Montenegro
May 10–17, 2027 · 7 days
May 10–17, 2027
7 days
Up to 14 participants
Trail Running
The challenge
Picture a cold morning above the Tara Canyon, the deepest in Europe. The forest is quiet. Your legs are still…
Read the full brief
Picture a cold morning above the Tara Canyon, the deepest in Europe. The forest is quiet. Your legs are still fresh. That first shakeout run finds your rhythm before the real work starts. This is Montenegro, seen from high up, over seven hard days on foot.
I'm Dreama Walton. I've run Western States and Leadville, and I came up the hard way, caring for my sister at eleven and living on my own at sixteen. I'll be with you the whole time. On the big day we cross Durmitor's high alpine zone, climbing 1,400 metres to Prutaš, the most beautiful peak in the range. We touch 2,353 metres up top. Then we drop into the glacial Škrčka Lakes basin, climb again to Planinica, and take the long way down through Ališnica Valley.
You'll join a team, not a tour. We start in the mountains near Žabljak, then swap alpine peaks for the Adriatic in a single day. In the Bay of Kotor you'll kayak out toward Our Lady of the Rocks and swim in the sea. That's your active recovery. The next dawn we climb the ridge to St. Andrija Fortress, the whole bay below us.
Be honest with yourself. Some days are long. Some paths are rocky and exposed. The climbing is real, and so is the reward.
By the end, you'll stand on a high ridge with the sea far below, breathing hard, salt on your skin, and the mountains still holding you.
Apply to join
We read every application. Small group — and I want to get the group right. If this sounds like you, apply below.
Day-by-Day
Day 1
We land at Podgorica Airport. Then we drive to Nadgora village, high above the Tara River Canyon, the deepest in Europe. In the afternoon we run 7.5 km with 267 m of climb, up to 1,615 m. We loop past Goveđe Lake toward the Ćurevac viewpoint. Soft forest trails. A gentle start. The canyon drops away below you.
Day 2
Day two is a big loop in Durmitor National Park. We run 17.5 km from Black Lake, up 937 metres, with a high point at 2,100 m. You will pass old water mills, quiet Zminje Lake, then climb to the Ražana Glava viewpoint. Down past Jablan and Barno Lakes. Dense forest opens wide to alpine sky.
Day 3
This is the big one. We drive 45 minutes to Dobri Do, on the most scenic road in Montenegro. Then we traverse Durmitor's high alpine zone. Up to Škrčko Ždrijelo pass, then Prutaš, the range's finest peak. Down to the Škrčka Lakes, up again to Planinica. Seventeen kilometres, 1,400 metres of climbing, topping out at 2,353 metres. Rocky and exposed.
Day 4
Today we swap peaks for the sea. We leave the mountains and drive to the Bay of Kotor. It is one of the biggest scene changes in Europe. In the afternoon, we kayak from Perast toward Our Lady of the Rocks. You'll swim, paddle, and slow right down. Salt on your skin, sun on the water.
Day 5
We start early in Perast. You'll climb the ridge above the bay, 11 km with 840 m of ascent, up to St. Andrija Fortress. This old Austro-Hungarian spot looks out over the water and the mountains. We drop down toward Orahovac, the bay wide below. The afternoon is yours to swim and rest by the sea.
Day 6
Day 6 is the split. After breakfast, the Core team drives back to Podgorica Airport. If you're staying on, you'll take the cable car up to Lovćen instead. From there we run 9.5 km into the highlands, climbing 490 m to the Njegoš Mausoleum. Then Njeguši village for smoked ham. Mountains behind you, story ahead.
Day 7
Day 7 takes us back to Lovćen, starting at Ivanova Korita. This is our last run, 20 km with 700 m of climbing. You will move along high trails with wide views over the southern coast. Take it in slowly. That night we rest in Podgorica, the capital. The mountains behind you, the sea still in your eyes.
Day 8
Day 8 is your last morning. You wake in Podgorica, the capital. We share breakfast one more time, then transfer to the airport. No running today. Just a slow start and time to let it settle. The peaks, the bay, the miles behind you. You leave with tired legs and a full heart, heading home.