Most visitors never make it past the coast and Durmitor. That is exactly why Montenegro's far north-east — Plav, Gusinje and the Prokletije (the "Accursed Mountains") National Park — feels like a different, wilder country: glacial lakes, alpine meadows and Europe's last truly remote peaks. It is a long drive to get there, and that is part of the reward. Here is how to do it on your own terms, by car.
Why this corner is worth the drive
The Prokletije straddle the border with Albania and Kosovo, and the Montenegrin side around Plav and Gusinje is raw, green and gloriously uncrowded. You come here for Lake Plav mirroring the peaks at dawn, for shepherds' villages, for hiking trailheads that lead toward valleys like Grbaja and Ropojana, and for a slower, mountain-town rhythm. Tours rarely bother coming this far, so a car is not a convenience here — it is the only sensible way in. Browse the fleet and pick something you will be comfortable in for a few hours each way.
The drive from Podgorica
From Podgorica it is roughly two hours and a bit to Plav in good conditions — though it is genuinely traffic- and season-dependent, and you should treat any time estimate as a hedge, not a promise. The classic route climbs north-east through Berane and Andrijevica, then up the Lim valley to Plav, with Gusinje a short hop further toward the mountains. The scenery shifts from river gorges to open highland the whole way, so build in stops; this is not a drive to rush.
| Leg | Rough time* | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Podgorica → Plav | about 2h+ | Mountain road, winding sections |
| Plav → Gusinje | about 15–20 min | Short valley hop toward the peaks |
| Side-roads to trailheads | add time | Rougher surfaces, drive slowly |
*Times are approximate and depend on traffic, weather and season.
Lake Plav, Gusinje and the trailheads
Lake Plav sits right by the town — an easy place to stretch your legs, with the Prokletije rising behind it. From here, Gusinje is the gateway deeper into the park. Popular starting points for walks include the Grbaja and Ropojana valleys, where well-known trailheads fan out toward the high country. Routes range from gentle valley strolls to serious alpine days, so match the walk to your group and the conditions. If you are heading onto any cross-border trail, check the latest rules before you go.
Why a higher-clearance car helps
The main roads to Plav and Gusinje are paved and fine in any rental. It is the side-roads to the trailheads that get rough — gravel, potholes and the occasional unpaved stretch toward the valleys. A car with higher clearance takes those in its stride and saves you scraping a low bumper. For this trip we would lean toward an SUV: more ground clearance and surer footing on loose surfaces, which is exactly what the north rewards. A standard car will still reach the towns comfortably; it is the final approaches that benefit from a little more height.
Fuel up before you go remote
This is the single most practical tip for the north-east. Fuel stations are common around Podgorica, Berane and the larger towns, but thin out as you climb toward Plav and Gusinje. The rule is simple:
- Fill the tank before you leave the main valley — don't gamble on finding a station up in the mountains.
- Top up in Plav before any longer side-trips toward the trailheads.
- Carry water, snacks and a charged phone; mobile signal is patchy in the deep valleys.
- Our cars are full-to-full, so you collect it full and return it full with nothing to settle.
Pair it with the national parks route
Plav and the Prokletije make a natural extension to a wider mountain loop. If you are already touring the high country, it slots neatly alongside the bigger circuit in our guide to Montenegro's national parks by car — think Biogradska Gora and Durmitor on the way up or back. Give the whole north-east a full day each way at minimum, and an overnight in Plav or Gusinje if you can; rushing this region defeats the point.
The practical takeaway
The far north-east is Montenegro at its wildest and least visited — and a car is the key that unlocks it. Allow plenty of time, treat every drive estimate as season- and traffic-dependent, fuel up before the remote stretches, and lean toward a higher-clearance car for the rough trailhead roads. Pay at pickup, full-to-full fuel, free cancellation if plans shift. Ready to head north? Start with the fleet.