While Black Lake and Bobotov Kuk may be the headliners, Žabljak and the surrounding Durmitor region are full of lesser-known wonders that few tourists ever get to see. These hidden gems offer the same mountain magic—sometimes more—without the crowds.
Whether you’re returning for a second visit or just crave more solitude, this guide will take you to those places that don’t always make the brochures, but absolutely deserve a spot in your journey.
It’s often the places you stumble upon—not the ones circled on a map—that stay with you the longest. A quiet ridge where wind rushes louder than your thoughts. A meadow of wildflowers with no signpost but the scent of pine. A village so small it doesn’t show up in Google Maps, but where you’re welcomed with a smile and a story. Žabljak’s hidden side isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about intimacy. About pausing at the right bend in the road. About following a local tip. About discovering a silence so complete it feels like time is holding its breath. This is a mountain world full of secrets for those who walk a little slower, look a little deeper, and travel with curiosity.
Zminje Jezero (Snake Lake)
Tucked away just a short walk from the popular Black Lake but hidden by thick forest, Zminje Jezero is a peaceful glacial lake that feels a world apart. Shrouded in pine trees and often cloaked in mist, it’s a spot where you can sit for hours and hear nothing but birds and the occasional ripple of water. The trail leading to it is quiet and well-marked but seldom busy, making it perfect for those who want to slip off the tourist trail without venturing too far. Bring a thermos, a notebook, or simply your own stillness—and let this pocket of calm work its quiet magic.
Jablan Lake
Often overlooked in favor of its more famous siblings, Jablan Lake is a jewel among Durmitor’s alpine waters. It sits higher than most, reached by a moderately challenging hike that rewards you with absolute solitude and sweeping views. The lake itself is a deep, clear mirror cradled in a grassy basin, surrounded by rugged cliffs and alpine silence. It’s one of those places that feels untouched, where the reflection of clouds moves slowly across the surface and the only sound is your own breath slowing down. Perfect for a picnic, a barefoot walk, or simply a pause to remember what real wilderness feels like.
Barno Jezero
Just a few minutes beyond Black Lake, Barno Jezero offers something different: a soft, moss-lined shoreline, the croak of frogs, and a quiet charm that draws nature lovers and photographers alike. The water here is shallow and filled with reeds, giving it a dreamy, marsh-like character that glows in the late afternoon light. Few people visit, and that’s its gift—it invites you to slow your pace, to notice the little things: dragonflies darting through the air, water striders skating across the surface, the golden tips of grass waving in the breeze. It’s not dramatic—it’s delicate. And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need.
Curevac Viewpoint
Hidden in plain sight yet often bypassed by those heading straight to the Tara Bridge, Ćurevac is a scenic lookout that offers one of the most jaw-dropping views in all of Montenegro—with almost no one around. A short drive and an easy hike bring you to a cliff that towers above the Tara River Canyon, the second-deepest canyon in the world. The viewpoint sits at over 1,600 meters, and from here, the world seems to fall away. You see endless layers of forested ridges, the ribbon of river far below, and the sky opening wide above it all. It’s the kind of view that doesn’t need a filter, doesn’t need explanation. If you’re lucky, you’ll have it all to yourself—just you, the wind, and the timeless silence of something vast.
Village of Mala Crna Gora
Perched on a lonely plateau between the Tara and Sušica canyons, the tiny village of Mala Crna Gora feels like it belongs to another century—or another world. Reaching it requires a winding drive through high-altitude meadows and deep pine woods, and in winter, the road often becomes impassable due to snow. But in spring, summer, and early autumn, the journey is more than worth it. Here, traditional wooden houses lean into the hillside, sheep graze freely, and locals live with a simplicity that feels deeply rooted. There are no shops, no noise, no schedules—just the rhythm of mountain life. Bring snacks, your camera, and time to spare. This is where you go when you want to feel what untouched really means.
Susicko Lake and Valley
Less known than its famous cousin, Crno Jezero, the Sušičko Valley holds a lake that appears seasonally—usually in spring and early summer—fed by snowmelt and underground springs. Surrounded by steep cliffs and wide meadows, this area is part of a hidden pocket of Durmitor that few travelers reach. It’s an excellent choice for those seeking a full-day hiking adventure without the traffic of more commercialized routes. The valley is rich in wildflowers, grazing cattle, and quiet so deep you might forget what day it is. It’s also a great spot for sketching, meditating, or just lying on the grass and letting the world be.
Grcko Groblje (Greek Cemetery)
Hidden along a hillside just outside Žabljak, the Grčko Groblje—or Greek Cemetery—is a mysterious, time-worn site filled with centuries-old stone crosses, many of them leaning and weathered by the mountain wind. Despite its name, it’s not actually Greek, but the term is locally used for old, pre-Christian or early Christian burial grounds. Surrounded by pine forest and rarely visited, the cemetery carries a haunting stillness that invites reflection. There’s no ticket booth, no signs, no tour groups—just a clearing, a few scattered graves, and the whisper of history in the wind. It’s a reminder that Žabljak’s story is written not only in peaks and lakes, but also in the quiet places people once lived and loved.
Vražje Jezero (Devil’s Lake)
With a name that sparks curiosity, Vražje Jezero—or Devil’s Lake—is anything but sinister. Located on a broad, open plain a short drive from Žabljak, this turquoise lake is shallow, circular, and rimmed with a marshy shoreline that glows golden in late summer. It’s a favorite among photographers and locals alike, especially in autumn when the grasses turn to fire and the lake becomes a perfect mirror for the sky. What makes it a hidden gem is not its obscurity, but its space: wide, open, vast. You can walk the perimeter in quiet solitude, watching herons lift off from the reeds or lie back in the grass with a view of Durmitor’s peaks in the distance. It’s a place that invites stillness—and lingers in your memory long after you’ve gone.
Final Reflections
To explore Žabljak’s hidden gems is to enter a different kind of time—a pace that doesn’t rush, a silence that speaks, a path that doesn’t always have a name. In a world of notifications, crowds, and curated experiences, these places whisper something rare: authenticity. They’re the bends in the road that weren’t on the itinerary. The views you earn in solitude. The moments that ask for no audience but you and the sky.
These aren’t just alternative attractions. They are the soul of Durmitor—wild, still, humbling. They remind you that nature doesn’t need marketing to be magnificent. That a trail through a pine forest or a forgotten lake under a gray sky can heal, inspire, and settle something in you. Every step off the main route deepens your relationship with this land. You see the human side too—in quiet chapels, in weathered fences, in the echo of shepherd songs carried by wind.
And when you return from these places—muddy boots, wind-chilled cheeks, camera full of memories—you’ll find comfort waiting. At our hotel, we welcome you back with warmth and ease. We may not have guided tours or printed brochures to these spots, but we have something better: real advice, personal maps, and the kind of local knowledge that doesn’t show up online. We’ll point you toward that nameless ridge, that tucked-away lake, that quiet bench where you can sit for an hour and forget the world exists.
Because we believe the best kind of luxury isn’t polished—it’s peaceful. It’s waking up to birdsong. It’s returning to a soft bed after hard-earned adventure. It’s a hotel that doesn’t try to compete with nature, but instead gives you space to return to it, again and again.
So take the detour. Trust the unmarked trail. Follow the sound of stillness. Žabljak has many secrets—but the best ones reveal themselves only to those willing to wander a little deeper.
