How to visit the Black Lake in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

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Despite its name, the Black Lake is actually a bright, beautiful blue colour, especially when viewed from above. Locally known as Crno Jezero, it is one of the most visited beauty spots in Durmitor National Park and is great for the whole family.

The lake is backed by mountain ranges and pine trees. Whilst not as impressive as Oeschinensee in Switzerland (that lake would be hard to beat!), it is a beautiful scene.

Visiting the Black Lake - good to know

Where to stay: The main town of Zabljak makes a great place to base yourself, with several shops and restaurants to choose from. Hotel Rezident offers modern rooms with a bit of luxury, or keep the costs down with a cosy budget-friendly stay at Apartments Lalovic.

Best time to visit: The Black Lake is best enjoyed during the warmer, summer months. August temperatures range from 17 – 22 degrees celsius in the mountains.

What else is there to do: Rent a car and drive the Durmitor Panoramic road. Go rafting on Tara River and explore some of the hiking trails.

How to visit the Black Lake in Durmitor National Park, Montenegro

There are several activities to do at the Black Lake, for the whole family, and you could easily spend a good half day here if you wanted to have a more relaxed morning or afternoon.

Here’s everything you need to know to plan your day at the Black Lake:

Hiking at the Black Lake

There is a circular hiking trail which takes you around the edge of the lake. It is just under 5km and will take around 1 hour, depending on your fitness level and how many times you stop on the way. The trail is classified as easy, however, I would say it is more moderate, due to the terrain.

The section in the middle is very uneven and undulating. There is also a short section with a bit of a scramble and a rope attached to the rocks helps you up. If you have a reasonable level of fitness and you are wearing trainers, then you should be fine.

If you don’t fancy walking the full loop, simply walk along the shoreline for a bit to take in the view from different angles.

Boating on the Black Lake

There are a few wooden rowing boats that you can hire to take on the lake. Personally, I would only hire one of these if you are looking to get some photos on the water. The section of the lake where you can take the boats is not very big so you can’t row that far. It is very peaceful and idyllic, but not quite as special as hiring boats at Lake Louise in Banff, Canada.

Swimming in Black Lake

You might be wondering if it is possible to swim in the Black Lake? The answer is yes. Though, the water is very cold, so you may only want to swim if you are visiting in the summer months! I would recommend wearing water shoes as there are lots of pebbles and rocks getting in and out of the lake.

What facilities are at Black Lake?

There is a restaurant and a more casual café, overlooking the lake. There is also a children’s playground. I would recommend bringing a picnic and spending the afternoon the lake, completing the circular hike then relaxing on the shoreline and taking a quick dip!

How long do you need at the Black Lake

This really depends how much time you have to spare and how active or relaxed you would like to be. We spent most of the day at the lake, arriving late morning and enjoying a coffee by the shoreline, then taking a leisurely walk around the lake, followed by a picnic lunch and afternoon swimming and relaxing by the lake.

If you are short on time, you can absolutely spend just a few hours here and see everything that it has to offer.

How to get to the Black Lake

The Black Lake is located just outside of the main town of Zabljak. If you are staying in Zabljak, I would recommend walking to the lake. The walk is only 30 minutes on a flat pavement, and half of that is actually walking from the car park anyway.

If you are staying further out and drive, you will need to pay for parking. There are attendants taking payment at the entrance and the price is per hour. At the time we visited, the cost was €3 per hour and you have to pay in advance.

How much does it cost to visit the Black Lake?

You do need to pay to enter the Durmitor National Park and as the Black Lake is part of the Park, you will need to pay an entrance fee.

At the time of our visit (August 2025), we paid €10 pp. This will also give you access to the rest of the National Park for the rest of the day. So if you have already purchased a pass earlier in the day from elsewhere in the Park, it will be valid to give you entry to the Black Lake.

Note that if you are staying in and around the National park for a few days, you will need to buy a National Park entrance ticket each day.

For other great things to do in Durmitor National Park, check out my post, here.