Oh, that beautiful hiking. Tough but always beautiful! We meet again. This won’t be a long post since the most things you can learn about winter hiking are the facts you’ll hear from our professional hiking guides and group leaders once you come to Montenegro for a hike. We already talked about hiking tours in Montenegro and how demanding can they be, but a special sort of hiking is the winter hiking.

Here’s what you need to know about winter hiking in Montenegro and hiking during winter months in general. Let’s go.

Winter months in Montenegro are cold, snowy and beautiful

Even though beauty isn’t important for your successful winter hike tour, it is essential for you to even choose to come to Montenegro and explore its trails. National Park Durmitor is exceptional mountain area during all seasons, and when its peaks become snowy that’s the time when true magic happens.

Hiking trails then become tougher for walking, but so does any other city or urban area you’re maybe used to. That’s the real beauty and challenge of winter hiking routes. Prepare to be amazed by the beautiful mountain slopes covered in snow, where you’ll feel like time has stopped and you’re the only one there with fellow hikers and exciting nature. Prepare your phones to take some beautiful pictures of Montenegro.

Warm clothing and proper footwear are essential

Even if you’re going on an easy winter vacation, it is expected that you’ll bring with you warm clothing, and warm, waterproof footwear. The same thing is expected when you’re going on a demanding hiking tours across snowy mountain ranges.

Beware that once you go hiking, all of the things you packed with you are all of the things you rely on. That’s why we’re always advising people to bring more warm clothes in case of need. Also, everyone should be aware of the fact that temperatures in your starting point and camp in Montenegro may vary once you go on a hike. Don’t underestimate mountains and sudden weather conditions, which are an possibility if you decide to explore Montenegro in the winter.

High quality waterproof hiking boots with good tread can help you overcome many obstacles you may encounter during hiking in Montenegro. Just like anywhere else in the world where you may go hiking in the winter months. Also, traction equipment for your shoes can be important if you encounter icy trails. This may happen if many hiking tourists arrive at the same hiking destination in a small period of time. Heavily used hiking trails tend to get icy. So just keep that in mind, and of course make sure to check with your Tarasport professional any of these facts just before you arrive. Weather isn’t something you can thoroughly predict. “Check it, before you wreck it.” - as some would say.

Wear layers of clothes (onion method)

Just like your Mamma use to tell you, wear layers of clothes if weather is tricky or if you decide to go somewhere during a cold winter, autumn or spring day. All of these you can put times 5 when it comes to winter hiking. You may never know if you’ll need to change some part of your clothing. Of course, once you get your layers on just like tasty onion have, you’re protected of getting cold. Insulting clothing is essential for your successful hiking tour.

Here’s how your clothes should look like:

• First layer: comfy underwear and shirt, non cotton since once it’s wet cotton can no longer give you warmth. We recommend you long underwear for primary warming;
• Second layer: light fleece hoody and waterproof pants which will keep you warm and dry;
• Third layer: Insulated jacket from a waterproof material which is the most important for keeping yourself dry and cosy. Hypothermia is dangerous!

Hypothermia isn’t something to joke about but it’s unlikely

Sweating when it’s cold and not having a proper dry clothes in your backpack to change is the worst mistake you can make. Sweating during called days and in nature is very dangerous and it can give you hypothermia. Many say that maybe it’s even better to be lightly dressed for a hike and right when you stop to put more dry and warm clothes on, than to get sweaty and then just rest with your wet clothes.

This is why you should always pack dry and quality clothes in your backpack, right alongside water, warm beverage in your thermos, extra food and a blanket maybe. This should be enough for you to make it on your own, and not to mention it when you’re hiking with Tarasport rafting club and our hiking professionals who know Montenegro hiking routes perfectly.

Drink a lot of liquids

Drink a lot of liquids during your winter hike. You may not feel the urge to drink a lot of water since it’s not a hot day. But your sweat takes a lot of important liquids from your body, so even if you don’t realize it, you need to drink! Whether it’s plane water, tea or something else, just keep drinking!

Always listen to your guide and ask anything before you come here

Even though this doesn’t sound as much of advice when it comes to Montenegro hiking tours, it is very important. Most of our visitors are foreigners without any prior knowledge about the terrain, weather conditions and nature characteristics of Montenegro. This is why we ask you nicely to follow all of the instructions that your leader instructs. This may even save your life, even though it’s very unlikely that something unexpected happens.

We hope that we helped you to understand what are the conditions you may encounter once you come to Montenegro for winter hiking. If you need to know anything else, feel free to write or ask.