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View at highest point of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Maglic

September 3, 2023 • 0 Comment

Practical guide to the highest point of Bosnia and Herzegovina – Maglic

Maglić, sometimes also called Bosanski Maglić, is the most beautiful mountain of the highest points of all Balkan states. It looks like a limestone pyramid with steep 700 meter high rock walls. The most popular climb to its peak via a via ferrata isn’t easy but you will be rewarded. From its top you can enjoy spectacular views over the oldest preserved forests in Europe. This article is your ultimate guide how to get to the top of Maglić including my personal experience.

The best routes to Maglić

There are two popular short routes to the peak from Bosnia and Herzegovina and also one longer route from Montenegro. Let’s take a look at them:

Via ferrata from Prijevor: The most popular and also the most scenic route starts at Prijevor. There is a parking lot and observation tower at the start of the hike. From there, it isn’t far to the peak. In fact, it’s only 2 km away but bear in mind that the hike is very steep and there is via ferrata on the way for safety. Here is a map of this route. We’ll take a look at this route more in detail in the article below. Bear in mind that this route offers fantastic views but if you’re scared of heights, the second route is recommended.
Alternative route from Bosnia: This route is longer but isn’t steep. If you’re scared of heights, this is a better option for you. Take a look at this map where the route starts. There isn’t a particular parking lot at the start of the hike but you can leave your car next to the road. This route goes up mainly in the forest so you will have less views but it’s safer.
Route from Montenegro: This route is the longest. It starts at a hut called the same as the peak – Maglić – and it follows the marked route “Maglić do Pivske planine preko kanjona Pive”. As this route is longer and further from civilization, it will give you more chance to explore the remote mountains of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Take a look at the map.

Important information for climbing Maglić from Prijevor

Short description of the ascent: Short hike with scrambling and it also includes a steep via ferrata
Essential equipment: General hiking gear
Best time to visit: May - October
Fees or restrictions: No
Camping allowed: Yes but be careful of bears!
Nearest recommended accommodation: Camp Sutjeska with cosy huts
Height of the peak: 2,386 m
Hiking distance: 2 km 
Time to ascend to Maglić: 1,5-3 hours up, 1-2 hours down 
Elevation climbed: 687 m
Water availability on the mountain: At the start of the hike
Difficulty level: **** (6 stars maximum) 
Personal rating of the mountain: ***** (6 stars maximum) 
Beer on the peak: Nektar Pivo ** (6 stars maximum)

Map of the climb to Maglić from Prijevor

My story of climbing Maglić in winter conditions with personal tips

After our bear story in Montenegro, my girlfriend and I continued to the last Balkan country on my expedition. Arriving to Bosnia and Hercegovina was an interesting driving experience. The quality of roads went sharply down after crossing the borders of Montenegro. On the other hand, the roads could boast of lots of cattle. Until we reached the village of Tjentiště lying at the foot of Maglić, we met the whole farm including cows, sheep, pigs and goats.

The journey wasn’t only interesting from an animal perspective. We also had amazing views over landscapes. I personally most liked the views of the Durmitor Mountains which were covered in fresh snow and the drive through the Sutjeska National Park through a very interesting deep canyon.

When we arrived to Tjentiště, we found a surprisingly nice and modern campsite Sutjeska with cozy cottages, so we could sleep well before climbing the highest mountain Maglić.

The way to the top looked simple as described on the Internet. We will go from Tjentiště by car to the starting point of the hike and the actual climb will be only two kilometers long with less than 700 meters of elevation. The articles online were mentioning that the ascent is steep and accompanied by a via ferrata but nothing extra demanding so we were looking forward to it.

Still a lot of snow

We woke up early to start our hike during sunrise. The weather was perfect and the Windy app was saying there is no snow on Maglić. Nothing should stop us from making a successful ascent. We took the gravel road to the beginning of the climb. It was surprisingly well passable but there was snow one kilometer before our destination. The snow didn’t let us through. It looks like the apps were wrong: we will have to encounter winter obstacles even on Maglić. We had to stop our car, park it and extend our climb by a kilometer. We packed our backpacks including crampons and left towards Maglić.

