Driving through Europe on a road trip is something many of us dream of doing, especially a route as wonderful as this.
That’s why we asked Willem Main to put together a travel guide for those who wish to take a campervan through this route in Europe, travelling from Montenegro to northern Albania.
As you will be driving outside of the European Union (EU) for this trip, it’s important to know the differing rules for each country. You will legally need to ensure you are carrying a physical green card to cross the border into Albania. You may wish to also take one for Montenegro, but you will definitely need to present a valid UK vehicle insurance certificate for the latter.
Day 1 – Starting your journey in Herceg Novi
Starting in Herceg Novi, enjoy the coastal town. From here, you can get a ferry or a boat service to the Blue Cave, where you can do some snorkelling and diving.
Day 2 – Visit the Old Fort of Kotor
Drive just a small way towards Kotor where you can do a hike to the top called the Kotor Fortress, which gives you amazing views across the bay, before taking a long but beautiful drive from Kotor to Bobotov Kuk.
Day 3 – See the Bobotov Kuk mountain
Time to climb the tallest mountain in Montenegro: Bobotov Kuk. It is approximately 10km and will take you between six and eight hours to complete. Or you can trek to the nearby smaller Prutaš, which will take you roughly five to six hours to do eight kilometres. If you’re not hiking, you’ll still be on some of the most picturesque roads in Europe.
Day 4 – Drive to Žabljak
Drive to Žabljak to visit the Black Lake (named Crno Jezero in Montenegrin), which is formed by a smaller and larger lake set in the foot of the mountains with a nice and easy one to two hour walk around the lake.
Day 5 – Rest/driving day
Drive to the Tara Bridge, which is massive and is over one of the biggest canyons in Europe. There is a zip line across the bridge and lots of rafting excursions along the river that runs down.
Day 6 – Journey from Tara Canyon to Gusinje
Drive from Tara Canyon to Gusinje. This is a mountain town on the Montenegro side of the border. From here, you can drive into the mountains for another 15 minutes to Vusanje, where there are ample campsites, and then you can do a wonderful hike to Maja e Vajushes.
Day 7 – Scenic driving day
Take a scenic driving day from Gusinje to Theth. This drive, in my opinion, will take you along some of the nicest roads in Europe, such as the SH20 and SH21. It should take about four to five hours with stops, and I encourage doing it at a leisurely pace. It should be noted that there are some steep gradients and sharp switchbacks along the way.
You’ll want to stop off at so many places along the journey. The best two stop-offs are at the top of the snake pass on the SH20, and also a small detour to Shkodra Lake. Before setting off to Theth, stock up on supplies as it’s a very remote mountain town.
Days 8, 9 and 10 – Three days in Theth
Hiking throughout Theth, you have multiple options, including hiking to the Blue Eye, which is a nice five kilometre round route to a tiny blue plunge pool with a small waterfall.
Hiking to the Valbone Pass is an amazing day out with a rest house halfway. There are some amazing nearby peaks to summit, but there is no easy way to the top of them. I’ve put three days here because it’s such a beautiful valley, but also so remote. It’s worth making the most of it once you’re there.
Day 11 – Stopping off in Albania
Drive back from Theth, if you want, you can stop off in Shkodra, Albania, but head towards Sveti Stefan where they have one of the most beautiful old coastal towns to visit.
Day 12 – Stopping off at the beach
I’ve often found myself driving up and down this stretch of coast between Bar and Budva to find hidden beaches and coves, of which there are plenty. Take this scenic drive up the coastline and spend a day on a beach or two of your choice.
Day 13 – Visiting a monastery
Spend the day on the beaches of the coastline. I suggest driving back up to the Bay of Kotor and visiting the Monastery of Miholjska Prevlaka, which is a small church overlooking the bay. Also, you can walk around the tourist town of Tivat.
Day 14 – Heading back to Herceg Novi
Head back to Herceg Novi. Dubrovnik, Croatia, is only a short drive up the coast and across the border.
If you haven’t already, it’s worth adding a day, as you’ll have to park outside the city and get transport in and explore on foot. It’s worth seeing if you have the time at the beginning or end of this loop.
Campervan insurance for your journey
When driving your campervan you will need to ensure you have the right campervan insurance. As Albania and Montenegro are outside of the EU, you will need to ensure your policy suits your journey.
Call us on 0344 381 9990 for a quick, no-hassle quote or book a callback at a time that suits you.