Snow, mountains, sea & flowers
What else people can wish? This late spring I worked again with Hermann Tauber, profesional mountain guide from South Tyrol. He has been a mountain guide and guiding instructor for more than 30 years. Working with him and his groups is always a super experience for me. In this time of the year our mountains are green and full of plants and flowers. Monteverde! There are plenty of rare and endemic plant species. Many of them also medicinal. To those who are not familiar with plants I reccomend a visit to the botanical garden in Kolašin. Owner is the old botanist and mountaineer Mr. Danijel Vincek. He will be happy to offer you glass of rakija. Don´t hesitate! Thanks to all participants. I really enjoyed it and hope you will enjoy these pictures, to.
Hiking week in June
In the first week of June I had the honor to host a group from Israel. It was my first group from that country. A bit of concern at the beggining, but without reason. When I saw them for the first time on the airport, I knew it would be a super week. And it was! Although weather was not our friend, we realized our plan. The trip began in Kolašin, from where we choose many different easy to moderate hikes. After a few days we switched to Žabljak and Durmitor National Park. Like never before in this time of the year, the mountains were full of snow. We enjoyed it even more! Crna Gora does not only consist of mountains. Cetinje - the old historic capital and Kotor - an old town in the bay of Boka Kotorska are places you must visit! That is why my trips always finish in Kotor. Thanks to my friends from Israel for a great week.
" I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation for he excellent organizations of the tour in the cities, nature reserves and mountains of Montenegro. Your proffesionalism, knowledge of the area and confidence on the one hand and taking care of our comfort and safety on the other made out tour successful and uniqe. For all of the above I would like to say THANKS"
Moshe Eidelman, Jerusalim, Israel
" We are group of 8 people who travel for trekking worldwide. In 2013 we choosed Montenegro. Through internet we came to know about Vanja, we did not know him before, but through e mails we made our plan and few months latter we landed on Podgorica airport. What we got is more than we expected, based on our experience. A very polite, serious, well trained, reliable and generous guide. Excellent car, nice hotels a very exciting trails."
Isaac Zuckerman, Jerusalim, Israel
3 weeks of ski tours
Snowshoeing paradise
Late February/ early March is a perfect time for winter trekking tours. Thanks to my friends Gisela and Bernhard Buhler from Switzerland, we spent a very nice week walking on snow shoes. Firs we spent a few days on Mount Durmitor, than Bjelasica and Kolašin and we ended on Mount Lovćen. These were days of joy and learning more about the potential of this relaxed winter activity. There is enough snow in the mountains,so enjoy it, if you are in Montenegro. If not, let these picture invite you!
The colors of autumn, 2 week
"As a Swiss mountain guide, I organize trips abroad and was looking for a leader in Montenegro. When I was in Montenegro last year, I knew emmediately that I was very lucky to meet Vanja. In September this year I was with the group of 15 people travelling with him, my impression has been confirmed. The cooperation with him was great and the group was enthusiastic about him. Experience in leading groups was very impressive for me. He's quite and very responsible. We have made hikes in Prokletije, Komovi, Zijevo, Durmitor and on the coast. The people and the fantastic areas made our stay to a great experience. Montenegro is close to my heart. I am looking forward to meet Vanja next year again. Thanks a lot!"
Bernhard Buhler,
Mountain guide,
Switzerland
" To this tour I would give the name "the beauty of colors and variety", a real pleasure! Hiking through a shady, cool beech wood we arrived at a wide open plateau wich slopes lighted towards us in the brightes autumn colors. This was Indian summer in Montenegro! Far above us we spied the ridge wich we reached finally from time to rime on all fours. What a view! Far below us we saw villages in Albania, the ridhe on wich we walked along was the border: one foot in Albania and other in Montenegro, funny idea! With the next ascent we reached at the top of the ridge. And again a most fantastic view: far down below us a very solitary Alps and very close to us the next gigantic mountain chain, the "Monte negro" in the real meaning of the word "black mountain". Over white shiny rocks we reached again the slopes of Indian summer and with last melancholy look back we proceded into the forest back down into the valley. With good beer and "zivjeli" (prost)"
Silvia Hochstrasser,
participant,
Switzerland
Montenegro ski touring week
Once more I had the opportunity and honor to work together with my friend Heli Gargitter and to spend a great week with him and other people from Dolomites. The tour started in Durmitor National Park, where we made several tours. This spring snow conditions are good and safe, which enabled us to ski from several peaks in one day. For the second part of our trip we moved to Kolašin. The mountains around are not as high as Durmitor, but that does not make them less attractive for skiing. I would like to thank Mrs.Erminija from Brile hotel for the excellent food. We enjoyed it a lot, and that also applies to the last part of the trip - a unique experience of skiing, cultural, historical and natural diversity spiced with a delicious fish dinner on the coast and all in one day! Thanks to all participants and special thanks to Heli for the photos.
" To climb mountains in Montenegro with the touring skis was a special experience for all of us, because in the Alps you can hardly find such a beautiful landscape with no people at all! That mean, off course, to enjoy tranquility and untouched slopes with greasy, smooth snow. In some parts we were even the first to descent by skis. Thanks to Vanja, we also got to know a lot about daily life, culture, history and politics in Montenegro. A really unforgettable trip!"
Gunda Regensberger, journalist, RAI, Radiotelevisione Italiana
Ski touring week
"It was a wonderfull week with great weather and perfect snow conditions. Thank you, Vanja, for the great tours, the delicious food, good accommodations and the perfect organisations of the trip! I am sure we'll meet again next year for a ski and trekking week!"
- Hermann Tauber, mountain guide, Sud Tirol
Autumn in Montenegro, trekking tour
Turno - turbo Tyroleans, March-April 2011
" ..I had an oportunity to met Vanja during a climbing trip in 2008. I work together with him for a few years, we organise climbing, trekking and skitouring tours in beautiful Montenegro.Participants and I were always very satisfied with the perfect work he did: guiding, organising and with information about his country. He knows also very well what mountain people like during trip.He is not only a guide in Montenegrian mountain, he is a person with very nice character and it is always enjoyment to travel with him.."
- Helmut Gargitter, mountain guide, Italy
"..did not know much about Montenegro when I decided to join a trip for skitouring.. but it sounded wild and mystical to me, with a great range of potential adventures..even for weekend pioneers like me. And with Vanja on our side, we didn't get only a guiding and perfectly organized trip, but a friend, proud and prepared to share his knowledge about his country with us..
what to say about skitouring in Montenegro..have a look at the pictures and imagine that there are plenty of opportunities..stay there as long as you can, you will hardly get that much of untouched firn and powder slopes again.."
- Hannes Kathrein, Italy