One of the most beautiful Balkan mountains

View at Maglić from below — *Time to start our climb*

We came to the starting point after fifteen minutes and there we had an amazing view over Maglić. We couldn’t wait to climb it. After we took a few pictures we headed up. The climb was very steep right from the start. The opening short passage in the forest soon changed into an ascent on rocks and small stones. After forty minutes we reached a large snow field. The Windy app was wrong this time.

Since the sun didn’t reach us from behind Maglić the snow was frozen. We had to put on crampons. The slope was becoming steeper and steeper. Slipping down would mean going down several hundred meters on our butts. I was sad we didn’t have ice axes with us.

After climbing about 400 meters of altitude on the snow field, the snow suddenly ended and it seemed that the rest of the way was just climbing via the via ferrata. We left there our crampons to have lighter backpacks and headed up. It was obvious that we were the first ones to try to climb here this year. There were a lot of loose stones on the trail and the via ferrata was often still frozen to the rock, so we couldn’t use it. Some of the rocks which looked like solid handles were breaking in our hands after winter erosion. The climb wasn’t the safest thing I have done. We had to be extra careful with every elevation meter. Looking down I thought we wouldn’t survive a fall.

Via ferrata in winter without proper equipment is a hazard

Steep climb to the top of Maglić — *It was steeper and steeper*

I didn’t quite understand how all the articles about Maglić were claiming it is an “easy scrambling”. The climb looked pretty dangerous to me in these conditions. Fortunately, Joanne was brave and accustomed to the heights from climbing centers, so she didn’t protest and continued climbing up with me.

We managed to get just 40 elevation meters from the summit. It was so close but suddenly a new snow passage appeared. We didn’t see it from below. Shit. We left our crampons behind. Neither me nor Joanne liked the last steep meters in snow. We discussed what to do. Joanne was too scared to continue. I was going to try to reach the peak without crampons, by digging steps in the snow. If that doesn’t work we would just turn around. If it did work, I would be back soon. The peak is near. Joanne would wait for me.

I was lucky. The snow had an ideal consistency. It was still hard so I could make steps by kicking in it. I could continue up well while holding the surrounding rocks to secure myself. I managed to climb 35 altitude meters and I already saw the peak. It was so close but I saw that I cannot continue. There was no snow in front of me but ice. I couldn’t hold on to anything. Climbing the last five meters would be suicide without crampons and an ice axe. I had to give up.

Feeling stupid on the top

Snow on the mountain Maglić anda hiker on the final ridge — *The last part was a bit crazy but luckily manageable*

I was sadly coming back down to Joanne when I noticed one more potential way to get to the top. There was a narrow path between two rocks. It looked steep but it should be possible without crampons. I tried this way and it worked. A few steps up I got over the rocks, overcame the final overhang and stood on the summit. I did it!

Even though I managed it didn’t feel correct. I was feeling ashamed. Joanne was waiting for me. I thought I can climb up quickly but the ascent to the summit and return looked like it would eventually take an hour and a half.

Beautiful view from Maglić to Bosnia and Herzegovina — *View from the top was amazing but I couldn’t enjoy it for a long time*

I just took the essential pictures on the top and wanted to descend back to Joanne when I saw four other tourists suddenly heading toward the summit from the other side of the ridge. It was an Austrian family with two kids who went to the summit in shorts and without crampons. “Where did you come from?” I couldn’t believe my eyes. “We reached the peak from Bosnia. The journey was a few kilometers longer than yours but it wasn’t steep and with almost no snow. It took us three hours to get here.”

A group of hikers reaching Maglić from Montenegro — *Austrian family reaching Maglić from Montenegro*

I was feeling hopeless. Why the hell couldn’t I find any article about this alternative route on the Internet? And why did nobody in our camp recommend this route for us? We spoke about getting to Maglić the whole evening last night. We had unnecessarily followed a risky path while we could have had a pleasant day hike.

