Walking · Hiking · Cycling · Montenegro

Active travel in “Little Mongolia”

Walking, hiking and cycling holidays in “Little Mongolia”, designed and led by local guides. Sinjajevina is a limestone plateau in northern Montenegro, averaging 1,600 m and rolling on for over 1,000 km² of open grassland. Its treeless, wind-combed sweep earned the informal nickname "Little Mongolia". Advocacy sources call it the second-largest mountain pasture in Europe. Shepherds still bring livestock up to summer katuns, and long ridges lead to summits above 2,200 m. It sits between Durmitor and Bjelasica, an hour or so from Kolašin, and rewards anyone who wants space rather than crowds.

Plan your trip to “Little Mongolia”See 21 journeys →

Why “Little Mongolia”

One of the regions we know best

We've spent years walking, hiking and cycling across “Little Mongolia” in every season. The trips below are built around the routes that work — the quiet ones, the beautiful ones, the ones with great food at the end of the day.

If none of them quite fit, get in touch. We'll happily build you a private version, shaped around your interests, fitness and pace.

How we travel here

Three ways to experience “Little Mongolia” on foot and by bike

Walking

Walking in “Little Mongolia”

Coastal trails, village paths and slow days on foot, with time to stop.

See walking in “Little Mongolia” →

Hiking

Hiking in “Little Mongolia”

Mountain trails, hut-to-hut days and summit walks, graded honestly.

See hiking in “Little Mongolia” →

Cycling

Cycling in “Little Mongolia”

Quiet back roads and gravel routes — road, gravel and e-bike, with luggage moved between stays.

▲8 days
▲Moderate
▲1 trip

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Travel guide

Introduction to “Little Mongolia”

Sinjajevina (Сињајевина, also Sinjavina) is a high limestone plateau and mountain massif in northern Montenegro, built of cretaceous limestone and lying mostly between 1,600 and 2,200 m. The massif runs 40 km southeast to northwest and 15 km wide, between Kolašin and the village of Njegovuđa near Žabljak; it is bordered by Durmitor to the northwest, Bjelasica to the southeast, Moračke Planine to the southwest and Vojnik to the east. Activist and academic sources describe a pasture footprint of over 1,000 km². It carries no enacted protected-area designation: a study costing close to €300,000, more than two-thirds EU-funded, was presented in Kolašin in April 2018 recommending Regional Park status, but this was never enacted. In September 2019 the government declared it a military training ground, inaugurated with a NATO exercise. On 12 February 2024 the Save Sinjajevina campaign secured a prime-ministerial promise that no military ground would be built.

What there is to see

The draw is scale: a treeless limestone plateau averaging 1,600 m and stretching over 1,000 km², grazed rather than fenced. The highest point is given as Jablanov vrh at 2,277 m; sources also name Babji Zub (Torna) at 2,277 m on the southern part of the massif, with a naming and height discrepancy across maps worth checking on the ground. Other named summits include Gradište (2,174 m) and Stolovi (2,172 m), with the adjacent Moračke Planine summit at 2,226 m. In summer the plateau fills with katun communities — livestock farmers from Šavnik, Žabljak, Mojkovac, Kolašin, Danilovgrad, Bijelo Polje and Pljevlja. The grassland on cretaceous limestone is known for medicinal herbs and springs, and the wider area sits within the Tara River Canyon Biosphere Reserve context. There are no official park species counts, because no park regime exists here.

Walking and riding here

Several logged routes cross the plateau. The Jablanov vrh route climbs 423 m over 3.3 km, roughly two hours of ascent at medium difficulty. From Kolašin (940 m), a longer line runs through Gornje Lipovo, Klisura (1,189 m), Katunina (1,418 m) and Djedov Do to Babji Zub / Torna (2,277 m), about five hours total. One route onto the plateau covers 8 km with 995 m of gain in around 3.5 hours, and is unmarked — navigation matters here. The Via Dinarica long-distance trail passes through on its Žabljak–Sinjajevina–Biogradska Gora stage. The open, gently rolling terrain suits ridge walking and gravel riding, though the absence of waymarking and shelter on the higher plateau calls for a map, GPS and weather margin.

Getting there and moving around

Kolašin is the nearest sizeable town and sits on the Belgrade–Bar railway. Podgorica International Airport is the closest airport at 80 km; Tivat is 154 km. Driving from Podgorica Airport to Kolašin is about 69 km and roughly one hour; without a car, the train takes about 1h 39m. From Kolašin, the usual approach runs through Gornje Lipovo to Kaljica Selo on a narrow 13 km asphalt road following the Plasnica ravine, then a winding gravel road from Klisura up to the Vratlo Pass, the entrance to the plateau. Roads border the massif on all sides: Podgorica–Kolašin–Mojkovac to the east, Mojkovac–Djurđevića Tara to the northeast, Djurđevića Tara–Šavnik (lower quality) to the west, and Šavnik–Kolašin to the southwest. From the northwest, Žabljak is reached via Nikšić and Šavnik, roughly 139 km from Podgorica.

Fees, seasons and when to come

There is no entrance fee and no ticketed season: Sinjajevina is open mountain pastureland, not a gated park, because no protected-area regime is in force. Practical access is seasonal. Shepherds occupy the katuns during roughly the four summer months, when the pasture sustains grazing for around 10,000 cows and 70,000 sheep with their offspring — the season when the plateau is at its most alive and huts are staffed. Summer and early autumn give the most reliable footing on the unmarked higher ground; snow lingers late and returns early at 2,000 m plus. No 2026-specific fee or season schedule is published for the area. Weather on an exposed plateau at this altitude changes quickly, so build in margin.

Our journeys

Walking, hiking & cycling trips in “Little Mongolia”

21 journeys built and led by our local guides — from gentle coastal weeks to high-mountain crossings.

Wine & Culinary Journey Through History and Flavor! – Start from Kotor

Montenegro

1 day · Multi-activity

Wine & Culinary Journey Through History and Flavor! – Start from Kotor

▲▲▲▲▲Moderate

from € 160,- / per person

Meet your guides

Designed and led by local experts

We live in “Little Mongolia”. We walk these trails, ride these roads and eat in these konobas every week. When you book with us, you’ll usually speak directly to one of the people who’ll be guiding you.

Meet the whole team →

Borislav Jablan

Management

Quality assurance, sales and communication.

Angelika Temper-Jablan

Management

Product development, sustainability and marketing.

Drazen Vlahovic

Tour operations manager

Backoffice — keeps every trip running smoothly on the ground.

Dragana Novakovic

Reservations & group tour operations

Backoffice — bookings, group logistics and guest care.

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