One Day on the Durmitor Ring

One Day on the Durmitor Ring, Montenegro When I arrived in Žabljak, everyone kept telling me: “You must drive the Durmitor Ring.” This mountain loop is about 76 kilometers long, circling Durmitor National Park. I dedicated a full day to it — and I don’t regret it. Starting from Žabljak I left around 9 a.m., filling up at the only reliable gas station in town — there are none along the route. The first kilometers were easy, but soon the road became narrow and winding. Reaching the village of Mala Crna Gora took almost an hour, even though it’s only about 20 km away, because I couldn’t resist stopping for photos of the Tara Canyon — the deepest in Europe. Sedlo Pass At about the 30th kilometer begins the most stunning part — Sedlo Pass (around 1,900 m altitude). The road cuts between sharp peaks, with views so dramatic that I had to stop constantly. I even went for a short walk off the road, which added another 40 minutes to my trip. Trsa and Lunch By midday I reached the village of Trsa — around the 50th kilometer. I made a longer stop here for lunch in a small tavern. I ordered meat, potatoes, and homemade cheese, which cost about €10. After hours of winding mountain roads, it felt like a real feast. Prutaš and the Way Back After Trsa, the road turns back toward Žabljak, passing incredible views of Mount Prutaš. Its ribbed slopes look like giant rock layers, unlike anything I’d seen before. The last 25 kilometers took me almost two hours with photo stops. The full 76 km loop took me about 7 hours including stops, lunch, and a few short walks. Pure driving time was around 3 hours. I returned to Žabljak by 5 p.m., tired but with the feeling that I had completed one of the most beautiful circular routes in Europe.