I was scared to descend back to Joanne but I didn’t have any other option. Fortunately, my worst case scenario that going down would be worse than going up didn’t come true. I descended calmly and slowly without problems. Then we descended back to the car together.

The descent was very long. It took us 3 hours and 30 minutes to reach the car. We went down the same way. In winter, I would never choose this route again without proper climbing equipment including crampons, harness, rope and ice ax.

Selfie with mountain Maglić — *Safely under Maglić after tough summit and descent. This was a bit crazy*

My tips for climbing the mountain Maglić:

I recommend a 4×4 car to get to the starting point. The road can be difficult to pass, especially after rain.
If you want to skip the steep via ferrata, choose an alternative route to Maglić across Montenegro. It is much safer.
Do not walk off the marked trails. There can be still mines from the Balkan wars in the ground.
Bring jingle bells and pepper spray against bears. We saw one bear from our car.
Nearest recommended accommodation: Camp Sutjeska with cosy huts

August 27, 2023 • 0 Comment

How to prepare for hike to the highest peak of Montenegro – Zla Kolata

Montenegro’s highest mountain lies on the border, like the highest points of other Balkan countries. Zla Kolata is also the 16th highest peak in Albania. The peak lies in the national park Prokletije which is known for sharp limestone rocks and the mountain of Zla Kolata, also known as Maja Kolata or Kolac, isn’t an exception. This mountain has a shape of a massive rock tooth. Is it difficult to climb? This article will give you all necessary information you need for a successful summit including personal tips.

The best routes to Zla Kolata

There are two popular routes to Zla Kolata, the highest peak of Montenegro:

Albanian route: This shorter and easier route leads to the top from Albanian side (in total 6.5 km and 1,513 m of elevation, take a look at a map of the route). The starting point is village Valbonë where you can find accommodation and also shops where you can buy food for your trip. From Valbonë hike towards the Valbona Pass (Qafa e Valbonës). There the path meets with the route from Montenegro and continues up to the peak of Zla Kolata. The last 500 m are very steep but don’t require any special climbing gear.
Route from Montenegro: This route starts in the village of Vusanje where you can find accommodation and places to buy food for your trip to Zla Kolata similarly like in Valbonë on the Albanian side. The route is a bit longer (9.2 km) and you have to pass similar elevation (1,420 m) compared to the Albanian route. The first half of the hike goes smoothly up in a forest and then the adventure starts at the crossroad. From this point at approximately 1,700 m, the route goes steeply up to the Valbona Pass where it meets the Albanian route. From there, you can finally scramble the last 500 m of elevation to the peak.

Map of the climb to Zla Kolata from Montenegro

Important information for climbing Zla Kolata from Vusanje

Short description of the ascent: Hike with little scrambling at the final part of the hike
Essential equipment: General hiking gear
Best time to visit: June - October
Fees or restrictions: No
Camping allowed: Yes but be careful of bears!
Nearest accommodation/food supply: Village Vusanje
Height of the peak: 2,535 m
Hiking distance: 9.2 km (one way)
Time to ascend to Zla Kolata: 4,5-6,5 hours up, 3-5 hours back
Elevation climbed: 1,450 m
Water availability on the mountain: In the village of Vusanje
Difficulty level: *** (6 stars maximum) 
Personal rating of the mountain: ***** (6 stars maximum) 
Beer on the peak: Nikšićko Pivo ** (6 stars maximum)

My story of climbing Zla Kolata in winter conditions with personal tips

I climbed Zla Kolata as a part of my project European Peaks during which I climbed the highest peak of every European country. After climbing Rudoka e Madhe in Kosovo, my girlfriend and I didn’t have much time to chill. The weather forecast was favorable only for one more day so we drove directly to Montenegro. We slept in a motel on the way and arrived to the starting point of the hike, the village Vusanje, in the morning.

