Prokletije National Park
FAQFrequently asked questions
What is the Prokletie National Park and where is it?
This is a mountain national park in the east of Montenegro, part of the Prokletije massif (aka the Albanian Alps, or the Cursed Mountains), which stretches across three countries - Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo. The Montenegrin part was declared a park in 2009, the area is about 16 thousand hectares.
What are the highest peaks here?
The highest point of Montenegro is Zla Kolata, 2534 meters, in this massif. And the highest peak of all Prokletiye, Maya Lake (2694 m), is already on the Albanian side of the border.
What is worth seeing here?
About two dozen glacial lakes high in the mountains, sharp rocky ridges and winding valleys. The fauna is serious: brown bears, wolves, roe deer and the rare Balkan lynx, of which there are literally a few dozen individuals left. And the local mountains are considered to be the richest in butterflies in Europe.
When is it better to go and how to go?
Summer is the only adequate season for the track, because in winter the snow covers everything so that the villages in the depths are cut off for weeks. The Peaks of the Balkans route, about 192 km long, has been laid through the entire massif, connecting all three countries - prepare for multi-day transitions.
Where did such a gloomy name come from?
The locals tell as many as three versions: supposedly the devil made these sharp rocks in one day; or a woman cursed the mountains, suffering from thirst on the way; or the Slavic soldiers called them that, having stumbled upon this terrain. None of them inspires, but the scenery compensates.
