As you’ve probably gathered from the title 🙂 , this will be a via ferrata ascent to the beautiful Durmitor peak—Uvita Greda. If you’re traveling by car from the Montenegrin town of Žabljak along Route R-16 (toward Trsa–Plužine), after about 7 kilometers you’ll reach Sedlo (1,907 m). And here, on your right (with Žabljak behind you), you can’t help but notice a beautiful and impressive peak that, from certain angles, resembles the Matterhorn in Switzerland. This is Uvita Greda, which stands at 2,199 m.
At the foot of Uvita Greda lies the narrow Uvito Zdrijelo Pass, which serves as a passage from southern Durmitor to the inner Durmitor massif. On the opposite side of the pass, you can admire the beautiful peaks of Sedlena Greda (2,227 m) and Zubci (2,148 m). Hikers pass through the Uvito Zdrijelo Pass on their way beyond Uvita Greda, for example, to Durmitor’s highest peak—Bobotov kuk.
There are two routes leading to Uvita Greda—a hiking trail and a via ferrata called Durmitor. You can reach the hiking trail after crossing the Uvito Zdrijelo Pass. A steep climb follows, and you’ll reach the summit. The start of the second route is located on the Sedlo side.
*Durmitor via ferrata*
Most people drive to Sedlo, where they can park after paying a fee. From there, you set off toward the start of the via ferrata. The Durmitor Via Ferrata is 400 meters long, with an elevation gain of 198 meters. The climb begins at an altitude of 2,000 meters and ends at the summit at 2,199 meters. In terms of difficulty, it is rated B/C. However, I have also heard the opinion that this difficulty rating is underestimated and that a C rating would be more appropriate. This via ferrata was built by a team of experts from Slovenia and France who already had extensive experience constructing secured routes in Slovenia.
However, this via ferrata is commercial, meaning you have to pay to use it. It is operated by the Montenegrin travel agency Montagna Travel Montenegro, whose owner, Mr. Budimir Backović (Budo), is a leading Montenegrin pioneer in the fields of mountaineering, hiking, and via ferrata climbing. He is also a member of the Mountain Rescue Service. His travel agency even organizes survival courses for tourists in winter conditions. And he is a wonderful person who has become my friend.
You don’t need any climbing gear; Budova will provide everything (including snacks). Just bring appropriate footwear :)…
I was so captivated by this via ferrata that I climbed it twice. The first time was in August 2023, and then I came back here again in June 2024. And I’ll definitely climb it a third time :).
*Accent*
The first time I went climbing, I was part of a small group that included my friend Katka. There were four of us women in total, and Budo was our guide. After putting on our gear at Sedlo, we hiked for about 10 minutes to the start of the via ferrata, where Budo gave us some introductory instructions. There’s also a short practice via ferrata there with a difficulty rating of A, where you can try everything out if you’re a beginner.
And off we went. There were two Slovak women and two Croatian women on our team; we cheered each other on and had a great time :)…
There are a few benches along the trail where you can take a break. Or use them as a photo spot :)…
And there’s also one high-adrenaline photo spot…
I won’t bore you with more text now—check out some more photos from the hike instead :)…
And you’ll see in the photos what a magnificent sight awaited me after I climbed the via ferrata…
Since the Durmitor Via Ferrata is one-way, the descent is on the opposite side (toward the interior of the Durmitor massif) along a steep but passable hiking trail. And that’s where Budo surprised us :). After crossing the Uvito Zdrijelo Pass, instead of continuing on to Sedlo, we turned left onto a barely visible (chamois) trail, and after a few dozen meters, we came to a large opening in the rock. This marked the entrance to the cave.
Next came the descent to Sedlo and a trip to the nearest ranch to stay hydrated :)…
When I climbed this via ferrata again a year later, my younger son and my sister’s family shared the experience with me. The conditions were worse than the year before, since there was a very strong wind (as you’ll see in the photos, it almost blew my helmet off 🙂 ). But in the end, we made it successfully.
And then came a dance of joy 🙂 🙂 🙂 …
The Durmitor via ferrata is quite “playful”—you can even make use of the “natural material” (rocks). It’s exposed, but with the help of a qualified instructor, even complete beginners can manage it. Throughout the entire climb, you’ll enjoy incredible bird’s-eye views of the Durmitor mountain range’s gems.
If you decide to follow in my footsteps and need advice on accommodations, food, hiking trails, or other ways to spend your time in Durmitor, feel free to contact me via email at ajka@uzisibalkaninak.com or through my Facebook page, “Enjoy the Balkans differently.”
P.S.: All photos are protected by copyright 