We were looking for accommodation and we found the cozy guesthouse Kollata. The landlady was just milking a cow. “Excuse me, do you please have a free bed?” We saw in her face that she was happy that some guests arrived. She told us that she had her last visitors one week ago, who were also trying to climb Zla Kolata. They were Czechs but they didn’t manage to climb it due to bad weather. She mentioned by the way that these guests saw bear’s footprints along the way.

Long day ahead

From what we had read, the journey to the summit and back should take about 10 hours, so we asked the landlady to prepare dinner for us at eight o’clock when we expected to be back.

Vusanje village in beautiful valley of Montenegro mountains — *The starting point of the hike – village Vusanje*

The weather couldn’t be better this day. The sun was shining and there was no wind. It was so warm that we could have started our hike in shorts. The first five kilometers of the trail to Zla Kolata was along a forest road where it is important to pay attention to GPS. We missed a turn twice and had to walk couple of hundred meters extra because the marking wasn’t ideal. It’s is certainly good to have a GPS with you if you are anywhere in the Balkans.

After the opening pleasant passage of the forest, the path turned right into the mountains. The walk suddenly was without trees and more demanding. The snow showed up and we were back in winter.

The snow was deep. Fortunately, other enthusiasts had tried to climb Zla Kolata so we could follow their footprints. Unlike in Macedonia, this time I regularly checked GPS if we are going correctly.

Still full winter at Zla Kolata

This time the hike was tough again due to deep snow. Going to the Balkan mountains without snowshoes wasn’t the best idea. Who would expect that? After an hour and a half, we saw Zla Kolata for the first time. I immediately understood the name (Zla means Evil). The mountain is so steep that it looks scary.

Soon we reached the ridge that marks the border between Montenegro and Albania. Here the traces from previous group were ending. The sight of Zla Kolata seemed to have frightened them so much that they decided to return.

View of snowy mountain Zla Kolata — *On the border with Albania. From now on the climb will be tough*

We wondered what to do next. The path marked in the GPS map was heading into the valley between Dobra and Zla Kolata. It looked a bit risky when it comes to avalanche danger. It looked like there is a layer of fresh snow. I thought several times to give up and come back next time when there was less snow, but Joanne told me: “Let’s try. If it doesn’t work, we’ll turn around.” I was surprised because my girlfriend almost never takes risks. I didn’t want to be a coward, so I decided to give it a try.

Avalanche danger at Zla Kolata?

To make the climb easier, we hid unnecessary things from our backpacks behind a large stone and continued up with only one backpack. We put on our crampons and headed between Dobra and Zla Kolata. Fortunately, the snow was compact and held well. There didn’t seem to be danger from avalanches. We overcame the unpleasant steep passage in minutes. Then we quickly walked through the valley and reached another steep climb until we reached the ridge between both Kolatas. Fortunately there wasn’t so much snow, so it was without avalanche danger. In a while we reached the final ridge.

View from Zla Kolata to Montenegro — *View from the final ridge*

Joanne was suddenly scared. The ridge seemed to be too steep for her but the snow was frozen here and I knew the remaining part would be easier than the previous part: “Come on, Joanne, you will easily handle the last 150 elevation meters,” I encouraged her. The final climb wasn’t really that difficult and after a few minutes we were standing on Zla Kolata.

It was warm and calm on the summit so we could enjoy a nice break after seven hours of a tough ascent. A well-deserved rest. We had a magnificent view over the mountain peaks on the Albanian side. Unfortunately, we could’t see across the horizon on the Montenegrin side. Since there was an overhang of snow on the horizon that could collapse, we skipped this view.

Beautiful view from the peak of Zla Kolata — *Happy Joanne on the peak. She doesn’t know yet what’s going to happen in an hour*

We didn’t stay on the peak for a long time. It was 5:30 p.m., so we rather hurried to get back to the valley during daylight. After all, we also ordered dinner at eight in the house. Let’s see if we manage to come back in time.

