Biogradska Gora National Park

“Biogradska Gora national park is a bliss with a lake as green as an emerald. This national park will enchant every visitor”

Only a few kilometers away from Kolasin, is the pearl of European natural heritage. Listed among the last rainforest in Europe -this national park and it’s emerald green lake is a charging station for mind and spirit. With this in mind, the rulers of Montenegro invested substantial efforts protecting it. Due to that, these rainforests carry the name virgin forest. What makes this national park unique are the 500-year-old trees. The most common trees around the lake are European beech, sycamore maple, and European ash. Around the slopes, you will find beech and silver fir.

History of the park

Biogradska Gora is the oldest of the five national parks in Montenegro. Consequently, the history of the park is just as significant as its ecological role in the country. In close vicinity to the park, there was a battle between the Turks on one side and Montenegrins and Serbs on the other side. Additionally, during the first Balkan wars in 1912 and World War II, this region presented the center of activity for Partisan soldiers.

After the liberation of Kolasin from Turkish rule in 1878, people from Moraca and Rovca presented part of the forest to King Nikola Petrovic. This forest was known as “Branik Kralja Nikole” and was protected.
It was King Nikola who decided with great foresight to preserve its incredible natural heritage for posterity

What to do in Biogradska Gora

Once you are in the park, there is much you can do to enjoy it.
Make a day trip out of your visit to the park. Remember, it’s one of the last rainforests in Europe. The paths around the lake are perfect for exploring and hiking. Also, you can take a boat on the lake or visit some of the cultural-historical monuments. The lake sits elevated at 1094 meters above sea level. Together with the Jezerista outpour tributary, it comprises a water complex of great beauty.
Over the lake, large mountain wreaths arise, which for millennials have been reflecting in its calm water surface.

Flora and fauna

Biogradska Gora National Park has a great diversity of flora and fauna. There are 26 different habitats of plants with 220 different species. Additionally, the park is home to 150 bird species.
Last but not least, there are 86 species of trees and shrubs. The lake area holds three species of trout and 350 different insects.

Location and accessibility

The park is easily accessible. The entrance to the park is 17 km away from Kolasin, on the road towards Mojkovac. It extends over a total of 5,400 hectares except for the high plateaus which rise to altitudes ranging between 1,900 and 2,100 meters. The forests take up no less than 4,258 hectares, or 80% of its surface, a record among European parks.