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Moderate
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Age: 7+
Minimum Age

Multi Activity holiday at Lake Skadar

“What a week! A truly fantastic experience from start to finish. Ben, Emma, Adel and Tobi were amazing hosts with great local knowledge. Over the course of the week we had 4 jam-packed activity days all of which you could never have experienced as independent travellers…a truly memorable holiday.” Emma Winterman, July 2023

2024 departure dates: Any Sunday late-March to end-Oct. Quote APRMAY2024 for £200pp off April and May dates!

Lake Skadar multi activity holiday

Featured by The Times & The Guardian, our week-long multi activity holiday based exclusively at Lake Skadar National Park gets you doing a little bit of everything! Hiking, kayaking, wine-tasting, wild-swimming, caving, bird-watching, eating with locals – there’s something for everyone on this small group holiday! Your base for the week is the picturesque village of Virpazar with accommodation provided at Villa Miela, our own beautifully renovated farmhouse, or in our top choice of local lodgings once Villa Miela is full (our groups number up to 15 in size with up to 10 guests based at Villa Miela and the rest nearby). Make new friends and discover world class natural beauty as you enjoy four expertly guided group adventures spread out over the week. You also have two days free to explore amazing Montenegro by yourselves or simply kick back and relax!

While the exact itinerary is decided by the group at our welcome dinner on the first night, our most popular week is outlined on the itinerary tab above. This holiday is suitable for families, groups of friends, couples and solo travellers. A reasonable level of physical fitness and adventurous spirit is required! Click here to read more about our activity levels.

Book to Give Back – every booking sparks a donation to our chosen local environmental and community causes!


Your Tour Leaders:

Tobi and Adel are the managers of Villa Miela Lake Retreat! Nature lovers and veteran travellers in the Balkans, they make all the magic happen at our Lake Skadar activity base, whether guiding tours, preparing healthy guest breakfasts, managing the retreat or researching new outdoor experiences. They speak fluent English, German and Hungarian and are learning Montenegrin!

 

UM Founders Ben and Emma have been running Undiscovered Montenegro together for 15 years, committed to providing top quality sustainable adventures based on their extensive local knowledge and global know-how. They both speak near fluent Montenegrin/Serbian as well as English.


Want to see more? Watch our video!

Sample Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival
Arrival at Virpazar from your chosen airport. There is a 3-course welcome dinner on Villa Miela’s terrace around 7pm so that we can all get to know each other and agree on the activities we’ll be doing during the week.

Day 2 – Explore & Discovery
An unforgettable car and hiking combination tour. We will drive past breathtaking views, hike to rock-pools for wild swimming, visit bat-inhabited caves before lunching at a former royal residence in historic Rijeka Crnojevića. We then jump back in the 4×4 for more stunning views, wild river swimming and then heading across a magnificent plain that would not look out of place in Africa. The breathtaking view from the ancient fort of Zabljak Crnojevića is our final stop before returning to Virpazar.

Day 3 – Kayaking safari
Suitable for all levels of fitness, this 4-5 hour kayak trip will take you across stunning mirrored waters from Murići on the southern shores, (also home to the lake’s best freshwater beach), with views up to the fabled peaks of Albania’s Accursed Mountains. You’ll have the lake all to yourself as you swim in crystal clear waters and visit the lake’s renowned 14th century island monastaries, all the while taking in the awesome views, varied bird-life and glorious solitude.

Beginners are welcome – your guide is a UK qualified instructor!

Day 4 – rest day
There’s so much to discover at Lake Skadar National Park! Take the complimentary bicycles out for a spin, try out some of the self-guided walking trails, head out to see the coast (only 30 minutes away) or chill out and play some boules in Villa Miela’s gardens.

Day 5 – Wine-tasting in Lake Skadar Valley
Lake Skadar is also Montenegro’s wine-country with upwards of 30 commercial producers on Villa Miela’s doorstep. The red vranac and whitekrstač wines are easily a match for more famous French rivals. Our wine tasting tour will take you to three boutique wineries, all medal winners, where you can sample from the barrels yourselves, view the vineyards and learn about the proud history of wine-making from the friendliest of owners. You can even take the option of having a private lunch or dinner at a winery, with the best organic produce, washed down with copious quantities of delicious wine! Holidaying with kids? Take our family favourite wild-swimming boat tour instead!

Day 6 – Walnut Valley hike
Our favourite hike – this circular trail passes through ancient woodland, across arched Ottoman bridges and along riverside trails and old Roman caravan paths as it winds its way through one of Lake Skadar’s most beautiful valleys. We stop for wild swimming in natural spring-fed pools before hiking to the beautiful hillside village of Dupilo for lunch with a local family (extra cost applicable). This is unspoiled and undisturbed nature, with wild figs, herbs and tortoises in abundance! Best of all, you won’t have to share them with other tourists; this is our secret!

Day 7 – rest day

Day 8 – Departure

Prices are in £ Sterling per person per week and include 7 nights’ self-catering accommodation at Villa Miela, a welcome dinner, 4 standard activities (some lunches included, some extra) and complimentary use of mountain bikes. Flights are not included.

Book for 31st March and 7th April 2024 and get a £100pp discount!

ROOMS April/October  May/June/September July / August
En-suite double / twin / triple £745pp £795pp £845pp
Twin shared bathroom £645pp £645pp £695pp
Single supplement £150 £200 £250

Please note that all parties may share Villa Miela with other independent bookings. We can on occasion accept shorter stays pro-rata (eg, 3 nights, 2 activities for 50% of the normal price), but this is usually limited to late availability or special circumstances. We don’t offer accommodation-only stays – sorry!

The four activities run by us include all transport, translation, equipment and packed lunches where offered. Please note that all third party providers of food/wine are to be paid direct by the guests as part of our “no commission” policy to support the local economy.

VILLA MIELA

A beautifully renovated farmhouse with swimming pool, Villa Miela is the ideal base for guests on our Lake Skadar multi-activity holidays. With panoramic views and a prime location offering easy access to the lake’s southern and northern shores as well as Virpazar’s restaurants and shops, it’s the perfect place to stay for families, couples and groups of friends. Make new friends as you share the well stocked kitchen, gorgeous outdoor terrace, gas BBQ and swimming pool, or take over the whole complex if your group numbers 6 or more (a supplement may be charged).

At a glance

Sleeps 8-10 with 2 double rooms, 1 twin and one 4-bed dorm room, each with private bathroom
Modern kitchen with all amenities
Free WIFI
Open-plan living room with TV, DVD player and library of books and films
Large terrace with gas barbecue, loungers, hammocks, boules court, swimming pool; incredible views over lake, valley and mountains
Extensive grounds with natural orchard and wild tortoises
Two minutes from the lake shore, 30 minutes from the Adriatic coast
Free use of mountain bikes

Exposed stone details and wooden ceilings and floors add to the charm, with locally produced, handmade bedspreads and bathroom soaps also handmade from olive oil. Stunning views are offered up by each bedroom and the open-plan living area.

The modern kitchen comes equipped with washing-machine and dishwasher.

Man enjoying Multi activity holiday swimming in a crystal clear, bright blue rock pool near Lake Skadar