Maganik Mountain is one of Montenegro’s hidden gems. Located in the country’s central part, it is truly a unique location that deserves to be explored.
This mountain’s formation represents a miracle of nature, as only two other places in the World have a similar appearance. One is in Madagascar, and the other is in Yunnan, a province of China. Unlike these two locations, Maganik’s natural landscape features both the mountain peak and the deepest cave in Montenegro. This makes it a truly unique location to visit.
Because this is not a commercial spot and many tourists do not know about it, we bring you the story of Maganik Mountain. Read until the end to find out what the best tour is to explore this magnificent location.
Nature of Maganik Mountain
Maganik Mountain is located between Niksic and Kolasin, one of the prominent Montenegrin municipalities. It covers an area of almost 20km, a range between the rivers of Zeta, Moraca, and Mrtvica. The mountain formations are mostly made of the aloof group of impressive limestone. Closer to Niksic, you can also find the Triassic limestone, also featured in Mrtvica Canyon. This constellation of natural materials made the rich vertical jaggedness of the Maganik Mountain.
Although beautiful, these materials have created a rugged terrain on this mountain range. As a result, calcifications and limestone make certain rocks and even entire slides of the mountain very dangerous. The stones can become sharp like a knife, which requires extreme caution. This makes Maganik very unapproachable but also more interesting and adventurous.
Peaks, Katuns and Hallows
The mountain’s highest peaks include Medjedji Vrh at 2139 m, Petrov Vrh at 2124 m, and Babin Zub at 2119 m. From these, Babin Zub is the most visited one. On top of the incredible peaks, the nature of Maganik has a lot more to offer.
This versatile terrain hides many katuns (lodges) where people live only during summer. Some of the best ones include Known katuns: Poljana, Vragodo, Ogradjenik, Zabrdje, Magline, Stanjevica Rupa, Besovica Katun and others.
Maganik is also proud of its rich landscape filled with deep karst hollows, valleys and funnel-shaped depressions. As you walk around, you are likely to encounter huge drops and plateaus of karst rock that open up to gigantic, deep cracks and fissures, some of which lead to caves to explore.
Caves
This takes us to the story of Maganik’s caves, one of its most distinct features. This is home to the deepest and most mesmerizing cave in Montenegro, the Iron Deep. Discovered in 2013, this incredible cave probably goes much deeper than current explorations predict.
So far, a speleologist has reached 1169 meters with a vertical drop of 429m. These dimensions put it in 12th place among the deepest cave verticals in the world! The cave is located on the Tresteni vrh, and its name, “iron cave”, derives from the bright red colour of sediments. These can be found on the sides of the cave, making it a very picturesque phenomenon.
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Many speleologists still consider that the Iron Cave is one of the most challenging and beautiful locations to explore. Therefore, numerous expeditions are organised each year in this locality.
Tour to explore Maganik
One of the best tours to enjoy the marvels of Maganik is Maganik Mountain—a class miracle of nature tour. This tour is run by the group Exciting Montenegro and offers an authentic experience of the mountain and its wonders.
The journey through Maganik with this tour starts in Podgorica. You will be greeted by the tour guide, with whom you will begin to the trip using the old roads to Kolasin. The exciting and adventurous spirit of the tour is elevated as you ride a 4×4 vehicle or truck, as the road to Maganik is a bit rough.
Stops along the tour
The first stop on the journey is Katun Poljana. It is a great place to admire the ultimate nature of the mountain and prepare yourself for demanding rocky terrain and challenging ascend. The reward will come at the top of Tresteni vrh. This is the spot from which you can grasp the Maganik’s true wonder. From here, you can enjoy the incredible nature, experience some of Montenegro’s most breathtaking views, and explore the rocky plateaus.
It is impossible to pass from end to end of the plateau, making the tour end on its edge. But it is more than enough to enjoy the marvels of the mountain. Here, you will also take a break of one or two hours, after which you will start your descent.
The tour ends at Katun Poljana, where, depending on the availability of hosts, you may grab lunch made from natural and organic food. There is no greater experience of Montenegrin food culture than enjoying a meal in katun.
Technical information
Although this tour is considered a hike, it is a full six-hour adventure requiring solid physical conditions. The overall tour, with all the mentioned things included, typically costs around 220 euros per person.
It is worth taking the trip and enjoying Maganik because it is a genuinely unexplored, off-the-beaten-track location. It was safeguarded for locals, and now it is available for anyone. So, if you seek true adventure and the mesmerising beauty of Mother Earth, Maganik is a place for you.
