridge again, without crossing to the Pljevlja side.

Including all visits, lunch and one 35-minute allowance, the day takes roughly ten to eleven and a half hours. The allowance covers short delays in traffic and at the entrance.

Trip highlights

The five arches of Đurđevića Tara Bridge

Đurđevića Tara Bridge is a concrete arch bridge completed in 1940. The bridge is about 365 metres long, with five arches above the river and forested slopes.

The largest arch spans the river channel, while the smaller arches continue towards the forested side of the canyon.

Dobrilovina and the Church of Saint George

Dobrilovina Monastery has a church dedicated to Saint George. Its stone facade and dome stand beside a separate wooden bell tower, beneath the forest and cliffs of the Tara Canyon.

The monastery was mentioned in the 16th century and was restored in 1609. It fell into neglect after the Second World War, and the church was restored and consecrated in 1989.

The church’s resemblance to Morača Monastery has also given rise to the local name Mala Morača.

Biogradsko Lake and the life of an old forest

Biogradsko Lake lies in the Bjelasica mountains, at an elevation of around 1,090 metres. It is glacial in origin and surrounded by forest that reaches the water in many places.

The educational trail along the shore passes through beech and fir forest and the wetter southern part of the lake area. Large trees, roots beside the path and wooden walkways alternate with more open views of the water. The forests of Biogradska Gora contain trees over 40 metres tall, and some are up to around five centuries old.

Standing dead trees and fallen trunks are part of the habitat for fungi and organisms that break down wood. At the same time, younger generations of trees grow among the older ones.

Protection of this area began in 1878, when a princely reserve was established. It became a national park in 1952.

Questions before this trip

Do you need a four-wheel-drive vehicle for this trip?

A regular passenger car is sufficient when the main road through the canyon and the paved approach to Biogradsko Lake are open. This route does not use unpaved roads to mountain pasture settlements or Bjelasica’s peaks.

How demanding is the full circuit of Biogradsko Lake?

The full circuit from the car park and back is about 3.3 kilometres long. It includes dirt paths, roots and wooden walkways. A pushchair is more difficult to manoeuvre on this ground, especially when wet. After rain or snow, check whether the entire circuit is passable.

Is a Durmitor ticket also valid at Biogradska Gora?

A daily Durmitor ticket is not valid at Biogradska Gora. If you have an annual ticket for all five national parks, it also covers admission here until the end of the year for which it was issued.

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