What is tougher? To ascend or to descend?

It was much easier to go down. I really enjoy descending in the snow. It’s much more enjoyable than going downhill in summer. It’s faster and much more gentle for your knees and ankles. Along the way we picked up all our stuff and went further down.

It went well on the way down but not as fast as we expected. It was sure that we would arrive late. We left the snowy part at 19:30. When we finally saw the path in the forest, we were relieved. Now it is just 90 minutes of a calm walk in the forest. Even though it is getting dark we certainly will not get lost there. The last 6 km.

To make the descent more fun I wanted to start some conversation: “Joanne, do you remember what the landlady said about the last tourists who visited her?” Joanne knew where this was going. “Yes, they saw the bear’s footprints.” “And do you know what to do if you see a bear?” Joanne shrugged. “You must look like you’re big and make some sounds so the bear is startled and will flee. But when you are too close or when a bear is with cubs there may be a problem,” I explained (which was all I remembered from a visit of a bear sanctuary in Romania. Actually, my explanation was not even correct. Check out what you should exactly do if you meet a bear.)

Then our conversation ended. We were both tired to talk. We passed a small stream. That made me a little nervous. If there was a bear walking around, he wouldn’t hear us because of the stream. It is noisier than our footsteps. I thought to myself: I have to raise another topic. I need to talk with Joanne so we are louder.

“Brum brum”

Before my tired head could think of something, a bear appeared on the path ahead. My heart almost stopped beating. His bright eyes scared me so much. Instinctively, I raised my hands with poles above my head and started to make sounds with them. “Joanne, pick up your poles too and do the same. We have to show that we are tall.” But even two minutes of clapping with our poles didn’t make the bear move. The bear was still staring at us.

What if he attacked? Do we have a chance to defend ourselves with trekking poles? I was angry at my brain that it was thinking this way. What else should we do to make him leave? I made my brain think about this. What else could scare the bear? He was still standing, watching our futile attempts to scare him. Joanne suddenly screamed. ‘There are two of them! One more little one!”

I didn’t see the other bear but this made me super scared. “Joanne, keep clapping with your poles. I’ll try to find our headlamps in the bag and I’ll turn on some music on my phone. Perhaps it will help…” The bear was still looking at us. I couldn’t find the headlamps. They were of course at the bottom of the backpack. My hands were shaking. Instead of headlamps, I turned on the light on my phone and also the first song on my playlist. It was the song “Death” by my favorite band White Lies. This randomly selected song by iPhone made me laugh inside but I hoped it wouldn’t predict the last minutes of our lives!

The bear is reacting to the song! Apparently he didn’t like my music taste and went down to the river. We were lucky. We sighed but we still had the adrenaline in our veins. What now? Can he come back? What if he went for reinforcements? I couldn’t get rid of these irrational thoughts.

Bad music taste can save life!

I remembered the most important lesson about bears that was omitted in my last conversation with Joanne. How do you avoid meeting bears? You have to make noise. Tourists are usually recommended to wear jingle bells. We didn’t have one so we decided for alternative sounds. Karaoke. We were so scared that we continued singing to other White Lies songs until we reached the village Vusanje. The karaoke fulfilled its purpose. We got back safely.

Quick Instagram reactions on meeting with a bear — *Quick Instagram reactions on bear meeting*

We returned at nine o’clock in the evening. “Where have you been so long?” the landlady asked us when we got back. “Bear,” I replied. The landlord understood the situation. “Rakija?” Joanne and I nodded. Rakija and a conversation with the locals until the late hours were a nice end of this crazy bear story. Next time we will not come to the forest without bear spray and a jingle bell.

My tips for climbing the mountain Zla Kolata:

Bring a jingle bells and bear spray to avoid and protect yourself against bears.
The hike is very long and time consuming. Even in summer there might be snow in the valley below Zla Kolata.
Stay overnight with locals in the village of Vusanje. They are incredibly hospitable.